music lessons.

or something like it…

this weekend, zach’s family came over for some yummy ribs smoked by the hus-band on his hand-me-down yet proudly-refurbished hasty-bake. while the adults were watching baylor basketball, my niece logan and i decided to play in my studio.

gah, she’s becoming such a beautiful big girl!  i can’t believe she’s almost 4.

and not only is she excited about getting older so she can play soccer like her extremely cool uncle zach, but she’s also going to be a big sister in the very near future! yippee!

maybe i can teach her a little about piano. but i’m not the best at explaining things–or telling stories, for that matter–so that’s probably why i never pursued teaching. i don’t like getting up and talking in front of people anyway!

but, aside from my personal stage-fright issues, i think we have our very own beethoven in the making.

watch out all you musical prodigies! :)

awake my soul.

hey friends, i realize i’ve shared this once already, but today seems to call for it again.

i love mumford & sons, and i hope you do, too!

not only is this song amazing musically,

but i think the lyrics have some valuable truth to them.

take a listen.

this makes me want to get a banjo.

or is that a guit-jo?

or a banj-itar?

oh, you know what i mean.

a formal affair.

hey friends! i hope you had a great weekend!

saturday night we supported our friend’s band, a formal affair at a local downtown coffee shop. known for their yummy granitas, the ground floor was packed-to-the-brim for the band’s official cd release show.

they played many originals as well as a few favorite cover songs from the fray to maroon five, encouraging the crowd to chime in and participate throughout the entire evening. my favorite song of theirs is called “two towns.” it has been so exciting to see these talented guys grow and gel musically together as a band, refining a sound that is uniquely known as a formal affair. take a listen here.

can i get your john hancock?

right 2 left from the top:

jason stokes, scott rogers

adam rivera, jaime rivera

our friend landon, scott & the hus-band.

i swear landon & zach could be related.

go here for a few more pictures!

and if you ever get a chance to hear them play, please do it!

support the arts!

5 friday favorites.

hey folks! this week’s favorites come to you a day early, as we are leaving town this afternoon for a weekend get-away.

so, here you go!

1. pick your plum — a fantastic website that offers sweet deals on items you’ll love. everything from ready-made products to supplies, pick your plum is a great place whether you are looking for inexpensive gifts or growing your resources for those DIY projects. for christmas gifts, i purchased some adorable filigree headbands along with some blank ring bands to make my own one-of-a-kind rings. sign up for daily deals to arrive in your email. did i mention it’s a steal of a deal? venture over to see the pick of the day. but hurry! there’s a limited number of items, and they go out fast.

2. pendleton — on our recent trip to ruidoso, we stopped by a family owned-and-operated outdoors shop that sold everything from smart wool socks to leather birkenstocks. with men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories you’ll find everything you need to bundle up or gear up for your next adventure. there i found the latest addition–and obsession–of my life: a pendleton sling bag. it’s made of 100% wool with touches leather, and comes in various colors, shapes and sizes. and i ADORE it’s very recognizable native-american print. definitely my favorite thing i own at the moment. if i could get an entire luggage set in this stuff, i totally would. visit the site.

3. moo — and no, this one isn’t related to cows. when i ordered some vintage shooting targets from legal miss sunshine for my hus-band as a christmas gift, i found something completely adorable and surprising at the bottom of the envelope. a mini business card. half the size of regular business cards, moo minicards are a fun, new way to leave an impression for whatever you do. you can customize your own or use a preexisting template. there’s no extra charge for these little full color cards–it’s just a part of the deal. they are just so cute and you could use them for more than just business cards…whether it be product tags, promo code cards, customized photography gallery information, the sky’s the limit! check. them. out.

4. inspiring words — i love stumbling upon quotes that encourage me to create. sometimes i find myself asking “why am i doing this? does this even serve a purpose to the world?” and then i am reminded by simple phrases like the one below, and i keep creating.

5. francisca valenzuela — while i’m on the quest to keep up my spanish language skills, one way i’m doing this is by diving into the realm of foreign films and music. originally, i had tried tuning my car radio to one of the local spanish stations, but they speak super-duper fast and i had a hard time enjoying music of the tejano variety–no offense to anyone who likes it! but during the austin city limits festival last fall, i heard a voice that immediately caught my attention. francisca valenzuela is a 24 year-old american born chilean singer/songwriter for the pop-rock genre. i LOVE her voice. it’s definitely something more pleasant to the ears. take a listen to my favorite song right now.

have a great weekend!

music madness.

okay, so.

i’ve never really been into shows like american idol or america’s got talent… mainly because i get annoyed with the ridiculously stupid acts that the producers let through to increase ratings. or for whatever their reason may be, i just don’t care for it all that much.

however, there is a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to music/talent shows.

1. the voice

2. the sing-off

i’ve loved the voice since its debut, and i can’t wait for it to start back up again in february.

and along with the voice, the sing-off, an a cappella-only show that has been around for a few seasons, has become one of my newest obsessions.

not only do i LOVE the talent that comes with the sing-off, but i adore the judges! sarah bareilles, shawn stockman & ben folds add a bit of humor to their technical critiques as they comment on the competitors’ compilations throughout the show.

and let us not forget about ol’ nick lachey. haha.

mainly because i enjoyed the cheesy lines he delivered as MC.

but hey, somebody’s gotta do it!

and the talent. OH. MY. GOSH.

the talent that is in this show is UH-MAZING.

some people might not like it because the show might remind them of glee, or a high school musical of sorts, but not me.

no sir.

I LOVED IT!

and probably even got a little TOO emotionally attached.

yeah, i admit it.

don’t judge.