Another episode from Henry — E is for Elvis!
Henry’s Musical Alphabet – E is for …
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Henry’s Musical Alphabet – D is for Dolly
Next Episode of Henry’s series is finally here! D is for Dolly! We really enjoyed making and preparing for this one. She will always have my heart.
Henry’s Musical Alphabet Ep 3 C is for…
This week was so much fun – Henry really enjoyed getting silly and we all really love this band.
Henry’s Musical Alphabet – Ep 2
This started as an idea Henry and his dad talked over for a couple of months. Since we homeschool, part of his weekly assignments include presentation. He became excited about the idea of doing videos and making it about something … Continue reading
Henry’s Musical Alphabet – Ep 1
Henry explores and presents iconic musical artists for every letter of the alphabet.
First episode out today: A is for
Thoughts at 2am
The new year clean slate feeling came and went. Along with the excitement over things to come and reflecting on shared growth and memories. I was really looking forward to writing a beautiful post on new ideas and plans for 2017.
Then reality set in about our broken world and it felt selfish to talk about happiness and joy, when so many are feeling anything but. Honestly, in the end, I am not feeling those things either. I look at my sweet son, Henry, and I feel like the world is failing his generation. I want more beauty and truth for him than I have known. I want him to live in a better world than I grew up in. I think that is what we all want for our kids. Am I making that happen? If not, how do I?
So many beautiful people have spoken into my heart these last two months and I am still processing it all. I am inspired. I am listening. I am praying. Sometimes I am yelling at God at 2am. Sometimes I am laughing. What I do know is that one voice above all others repeats a call each morning. Love others. Love others. Love others. LOVE. OTHERS.
Ending the year.
2016. What a year. I am reminded over and over this year of the movie Parenthood. The grandmother in the movie,who everyone thinks is a little silly but who is really brilliant, tells a story about riding a roller coaster when she is younger and all the different ways it makes you feel in one ride. Then she says some people prefer the merry go round. Her grandson(Steve Martin’s character) does not get her until later when he is at a school play for his kids and the whole thing spirals into chaos. It hits him and he gets her life analogy. I just love this so much. But man this has been a bumpy year on the roller coaster.
One of my favorite memories of this year was spending the day at Enchanted Forest with my friend and our boys. We rode the log roller coaster and it was one of the most hilarious moments I have had in a long time. I am pretty sure I was covered in water , crying and laughing at the same time. That moment kinda sums up this year. I’ve allowed in more fear and worry than I care to admit(not without reasons). I really want to end this year in quiet so I am going to rest from media for the next two days
I will start posting on January 1st and chronicle some of the best days of the year past, the ones that made my soul leap. Then I will dust myself off and get to the hard work of loving others and trusting God. I have some pretty great plans for 2017 and I cannot wait to share them. 
Mapping It Out
My lovely B turned forty in October and I am twenty one days away from entering my fourth decade. It feels unreal. I was JUST twenty, working at Cafe Eccell and going to Texas A&M. Turning forty calls for a trip. Being married to a musician means we are not exactly flush with cash, so family road trip it is.
We are heading out on the 29th for ten days of exploring Oregon. Travel Oregon put together a fun list called the Seven Wonders of Oregon. We are hitting up all seven in one trip. Follow along here for more details and stories and of course loads of pictures.
Here is the itinerary(so far):
Day 1 – Portland to Coast(Newport to Waldport)
Stops: Corvallis, Aquarium, Seal Rock
Day 2 – Coast(Waldport to Reedsport) to Diamond Lake
Stops: Cape Perpetua, Florence, Toketee Falls
Day 3 – Crater Lake
Day 4- Diamond Lake to Redmond
Stops: Smith Rock, Cove/Palisades
Day 5- Redmond to John Day
Stops: Painted Hills, John Day Fossil Beds
Day 6- John Day to Joseph
Stops:Sumpter, Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
Day 7- Wallowas, Wallowa Lake
Day 8- Joseph to the Gorge
Stops: Pendleton
Day 9-Gorge: Rowena Crest, Memaloose
Day 10-Gorge to Mt Hood to Portland
Stops: Cloud Cap, Trillium Lake
The Seven Wonders are in green. So, stay tuned as I will be sharing more about the process of prepping a family for road tripping. 
March forth.
March was a month for big steps forward and a few back. B released his solo album – Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom. I met some pretty lofty work goals. We picked out a kindergarten for Henry. B had two album release shows. We battled sickness, time changes, and more than a few family meltdowns. In the end, we are better for it all(maybe not the sickness) and the spring planning and cleaning got an early start.
Please take a listen to the album and share with all your people. Click the title above and get a free download on Noisetrade.
Impressive
When this came along in the list of theme words it really stumped me. I was at a loss to find something impressive to capture. I started feeling the same way I feel when people ask me the dreaded question “and what do you do for a living?” Does anyone else break out in the sweats and completely lose the ability to speak something resembling the english language when asked this? Recently I had a rare night out with a dear friend and I was in a group of musicians (such is my life) all talking about this project or that. They were all younger than me and less settled and then came the question. I froze. What do I say? I’m a wife, a mother, an admin. I do this. I do that. Seriously, I felt like if I did not respond with some great project or the like that I would be seen as a nobody. I thought about that moment for days afterward. I thought of answers that would have made me sound cooler or less unaccomplished. I started to see all the things I was not.
It was in those days that I was shown that those ideas matter so little. Does having a college degree make me a better mother or wife? Does having a certain job title make me a better sister or daughter? Do accomplishments from my past/present somehow make me a better friend? I guess I would love to be able to show someone in a moment what I choose to give my life to. I am a more than a resume. I am a wife to Blake, a mother to Henry, a sister, a daughter, and a friend. Within all these titles there are so many jobs I fill. I live a life of balancing all so that I can serve God the best I can. The next time I am asked what I do for a living I am going to answer — whatever God needs me to.
A look at my impressive life balancing skills.
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Blakes On The Road 