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12/6/12

from a couple that rocks, to a family that rocks!



This post is brought to you by The New Santa Fe from Hyundai. Think your family rocks? Show us by uploading a photo of your family rocking out. Enter now for a chance to win great prizes.



Its funny when I look back over the years, the memories that stand out to me always have music involved. Not like music as in any of my family members actually can carry a tune, but more like music has always been something that was apart of the happy times.

I can remember, and so can most of my close family and friends, when me and my best friend would dance on the coffee table in my parents living room while looking at ourselves in the large mirror on the other side of the room. What was on the stereo you may ask? lets see probably Sir MixALot (Baby Got Back) or 2 Live Crew or even Quad City DJs (Come on Ride that Train). Just typing that list makes me literally LAUGH OUT LOUD.  We were young and crazy and music just put everyone in a good mood. Especially when you see 2 lil white girls breaking down to some old school rap song. And yes, we.broke.it.down.

Then once I got into high school my music preferences only multiplied. Again, not like I had any musical talent whatsoever, well except if you count blaring my loud music in my old beat up saturn winds down, sunroof open, not a care in the world, singing my little heart out. (Of which multiple occasions landed me bright red faced when cute boys ended up next to me at a red light) But also I learned to enjoy all types of music. I loved listening to the oldies and classic rock stations that I had been accustomed to from my mother and father. I loved listening to rap and pop songs, you know because my "cooler" older sister and her friends did. And then my boyfriend (hubby now) introduced me to my love of country music.

Over the past 10 years my husband and I have been together, I cant even count the number of concerts we've been to. We have a long standing tradition to go to the Annual Kiss Country Chili Cookoff, where beer live performances of the top country stars put over 30,000 people in one heck of a good mood. Plus so many other random concerts, with Eric Church being our next planned concert on  Dec 15th for an early birthday present to me (and mommy first official night out without the baby...only took 6 months right?)

Yes, I was pregnant this past chili cookoff, and you best believe it didnt stop me from going. And I know people say that now that we have a kid outings like this will be few and far between, but to tell you the honest truth, I hope to involve me son in outings like this. Even with Chili cookoff. I say, bring a pack-n-play and let him listen to the music as well (although we may not venture into the event, just do the tailgating part lol)

We can already tell hes going to love music. Even when he was still instead my belly. Any time I played country music loud enough, whether in the car or just around the house, he would start kicking up a storm. And now that hes out of my tummy, he still responds to music. It may be my awful voice singing to him "You are my sunshine," or even "He's Mine" (by Rodney Atkins) but his face just lights up. And who wouldnt continue singing a lil bit louder if you got a grin like this to follow it?

What about your family? Does your family rock out in the car? Go to concerts together? Or just plain old ROCK!?!?! Well then you should def check out this fun contest going on from Hyundai Santa Fe and Rolling Stone!


Its really simple to enter, just go here, upload a pic of how your family rocks, and write a lil blurb about it. And you could win a photo shoot in Rolling Stone with your whole family, airfare, hotel and transportation to the 55th Grammy Awards, and a fully tricked-out Hyundai Santa Fe custom rock ‘n’ roller. How fun would that be? But hurry, because you only have until December 14th to enter!

Good luck!





I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

12/5/12

our chirstmas bucket list


ill be honest, when I saw "our" bucket list, i really mean more like "my" bucket list. hubs and matthew just get to put up with lots of photo taking and memory making events. And since its matthews first christmas it has to be way better than all our previous ones ;)

note: boxes with snowflakes in them mean we've already done it
so a couple of these im extremely excited for. #1 being that for the first time ever, we will be hosting christmas morning at our house. up until I was about 20yrs old my parents always hosted because well they are my parents and quite frankly they have the largest house. then my sis took over because she had kids and finally had her own house. And now, since we have added our own lil munchkin to the mix, we get to host! although i am excited about this Im also kinda nervous, its a big responsibility to host this event in our family. i have to make sure i have coffee, spam (dont ask lol), bacon, cinnamon rolls, christmas music playing, clean house, wake up on time, and so many other small details.

im also so excited to be able to start christmas traditions with matthew. my favorites being reading the night before christmas, watching christmas movies, and singing lots of christmas songs! We actually do the last everyone morning, evening, and whenever we're in the car. :)

And y'all i cant wait to send this years christmas cards out. I totally go inspiration from pinterest and created a make-shift set in my back yard. And OMG it came out so good. Post to come about that experience. lol

And then, there are a couple new things that Ive added to my list this year that ive seen mentioned on a couple of other blogs that I think are awesome ideas. Like the whole christmas pj thing, so cute! And making a babys 1st christmas ornament! dont tell anyone but there are lots of people getting one of these wrapped up under the tree!

Ok, so whats on your christmas bucket list this year? Any new traditions youre starting? Any great DYI crafts that I must do? Please share! Id love to hear them all (and possibly steal the ideas for my own family!)

12/4/12

show & tell: my christmas wish list

I honestly thought that I wouldnt have many things on my wish list when I started putting together this post. Boy was I surprised when low-and-behold, I came up with 11 decent items I am wishing for this Christmas.


6. infinity ring with wedding date engraved // 7. kitchen aid glass bowl // 8.  hd camcorder

They arent numbered in any sort of order, so dont use that as a relavance of which I want more. These are all actually just wishes. I think I might get 3 maybe 4 of these in actuality.

The thing I want the most off this list is actually the 50mm lens for my Nikon.

And although I really have been wanting the riding boots as well, I cant seem to find ones that fit urgh!! i have wide calves that i absolutely hate and none of the riding boots ive tried on fit well in that area :(

As for the rest, they really are just "nice-to-haves," but i think some of them are really cool. I mean come on, isnt that travel case for bras like genius? that would be perfect for cruises! ;)

And the willow tree figurine I just love. My mother in law started giving them to us a few years ago and we've gotten quite a lil collection going on. We even had this one for our wedding cake topper. I forgot to show a pic of it, but they also have a nativity seen, and I absolutely love it!!! but each piece is kinda expensive so I doubt Ill get it. Maybe 1 piece each christmas till I have the whole collection? *wink*wink*

Also, i dont really know how badly i want the camcorder. I keep going back and forth on it because i have an iphone that can record, a dslr that can record, and a olympus rugged digital camera that records as well. Do i really need a camcorder as well? I want to be able to catch matthews first steps for sure, but how badly do i need a separate device for that? I dunno. Would love to hear anyones suggestions and opinions on this subject.

Whats on your wish list this year? Anything you cant live without? Any good amateur photographers gifts you think i should ask for?

Dont forget to link up with Becky and get some great ideas for gift-giving and your wish list this year!



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