12.12.12.
13th December 2012 | 101, everyday life | 0 comments
Twelve has been my favorite number since I was 10. It was – perhaps still is – my dad’s favorite number. 12 tribes of Judah, 12 disciples, 12 days of Christmas.. well, I don’t know about the last one but my dad told me about the first two when I was little. Every Saturday we went to the Christian Supply store kids hour, and one week there was a lady who made this cool drawing. They said they’d give it away to one kid, and they randomly asked an adult to pick a number between 1 and 50.
They picked my dad.
I picked 12.
Guess who won the drawing?
On Tuesday, Sarah and Abigail asked me what I was planning on doing to celebrate 12.12.12., since they have sharp memories and knew it was on my 101 list. So I started going off on this great list of ideas, stuff about giving away hot chocolate and rescuing 12 abandoned puppies and sewing 12 skirts.. joking, but still they were big ideas. I said “maybe the night before,” and Sarah interrupted me. “You mean tonight?” she asked.
And I realized… 12.12.12. had sneaked up on me and I was completely unprepared.
But you never need money or plans to celebrate something. I celebrated 12.12.12. by being completely in it. So here are 12 pictures from 12.12.12.
After days and days of being sick, I made my bed. I think it threw Princess off, because she sat like this for a few minutes.
Driving to get Micah.
Micah watched Allen’s performance on Jay Leno from the night before. Then Micah said “before we have lunch, we can ALWAYS watch Allen Stone on your computer, okay?”
I forgot to be ready to take a picture when the girls arrived home, so we decided to recreate it, but forgot some important elements like jackets, shoes and backpacks.
After lunch, Micah and I shared some hot cocoa and brownies. His looks like a heart, but really I’d tried to cut a small M.
Sarah organized her embroidery thread…
…and graciously let me borrow some to make a friendship bracelet. Which didn’t work out so well, because I’m not actually that great at making friendship bracelets.
When I got home, my super-festive and so-far-favorite Birchbox was waiting for me.
…and I didn’t even get a phone-cap of 12:12 on 12/12/12! Oh well. I was fully there, and that’s what matters. Did you do anything special to celebrate 12/12/12?
Celebrate.
8th December 2012 | friendlies, music, travels | 0 comments
Yesterday I sat in the Q Cafe, thinking about all of the memories I’ve had there. I’m really sentimental about stuff, in case you hadn’t noticed. I remember the first time I ever walked in there. I was picking up some fliers that Brandon had left for an upcoming show I’d agreed to help promote because I knew the other band. It seems both like it was just yesterday and like it was fifteen years ago. Weird how things can be like that.
So I thought about how many times I’d seen Allen there. The last time I saw him was a Friday night, August of 2009 or something. I remember saying to myself, “remember this moment, because this is going to be a special moment.” It was the first time I looked around and realized that there were a whole bunch of people I’d never seen, there to see Allen.. who they didn’t know.
Last night Allen packed the Paramount, and it was amazing, especially having sat at the Q Cafe a few short hours prior.
I recorded weird parts of it, like the crowd cheering before he came on, or when they sang his songs when he stopped singing. Things I wanted to cherish in my heart forever.
And the two girls sitting in front of us. They were SO excited. I was excited, Mei-Ling was excited.. but they made the whole thing even better. I loved watching them, and I don’t even mean that in a creepy way. They danced and sang and freaked out over pictures they took, and… it was awesome.
Tears sneaked out of my eyes for the better part of the hour and 15 minutes Allen played. I kept holding my hands over my heart and sighing, because of how much I love Allen and how much he deserves all of it. and more. If I could somehow grab a star and give it to him, he’d deserve that too.
and ps.. I got a new camera that was smaller and easier to throw in my pocket… but there has obviously been a decline in quality here. Oh well.. my heart has it recorded in HD for the rest of my life 
Allen came to town.
30th October 2012 | friendlies, music | 0 comments
Where to even begin.
On Wednesday, Allen played at Mississippi Studios, and the place was packed. I tried to take it all in – the cheering, the way the noisy drinkers were quieted during Allen’s solo songs, and – be still my beating heart – the moment when Allen stopped singing and the crowd kept singing the song. That’s a big deal.
So.
People, listen to Allen Stone. He is SO GOOD — and it’s not even because I’m biased.
ps Last week I pointed out how despite having seen Allen many times I only had two pictures with him. I doubled that, so I’m pretty proud of my work.
10/22/12 .. big day.
22nd October 2012 | everyday life, music | 1 comment
I know, I know… I’ve slightly fallen behind on the Madeleine posts. So sue me. I’ve been busy with other things. Like the justalittlebitlouder Etsy shop… and let me tell you about it.
Years ago, I lived in Seattle. Weird, right? But I did. I spent a lot of time with the Reardons. They really love Jesus and they are important to me. They are in the middle of adopting two beautiful children, Tia and Raheim.
A few weeks ago I was in Starbucks, reading a book and suddenly my heart was overwhelmed and I started crying for Rob and Amy and their kids – not just the ones I’ve met, but also Tia and Raheim. I prayed for the whole Reardon clan with my hands open and up – God what can I do? How can I help?
I will spare you the little details, but I put up some paintings on an Etsy store. All of the money will go to help their adoption. This one is my favorite:
PLEASE buy these paintings, spread the word.. and join the group of people supporting Tia and Raheim.
Today is the birthday of some really important people in my life. Zac Hanson, Ernie Halter and Rhoda Boettcher. About a month ago, Ernie started a Kickstarter project hoping to raise $8500 for a “52 songs in 52 days” project. I talked to him the day it launched. It’s ending in a few minutes, and he’s acquired over $34,000 in support of his project. I’m not even making this up. Over $34,000 dollars. And I only pledged $52 of it! There are that many people willing to financially support Ernie and his dreams. I called him to wish him happy birthday and it was all just way too emotional for me. I. AM. SO. PROUD. OF. HIM! And so excited to see the 52 songs project start.
And today I bought tickets to see Allen Stone play at Mississippi studios on Wednesday. Remember Allen? I am SO. EXCITED. For all of the times I’ve seen Allen, I only have these pictures to show for it. This is sad, y’all.
{04.26.12} thursday thoughts001
26th April 2012 | thursday thoughts | 2 comments
is it summer yet? these people and breakfast in the same room with them needs to be a part of my daily routine ASAP.
{two}
ALLEN STONE is phenomenal. if i could see him perform every night of my life… i would, and i wouldn’t even get tired of it. every little thing he does is magic.
{three}
the first week of june is going to be full of so much adventure and fun that i will daily need to tell myself to stop being anxious and enjoy today, or else i’ll miss out on the next month of life because of my anticipation.
{four}
i love mail. i love getting packages in the mail. and i love when i lay out everything that came for me in the mailbox on any given day, and it looks like this:
{five}
i love baby elephants. a lot. their little floppy trunks are so adorable.
101 in 1001
16th December 2011 | travels | 2 comments
a few years ago i made a 101 in 1001 list. and it was full of really ridiculous things, stupid things that i put on there in hopes of using the list to become a “better” person. i’d hoped that by being able to complete that list, i’d transform from a caterpillar into a butterfly, becoming some new person as a result.
so that failed. because a list like this isn’t about changing your identity; it’s about living more in your own identity.
that said, i have created a new list for myself. and i’m not starting on january 1st, because it’s not a resolution. i made my list of 20 – 11′s and it’s been fun and great, but it kind of had the same feel as my first 101 list. i never took LIFE into account.
i have spent time over the past month or so making the list which is at the top of my page where it says 101 in 1001. and i’m ready to go.
last night i went and saw allen stone at mississippi studios. and let me tell you…. ugh. so proud of him. i almost cried when i was walking back to my car because i am SO HAPPY for his success and the way people embrace and love him. he deserves it. all of it.
i took a 2 hour nap, drank some coffee, went to the airport, drank more coffee, and now i am sitting at seatac. boarding is about to begin.
…and then i will be in los angeles. {!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
ps i totally just realized i can write blogs and set them to publish later, and that is really exciting.
31 Days of Song – {26/31} Last to Speak
26th October 2011 | 31 days of song | 5 comments
Allen Stone – Last to Speak {youtube video}
This one is a strategically placed song. Because tonight, Allen Stone is going to be on Conan. And you’re all required to watch him now that you know. and in case you’ve not noticed, I’m posting this at 7 AM. It’s that important to me.
Last month at the Hanson concert in Seattle, Mei-Ling leaned over and said to me “is that Allen?” and I looked over and saw a tall guy with a blonde ponytail. So I naturally ran to the other side of the venue and creepily walked around the guy before realizing it was some strange middle aged man and walked back, shoulders drooping, to announce it was not Allen.
When I first heard Allen’s music, it was really Jesus-y. Which is fine. I love me some CCM. But then he started coming out with these songs that weren’t about Jesus, and it was even more fantastic. But then there is this song. I don’t remember the first time I heard Allen sing it, though I wish I did because that would be a really great, dramatic story to tell.
All I know is that this song puts words to my heart, to my struggles with the church and the way Christianity is played out. It’s real. Just like Allen. He is real. and I think he is great.
You can say what you want about Allen. But you really cannot deny that he is probably one of the most talented people you have ever heard about. and I sometimes sit back and feel all proud of him for how well he is doing.
And. You have no idea the kinds of emotions I felt when this happened. Enough to where I screen capped it.
That on the left? That’s what happens every time I see Allen.
WATCH ALLEN STONE ON CONAN TONIGHT! DO IT DO IT DO IT!
