Capable. Capable is a Word I Keep Going Back to When I Find Myself, Doubting Myself. When I Feel Beat Down by Others Opinions of Me & What I Can or Can't Do. Every Time I Accomplish A Task That Others Thought I Couldn't or That I Had Thought I Couldn't I Am Reminded How Capable He Has Made Me. Am I Invincible?! Heavens No. Do I Still Need Help W Certain Tasks? Honey Yes!!!! But I Am Extremely Grateful This #MotoMonday For All The Hard Things That I Am Capable Of On My Own, But W The Lords Strength. He Has Made Us Capable of Handling Hard Things. He Has Equipped You to Handle the Things That Seem Impossible. You Are Capable!!!! Happy Motivation Monday Lovelies!!! I Hope You End This Day Feeling as Though You Have Accomplished A Lot.
Fun Fact: In Several of my High School Classes the Teacher Made Me Sit at a Desk Away From Everyone Else. Ya Know, Cause I Tend to be a Chatty Kathy.....I Also Have Been Known to Make Comments Under My Breath That Distract Others. I May or May Not Still Do This. Anyway, One Teacher Went as Far as to Pull My Desk to the Wall by the Door. What He Seemed to Forget Was the Window That Allowed Me to See Into the Class Across the Hall Where My Friend Was and We Could Communicate ...Using Our Note Books and Marker. Ya Know, "Help Me, I've Been Kidnapped!!!!", Style. Resourceful. I Am Nothing if Not Resourceful!!! I'm Also Thoroughly Prepared if Ever Kidnapped. I Wont Even Bring Up How Drivers Ed Went. Save That For Another Day.
I thought Fall 1990 deserved a little #TBT attention today. This is 6th grade Homecoming. I recall very clearly being called into the gym w a group of girls several weeks before this pic was taken. I initially thought I was in some sort of trouble, but looking at the group around me I couldn't imagine what we'd ALL done to get called in at the same time. Surely there was some sort of mistake. Then Coach Bruce shared with us that we had been elected to Homecoming court. I started looking around again at the group of girls I was with and once again felt there had to have been a mistake, but for a completely different reason this time. I was the only "Stacie" in our school at the time, but I was still positive there had been a mix up. It took looking at the roster of nominees in Coach's hand for me to believe him. I left to catch my bus baffled and confused. Not flattered or excited as I should've been. Doesn't that speak to how early a females mind becomes riddled w insecurity??!!
Anyway, this meant I had to find a dress (That my family and myself approved of), an escort (Had to be a football player. No pressure sixth grade Stacie. No pressure at all.), tame my usually pulled into a pony, out of control curly hair (That I consistently prayed would one day magically become straight as a board.) and stand in front of the entire school on the football field. Talk about a lesson in humility. I don't wanna say this is where my introduction to feelings of anxiety began, but looking back I don't know that it helped anything. Lol!!!
Well, I of course didn't win. I was a 6th grader and only 8th graders won queen. My middle school had been a high school originally and my Mamaw had been the very first ever Homecoming Queen at that school. So, I kinda, just a little bit, had wanted to win just for her legacy's sake, but that's a sixth graders dream and only 8th graders become Queen. Not pictured are my dyed to match satin pumps that immediately turned my feet blue upon hitting the wet grass of the football field. Never wore those shoes again. You can see however that my affection for a large hair accessory and an sweet side pony has been apart of my style since forever. All that to say, I would like to encourage you to do a little throw back Thursday looking back. If for no other reason than to remind yourself exactly how far you have come over the years. I was never on HC Court again and that suited me just fine, but now, a solid almost THREE DECADES later, I am glad to have this memory. Ya know, glad with a try everything at least once, kind of philosophy. Happy Throw Back Thursday!!! I hope yours is as entertaining as mine has been.
It Is A Chilly, Rainy, Grey, Dreary Day Out & I Find it to be Intoxicatingly Beautiful!!!!! I LOVE These Kinds of Days. They Bring An Indescribable Peace to My Soul. I Know That My Affections for a Rainy Day Aren't Popular, but That's OK. The Older I Get the More Grateful I Become for the Way the Lord Has Uniquely Made My Heart. I LOVE PEOPLE!!!! I Have Been Overwhelmingly Blessed in the Friend Department. My Crazy Family Tree is Fairly Awesome as Well. But, Again I Know This Isn't Everyone's Situation. As Much as I Love People I Also LOVE Alone Time. Perhaps its the Only Child Part of Me, but When the Days Are Too Much, I Crave It. I Know That is Rare Too. I Know Many Spend Their Days Starving To Be in Someone's, Almost Anyone's, Company. I Know the Lord Can Change My Heart, Mind, Situation in a Heart Beat. So, I Never Want to Take for Granted the Beautiful Peace I Have in Being Contented, Alone. So Many of My Friends Long For a Certain Kind of Companionship & My Heart Continuously Breaks for Them While They Wait on the Lord to Fill That Void. My Prayer on This Dreary Beautiful Friday is that the Lord Would Share Some of My Peace & Contentment w Those Waiting on Him to Write The Love Part of Their Story. Don't Get it Twisted, I Have My Moments. I'm Human for Heavens Sake. But For The Most Part I Have a Beautiful Peace in My Solitude. I'm Unsure I could Really Explain it Properly. Just Know God Has a Plan For You & Your Heart. He is Not Purposeless. A Season of Waiting, When Waiting on the Lord, Is NOT Wasted. I challenge & encourage My Lonely Hearts to Find a Way to Serve Him & His Children While You Wait. One of My Biggest Fears is Wasted Time. I Try to Always Have the Mindset That Even the Slowest of Days Has Purpose. Anyway, All That To Say, You Are Loved. You Are Not Alone. He Has A Plan for You. Don't Let the Waiting be Wasted. That Part is Kinda Up to You.
Y'all know by now that Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love everything about it as I have mentioned in past posts. I love pumpkins, pumpkin spiced latte's, things that are haunted, crunchy leaves, and light layers. It all makes me unexplainably happy. I have so many fun memories that come from this time of year that I wanted to share a few. The picture above is of two of my besties and I at one of those pop up costume tents that happen during the Halloween season. There are several other pics where we tried on tiara's and hats as well. Half the fun of the season is picking a costume. One of the events we did in my event planning days was a costume cruise. It was so much fun!!! Coasting down the river at night with all the lights, some cool tunes, snacks and of course everyone's crazy costumes. I must say my friends pictured above had some very memorable ones. Liz, our other friends Crystal and Ashleigh dressed up as the Fanta Girls one year. Do you recall the Fanta commercials, "Do you wanna, Fanta, Fanta??!!". Amanda was pregnant one year for the cruise and she and her husband CJ dressed up as a jar of Preggo Spaghetti sauce and a chef. I thought it was so clever!!!!! Those two always have great costumes and they have spread their costume love to their three children. One year they were the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
There was a time when I loved carving pumpkins as apart of my Fall celebrating. However, with my RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) it has become too difficult. So, I opt for painting or something else of that kind with my pumpkins. That's what I did in the pumpkin carving party pictured below.
~ Pumpkin Carving Back in My TTU Days. ~
~ I Am Fairly Certain These
Pumpkins Ended Up Getting Vandalized.
I'm Talking to You DAVID RE!! ~
~ Jack Davis Loves to be Apart of Whatever
is Going On. He Also Loves a Polo with a Collar.
Style Knows No Species. ~
~ I Painted Mine. My RA Doesn't Allow For
Steady Cutting. Makes Me A Danger
to Myself as Well as Others. LOL!! ~
The above are our final products. I think they turned out so good that year!!!! At the time I lived on a college campus that was smack dab in the middle of the hood. It wasn't unusual for things to be vandalized and it be some sort of gang initiation or something. Sadly, these guys took the heat that night, but I am fairly certain it was one of our friends that trashed them and not the hood. You can't blame everything on the hood you guys!!!!!!
Dean Martin - "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime"
One of my favorite all time, life memories is from a Fall season in Lynchburg, VA. Myself and several of my friends had all embarked into off campus life, jobs, finishing classes, and just growing up a little. Two of my friends, Jenny and Natalie lived in a old southern home that had been converted into apartments. That is very common in the area. It was a small one bed, one bath, small kitchen, small living room space, but we all loved hanging out there. We never seemed to mind that we were on top of each other if there were too many of us there at the same time. Even after Jenny and Nat painted the living room red we really enjoyed spending time together there. LOL!!! I don't know that their landlords were all that happy about the red part. Anyway, one day we got pumpkins, snacks, propped the doors and windows open, put Dean Martin in the stereo and spent hours laughing, carving, talking, and eating. It was such a beautiful fall day spent with beautiful friends. I know Dean Martin isn't exactly what one associates with Halloween, but to this day I tend to play his tunes around this time of year. I don't know if it is just from associating it with such a good memory or the laid back way he delivers his tunes that kind of go with the slowing down that comes with colder weather. Either way, I love me some Dean Martin, Pumpkins, and good friends.
~ No Waste. Y'all Know How I Feel About Waste.
Post Décor I Do My Best to Use Up the Entire
Pumpkin. Pumpkin Bread, Dried and Seasoned
Pumpkin Seeds. ~
Reduce~Recycle~Repurpose is one of my life motto's. And if you are a regular follower of the blog you already know that I do my best to apply it in every aspect of my life that I can. So, my pumpkins post Halloween are no different. If they survived the random weather of the season with out rotting or freezing I do my best to get more from them than just decoration. The picture above is from several years ago when I used every bit of the pumpkin I could. I made several loaves of pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkin seeds both savory and sweet, and even ground up enough pumpkin to freeze for later. It can be a lot of work, but in my opinion it has always been worth it. You can check out those past posts for pics, tips and recipes by clicking Here, and Here . My friend Cindy posted a recipe for pumpkin muffins that I wanna share with you as well. You can get to her page by clicking this highlighted link --> So The Cook Said, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins , she has several posts on Fall decorations, repurposed items, etc. just type "pumpkin" into her pages search bar.
~ Ash, Myself & Steph on This Night
I Think We Went to at Least Four
Haunted Things. Maybe Even More. ~
The year when going to multiple haunted things in one night started for me, did not get captured with a photo, but this one several years later did. One year my friends Kelly, Jake and I randomly decided to go to a Haunted House called, The Haunted Depot, it would later and forever be referred to as the "Haunted Pot" by us. We followed it up with several other haunted things one of which called "The Haunted Yard". I do not know how we came across all of these things, but this one, once we arrived we immediately thought would be lame. It was someone's home and they had turned their yard and shed into a haunted yard. We thought for sure we would be held hostage, but oddly enough that didn't keep us from going in. #TeamLogic at its finest. Much to our surprise it ended up being one of the best haunted things we went to that night. So good that I went looking for it the next Halloween and was only disappointed to find it wasn't something they do every year. I LOVE haunted houses, but I will no be the first or the last in line. I usually tangle myself between my friends and hold their hands, coats, or pant loop as though my life depended on it. One year my friend Amanda (pictured at the beginning of this post) and I went with some of our guy friends to a Haunted Island in the middle of the river. She nearly killed me. As in physically, I almost died. She apparently didn't understand my rules of staying close and holding hands and nearly drug me to the ground when a masked man with a chain saw came after us and all of our guy friends, her husband included, had suddenly disappeared. I think that was by far the messiest of haunted things that I have attended. I recall having mud on the knees of my pants and boots when we got back to land.
I've worked haunted houses and in the past have tried to pride myself on not getting scared because I know what happens behind the scenes. Well, that's what I try to tell myself when standing in line, after you've already paid and are listening to the screams of the people ahead of you go through and you debate is it worth just wasting the money to save yourself from wetting your pants. One such house was a haunted fire house in Chattanooga, TN. My friends Ashely, Stephanie, and myself had been to a haunted barn, haunted hay ride, and one other that I can't recall before deciding to finish our night at the haunted fire house. We had read that there was a surprise that none of the other haunted attractions had. That this would be the scariest haunted space all season. You would think that after nearly losing our voices from screaming at the first three haunted houses we would reconsider going to another one that was billed as the scariest of all.....nope. No hesitation what so ever. We paid our entrance fee, got in line, and started listening for screams from with in the building. As we linked arms and began walking into the first few rooms we started getting a tad too secure with our lack of scare factor. Thought after visiting three haunted houses prior to this we had become desensitized to the scare factor. Thinking that the attraction was all hype. That was until we entered a room where a man is cut in half with a chain saw and then the top half of his body JUMPS off the table and chases you down the hall. Yes, he was a legit, for real no tricks, half man. It even ended up in the local news paper, his part of the attraction became such a talked about thing. We left that particular haunted house by being chased into the parking lot across the street by men with masks and chain saws. I was laughing so hard I had to lay down on the cold asphalt or I was sure I would pass out. I ended up just laying there until my friends to came back from being chased by the chainsaw guys. Well, that's not a sentence I ever thought I'd write. LOL!!! That's how my fear in these situations tends to manifest, laughter. I'm scared to death and I think it's hilarious!!!
I'll end with one more Haunted House story. If ever you get the opportunity to visit the Haunted Caverns at Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN, you NEED to. A group of friends and myself trekked up the mountain on a cold, rainy, fall evening. The scaring began in the parking lot when these masked guys where sliding around on what I assume were garbage can lids. The noise they made on the wet pavement in the dark was enough to make you want to turn around and go home, but we didn't. We met up with our group inside at the gift shop where you get your tickets and wait your turn. I would like to mention that our friend Heather got so scared in the gift shop by one of the characters roaming around that she almost cried and refused to open her eyes on the elevator ride down into the caverns. I want to say that she eventually opened them, but I was too busy holding on to my friend Telisha's sweater to be concerned with Heathers crying. I mean, we are now in a cavern. A haunted cavern. A underground, haunted, cavern. #EveryWomanForHerSelf !!!! This experience included a school bus ride driven by the Joker as played by Heath Ledger in the batman movie. Nurses outfit and all. It was epic start to finish. I love that the scare began in the parking lot and didn't finish until you drove away. I think the best haunted houses have stuff going on outside and around as well as whatever is set up inside. I love that feeling of getting yourself so nervous, but so excited that you can't decide if this is the best idea or the very worst idea you've ever had in your life.
What are some of your favorite Fall stories??!! Do you go to haunted things? Are there any that left a mark and are worth visiting if ever in your area?
Happy Fall Y'all!!!! I hope you are having a wonderful time enjoying and making memories with all that this season has to offer.
Starting this weeks #NewMusicMonday off with a little love your self tune by Lauren Alaina. We all know Alaina from her season 10 of American Idol. She placed second behind another, now country star, Scotty McCreery. In 2015 Lauren released her self titled EP and "Road Less Traveled" is the technical second single, but third video from the EP. Lauren has also begun speaking about her battle with eating disorders, handling people's criticism, and how to balance it all in such a public profession. I love this latest single and think that she has done a great job with it lyrically, vocally, as well as visually. So, give it a listen and watch and let me know what you think.
Speaking of that first place winner from Season 10, my next share is Scotty McCreery. With his Josh Turner baritone, boyish cuteness, and aw shucks southern charm McCreery was going to be difficult to beat when it came to public opinion. He has had success since American Idol not just musically, but academically. McCreery decided post idol to go ahead with his academic plans and attended college for three ears while writing, recording, touring and doing appearances. Earlier this year it was announced that he was going to take this year off of school, that Scotty left his label and was in the process of writing/recording new tunes. It seems he is one of those always gotta be doing something kind of folks, because along with those big choices he is also gearing up to head out on tour in November. I am sharing "Southern Belle" even though it didn't land on a full length album. I just think it is fun. I love that he went with high school/college life-esq visuals for this one. I can only imagine that this video set was a blast!!!!
Scotty McCreery - "Southern Belle"
My next share is from Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood's, "Dirty Laundry". I have had this tune in my head ALLL THE WEEEKEND LONNNGGG!!!!!! I love it. Sister knows how to shade. Shade and SLAYYYY HONEY!!!!! She is so good at it she can't even help it. And I mean all of that as a compliment. LOL!!! "Storytellers" turned one year old this weekend and has had FIVE singles, count them FIVE, singles released thus far. All topping the charts both digital, radio and video. Carrie is currently on the "Storyteller" tour which has had dates added to it after the first leg was so successful. I'm unsure if Carrie can do any wrong. She may have gotten to the industry via a reality show and so people want to judge her for that, but I feel like there is no denying it is where she is meant to be. Her vocal talent alone is one that can't be ignored. Add in her showmanship, representation of the genre around the globe and in multi genre settings and I don't see how anyone could be anti-Carrie.
Carrie Underwood - "Dirty Laundry"
fr "Storytellers"
Kelly Clarkson - "Dark Side"
fr "Stronger"
I can't really do a post on American Idol and not start where it did, with Kelly Clarkson. A little throw back to Season 1 winner, multiplatinum, Grammy award winning genre jumping Kelly Clarkson. Season 1 of American Idol began the year my bestie and I had our very first off campus apartment. I recall one of our friends Jessica coming over and watching Idol with us and we would all yell at the TV. We couldn't control our selves and we knew from that very first audition when Clarkson threw down some "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" in a way that would make the Queen Aretha Franklin proud, that Kelly should win. We were committed to the season and celebrated when Kelly won and tried to sing in the midst of being emotional, shocked and having tons of confetti dropped on her all at the same time. I have been a Kelly fan from the get. She said things like "Cool Beans" and I did too. Watching her on AI made me feel a little more normal. Also, much like Carrie, I feel Clarkson's voice can not be denied. She has power, soul, and can run like no one's bizzzzz. I am choosing to do a little throw back to her pop career and share "Dark Side" from "Stronger", this New Music Monday because I think it is a question we all ask our selves. Would you still love me if you saw my dark side?!
Happy New Music Monday fellow music addix!!!!! I hope that you are having a beautiful October and are getting to enjoy some fun, fall activities. Who are you listening to as you carve pumpkins, go on hay rides, and knock back some PSL's???!!!! Both Carrie and Lauren's songs are current singles that just released video's. So, head to GAC and CMT sites and vote for them both. Also, don't forget to request their new tunes with your local radio. Every request makes a difference.
This week Kip Moore began teasing his upcoming EP titled, "Underground". He had put out a poll on Twitter asking fans to guess which 5 tracks they think would make the album and per his comments it would seem no one ever got it right. I'm hoping he gives that gift of listening to the EP on the bus with he and the Slow Hearts, to the closest guesser. I can't imagine how stoked that fan would be!!!!! The ability to pre-order "Underground" hit iTunes last night and fans have been playing the first track, "Me and My Kind" on repeat. There has been a lot of media with online magazines, etc. discussing this surprise EP and Moore has said in most of them that he did this project just for his die hard fans. Something to help everyone make it until the 2017 release of his next full album. The wait between, "Up All Night" and "Wild One's" was about three years and fans nearly lost their minds in anticipation of Moore's second project. While almost loosing their minds they also became addicted to the tunes that can only be found on YouTube via fan live show videos. It was the only way to hear new music as Kip has a tendency to test out his new tunes here and there at his live shows. These impromptu sharing's at live shows kinda pacifiy everyone and kinda only added fuel to the fire all at the same time.
I'm not sure if Kip and the guys are surprised by the fans knowing these "Underground" songs by heart or not. I would hope that it speaks to them and encourages them in the importance and influence their music has over their fans. One of the many reasons I am a fan of this group is how kind they all are to their fans. I do not know many artists that will stay until kicked out of a venue just to do a signing. I also do not know an artist that would trust their fan base so much that when asking them to turn off recording devices so they can share a new tune, they know they will turn them off and respect the beauty of that moment. I kinda think that is a big deal!!! Is it just me?!
Well, "Underground" doesn't drop until October 28th, but you can pre-order the 5 track EP via iTunes or kipmoore.net. When pre-ordering you will instantly receive the track, "Me and My Kind". You can also check M&G pics, shop the merch store, get updates if you sign up for their fan club, and/or purchase tickets for the, "Me and My Kind" tour happening NOW by clicking here to go to the Kip Moore Site. !!!!
To celebrate this fun surprise of a EP I am going to share some of my favorite YouTube video's of the tracks!!! Give them a watch, a listen, and then pre-order the album ASAP!!!
Track 1 ~ "All Time Low"
Track 2 ~"My Kind"
"My Kind", is the track you will instantly receive
when you pre-order, "Underground". Seeing as it is the
title of the current tour I vote that was a good idea. LOL!!
Track 3 ~ "Midnight Slow Dance"
Track 4 ~ "Separate Ways"
I think that "Separate Ways" should be a duet. I think every
part of it is set up for that, but that isn't how it was recorded.
So, I am sharing that one time Kip sang it as a duet with Jewel.
Don't take offense Kip, I feel the same way
about Carrie Underwoods, "Two Black Cadillacs".
Track 5 ~ "My Baby's Gone"
(For Whatever Reason There Weren't Names of Who Originally
Posted These to YouTube For Me to Give Credit. If Yours, Feel
Free To Comment or PM Me and I'll Post Credit.)
I am not sure which tunes, if any will be sent to radio for this EP, but I am fairly certain all the Die Hard fans are hoping that at least, "My Kind" will hit airwaves. Whether it does or doesn't there are a slew of Kip Moore and the Slow Heart songs that can be requested with your local radio. So, call, text, tweet, insta, facebook, and maybe even send some good ol' snail mail to your local radio and request tunes from "Up All Night", "Wild Ones", and soon, hopefully, "Underground".
To Check Past Posts on #NewMusicMonday and/or #KipMoore Just Type "New Music Monday" or "Kip Moore" into the blogs search bar. It should pull up a list of past posts for you to glance. Happy New Music Monday and Happy Underground EP!!!!!
