Favorite Things, Day 6: Music & a Giveaway!


During  the month of December,  I am setting a goal to post each day with one  of my favorite  somethings. It could be a favorite food, a favorite  thing, a favorite  person, a favorite blog, a favorite handmade thing, a  favorite place...  really a favorite any and everything!   Join me as I review my favorites during December 2010! I'd love to read about your favorites too!


Today's favorite is so, SO important to me. It is one of my all-time favorite things EVER. 

For real and seriously.

I love music. Totally, completely, and fully.

I am a huge believer of music and the power it has over moods. 

For example... when I'm in a bad mood and I know that listening to negative music (for me, it's mostly hard rock, and some rap music) adds, or feeds into, my bad mood. Sometimes it evens makes me madder. 

But, if I listen to happy, uplifting, or otherwise positive music, my anger or bad mood dissipates.
 
I believe the same actions to be true, when applied to negativity in homes.
Positive Music = Happy Home. Negative Music = Unhappy Home.
Always... without fail. (However, it's up to each person/family to determine what their happy or unhappy music is for them.)

I have lots of favorite artists, and favorite songs. I have several "stations" on Pandora that I love and adore. I love that my son, Fred, loves music too and can often be heard singing too.
 
Nothing gets me into the holiday and/or Christmas spirit like some awesome Christmas music! I've been jamming away to the Backstreet Boys Christmas Album (don't judge!), both of Mariah Carey's albums, and even the Glee Christmas Album. HEAVEN!!
One of my non-holiday favorite artists is Mindy Gledhill. The voice she shares on her second album, Anchor, is my favorite and speaks directly to my heart. It puts me into a happy, bee-bopping mood. I listened to it several times as I drove to Oklahoma City this past weekend. And, not one bad driver got on my nerves!

Her music is happy, uplifting, upbeat, and screams POSITIVITY!!! Hooooray! It is hard for me to determine which song on Anchor, is my favorite. So many of them feel as if I could have written them. Word for word!
For example, the title song "Anchor" reminds me of the relationship I have with my husband (he is definitely an anchor for me!):

Photo taken by Wendy Whitacre
When all the world is spinning ‘round
Like a red balloon way up in the clouds
And my feet will not stay on the ground
You anchor me back down



There are those who think that I’m strange
They would box me up and tell me to change
But you hold me close and softly say
That you wouldn’t ha
ve me any other way

"All About Your Heart" is how I feel about my son. He doesn't have any scars (yet) though:

Oh, I’ve loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day
You are brighter than the stars
Believe me when I say
It’s not about your scars
It’s all about your heart
There are several other songs that speak right to my heart and life. I really do just love this album. (For the record, Fred bee bops to them too!)

I really want to share this album with one of you - so it's going to be a giveaway today. I'll order it on Mindy's website and have it sent directly to one of you!  I'm also going to include one of my NEW necklaces (another post for another day!) that is completely holiday inspired!!! Oh happy day! You'll love it - You will! I promise!

Leave a comment on THIS POST (not on Facebook) and tell me what you're looking forward to most this holiday season. Simple, right? 

That's not all! If you blog, tweet or Facebook about this giveaway, you can come back for another chance to win, just leave me another comment and tell me you blogged, tweeted or Facebook'ed about the giveaway! Come on, this will be so much fun! 

Tell your friends...we're giving away some happy music!

*I'll draw a winner ON FRIDAY, December 10th, so you've got time to spread the word and enter up to FOUR times!

Funny story... When I was in 8th grade and our family was living in Berlin I was a member of the choir at my school. I was part of the soprano section and loved it. 

And I do mean LOVED it. Mr Kelb rocked it as a choir director.

But, when I entered 9th grade, I decided to leave choir and begin my career as a world renowned flutist by joining the beginning band. There was only one beginning band, and as it happened... my sister Bekki, (in 8th grade that year) decided she was also going to be start a career as a flutist also. Hmmpfh. And... as luck would have it my brother, Robert (in 6th grade that year), was so "advanced" in his studies that the elementary school decided that it would be in their/his best interests to permit him to accelerate and also join the beginning band, but as a saxophone player. 
Double Hmmpfh.

Yes, 3 Beste children... all in different grade levels.... and all in the same class. 

Poor, poor Mr. Kelb. (He was the only music instructor at our school.) I mean, having 1 Beste child is a challenge in and of itself. But to have 3? Dude, there is a very special place in heaven for that man. (If you've ever been to a Beste dinner / Beste comedy show, you KNOW what I'm talking about.)

I'll be honest. Due to the amount of competition between the 3 of us, I took the highest road of all, and purposely did not practice or study anything (other than a hot percussionist) that term. I mean... someone had to "not be the best" and I decided to take that role so that the other two could become the world renowned players of our family.* I ended that term with the grade of Fabulous. Yep... Fabulous it was.

Mr. Kelb shared a bit of wisdom with me at the end of our term. He thought I was "meant" to be a singer, not a flutist. I can't say that I disagreed. I moved back to choir. 

Over the years, I've been SO blessed to participate in many, many choirs. And I have LOVED every one of them. I've loved the opportunities I've had to take voice lessons, with some instructors that have helped me find that inner American Idol (you know that everyone has one hiding, right?)

8 comments:

Teresa Young said...

Hello Sweet Heather...loved being in your class. You are the best teacher and so patient! I am a Pandora listener and checked out your music...and love, love, loved it. Added it to my new station.

Teresa Young said...

Hi Heather...just left another post on my blog. http://www.foxhollowtales.com

Teresa Young said...

and I've tweeted and FB this too!

Cindy B. said...

Hi Heather,
I loved, loved, loved taking both classes from you at the Paper Crown. I love all kinds of Christmas music and would be THRILLED to win one of your necklaces. A new Christmas CD would be great to listen to while making peanut butter fudge and peppermint fudge fromt the wonderful recipes you shared. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and can't wait till you're back in OKC again.
Cindy B.

Robin Thomas said...

Could not agree with you more about music. I listen to Celine Dion's Christmas CD over and over,year after year. It is just so good. I will have to look up Anchor and see about this artist.

Thanks Heather!

Lisa said...

Heather - so sad that your class was full in OKC. :(
Please say you will come back and teach another class...
This holiday season I am looking forward to working on my holiday journal and really enjoying the season.
I would love to win Mendy's CD - she has a beautiful voice.
Thanks for the opportunity!

The Junque Seeker said...

I'm always looking for great music so am glad to know about Mendy. Thanks for sharing! I really enjoyed your class in OKC. I'm making a charm for my private swap partner tomorrow, and thanks to you, it will be beautiful!

jackie said...

Heather I would of course love to win your giveaway! I love any type of Christmas music from old Andy Williams, country George Strait, Rod Stewart, Three Tenors you get it a wide range for me. So I would love to win your favorite CD. Thanks Heather!