Being Thankful & Surrounded by Family

 

They say the best things in life are free and I can honestly affirm that. Just like every other year, I spent Thanksgiving with my family at my grandparents' house. Mom and I cooked, we ate, and enjoyed some family time. But it was still bittersweet because this was my family's first Thanksgiving without my grandma. 

Dad & Grandpa waiting on dinner

Grandma passed away in January and every holiday seems to be harder than the last without her, but surprisingly this one wasn't so bad. Mom said that she felt like Grandma was watching over us and smiling and I believe she was.

Me & Grandma on a weekend trip

We brought my Uncle Terry home from the nursing home and while he and Mom shed a few tears at first, they dried their eyes and made it through the day. I asked Uncle Terry what he was thankful for and he said, "I'm thankful for my family and the food we ate and that everyone was around me." And I thought to myself isn't that what Thanksgiving really is about? Being thankful for what we have and appreciating the people around us.

I had spent so much time dreading the holiday because I knew it wouldn't be the same without Grandma, but Uncle Terry helped me realize that no matter what happens I should be grateful and appreciate the time I did have with her - and the time I have with the rest of my family.

Dad, Uncle Terry, & Me at the table

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and just remember being thankful should happen more than once a year. Appreciate what you have every day.

What are you most thankful for?

Types of Black Friday Shoppers

With one day to Thanksgiving it's safe to say that the shopping frenzy has begun. The traffic is horrible, the stores are packed, and the blood pressure is rising. Yep, tis the season to have a panic attack. But while Thanksgiving is awesome (I mean come on - the food, the family time, the . . . well, that's about it) we Americans celebrate something even more awesome. Yes, you guessed it.

BLACK FRIDAY!

Ok, so I've only been Black Friday shopping once in my life. I'll pause here while you laugh and/or roll your eyes. Honestly, I would've gone more times but I was actually too scared (and too broke) to go - seriously, have you seen the 6 o'clock news? People go bananas out there - B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

But anyway, the one time I did brave up and go I noticed there were certain types of shoppers that I saw at almost every store we went to. So I decided to make a quick list of the different types of Black Friday shoppers.
Disclaimer: These following descriptions are from my own personal observations and in no way reflect ALL Black Friday Shoppers. So let's just get on with it and have a laugh. :)

The Crazy Ones
When most people think of Black Friday they usually think of crazy shoppers foaming at the mouth as they tear through crowds of people to get that one thing that's finally been marked down to a reasonable price. And while most shoppers aren't like this, there are a few that go completely bonkers as soon as the black paper is pulled back and it's time to shop.

Seriously, I went to Walmart and stumbled upon the strangest sight I'd ever seen: women - grown women, mind you, with kids and grandkids - were fighting over bed sheets. Literally, they were knocking each other around and bags of sheets were flying through the air. It was like feeding time at the zoo. I just stood back and watched in awe (and slight horror) as ladies attempted to tear each other to shreds for - wait for it - sheets.

The Crazy Ones are usually the ones who make the evening news for giving someone a black eye (no pun intended) or pulling a knife, so you definitely got to watch out for them. My advice, stay as far away from them as you can. You'll be able to recognize them by the wild, hungry look in their eyes. But whatever you do, don't show emotion. They can smell fear a mile away.

Which brings me to the next kind of Black Friday shopper . . .

The Strategist
The Strategist is completely different from the Crazy One. First of all, the Strategist starts planning for Black Friday at least 2 weeks in advance. They check out the ads online and in the newspapers, they have text alerts sent to their phone, they arrange friends and family to stand in line at certain stores and grab certain items, and they print out maps to every store they want to visit, so they'll know exactly when and where their stuff will be on sale. They usually get to the store super early and hover around the products they want, scoping out the other shoppers with eagle eyes as they wait for the craziness to begin.

Most of these kinds of shoppers are considered Type A and mucho organized.

Yeah, if you guessed that I'm not one of these kind of shoppers you're right. I tend to fall in another category all together . . . .

The Unprepared
Every year there's always that one person or persons who thinks that Black Friday really won't be as bad as everyone says. They're the ones who don't believe the hype; they actually think that they can just do their normal shopping on Black Friday. Silly rabbit!

Unfortunately, I was one of those people. When my family asked me to go Black Friday shopping I agreed because I just wanted to see if everyone got as crazy as they said. I didn't even plan to buy anything. I was just gonna stand back and watch, be a spectator, not a player.

Then everything changed when the Black Friday shoppers attacked. ;)

Ok, I'm just kidding, but when we pulled up to Walmart and saw that every parking space was taken (and I mean EVERY one - from the front of the store to the gas station) I knew we definitely weren't in Kansas anymore. I had no clue how to pace myself, even if my first Black Friday shopping experience was pretty tame. We went to Walmart, Best Buy, and Target and by the time we got to Target I was falling asleep. So I was completely unprepared.

Now keep in mind that there are some level-headed shoppers out there who don't lose their cool on Black Friday and I applaud them, but we all know there's a part of us that kind of wants to see the people go cray-cray over a $150 50 inch flat screen . . . even if we won't admit it.

So if you're going shopping this Black Friday good luck and be careful. Oh, and remember what I said about the Crazy Ones - they can smell fear.

Happy Shopping!

21 Songs I Wished I'd Written

It's a given - I love music - all kinds of music. Pop, Jazz, Rock, Gospel, Reggae, Country, Blues, Motown, and on and on and on . . . .

But some songs stand out to me. You know the ones I'm talking about. The ones that make you wish you'd written them because they capture exactly how you're feeling or what you wish you could've said.

In honor of songs like that, here's a list of the 21 songs I wished I'd written.

Enjoy

1. Taylor Swift "All Too Well"
The emotion Tay-Tay was able to capture in this song is close to genius. She managed to convey the highs and lows of a relationship in just a few verses and choruses.

2. Sam Smith "Not the Only One"
Whoever broke Sam Smith's heart is a total jerk and you can practically feel Sam's pain when you hear this song. He puts his heart and soul in each lyric.

3. Miranda Lambert "The House That Built Me"
This song hits really close to home for me (no pun intended) because it reminds me of my family. You never really notice how much a place shapes who you are until you leave it.

4. Charles Johnson & the Revivers "I Believe He Died for Me"
Some people may ask: Why do people believe in Jesus Christ when they haven't seen Him in the flesh and have only heard about the extraordinary things He did? The answer is simple. Just listen to this song. It basically says that even though I didn't see Jesus crucified or heard the people who mocked and rejected Him, I believe He died for me. Simple as that.

5. Tori Kelly "Dear No One"
Can I just say Tori Kelly is the bomb.com. Not only does she have a killer voice, but she writes the most honest lyrics I've heard in a while. This song introduced me to her music and I've been a fan ever since because it's sincere.

6. Adele "Somebody Like You"
Adele had been on the music scene for a while before this song was released, but I'd never paid her much attention until I heard her sing this song. The way she sang it and the lyrics touched me. There's so much longing and going back and forth in it. It captured the feeling of loving someone but knowing that you've gotta let them go and that's what makes it relatable.

7. Sugarland "Already Gone"
Sugarland is known for their high-energy fast tunes but every once and a while they release something really heartfelt. This song is about growing up and moving on, but keeping in mind that no matter how far you go you've gotta remember where you came from.

8. The Cure "Love Song"
I don't know how a goth-punk band did it, but they managed to write one of the most beautiful love songs ever. The lyrics describe how loving someone changes you and how not only do you become a different person but you kind of become a better one.

9. Michael Jackson "Man in the Mirror"
What I love about this song is that it makes you think. It's inspirational and honest and right to the point - situations change when individuals change.

10. Nick Jonas "Critical"
This one's another song about how love changes you but it goes a step further and describes just how drastic the change can be. Nick croons that he can't eat, he can't sleep, he can't do anything now because of the change this girl's made in his life - and it's critical.

11. OneRepublic "I Lived"
Ryan Tedder said in a interview that he actually wrote this song for his son and never intended to record it, but once his family and friends heard it they persuaded him to share it with the world and it certainly paid off. People go through the motions of life every day but how many actually live? This song reminds me that I should appreciate every experience that comes my way.

12. Brad Paisley & Allison Kraus "Whiskey Lullaby"
I was in middle school the first time I heard this song and it still gives me chills when I think about it. Allison Kraus has the voice of an angel and in this song she and Brad deliver the performance of a lifetime.  

13. The Temptations "I Wish It Would Rain"
This is probably the most depressing song on my list but I absolutely love it. It's a break up song so you know it's sad from the start but the lyrics capture that feeling of loss so perfectly that I had to include it.

14. Smokie Robinson & the Miracles "Tracks of My Tears"
Sometimes you come across songwriters who are good at their craft and other times you come across Smokie Robinson. He was - and still is - a songwriting master and "Tracks of My Tears" is no exception. It's sad because it's a break up song but it's mid-tempo rhythm keeps it from being depressing.

15. Louis Armstrong "What A Wonderful World"
I don't know what it is about Louis Armstrong but his music captured my heart and has yet to let it go. The simplicity of this song always makes me want to close my eyes and picture Mayberry (and for those of you who don't know what Mayberry is watch an Andy Griffith Show rerun).

16. Coldplay "Clocks"
For as long as I can remember this song has made me think of the ocean. Weird, huh? But it's one of my all-time favorite songs so I had to include it on this list. I wish I'd have written the chord progression more than the lyrics because it's just so hauntingly beautiful.

17. Paramore "The Only Exception"
Ever feel like you can make it on your own; that you don't need anyone's help? Well, apparently Hayley Williams felt the same way - that is, until she met New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert. They fell in love and she wrote this song.

18. The Crabb Family "Through the Fire"
How many of us have ever felt overwhelmed with life? Show of hands. Yup, I have too. But this song always reminds me that I serve a God who loves me and who'll get me through my struggles.

19. Blake Shelton "Ol' Red"
Whoever wrote this song is a songwriting/story-telling master. They took three minutes of song and painted a story worthy of a movie script. It's cheeky, it's clever, and it's one of the quirkiest song I've ever heard.

20. One Direction "Little Things"
This is the song that made me a One Direction fan. It's romantic, it's sweet, and it comes from the heart. The songwriter(s) was - or still is - madly in love with someone and he channeled his feelings beautifully in this song. For me, love isn't about a dozen roses or cards on Valentine's Day, it's about the feel of their hand in yours, the way they look at you like you're the only person in the room, the little things.

21. Tracey Chapman "Give Me One Reason To Stay Here"
I love this song simply because of the sassiness in Tracey Chapman's voice as she sings it. She sounds like a woman who knows her own mind and she's not afraid to speak it. The lyrics are very blunt and to the point -  a message of empowerment that basically gives a guy an ultimatum: love me or I'm gone.

So that's my 21 songs. Now it's your turn.

What song did you wish you would've written?