Music Challenge- Day 6

Day 6- A Song That Reminds You of Somewhere

Allison- Stars on the Water- George Strait

This song reminds me of Texas. I have been there a handful of times and one time I went to a dance hall with a couple of friends and this song was playing. I love Texas and the vibe I get when I'm there. Everyone is nice and even if the highways are craziness, it's a really awesome place to visit.

Runners Up:

Chasing Pavements- Adele (SLC)
Thirteen- Danzig (Las Vegas)

Jared- Rooster- Alice in Chains

Runners Up:
Rammlied- Rammstein
Copacabana- Barry Manilow

Music Challenge- Day 5

Day 5- A Song That Reminds You of Someone

Allison- When You Need My Love- Darryl Worley

When I used to ride around in the passenger seat of my best friend's truck, she introduced me to this guy named Darryl Worley. We listened to his whole first CD and I fell in love with this song. Any time we went anywhere we listened to this song, I made sure of it. I'm sure it's no longer one of the songs she loves, but I think of her and our single days whenever I hear it.

Runners Up:
Just a Friend- Biz Markie (Jared)
Hello Again- Neil Diamond (Megan G)

Jared-You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You- Dean Martin

All three of these songs make me think of someone when I listen to them. The first song reminds me of three things actually. I think of Las Vegas when I hear this song. I also think of my Mother because she loved Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. But I always think of my Wife first and foremost when I hear this song. The second song oddly reminds me of God and the third song(s) remind me of my Dad because we both love Mozart.

Runners Up:
The Pass- Rush
Requiem Mass- Mozart

Music Challenge- Day 4

Day 4- A Song That Makes You Sad

Allison- The Other Little Soldier- Josh Gracin

If this song doesn't make you cry, you're made of stone. I first heard it when my friend Megan put it on a music mix. I've listened to it once. I don't think I can handle it again.

Runners Up:
I Will Remember You- Amy Grant
I Am the Cosmos- Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson

Jared- Six Days at the Bottom of the Ocean- Explosions in the Sky

No real meaning for me why these songs bring on the sad emotions. All three of these bands are awesome. Some songs just get you feeling a certain way, and all three of these lean towards the sad for me.

Runners Up:
Comalies- Lacuna Coil
Pictures- The Jazz Jury

Music Challenge- Day 3

Day 3- A Song that Makes You Happy

Allison- Sweet Baby James- James Taylor

I grew up on James Taylor and this song has always just made me smile. It's a sweet little lullaby James wrote for his nephew. How can that not make you happy?

Runners Up:
Pretty Baby- Minnutes
Terrified- Katharine McPhee & Zachary Levi

Jared- Contender- Royal Crown Revue

RCR is an awesome live band! I got into swing really heavily like a lot of people did in the late 90's after the movie "Swingers" came out. RCR, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra and a few others really changed my view on the type of music I was listening to at the time. I've always associated really emotional music with metal, but their are many emotions in music. This band and this song have always brought a smile to my face.

Runners Up:
River of Deceit- Mad Season
Banana Pancakes- Jack Johnson

Music Challenge- Day 2

Day 2- Your Least Favorite Song

Allison- More Than Words- Extreme

I hate this song. The meaning behind it is just... disgusting. I remember hearing it for the first time when I was like 12 years old. So, it's an old song, but every time I hear it, I cringe. I cannot stand it.

Runners Up:
I Was Broken- Robert Pattinson
Party in the U.S.A.- Miley Cyrus

Jared- Back in Black- AC/DC

AC/DC is the most over rated band in rock history. I hate their sound, their vibe and just everything. This song is like their anthem and it blows. Just don't like anything about this band...sorry.

Runners Up:
Pour Some Sugar on Me- Def Leppard
Right Said Fred- I'm Too Sexy

Music Challenge- Day 1

Day 1- Your Favorite Song

Jared- Here Come the Bastards- Primus

I've always liked this song because it has a sort of raw energy to it with very talented musicianship and funny lyrics. It's a song about nothing. It's just a fun song for me.

Runners Up:
Plainsong- The Cure
Toxic Waltz- Exodus

Allison- Be My Thrill- The Weepies

Clearly my husband had no trouble coming up with and explaining his favorite song. I, however, have a much harder time. My favorite changes all the time and I love music so much that it's difficult to pinpoint just one song to say it's my favorite. So in order to narrow it down, I have to resort to play count in iTunes. The Weepies are one of my favorite bands and it's hard to narrow down even my favorite song of theirs, but this is a pretty happy, upbeat song. I think it's pretty fun, anyway.

Runners Up:
Trolley Wood- Eisley
The Minnow and the Trout- A Fine Frenzy

Stay tuned for tomorrow's challenge!

30 Day Music Challenge

Holy cow! It's been two years since we've used this thing! But as usual, our lives are pretty boring and we have nothing to report, so you're not missing out on much. Believe me.

For the next thirty days, however, you're probably going to hear from us more than you ever wanted to and hear more about music than you ever cared to know. There's a challenge floating around the internet that deals with music and I thought it would be fun for Jared and I to do together.

Feel free to steal the challenge and do it yourself, feel free to ignore every single one of the next thirty posts, and feel free to comment! The following list is the challenge we'll be partaking in:

Day 01 – Your favorite song

Day 02 – Your least favorite song

Day 03 – A song that makes you happy

Day 04 – A song that makes you sad

Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone

Day 06 – A song that reminds of you of somewhere

Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event

Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to

Day 09 – A song that you can dance to

Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep

Day 11 – A song from your favorite band

Day 12 – A song from a band you hate

Day 13 – A song that is a guilty pleasure

Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love

Day 15 – A song that describes you

Day 16 – A song that you used to love but now hate

Day 17 – A song that you hear often on the radio

Day 18 – A song that you wish you heard on the radio

Day 19 – A song from your favorite album

Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry

Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you're driving

Day 22 – A song that you work out to

Day 23 – A song that you want to play at your wedding

Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral

Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh

Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument

Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play

Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty

Day 29 – A song from your childhood

Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year

So the challenge begins!

One Giant Update

Yeah, we haven't posted in a while. Life has been kind of crazy and I've also been a little lazy. I have this thing about not wanting to post unless I have pictures to go with it, too. But anyway, here's what's been happening the last few months:

I went to a Jon McLaughlin concert in November. I had nothing but my phone on me so my pictures aren't super. I found out about Jon because he sings "So Close" from the movie Enchanted, at the part where Giselle and Robert are dancing at the ball. I love that song and I was so happy when he sang it at the concert. A kid named Benton Paul opened for him and he did a great job.

For Christmas, Jared and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning with his family and then we drove to Southern Utah to visit my family for the rest of the weekend. My sister Megan and her husband bought my parents a Wii and the rest of us kids pitched in to get my mom the Wii Fit. We had a lot of fun playing the Wii the whole weekend.

Jared rocked it on Shawn's Guitar Hero World Tour. Kristin, Michael, Tanner, Dad and Mom all had fun singing and playing the drums.

Before we left we went to Three Peaks and rode the ATVs in the snow. We had innertubes and sleds that we pulled behind us. It was a lot of fun, but sooooo cold.

Awwww, Shawnie and Megan

Michael got a little frosty.

Mom pulling Jared on the sled.

Me sliding down the hill.

Some of the scenery at Three Peaks.

Jared found the swings.

In January, my friends Megan and Malene and I went to Adele's concert. She was amazing. If you haven't heard her sing, you really should. She's only 20 and she has such an insane voice. A really great singer, James Morrison, opened up for her. He was wonderful and it was fun to hear them speak because they're both from England.

Megan and Malene all squishy.

The three of us all squishy and sweaty. It was jam packed with people.

James Morrison

Adele!


For Malene's birthday, she wanted to go to Wendover, so last Saturday we drove out there. For those of you who don't know, there is this really strange sculpture out in the middle of nowhere just off the I-80 between Salt Lake and Wendover. I've been wanting to see it, so we pulled over and took some pictures.

Megan and half a ball.

Malene and half a ball.

There was a picture of me, but my eyes were closed and it just wasn't worth posting.

The sculpture itself.

The tree of balls.

And this is where we went to spend our evening.

The three of us stood on the line that separated Utah from Nevada.

The birthday girl playing the slots.

She won! And then she lost.

Megan playing the Cherries slot machine.

There is an actual line in the street that tells you what state you're in depending upon which side you stand on.

In other news (translated: stuff I don't have pictures for), my younger sister Megan was diagnosed with Breast Cancer just before Christmas. It's pretty lame, but she's doing really well so far. She had a lumpectomy (or two) and has started chemo. Hopefully she will keep doing as well as she has with it. She's really strong and one of my heroes.

Jared started school for the first time in probably 16 years. He's really nervous about it, but excited at the same time. He likes being on the campus and being a student, but he's not too jazzed about the math. I'm just glad I'm able to help him out with it. Amazingly, I remember enough from when I was in school to help out.

I have decided to try a form of veganism. I read a book called "Skinny Bitch" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. In it, they tell you just how to get skinny (and healthy)! If you read it, it will change your life. But also, it's pretty rude so if you're offended by crude language, I wouldn't pick it up. Anyway, I want to be healthy and skinny and I really think this is the best way to go about it. A lot of things I try with regards to eating and health pretty much fail. Hopefully this one sticks because I really believe in it. Jared is kind of doing it with me and he's being a good sport about drinking soy milk and eating stuff that doesn't have any meat in it. I have the best husband.

Weather

It's been a crazy week with the weather here in Salt Lake! Here are just a few pictures I took with my phone the last few days. From this:

To this:

And I'm so dumb that I forgot it was going to snow and walked outside that morning with my sandals on. I cleaned my car off and everything in five inches of snow and tried to warm my feet up on the way to work. Not a mistake I made today, mind you!

I really miss California sometimes.

Family Fun Times

My sister Megan and her husband Shawn and my two brothers Michael and Tanner came up this weekend to go to the Jazz game. They got here a little early, so we decided to go find something fun to do.
Jared took a turn at the batting cages.Megan, Michael, Tanner and I played Miniature Golf.
Megan couldn't seem to get her ball up the hill. It took like twenty tries, but eventually she got it. And we all had a good laugh. (Notice Meg trying not to pee herself.)
Our score card. Notice who lost? Me! That's what I get for putting one handed.Jared and Shawn got a bucket to hit at the driving range and we all took turns.
He can't ever take a serious picture, can he?
Well, maybe.

After Mulligan's we went to eat dinner at Sampan. We ate ourselves to bursting and then headed for the Energy Solutions Arena for the Jazz game. The Jazz were playing the Los Angeles Clippers.
Our seats! 2 rows away from the tippy top!
All in all, it was a good day and we had a lot of fun. I love it when my family comes to visit. I don't get to see them as often as I like. I was trying to convince my sister to move up here. But, probably they won't. Oh well!

Halloween Fun

Jared and I both went to Halloween parties this year. Jared went to one his friend throws every year, the Saturday before Halloween. He went as a wizard. Doesn't he look sinister?

And I went to my friend Malene's house on Halloween night. I dressed up as a Drag Queen. My drag queen name is Charlamaine Intervention, baby!

Me, Megan and Malene (they were Edward Cullen groupies)
We crammed ourselves into my car (all 6 of us) and went on a little tour of Bountiful and Northern SLC's supposed ghost stories. A lot of screaming and hilarity ensued. It was pretty fun.

Halloween Pumpkin Carvings

Every year, like the children we are, Jared and I carve pumpkins. Each year we try to do something better than we did the year before. This year, Jared decided to do a bat theme, and I decided to go with the two main characters from my favorite TV show, Bones.

Jared's Bat Themed Pumpkin
The bats carved into the sides of the pumpkin

Allison's Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan Pumpkin
Allison's Spec. Agent Seeley Booth Pumpkin

And, to show you what we've done in the past... a little slideshow showcasing five years worth of pumpkin carvings!

Goodbye Star!

It's sad, but Star (Jared's father's great dane) has found a new home. We will miss her loveable nature, her energy and her playfulness. But we will not miss: the thundering up and down the stairs, the pee puddles in the front entryway, the banging against our door, the barking and the chewing of EVERYTHING!

She was such a cute pup!



And so helpful!



We really hope that she has people who will be more active with her than we could be. She deserves a loving and attentive home. We will miss you, Star!