Playing God

Alex calls this band "Mommy's girl-y band."  He's right, I guess.  In my house this is "Mommy's music."  I love this band--they're one of my favorite bands.  I love their sound!  I really like this song--it has a great meaning and the first time I heard it I thought the lyrics were so cool. 

I hope you enjoy it!! 

It isn't letting me upload the video, so here's the link:
Paramore -- Playing God

1,000 Oceans

So, today I'm posting a song/video by my all time favorite singer/songwriter.  It is a really pretty song and one of my favorite songs by her.  It's Tori Amos--enough said.  (LOL)

Hazard

When I was little my parents listened to country music.  I remember I really enjoyed the country music from the 80s--it seemed fun, and, well, it was what I grew up with.  My brother and I would go stay with my Aunt Vickie and Uncle Dave and we discovered other kinds of music.  My Aunt Vickie loved Kiss, Cher, Heart, Richard Marx, Journey and all of the other bands that my parents didn't listen to--bands and singers who had really good music. So, because of my Aunt's musical influence on me (so to speak) I decided to post Hazard by Richard Marx for today's challenge.  I loved this song the first time I heard it.  The music is good, he has a good voice, and the song tells a story.  Enjoy.

Perfect

So, as you will notice, I didn't include the ENTIRE song title as my  blog title.  I didn't want to offend anyone--ha.  I loved this song the first time I heard it.  It has such a positive message and P!nk has one of the greatest voices I have ever heard.  I always enjoy her music.  I went to youtube to try and find the song this morning and I discovered there is a video so I watched it.  As I got farther into the video I thought, "Wow, this is really depressing," but it ended on a happy note and that made me love it.  The video actually reminds me of myself YEARS ago.  I didn't shoplift or cut myself like the girl in the video does, but I remember feeling lost, angry, and completely unhappy.  I could relate to the girl in the video and the ending made me happy.  This song reminded me that I was given a second chance and I am so thankful for that. And, yes, she sings the actual "F" word.  I apologize if that offends anyone.  Enough rambling from me.  Here is P!nk's F**kin' Perfect.

Sweating Bullets

I have completely lost track of what day of the challenge this is.  I need to work on that, I guess. Ha. Today I want to post a song from the metal band Megadeth.  This is a band that has a sound I love.  Most of their songs are politically-minded and the music, while heavy in most songs, is amazing.  I really like Dave Mustane's voice, too. This song is one of my favorites by them--it is one of those songs that you can laugh at because it seems so "out there" but it can also be serious, too. I hope you enjoy it.

Confrontation

So, today I am posting a song from one of the modern metal bands I like.  It is a band called OTEP and the lead singer is a female who has a very cool voice--when she's singing.  About 50% of the time she is yelling, so I have to be in a certain mood (ie. angry, frustrated, upset) to really listen to more than a couple of songs by them at a time.  I love their sound--a lot of their songs are different and follow no musical pattern whatsoever.  The lead singer is very political minded and all of their songs are about current politics, war, death, abortion--anything that makes the lead singer angry or is important to her.  I have always liked this song because most of it is so true--and some of it I can relate to.  I will be surprised if you like this song--but I wanted to post it today.  It feels like an OTEP kind of day.

We Walk

It's another day of the music challenge.  I was listening to this band this morning and when this song came on I thought, "This is the song I'm going to post today."  I love the part of the song when she sings, "If it all goes wrong we walk."  I got a kick out of that because yesterday I was talking to my best friend, Denisa, on the phone and I had to walk away from the computer because it was annoying me.  Then I had to walk away from my youngest child because he was being a bit whiney.  The song isn't talking about walking away from computers and 4-year-olds but I could still relate.  Ha.  In some situations it is better to just walk away. I hope you enjoy "We Walk" by The Ting Tings.

A Special Day

Today has been an interesting day for me.  I went to bed last night thinking about my Grandpa Jack--today would have been his 87th birthday.  Logan will randomly say, "I love Great Grandpa Jack."  I am thankful that my boys were old enough to get to know him and to remember him.  He has been on my mind a lot today.  I called my mom to see how my grandma was doing and also to see how my mom, my aunts, and my uncle were doing.  They were all at El Palacio (one of my grandpa's favorite restaurants) eating lunch since today was my grandpa's birthday.  I liked that.  I think it's nice that he was a man that people want to remember--some one who had such a presence that people want to get together and celebrate on his birthday--even though he is not there to celebrate with them.  It is a day when I want to drink my coffee black because that is how he drank it.  It is a day when I want to eat something that I can put hot sauce on because my Grandpa Jack liked hot sauce.  It is a day when I want to go outside and toss the baseball around because he enjoyed baseball.  It is a day when I can remember him.  It is a day of mixed emotions for me, but February 21st will always be a special day.

Afterlife

Well, I have decided it's time for me to start posting some of the heavier stuff I like.  I listen to heavy metal and hard rock about 50% of the time so it should be included, right?  I have been listening to an Avenged Sevenfold CD this morning.  They are one of my favorite bands--I love their sound and I love the lead singer's voice.  They are such a fun band and most of their songs have a meaning (instead of singing about money, women, and booze).

This song is about a man who wasted his life and when he died he realized he had wasted it and should have been a better person and was given a second chance to do so.  It's a really interesting song, especially since the band's drummer was found dead a little over a year ago.

I enjoy their music and hope you like this song. 

Shake Your Love

Today I want to post something fun--not something I think is fun from today's music collection but something from about 20 years ago.  When I was younger--pre-teenish--I listened to my cassette tapes on my pink boom box.  This singer was one I listened to a lot.  Jacob and I were watching old music videos last night on VH1 Classic and talking.  This video came on and Jacob actually let me watch it.  I rather enjoyed that.  Debbie Gibson has a lot of fun songs--songs that I love now because I loved them 20 years ago. Since I saw the video last night I thought I'd share it. 

Beautiful Ending

It's day 6 of the music challenge.  It's funny how these challenges seem to fly by so quickly.  The boys were asking questions about their Great-Grandpa Jack yesterday, so he's been on my mind a lot the past couple of days.  There is one song that I hear that makes me think of my Grandpa Jack and since he has been on my mind I thought I'd share the song with you.

There are very few Christian bands that I like--actually I can only think of about 4 that I listen to.  This band is one I enjoy because it's an all girl band and I just really enjoy their music--they could sing about whatever they want and I'd still like them because of their sound.  This song is a really pretty one with great lyrics.

My Grandpa Jack was a great man who knew the bible like the back of his hand and wanted his family to put God first.  Before he died he smiled and said he was getting ready to go home.  I know my Grandpa Jack had a beautiful ending and I think of him every time I hear this song.  I hope you enjoy it.

Hanging on the Telephone

It's Friday!  It's also day 5 of the music challenge I'm doing with my best friend, Denisa. Since it's Friday I wanted to post a song that has fun music. The song I have chosen is "Hanging on the Telephone" by Blondie.  This is one of the ring tones on my phone and one of my favorite Blondie songs. 

Enjoy!

Jar of Hearts

It's day 4 of the music challenge and today I am picking a song by one of today's most talented singers, musicians, and song writers.  I immediately loved this song the first time I heard it.  It is a beautiful song with poetic lyrics sung by a young woman who has an amazing voice.  I read an article about the video -- some loved it and some hated it.  I was curious about it so I found it on youtube and watched it.  It is a weird video but I love it.  It seems artistic and I love watching Christina Perri sing with so much emotion not only in her voice, but on her face.  She did an amazing job.  It is a song that most people can relate to at some point in their lives.  So, here is "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri!  Enjoy! ;P

Writing and Reality

I remember sitting in a college class years ago and discussing what it takes to be a writer.  The discussion eventually turned to the personality needed to be a writer.  It was an interesting conversation -- the class immediately felt we had one major thing in common.  At one point the professor stated that different people gravitate to different things because of their personality.  It made sense to me.  She then went on to add that all artists, be it writers, singers, actors, performers (the list goes on) have a "knack for seeing pain" and have a "bizarre sense of awareness."  We made jokes about how we'd one day all be in therapy and on medication.

The truth is that as I get older I understand more of what that professor was trying to tell us.  We were the kids who found an outlet at some point in our childhood -- we discovered the "art" (if you will) of writing.  When I was little I would make up stories and tell them to my friends.  I discovered that they loved these stories.  Eventually the storytelling was put to paper and the writing began.  I loved it.  I always tell people that I'm not a good writer, just a good storyteller.   When I was in high school my father told me that I had "an amazing talent" and that he was "very proud" of me.  I will never forget that moment.

I took a graduate class on childrens literature and the professor walked into class one day and started talking about how writing makes you feel like you have so much power -- creating worlds and characters and controlling them.  She paused and then said, "You get caught up in the writing and when you're finished you return to reality and that is the downside to writing."  We all sat there silently.  She walked to the front of the podium and she said, "You're talented enough to create things.  You're observant and notice more than most people and you are extremely aware of the world around you -- of the pain and darkness of the world around you."  She gave a sarcastic laugh and then said, "No matter how great of a writer you are -- in the end you return to reality and guess what folks, reality can't be changed."  I remember watching her and feeling sorry for her as she grabbed her briefcase and walked out of the room.  I was pregnant and Jacob and I were getting ready to begin a new chapter in our lives.  I walked away assuming she was bitter because she wasn't published or maybe she was just having a bad day.  To this day her words stay with me. I watch my oldest son struggle with things other children his age have no trouble doing.  I see people I love fighting.  I learn of children who have no food at home and watch kids shove each other and call each other names. I hear people I love hurting and crying and there is nothing I can do to change their situation -- their reality.

Now that I am in my 30s I realize that my professor was right -- We can create things but we can't change reality.  Ironically, if the world wasn't cruel and harsh what would writers write about?  If we lived in a cotton and bubble gum world where we were always happy and nothing ever went wrong how would we have anything to write about?  What would singers sing about?  What plays or movies would actors perform in if there wasn't pain in this world?  Reality is what makes writing so special and it's what gives us something to write about. We can't change reality, but we can write about it!

Price of Love

Some of my favorite songs are heavy metal songs -- the 80s big hair ballads are some of the best!  This is one of my favorite 80s ballads by a band called Bad English.  It makes me think of my husband.  I think it speaks for itself!  I hope you enjoy it!
  

Crossfire

Today is day 2 of the music challenge.  The song I have picked is one I loved the first time I heard it.  It's a beautiful song about the ups and downs of love -- and how when you really love some one you go through those ups and downs together. 

I have always loved The Killers.  I remember when their first album came out -- their sound was so different from other popular music.  Jacob and I both immediately loved them.  Brandon Flowers, the lead singer, recently released a solo album.  His solo music is more adult contemporary and pop than the music he performs with The Killers.  I love his voice so I enjoyed the songs I heard from his solo album.  Jacob eventually got the album for me -- I keep it in my car and listen to it quite often. 

I saw this video and loved the song even more.  Seeing Charlize Theron fight ninjas seemed so cool to me.  I hope you all enjoy this song!

Time for a New Challenge (Day One)

It's a new day, a new week, and time for a new blog challenge with my best friend.  What now?  30 Days of Music.  It's exciting, right?  I know you can't wait to see what songs I will pick in the next 30 days.  Some will be pretty, some will be fun, and some will give you a headache while guitars squeal and singers growl and yell.  I can hardly wait!!

So, since today is day one of the challenge I am picking a song that is one of my all time favorites: "The Whole of the Moon" by The Waterboys (from 1985).

 The Waterboys

 A young Mike Scott -- the band's lead singer

I love this song for many reasons.  I love the music -- I remember the first time I heard it I was hooked.  There are so many different instruments in this song and they all blend together so well -- it sounds amazing!  I love the lyrics in this song just as much as I love the music.  They are very poetic and filled with great imagery.  It is about a person the "story teller" (singer) knew who seemed to do everything easily while he struggled to do them or couldn't do them at all.  Instead of feeling jealous he admired this person.  It's such a great song.  Mike Scott, the lead singer, is such a gifted musician.  He has a very unique voice -- it's raw, yet smooth.  He is a gifted writer and, as you can probably already tell, I love this song. Below is a link to the video so you can watch it and listen to the song.   I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and get lost in the lyrics! I also hope you see the whole of the moon! ;P


"Whole of the Moon" by The Waterboys

When an Adam Meets an Ant

How many times have you had a song get stuck in your head?  It's a funny thing because if you like the song you don't really seem to mind.  My brain has been rotating between two different songs (by the same man) this weekend.  I had heard of this man growing up -- he has one of those names that you don't easily forget.  I didn't hear his music until recently, though, and loved the songs I heard.  These two songs are just easy to enjoy.  He is funny and very expressive and fun to watch -- his lyrics are hilarious and I just really enjoy these two songs.  Since they have been bouncing around in my head for two days I thought I'd share them -- who knows, maybe you will get a kick out of them too.

So, without further ado -- ladies and gentleman please welcome Adam Ant!!
(And the crowd cheers! LOL)

Adam Ant's "Strip"

"Desperate but Not Serious"

Day 30

Life is not a simple thing.  We watch ourselves get older, we watch our children grow too fast, and as time marches on we eventually have to say goodbye to people we love.  Let's face it, no one lives forever.  We're all running the same race and will, eventually, hit the finish line.  The curtain will fall and the band will play.  Today's challenge is to post a picture of some one you miss.  Certain circumstances that are still fresh on my mind made this one easy for me.  

This is one my favorite pictures of my Grandpa Jack.  When I was younger I just assumed he would live forever -- and, in a way, he will.  This picture sits on our bookshelf.  I have another frame that holds two photos -- one of my Grandpa Jack with his first born son, Ricky, (who died as an infant) and one of my grandma holding Ricky.  They were so young!  Now that I am in my 30s I look at pictures of them in their 20s and think, "Wow, time really does go by too fast." 

My Grandpa Jack was one of my favorite people.  He was smart, he was a hard worker, he was giving and caring -- I remember watching him talk to people and if he didn't agree with them, instead of arguing, he'd just laugh and say nothing.  He knew it wasn't worth it to try and argue.  I loved that about him.  Actually, there were many things I loved about him. 

I was lucky enough to get to see my grandparents often.  We had lunch with my grandparent's every Sunday and since my parents lived three houses down from my grandparents' we would walk down during the week and have sodas or iced tea with my Grandpa Jack.  He would always be in the yard working on something and he'd stop working, sit on the patio with us, and ask us about school and anything else going on in our lives.  He'd always tell me that if I ever needed any help with anything or if I needed money to let him know.  "Don't hesitate, don't feel bad about it, and don't give it a second thought.  It's what I'm here for -- if you need help and I can help you, well, then I'm more than happy to do so," he'd say.  Then, he'd smile and wink at me. 

I watched baseball games with him growing up and came to love baseball because of that.  The Texas Rangers were his favorite team and he got to see them go to the World Serious last year.  He would take us camping, fishing, he'd tell us stories about how different things were when he was our age.  He would help a stranger with no questions asked.  He was an amazing man who will never be forgotten!

Day 29

We all have pictures that make us smile.  I can think of several pictures I have that always make me smile. That is today's challenge -- to find a picture that always makes you smile.  When I read today's challenge a picture immediately came to mind.

This is a picture of Alex and Logan with mustaches.  Jacob was on vacation and the boys told him they wanted a mustache like he had.  Jacob took a black marker and gave the boys mustaches and I just had to take a picture.  This picture always makes me smile -- and even laugh.  They are just so cute and the mustaches just look so funny (like the baby in the Adams Family movie).

I hope this picture makes you smile, too!

Day 28

Everyone is afraid of something. I think if we were honest with ourselves we would probably discover that everyone is afraid of several things  -- beit big or small.  There are the things that make our skin crawl and things that really frighten us. Today's picture challenge is to post a picture of something you're afraid of (such as ending a sentence with a preposition -- HA!).  I could have found some pictures of creepy crawlies -- I'm not a fan of scorpions or spiders, but I'm not really afraid of them.  I am a little afraid of snakes and I can't stand mice and rats.  I'm even afraid of falling on icy patches simply because I slid on ice, fell, and fractured my elbow a couple of years ago.  I now take ice slowly and if I look stupid, that is fine, it's better than falling and breaking something new! So, today, with very little thought I decided that one  the things I am afraid of is being a bad mother.

 This is a picture from the film Mommie Dearest.  I remember watching this film and actually being a little afraid of this crazy woman.  Faye Dunaway did an amazing job! She was obviously crazy, and while I don't think I'm a psycho mother I do think most mothers have times when they worry that they are a bad mom.  There are days when your children argue and fight, they tattle on each other, and they whine.  Your oldest child turned 6 and suddenly developed an attitude.  We have been spending a lot of time together the past couple of weeks because of all the snow.  There are times when I feel my stress level rise and I ask the boys to just go play in the play room and give me 5 minutes to myself. I can feel the "Mommie Dearest" in me emerging when I go into the bathroom, shut the door, and see little fingers under the door.  Then, the second I flush the toilet the door flies open and there stands a child. I love my children and I have a blast with them, but there are days when I'm not on my best game and that little fear creeps into my brain. As of now, my biggest fear is being a bad mother. My boys deserve the best and I hope when they are adults they will look back and think that I was a good mother and not a Mommie Dearest!

Day 27

Today's challenge is to post a picture of myself with a family member.  I decided to go with a picture that includes everyone in my little family of four. 

Here we are!  Alex, me, Jacob, Logan, Buzzlightyear, and Santa. LOL  This picture was taken at my Aunt Sue's (my dad's sister) in early December.  The boys met Santa, got to watch a fun Christmas movie, and received a lot of cool toys.  We had great food and my mom asked if we wanted her to take a picture of us.  Well, the boys grow so fast these days and are changing all the time, so we agreed it would be good to have a picture of all of us together.

It is funny how you start out as two young people and then eventually you add children to the mix.  Jacob and I rarely get bored and we always have something to make us laugh or smile.  I love these three more than anything and I'm so glad that they are in my life.  They make my life richer, brighter, and much more interesting.   I really am the queen of my castle -- I have a husband and two boys who go out of their way to do things for me and make me feel special and loved.  I wouldn't have it any other way!

Day 26

Today I get to post a picture of something that means a lot to me.   Like everyone else I have a lot of things that mean a lot to me.  I have the cake covered shirts both of my boys wore at their first birthday parties.  I have pot holders my great grandmother made, a hope chest my grandpa made for me, and the list goes on and on.  So, what did I decide to blog about? 

These are the shirts my mother had made for the boys when Logan was born.  They currently hang in the boys' bathroom and I look at them (Logan's especially) and think, "Wow, I can't believe they were ever that little!"  When Logan was born it was very different from when Alex was born.  When Alex was born Jacob was with me at the hospital the entire time and we were all there together.  When Logan was born Alex was a day shy of being 16 months old -- he was still a baby and in all the pictures of him at the hospital he has his binky in his mouth.  Jacob stayed with Alex because he was so little and my mother stayed with me at the hospital.  Alex would come visit and wouldn't really know what was going on.  I missed Alex while I was in the hospital with Logan -- it was just so different.  I was very happy when we were all finally able to be home together.  I remember Jacob's parents brought Alex home and he came inside and had the biggest smile on his face.  He went from toy to toy, person to person, and you could just tell he was so happy to finally be home! 

The shirts my mother had made mean a lot to me because it reminds me of the day Logan was born and of the day we all finally got to be home together.  It reminds me of when my boys were babies and I will probably still have this little shirt and onesie when I'm an old woman.

Day 25

Today's challenge is to post a picture of my favorite day.  Well, this is an easy one for me because this was a day that started a chain of wonderful memories and events -- and it continues on to this day.

My favorite day is my wedding day.  I could have gone with the day I became a mother or a favorite birthday party as a child, but this is actually my favorite day.  It was all about me and Jacob.  I was so happy.  I got to dress like a princess and spend the day hanging out with my closest friends and family.  I got to see people who I hadn't seen in a while and it was just a fun day.  The best part about it was that by the end of the day I was married to my best friend. It was the first day of the rest of our lives together -- job changes, children, and every other change in our lives we went through together. We had each other and still have each other -- and I wouldn't want it any other way.  It was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me and this day will always hold a special place in my heart and in my memory.

Day 24

Today's challenge is to post a picture of something I would change.  My best friend and I are both a little upset and disappointed with the weather right now. Her baby shower is today and I can't be there to share this fun moment with her because we received so much snow that the roads are still bad and I still can't get my car out of the driveway -- I'm not even certain I could get it out of the garage at this point.  Instead of blogging about the same thing my best friend did I thought I'd change it up a little -- same issue, different topic.  If I could change something today it would be my means of transportation.

I have a car and I love my car.  It's a great little car.  It's the right size for me and it's MY car, but it's also a small car that is low to the ground -- this makes it very hard to drive in large amounts of snow. People have so many different forms of transportation -- I could take a train if one went that direction and stopped in Duncan.  Planes are convenient, but first you have to get to the airport -- and well, there isn't much point in  going through all the hassle of an airport to get to a place that is only about two hours away.  So, if I could change something I would love to have some car that I owned that could fly from point A to point B without having to drive on snow and ice.  I'm not a big fan of flying, but at least it would get me where I need to be.  Something even better would be teleportation. I could just teleport to where ever I needed/wanted to go and it wouldn't take nearly as long.  I could be running behind but still get there early if I teleported. So, as crazy as it sounds, I wish I could change the form of transportation so the weather doesn't cause me to miss anything important ever again. 

One can dream, right?

Day 23

We're already on challenge number 23.   Today's challenge was hard for me.  I love books and picking just one is impossible.  I couldn't do it -- so I narrowed it down to two books.  I don't have a lot of time to read these days and actually getting a few minutes to sit down and read is a privilege in this house.  

Today's challenge (which you've probably already guessed) is to post a picture of your favorite book.  Here are my two favorite books.

This book is amazing.  It has wonderful characters and an amazing story. I loved it the first time I read it in high school and have read it a few more times since then.  It never gets old.

This book was given to me by my in-laws for Christmas a few years ago.  I love Audrey Hepburn and this book was amazing.  It showed what a fabulous human being she really was.  She was an amazing woman and this book is one of my all time favorite books.

There are so many great books out there, but these two are my favorites -- at least for now. ;)

Day 22

Is there anything you wish you could do better?  Today's challenge is to post a picture of something you wish you were better at.  I didn't have to think long about this one. 

I wish I could fix more things myself instead of having my husband fix them.  I mean, it's nice to have him around to fix things, but sometimes it would be nice to fix things on my own.  I'm sure I'd feel a sense of pride and accomplishment if I could fix things on my own.  When Jacob and I were dating he bought me a book with the above picture on it entitled "Dare To Repair." It was written for women as a how-to book.  It tells you step by step how to fix things around the house like leaky faucets, broken door, and many other things.  A couple of years ago my parents gave me a pink tool set.  I thought it was so cool!  Not only was it my very own tool set, but it was pink!  I have used it often, but wish I could fix more things on my own.  I noticed there is now a Dare to Repair Your Car for women.  Maybe one day I'll get that book too and see what damage I can do. 

So, to recap, the one thing I wish i was better at is fixing things around the house.   I might have to work on that . . .

Day 21

It's day 21 of the challenge and today I couldn't pick just one picture.  I'm supposed to post a picture of my favorite holiday and explain why it's my favorite holiday.  I have always loved Christmas -- there is just something magical about it, but now that I'm an adult I spend more time stressing about all I have to do and less time enjoying.  So, with this is mind, I thought of another holiday. One that I really enjoy and has, over the years, become my favorite holiday.  That holiday is the 4th of July.

I love the 4th of July for several reasons. The first reason is that my Grandpa Jack started a tradition years ago (before I was even a thought) to have everyone together for BBQ .  My grandpa has always had a BBQ pit and was always excited about using it. I love BBQ.  It's one of those foods that I can add hot sauce or peppers to and it's so good -- plus it is something I don't get to eat very often.  Another reason I love the 4th of July is because it's a holiday that allows you to be outside.  The family isn't all cooped up in the house like they are on Christmas.  Everyone is outside shooting water guns, tossing water balloons, and blowing things up. When we get together with Jacob's family there is always some food item that gets blown up.  The boys are getting big enough now that they can appreciate this activity -- and their reactions are so funny. 

My Uncle Keith took over the BBQ pit last year.  My Grandpa Jack still sat out there and watched.  It has now, officially, become Uncle Keith's job.  My grandma said that my Grandpa Jack told her he wants the family to continue this tradition -- and, of course, we will.

I love this picture.  It's Ann and Logan on the 4th of July, 2009, looking at old pictures.

Water gun fights are a MUST on the 4th of July!

Strawberries that were destroyed by smoke bombs and fire crackers.  Logan said he really liked the colors of the smoke bombs and thought it was cool that it changed the color of the strawberries.

Alex and Logan jumping on the trampaline at Chris' and Sandra's. They got to swim in the pool, too -- it was a lot of fun. 

Day 20

Today's challenge is to post a picture of a somewhere I'd like to travel.  This was an easy one for me.  I have always wanted to visit England and hope to do so when the boys are older.  For this challenge I thought I would be more specific and post a picture of one of the specific places Jacob and I talk about visiting.

This is a picture of Astley Castle (well, what's left of it) in North Warwickshire, England.

Jacob and I always talk about some day going to England and seeing all the places linked to his family name. It doesn't get much cooler than a castle.  It, ironically, caught on fire the year Jacob was born, but the ruins are so old that it would still be an awesome place to see/visit.

Maybe some day we'll get to actually see it. What an awesome day that will be!