The sound of MUSIC

So I decided to come check out the blog and realized that the music starts on it's own and is very loud!  Sorry about that.  I didn't realize that was happening....but I think I fixed it.  I love listening to music but I really dislike when I click on a website and it decides I should listen to what IT wants me to, rather than the current song I have playing or the silence I'm enjoying.  So I've turned that off.  But please still listen to the music in our playlist, if you so desire.  Payton helped me pick all of the songs.  Some we share as favorites, some are mine, and some are his.  And sometimes his music pics surprise even me. 
We love music.  There is music on at our house more than there is TV.  Well, actually, usually the TV is usually on too, but on mute.  I listen to music all day, every day at work through noise cancelling headphones.  I listen to music when I walk, drive, study, get ready for work...all the time it's on.  And when it's not, I'm usually singing something....sometimes quietly, sometimes not so quietly. I think music is the best form of expression.  I think certain songs can help you sort out your feelings, understand others' feelings and it can definitely change your mood!  I love listening to classical music.  I love old country music.  I love sad music and happy music and music that can make you smile, laugh and cry.  I love when there is new music that comes out that I just can't get enough of. You know, the song you play on repeat for days and days.  I have several of these that I'm playing non-stop recently.  The Breath You Take (King George!) and War at Home (Josh Groban) are probably my fav right now.....both of them have me thinking a lot about my blessings and all that I take for granted.  If you haven't listened, check them out!  (best thing about YouTube is previewing music before you buy it!)  If you have any music that you think I should hear, I always love being introduced to a new artist.  Happy listening!! 

"Music gives a soul to the universe, 

wings to the mind, 

flight to the imagination, 

and life to everything." 

~ Plato ~

Blogging, Life and Football

I have recently read someone's blog that was rather inspiring to me.  Whenever I read blogs like that, I feel like, oh I'm not such a great writer, I don't think my blog would ever measure up.  But then I realized something: it doesn't have to.  You are reading this because you want to, not because you are being forced.  So I'm getting over a few of my insecurities as a blogger :)  Also inspiring was this person's brutal honesty about feelings. Love, life, loss, happiness, sadness and everything in between all of those is approached with no covering, no mask and no fear.  It's truly an amazing blog. This blog, coupled with the death of my niece and nephew's other Grandma, (my brother in law's mom) yesterday, has got me thinking about life and death. But mostly about life.  And how to slow down and enjoy it.  How to not stress so much and relax at things that normally bother me.  And to make a list...of things that I will do to enjoy each day.  The list is because it doesn't come naturally to me, like it does to some....wish me luck on this.  It's another resolution to add to my ever-growing list.

And on another note....

The close of football season is upon us.  Only two game days left. This sort of makes me sad, because Payton and I spend a lot of Saturdays and Sundays watching, discussing, playing and anticipating football. I am so glad that I got Payton for a son and grew up with the dad that I did.  Football is one of the great things we have in common.  I enjoy watching, playing and even listening to games.  I have friends that enjoy it and their kids enjoy it and this is something we can all do together.  I have a friend who has told Payton and me on several occasions "you're lucky you got a mom like you did.....what if he was my kid?  I have no interest in sports."   Now, I'm not a football fanatic, I don't have one team that I base my mood on their wins and losses, but I do enjoy the game and I do cheer loudly for whichever team I picked at kickoff to win!  It's usually whoever Payton is cheering for.  Sometimes it differs, but not often.  Yesterday we both wanted the Packers and Jets to win.  Well, we're going to be glad to see the Packer stomp the Steelers.  Hopefully.  I have been asked several times what I will be doing for the super bowl...well, watching it, duh!  When I was growing up, my dad and a group of his friends would get together and rent rooms at the Holiday Inn so the kids could swim and play and the adults could drink and watch football and we all ate, ALL DAY LONG.  I asked Payton if I should do this....he said, well I won't be swimming, I'll be watching!  I just laughed.  Guess we'll probably have our own party at home again this year.

Blogging vs Facebook?

So, I've decided to give this blogging thing a try.  I always want to post stuff on Facebook, but think "who would want to read that??"...so I've decided to try it out here and see if anyone actually does! :)  After reading a friend's recent travel story, day by day on her blog, I decided this would be a great way to log our trips, too!  And then another friend posted about making books at the end of each year and I thought, what a great thing for Payton to have later in life.  I wish I had started 12 years ago!  But I didn't.  Sad.  I will probably have to throw in some events that have happened in the last 12 years, here and there.
I've decided to make this one of my New Year's resolutions.  Maybe it'll work out, or maybe, like a lot of my resolutions, it will not.  We'll see.....