Family and friends

 We were lucky enough to have both my family and Rex's parents visit last weekend and we just had the best time. My parents and his parents got to meet, we got to take them to our favorite restaurants, and we got to catch up over Mom's famous margaritas. It was so great! 

Also, have y'all heard Victory Bells by Josh Abbott Band? He wrote it about Tech and it just gives me goosebumps when I hear it! So proud to be a Red Raider!

Babel

Alright y'all. Have you listened to this yet? Because it's a knock out. I first fell in love with Mumford & Sons when Sigh No More came out a couple years ago. And it was so beautiful and haunting and real. But it was their first album and I was pretty apprehensive about the next one. How do you follow something that exceptional? But believe me, they have. I fall in love with each song all over again every time I hear it, and I cannot stop listening. Below My Feet, Lover's Eyes, and Lover of the Light are my favorites so far. And they are so brilliant on the album, but everything was even better live when we saw them in Aspen, the mark of true and lasting musicians.

Okay.

I'll be honest, blogging hasn't really been my number one priority lately. Finishing up the spring semester, starting summer classes, finishing my school year job, starting my summer job, preparing for our summer camping trip, moving out of my old house, moving into my new house, trying to get my computer fixed, and trying to get a decent amount of sleep has really taken precedence lately. And, let's be real, getting up to date on How I Met Your Mother has been pretty important too. But, here's a little bit of what's happened since we last talked.

We tried our hand at fly fishing some Lubbock lakes... not too successful, I'm sure you're surprised to hear. But we got to throw using the flies we had tied! That was really cute.

Meet the wooly bugger.

Annnnddd.....Rex graduated from South Plains!! Yay! He'll be at Tech in the fall in the Business program and I'm super excited and proud of him!

For my mom's birthday, we got her tickets to see Dave Matthews Band in Dallas, so we got to do that last weekend! It was a lot of fun, and of course we didn't get a group picture, but it was great to spend time with the family and hear good music.

Otherwise, we've been working and trying to do normal life things...the usual! I hope you're having a good Memorial Day weekend! Be safe and happy and healthy! 

A Guide To Country Music

Do you ever go through "phases"? I think I do with almost everything. Movies (horror, comedy, thriller, action...), music (instrumental, folk, jazz, classic rock...), clothes (button downs, rolled-up jeans, glasses, layering...), books (inspirational, chick lit, non-fiction, biography...) ... basically everything in my life comes and goes. Right now I'm in a documentary phase, a layering phase, an inspirational phase, and, believe it or not...a country music phase.

Weird, huh? I haven't listened to country since I figured out that I could control what music I listened to (about 5th grade). But I feel like there's so much good country music out right now! Here are a couple of my favorites that you'll probably hear on the radio, just in case you're interested in doing the boots-wearin', whiskey-drinkin', field-plowin', southern twang thang.

Even If It Breaks Your Heart - Eli Young Band

Home - Dierks Bentley

All Your Life - The Band Perry

Ours - Taylor Swift 

When I'm Not Looking - Blake Shelton 

(PS - LOVE him on The Voice...he's so presh) 

(I can't believe I just admitted I watch The Voice......)

A Woman Like You - Lee Brice

Chicken Fried - Zac Brown Band

Good Night For Dancing - Josh Abbott Band

Somethin' 'Bout A Truck - Kip Moore

So You Don't Have To Love Me - Alan Jackson

Waitin' On A Woman - Brad Paisley

I still think old school country is where it's at...you just can't beat Merle and Willie and Hank, especially not with much that's played on the radio now. But there's still some good listening out there! So good luck venturing into the country world, if you think you're up to it. You'll have to deal with (expletive deleted) like Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup", but usually it's worth it.

Christmas Tunes

I've always loved Christmas music. But let's be real here, there's a lot of it out there that is not very good. At all. And by not very good, I mean whoever's rendition of the song isn't very good. Not the song itself. Obviously. Like, I'm not a huge fan of Mariah Carey Christmas. And as much as I love old Bobby Dylan, his Christmas cd is kind of painful. So, here is a compilation of a few of my faaavorite Christmas songs! And I promise, no Mariah.


1. Ho-Ho-Hopefully by The Maine
2. Merry Christmas, Here's To Many More by Reliant K
3. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Jack Johnson
4. Mistletoe & Holly by Frank Sinatra
5. Little Saint Nick by the Beach Boys
5. Christmas Time Is Here by the Vince Guaraldi Trio (from A Charlie Brown Christmas)
6. Baby, It's Cold Outside by She & Him
7. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Death Cab For Cutie
8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Coldplay
9. So This Is Christmas by The Beatles
10. Winter Wonderland by Jason Mraz
11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by Ella FItzgerald
12. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee
13. Blue Christmas by Elvis
14. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by She & Him
15. Christmas Song by Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
16. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm by Dean Martin

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Short But Sweet

Gi^vIng^ Thanks^: 

-Hot coffee on a cold night with a lot of studying yet to come

-Good company for study breaks

-Iron & Wine radio on Pandora 

Just A Little Something

Sigh. What I wouldn't give to see them live. 

Happy Sunday!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Favorite video: Jorge Narvaez and his daughter Alexa on the Ellen Show. So adorable, I am just in love. 

Favorite Song: Howlin' For You, The Black Keys

Favorite New Recipe: These incredible looking "Million Dollar Brownies". Don't they just look amazing? So thick and chocolate-y. Mmm.

Favorite Summer Dress: What a pretty little number from Anthropologie. I love the pleats and the gorgeous design. Perfect for the sweltering Texas summers, too. 

Favorite Craft Idea: Adorable ruffle wreath by Jones Design Company. Everything she does is decorating gold, and I love the idea of this on the door for summer with a bright fabric flower (which she also has tutorials for!) 

Favorite Haircut: Also my next haircut! I just absolutely adore the way Shannyn Sossamon pulls off this super-short cut. But she'd probably look gorgeous with no hair, so we'll see how it works for me!

Favorite Bottle of Wine: Now I'm usually not a fan of white wines, but Cavit Pinot Grigio is just so good! Crisp and fresh, and not too sweet. 

Well, I think that's all I have for y'all today! I will let you know one of my NOT favorite things...Murphy's gas! Homeboy's farts can clear a room in a second flat. Good thing he's so cute or else he would NOT be able to get away with that.

Violin.

Just because I know you need this in your afternoon.

#5: "Hold Us Together"

#5: "Hold Us Together" by Matt Maher


It don't have a job
Don't pay your bills
Won't buy you a home
In Beverly Hills


It won't fix your life
In five easy steps
It ain't the law of the land
Or the government
But it's all you need


And love will hold us together
Make us a shelter
To weather the storm
And I'll be my brother's keeper,
So the whole world will know that 
We're not alone