Happy Birthday Lil Bro!

Happy 23rd Birthday to my little brother, Casey!!

I'm so proud of him and his amazing talent as a drummer AND that he is traveling around the country with his band Darling Parade, doing what he loves! Today he is in San Diego and I'm hoping he and his band mates get to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery before their big show tonight!

Happy Birthday - make it a great one.

These are the years you will look back on, so make them count and enjoy!!

R.I.P Etta James!

Today we have lost a legend, Etta James! I have loved her song "At Last" ever since I was a little girl! It was and is a classic and will live on forever! Her music and voice are timeless!

"At Last" is probably her most well known song - but she has some others classics too!

One I have always liked (and actually sang at at a karaoke bar on our honeymoon) is "I Just Wanna Make Love To You"

Another - "Somethings Got a Hold on Me" - or may be better known as "I Get a Good Feelin" - has recently been mixed in with Flo Rida's latest song "Good Feeling" - which I love (it's a great workout song too!!)

Etta has passed on, but her music is living on! If you haven't heard Flo Rida's song "Good Feeling" here it is - that's Etta singing in the beginning and through out! You know you are a legend when your music is being mixed with the sounds of today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZAGMAz9Kl0

Music & Martinis {A night for Mom}

Over Thanksgiving weekend, My Dad and I threw a small surprise get together for my Mom and had our family friend and pianist, Mr. Leonard come play at my house.

My dad recently bought a baby grand piano for my Mom. A very close friend of mine was selling it here in Memphis and it worked out perfectly that my parents got it because one day it will be mine and it's special knowing where it came from. Since they have just moved - the piano is living at my house for a bit so, my Dad and I thought it would be nice to do something for my Mom and let her enjoy her piano over the holiday.

So it was a night of Music & Martinis for our family and a few friends.

My Mom and a couple friends gathered in my living room listening to the beautiful music

Me and my hubby

A few things I had to snack on

Me and my little brother

The Prayer is a very very special song my family loves and was played at my wedding! Never get tired of hearing it!!

My parents enjoying a touching song!

Mike and Case

Me and my family with our pianist friend, Mr. Leonard - who played during my rehearsal dinner at The Orpheum 4 years ago here in Memphis! It was special to see him again and enjoy his music!

Mom and Mr. Leonard! He is 74 years old and the sweetest, talented man!! It was such an honor to have him come play for us!

Ryan Bingham Concert

Last night we went to go see Oscar and Golden Globe award winning singer Ryan Bingham. You may know him and his music from the movie Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges, which Ryan also starred in. The theme song to the movie, "Weary Kind" was performed by Ryan Bingham and is what won him the awards and really put his name on the map. M has loved his music since the movie came out, and when we saw he was coming to Memphis, we knew we had to go.

It was such a fun night and M said that this is #2 for the best concert he has ever seen! Ryan Bingham's style and voice is so unique and we just loved it!! We love to go to concerts and see live music and we don't do it as much as we used to because we get busy, but I'm so glad we went last night to see RB, because it was a amazing show!!! If you are not familiar with Ryan Bingham, check him out!!

Rockin Weekend with Framing Hanley

This weekend, the hubby and I went with a couple friends to see a band I really like called Framing Hanley. They are best known for their remake of Lil Wayne's Lollipop but have some other songs I love! My younger brother is in a band called Darling Parade, and they got to open up for Framing Hanley in December - which sadly I missed due to work. So when I heard they were coming to Memphis, I knew we HAD to go see them!!

{me & my friend Stephanie before the show. Love how my left earring is turned weird . . . }

{Framing Hanley!!!}

{The lead singer, Nixon! Love him!! He's such a cool guy! Great personality and so gracious to his fans!!}

{They had a couple problems with their mic and as it was getting fixed, they took this dry erase board and started writing on it . . it was funny! Think this one said " Do you wanna Party??"}

{He and his beautiful fiance had a baby boy a year ago and he wrote this amazing song when he found out he was going to be a father of a little boy. It was such a gorgeous song!!}

{hubby & me}

So that was that! It was a great show!! I don't think I have ever seen another band so thankful to their fans!! At the end of the show Nixon said that he was going to stay and shake every persons hand there, which was SO nice! Not all bands/lead singers would do that, so that was so cool!! I really, really wanted to stay and say hi and also introduce myself since he knows my brother, but we had been there for hours and I had worn the wrong shoes and my feet were killing me. Plus, we both had to work the next day (Saturday) so we went ahead and left. But it sure was a great night and I CANNOT wait to see them again . . . . soon!!

Did you all do anything exciting this weekend??

Always On Your Side

Today I decided to change my playlist song and changed it to "Always On Your Side" by Sheryl Crow. I've always liked this song, and today I really took time to listen to the song and read the lyrics! Music is so magical and tells a story. Songs can mean different things to different people, but they all mean something! Sometimes I get into a song, but don't really take the time to listen closely to the words and what they represent. Next time you hear a song you love, take the time to REALLY listen to it. You will discover that it means much more than you thought!

Always On Your Side - Sheryl Crow

My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away

But every now and then you come to mind

Cause you were always waiting to be picked to play the game

But when your name was called, you found a place to hide

When you knew that I was always on your side

Well everything was easy then, so sweet and innocent

But your demons and your angels reappeared

Leavin' all the traces of the man you thought you'd be

Leavin' me with no place left to go from here

Leavin' me so many questions all these years

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear

Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear

Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally

This isn't how it's really meant to be

No it isn't how it's really meant to be

Well they say that love is in the air, but never is it clear,

How to pull it close and make it stay

Butterflies are free to fly, and so they fly away

And I'm left to carry on and wonder why

Even through it all, I'm always on your side

But is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear

Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear

Or are we left to wonder, all alone, eternally

But is this how it's really meant to be

No is it how it's really meant to be

Well if they say that love is in the air, never is it clear

How to pull it close and make it stay

If butterflies are free to fly, why do they fly away

Leavin' me to carry on and wonder why

Was it you that kept me wondering through this life

When you know that I was always on your side

Nashville here I come

I am so needing to be asleep right now because tomorrow we are getting up early and driving to Nashville. We are going to see my brothers band play and his girlfriend is going to ride along with us. It will be a short trip, but I am looking forward to it. I'm excited about seeing my lil bro play, going to Urban Outfitters and one of my favorite restaurants, Sambuca!

Hope all of you are having a great weekend so far! I'll be back in a couple days . . . . and with pics!

Cheers!

{My brothers band, Darling Parade. My brother is the one in the middle! }