Life as a Musician...

Life as a musician is NOT always glamorous. Don't get me wrong. I have had many days filled with diamonds, designer clothes, people doting on my every move, private planes, and Penthouse Suites. All unnecessary. But for some of our gigs, that just the way we roll.

But this week, it's been crazy. Monday was full of school stuff. Lots of work, at the DOH, and the hospital. And a last minute flight to Sin City. Followed up with a long rehearsal. I needed to know the music, that I would be teaching. Everyone else had had 8 hours of rehearsal. Yup, I was just trying to keep up! My night didn't end there. Nope. It ended with 2 exams online. And 2 hours of sleep.

Tuesday and Wednesday were fun. I can't help but admit that. Lots of teaching. Spending some quality time with el Maestro. Learning from him, when we weren't teaching. And more rehearsals. But a little bit of the glamour did peek through...

When I wasn't teaching, or practicing, I was enjoying a little bit of Sin City. The amazing food, the glorious Penthouse Suite, and all of my amazing friends. Oh ya! Have I said this before? I get the largest room, and I travel by myself. All by myself. I've asked about this, but no one ever answers me. So I usually let the "Itty Bitties" sleep over. Yes, me and about 10 little girls. Watching cartoons early in the AM! Ordering Room Service full of yummy breakfast treats. Because it's all comped!

Thursday included 6 hours of teaching. Realizing I forgot my bridesmaid's dress. And a mad dash to catch our flight. Back home. Because we were scheduled to perform at 6PM. Rain had a different thing in mind for us. And the Tornado Warning, well that just postponed things too. But we celebrated Little M's 3rd birthday. Enjoyed some cake and ice cream, in one of the ballrooms. Because, we weren't allowed to leave the Convention Center. Not to worry! We could entertain ourselves. :)

Then we played. 2 hours. The rain came. We left. The entire group headed to A's house. About 10 minutes away. To relax. And take everything in. OK, it also included eating. And making fun of one of our friends. He's getting married on Sunday. And was in some major trouble with his mujer.

We headed back to downtown, and we played for about 5 hours. When? At 11:30PM. Because we had to play for El Grito. In the wee hours of the morning, I finally headed to the hospital. To do some work. A few hours later, I headed home. More than an hour away. To shower, grab my dress, and check on my house.

Friday morning, I tried to catch up on Facebook. I was ridiculously behind! I managed to pack my Bridesmaid dress. I even watered my flowers and lawn! Then I met A for breakfast, and we headed out to rehearsal. Oh ya, my car, I haven't driven it since Sunday. I have a sorta major oil leak... :(

Breakfast was extra yummy that day. IHOP. Seriously, I rarely eat there. But those Nutella Crepes, are just like heaven! Our rehearsal wasn't too bad. Or too long. La Senora Adriana was hilarious! As always. And I'm pretty sure she was eying A. Especially when we busted out our fancy dance moves. :)

Then I headed back to the hospital. More work. About 4 hours worth. Then, back to the concert. Where, my friends totally surprised me. With tickets to go see Santana! I LOVE me some Santana! So A and I rushed to his house, to change and head out. Yes, our Compadres bought us tickets, and dinner. As a little Gracias, for being good to their ninitos. :) We've got some incredible friends!

After a delish dinner at PF Changs, we headed off to the concert. Where, let me tell you, we had a BLAST! A and I happen to be, the hilarious 2 of the group. We LOVE to dance. And just have fun. And we did just that. For the entire concert. Santana has still got it!

As we were leaving, we got a call. From our friend and boss. Could we possibly head back to that concert, the one we were supposed to play? Senora Adriana wanted to know what happened to us. And you know, we worked so hard on that dance routine. Seriously?!?!?!

Luckily, we got changed, and to the venue. With about 2 minutes to spare. And the last 2 minutes of the show, some how became another 90 minutes! Have I told you? Los Mexicanos like to celebrate their independencia. But we all had such a great time. It was well worth it.

You'd think we were ready to pass out. Honestly, it sure felt like it. But everyone headed back to A's house. We all needed to get changed. And since he lives closest to the airport, that's where we went. Some of the guys grabbed some food on the way. And we all ate and changed. Their wives, girlfriends, and kiddos were all there too. Why? We were all headed to the airport...

At 3AM, we were ready to head out. Straight for Sin City. Pretty much, everyone on the plane slept. Except me. I had my laptop out. Doing homework, writing a paper, and trying to study. You do it when you can. Right? This is when I'm glad, that my professors rarely ever, have us go to class. Usually, I hate them because of this very thing. But this week, it's been nice to just to my work, and get to do my paying job too!

And that's where you find me. Somewhere high above the Earth. Doing homework, and blogging. While everybody sleeps. A is next to me, holding one of our Goddaughters. Both are out for the count! And I'm typing away. About HFCS and I's/O's. I also have to find time for 2 exams today. Wish me luck!

Because when we land, well get a few minutes, to head back to our rooms at the casino. Get cleaned up. And then, we've got some rehearsals and sound checks. It will be the only rehearsal time, with the performers, that we're backing up tonight. We'll quickly go through a few of our numbers. Then off to a fancy lunch. With the "High Rollers" in Sin City.

Later, we'll have a "Fancy Pants" dinner. And of course our show. Which we're all excited about! I just hope, that I don't fall asleep, during any of this. Oh, and our amigos are getting married tomorrow afternoon. The Mariachi is in the wedding, and playing for it! Can you say...BUSY WEEKEND! But I'll finally get to see this guy again! He's back from Spain. Happy Saturday! ♫

Flower Baskets

About a year ago, my parents and I, traveled up to the State Capital. For no real reason at all. Just for a quick trip. We didn't have a plan. But figured that we would walk through the Plaza. And eventually head home. It was a day trip.

And when we got there, you couldn't miss the beautiful flowers. Tons and tons of baskets, overflowing with beautiful flowers. Hanging throughout the Plaza. A little like these...



And since that time, those flowers were all I could think about. I wanted baskets of beautiful flowers for my yard. Something simple, but beautiful. So I almost died out of excitement, when I found hanging flower baskets, and liners, at the Dollar Tree.

I bought a dozen. I'm not even ashamed to admit that. They're not huge. But they are the perfect size. And I planted a bunch of seeds inside them. And a few flowers. I have bigger plans for next year. Since I have a better clue about growing flowers in a basket. And I've got so many ideas. Yup, I'm excited!

It's funny. How simple the idea is. And how it never occurred to me before. I want flowers to hang from my HUGE trees. And in the middle of the lawn. I just need to find those poles. I can imagine flowering vines growing up the poles, and flowers dangling from the baskets. All the things that inspired me, on that summer day. ♫

What We Did Yesterday...

Yes, we took a ride on the train. And we had a blast! OK, so waking up for no good reason, at 5AM, was not my idea of fun. Nor was getting my Mom out of bed at 5:30AM. But we had a fun day.

Um, we met this cute elderly lady. She was at the train stop with us. And was so excited about riding the train. Yes, just like us, it was er first time. Did you know, the train has been around for 5 years! What the heck? Why has it taken us so long to take the ride? I just don't know...

But it was a nice and enjoyable time. Like I said, we met this adorable lady. And she talked to us about everything! It was so fun listening to her. The entire trip was relaxing. So relaxing! And you get to see things that, let's be honest, we don't stop to enjoy. At least when we are driving.

Breakfast at Pascual's was super yummy! A little pricey. But we were in "The City Different." Honestly though, it was so good! I have to admit this much, My Music Man was right. I'm glad we went there. And my Mom and I did some shopping. Who can resist the plaza? My Dad just relaxed all that time!

The train was "cruising" on the way back. We left at 4:15PM, and didn't get to our stop until 6:30PM. And let me tell you, we were exhausted! But it's definitely something I'll do again. Maybe with one of my Goddaughters. :) That would be a lot of fun! Or maybe, just to go visit "My Wanna Be In-laws." ♫

What I Needed.

Last night, I finally just got "to be." I got to enjoy myself. And really have a good time. It was the first time, in a very long time, that I really got to enjoy myself.

To begin with, our show was a lot of fun last night. Plenty of time to have fun. We saved all our really good stuff, for last night. When we played a HUGE show for a Charity event. We wanted to make sure, that everyone was enjoying themselves. And we weren't going to be happy, until we saw smiles on faces, and people dancing. Simple as that.

But afterward, we, the band, got to enjoy ourselves too. It was time to dance the night away! Yes, we get paid to mingle with the guests. But since the event was by invitation only, it meant, we got to let our hair down, when we were done performing. Something I needed to do.

I don't drink. But honestly, I didn't need to. Not this time around. I just had fun. I had a permanent dance partner in my friend/boss. And he was all for having a great time too! Why? Because he has been working just as hard as we have. The last 10 days, well we've all been going nonstop! So don't judge us for never leaving the dance floor. We were both up to having a good time, and forgetting all of our troubles. :)

Beyond the fact that we helped our friend/boss score an amazing DJ. Well, he knew the guy, but the band was the one that suggested him. We had some amazing music. I swear, you could feel the beat of the music, long after you had left. The dance floor was completely packed! And everyone enjoyed it. Until the sun rose, early this morning. Yes, folks, we enjoyed life a little. Then, we got to watch the sunrise, on the roof of the club we played at. :) Along with a very yummy breakfast!

At the end of the night, it was nice to know that we helped score this Charity, a 9 figure donation. Yes, 9 figures!!! All by playing some music, dancing, and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. It was an incredible feeling. Just to know how many kids this is going to help. That right there, makes it all worth it. Every single time!

But the best part for me, was just living in the moment. Having some fun. Dancing the night away. And forgetting my worries. The last few months have been beyond stressful! And I'm so glad that I got the chance to just be me. To live a little. And to enjoy a little bit of life. ♫

Playful

Ol' Mr. Blue Eyes, he is in an awfully good mood today! Smitten really. And it's nice to be around him. In general, our boss/friend is this amazing man. He has a heart bigger than Texas! And this great personality. It's honestly, such fun to be around him.



But today, he happens to be in such an amazing mood. Not sure why. OK, I know. His career is definitely on an upswing. Even with what unfolded yesterday. But I can tell you this much, I'm not asking al the details. I'm just glad that he is happy. And at peace with himself. I can't imagine living the life that he lives. Being under a microscope like he is. It has to be difficult. Having the world judge all of your failures and successes.

But for now, he gets to be a normal, thirty something year old man. Just hanging out with his friends. It's crazy to think, how we've become such great friends. How this entire band, went from just meeting him, to him hiring us, to all of us being such great friends. Crazy! But I'm glad that he seen our show in Vegas, all those years ago! ♫

Watermelon and the Band

We had a few hours off today. You know, to do a little bit of nothing. Which lead to some hilarious conversation. But that's what you get with these guys. This band is hilarious! And there may have been 8 watermelons involved too!

At one point, one of the guys asked, if seeds really do fall from the watermelon slices. You know, like on the skits from Sesame Street. Well, that raised all kinds of stories. And before long, we had a seed spitting contest going. There were many different techniques used. And in the end, I was the "Watermelon Champ!"

We should probably check back with our boss, in a couple of months, and see how many watermelon vines he has growing. Yes, 8 watermelons, 1 band, and a hilarious seed spitting contest. That's a lot of seeds, even in that large field.

What else do you do on 200 acres of land? On your day off. With one of the most famous athletes? Ya, I know. But we had a blast! The South, well they grew 'em better! Everything! And everyone. :)

Now, I'm off to do some cooking. I promised the guys a yummy dinner, before our gig. See, I cook. And I'm not entirely sure who cleans up. But I know it's not me! :) I'll be in hair and makeup. Happy Wednesday! ♫

Getting Ready for a Long Day...

Today, my MUA and I decided to try a little something different. We wanted to have a little fun. But neither of us wanted to spend hours and hours getting ready. And we needed something that could go from "business attire" to "formal." And quickly.

Mrs. M, well she liked this hairstyle. And it's what we settled on. Along with some "natural" makeup, with a little "twist." I also have 5 outfits for the day. Oh ya, it's gonna be a long night!

But today, we're going to be a part of "history." And honestly, it's going to be so fun! I really do like this annual trip/gig that the band does. We get to be a part of something special. Now I just need to finish getting ready! ♫

God's Glory

Bright and early this morning, I decided that I wanted to go on a run. Before everyone got up. I knew it would be a late morning for my friends. Especially since our show went well until this morning.

But I wanted to run. To be part of nature. To inhale all the beauty, that the Earth has to give. So while the house was silent and still, I was putting on my running shoes. One dog in tow. Making my way out, to the Carolina Wilderness.

Ol' Blue Eyes must of heard me. I was not far from the house, when he ran up behind me. This man, is definitely not a runner, but decided to go with me. We ran. In silence. Taking in the beauty of this place. All of it. Quietly.

The only sounds came from our feet hitting the ground. Our breathing was perfectly in rhythm. Birds were singing. The breeze was light. It was the most perfect morning. I've not felt that refreshed in such a long time! And it felt good.

To have sweat running down your back. Your heart race. The sound of your own blood, go through your ears. To have all of your senses working at 100%. And to be taking in so much of God's glory. It was amazing!

Then we cleared some trees, and came to a clearing. All you could see, was the beautiful lake! Oh Dear Lord! How do people ever leave this area? I'd be no good to anyone, if I lived here. I'd want to run every morning. I'd want to spend my days lakeside. And my evenings cooking. What a life!

Well, my friend and I just sat in silence. Sharing an orange, and some water. Taking it all in. I realize now, his eyes, they're that same amazing shade of blue. And as incredible as I felt, after 10 miles of mountain running, he was so much more refreshed than I was. As if, the Earth was feeding his soul.

We were definitely in God's church. In his Kingdom. Taking in all of God's glory. But it didn't prevent us from church. Which we barely made it too. But this little church, in the middle of nowhere, set back 50 years, it was perfect. I tell you, there's not much about Carolina that I don't love. Not much at all.

And now that all my friends are awake and fed, we've made our plans for the afternoon. Lot's of nothing, by the lake. What do you think? Sounds like paradise to me! I hope you have an amazing day too! It truly is God's Day! Happy Sunday! ♫

Salty, Sweet, Delicious!

Do you see this brownie? Yum! That's all I can say. It's salty, sweet, and so delicious! My mouth is watering...just thinking about it. I might just have to bake some. Sometime today. You know, for all my friends/band mates. Since we're working together. For the next 12 days or so. :)

Because of my niece's graduation, I'm a little late getting to the gig. :( But they understand. And so does my boss. But this would definitely score me some points. Yummy brownies. I think they'd forget all about me missing 2 nights of gigs. ;)

To be 100% honest, I just want some of these brownies. hahaha You know me and my sweet tooth. But these are just extra yummy! I think it's because they're slightly salty too. Anyway that you put it, have a Happy Thursday! ♫

Fiesta Mexicana!

This picture can pretty much sum up my week. It was a good week. But a very busy week! Lots of teaching and performing. Lots of learning. Lots of singing. Being part of this big weekend, well, it takes a lot of hard work.

I had the pleasure of performing for this Big Mariachi Show. Filled with greats, giants, and lots of Maestros. Men that I respect more, than you'll ever know. That have taught me about my cultura, and the musica. That have taken me under their wings, and have shown me the ropes.

Seeing all of my favorite little girls learning, only added to the experience. Seeing them learn about our cultura. Carrying on the traditions. It was amazing. But sharing the stage, was just magical.

This has been a week filled with music. Lots of it. The best of the very best. Lots of trajes. Many Maestros. Everything oozing with the spice of the Vida Mexicana! I enjoyed every second of the week and weekend. Every single second!

It didn't hurt that so many of my friends were here too. Sharing the stage. Teaching alongside me. Laughing. Sharing their families. Enjoying our cultura. It was magical. It was just magical to see how traditions are past from one generation to another. These shows and conferences never get old. Never! Que Viva la Vida Mexicana! ♫

Making Magic

Making Magic. It's what Maestro G always tells us to do. When we are performing. Making the audience "feel" the music. Do more than play your instruments, sing the words, and dance. Make people feel the music. Make them cry. Remember. And fall in love.

Tonight, I take the stage with some of the most amazing musicians out there. Full of talent and accomplishment. On such a big anniversary. I'm beyond excited! And to know, these musicians are also some of my very best friends, I know that I'm blessed!

Now that my "Music Man," S and I are on good terms again, it makes many, many people happy. Por que? We trained together. I learned how to sing with him. We became the performers we are today, by working together. Many days and nights...blood, sweat, and tears...and even broken hearts, got us to where we are. And let me tell you, we know how to put on a show!

For days now, we've been rehearsing. Long after the participants and students have gone to bed, we are on the stage. Working with all the "Maestros." The lighting is perfect. There's not one mistake in the music. Everything is good to go. And in the middle of those "Canciones de Amor," my heart dancing. A feeling that I never thought would happen again.



Did you watch that? From 1:44-2:50, el Maestro G tells us, we can recreate that magic. On stage. For everyone to see. Ya, S gets that "sparkle" in his eye. And I roll my eyes! But tonight, we are pulling out all the stops. For one "Grand Performance!"

I've got my "Music Man" back. Two performers that are destined to perform together. Possibly forever. That part of our story...well it's still left to be written. But the music part, we can't deny that. We are a good team...together.

I can't help but have butterflies in mi pansa! I really can't. And to get to share the stage with all of my good amigos again. That alone is the reason I couldn't sleep last night. Add in my cute ahijadas who are dancing, and we are set for one grand Fiesta Mexicana! ♫

Princess Perfection

We happened to have a little "Princess Party" in my hotel room this morning. Being that some of my Goddaughters, and many of my favorite little girls are here, we decided to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

A was a great help in that. Of course all the girls were dressed to the nines! They had all of their princess gear on. Because what princess leaves home without all of their princess attire? Not these little ones.

We also made sure, that all these girls took a nap. A LONG nap. Last night. You know, while us grown ups were working. So bright and early this morning, they were up. A was setting up a tea party for them. And we had tons of yummy food. I'm telling you, A is a catch! Any single ladies looking for a good man?

We watched all the coverage. I stayed with the girls. As the rest of the group headed to teach classes. After 5 hours of Royal Wedding coverage, I'm pretty sure A was ready to go work! :) But we had a blast!

"Nana, the princess is pretty. But she doesn't look as beautiful as I thought. How come?" The things that come out of the mouths of babes. :) I think they really thought Kate was going to be like their favorite fairy tale princesses.

My take on the whole affair. I think Kate looked amazing! I loved her dress. The top half, it was just gorgeous. And the veil. So simple and elegant. I love the grandeur of the British Royalty. But the simplicity that Kate and William wanted for their wedding.

What a fun morning we had! Tons of little girls, tutus, tiaras, tea, yummy food, princesses, and flowers. What better way to start a Friday! But now folks, I need to get ready for work. We have rehearsal in just over an hour. Happy Friday! ♫

Things I'm Missing This Weekend

This trip kind of came on a bad weekend. And there are a few things that I'm missing. And I wish I wasn't...

1. My parents are at the State Fair with the Model T. And I really wanted to go.

2. The FREE Dwight Yoakam concert. Need I say more?

3. The battle of I-10. One of the best games to go to.

But in all, this is going to be a fun weekend. Minus the somewhat boring concert last night. But whatever. Mi Princesa and My Lil' Cowgirl kept me entertained. And A kept me fed. What a good friend he is. :)

I figure, there will be other State Fairs. And I know my Dad will be in other Car Shows. I know there will be more "Battle of I-10" games. About the only thing that really depresses me is, missing the Dwight Yoakam concert. Silly me, I've had a big 'ol crush on him since I was a kid! ♫

Vegas Baby!!!

We're done with the crazy performing. Well, at least until tomorrow. And we're on our way to Vegas. Yes, Las Vegas! We're not going to talk about how we almost missed our flight. How there were at least 20 mariachis, with family in tow, running to the gate. :) Or how I still have a full face of makeup on, my big earrings, and these roses in my hair. I did manage to change into a pair of sweats though. But we're flying. Right now. Headed west.

For 2 reasons I came on this trip, to play a concert, and because a friend is getting married. I wasn't going to come. I just couldn't afford it. But when Jav begged me to come and sing for his wedding, well I couldn't say no. I didn't hurt that he called me every single day for 2 weeks! And because he's teaching at the conference, he gets a free hotel room. He said I could have his room, because he lives in Vegas, and he didn't need it. Maestro G also came to the rescue by getting me a ticket with his "Frequent Flyer" miles. So I got a room and a flight for free. :)

It also didn't hurt, when the guys asked me to play the concert with them, on Saturday night. So I get to make some money. Actually, a really good check! And I get to hangout with some friends, listen to a nice concert tonight, and go to Jav's wedding. I'm a pretty lucky lady.

All this, and I don't have to spend any money. I'm not missing any school or work. I think it's a total score! It also doesn't hurt that A is sitting next to me, with Mi Princesa fast asleep. Yes, we are good Godparents. Keeping track of our little princesa.

So you can see, I couldn't say no. I get to spend today and most of tomorrow watching Mi Princesa dance. And My Care Bear and Big M. I get to hangout with some good friends. And enjoy a little bit of the city. But for right now, I'm going to take advantage of our time in the air. And I'm going to join the rest of the cabin in a nap. Talk to you when we get to Vegas. ♫

Lavender Heaven

I'm not even going to talk about what time we got back. Just that it was early this morning. But what a game! I'm so glad I got to go! :)

My best friend is actually taking a nap right now. The house is so quiet. So I decided to climb into a nice hot bath. With some of my favorite products! The Healing Garden's Lavender products. Oh, they are amazing. Smell so yummy. And make you feel like you died and went to heaven. No lie! It's amazing!

So that's what I did. I soaked in the bath. And let my tired muscles rest. I'm determined to get some sleep before the wedding this weekend. But I can't make any promises. Now I need to go pack. We're leaving sometime today. When? I have no idea. Whenever my boss gets out of work.

Until then, I'm going to enjoy a little more time with my best friend. And get some studying done. I have to work all week too. So I have a lot on my plate. It's a good thing I brought these yummy products. Because I really did need that bit of relaxation. ♫

Baby Shower

It's almost time for my best friend's Baby Shower. And I have so much to do still. Seriously, I might go nuts! I have so much stuff to do. Like making some bunting to decorate with, making some prizes for all the games, oh and some of her presents too.

I'm co-hosting the Baby Shower with some other friends. And I'm traveling to NC for it. Yes, my best friend lives in NC. And after some good planning, it ain't going to cost me a thing to go! How? Well, I'm going to be the Godmother to this little princess. And her Godfather, well he travels a lot. And he has his own transportation to get across the country. Well, I'll be hitching a ride. :)

The 4 hostesses, well we've split up the tasks. The Godfather is letting us have the Baby Shower at his large house. And we're going to cook everything on "Baby Shower Day." Are we nuts? We might be. But that's the way life goes.

I bought some fabric. And I desperately need to make the bunting. I've already cut out some aprons and other kitchen type things. I just need to sit down and sew. Oh, and I need to make a breast feeding cover up. There are still some other little things I need to finish. But I'm positive that I can get it done. Oh, I have 9 days until the Baby Shower! ♫

A Day at the Lake

Do you want to know what I did today? I went to Lake Norman. My boss/friend took us all today. This is our only real day off of work while we're here. And he has a house on the lake. OMG! I'm in love! In love with this beautiful lake!

I was joking with Blue Eyes (my boss) that I'd marry him just to live here! OK, so maybe it was 80% joking. But seriously, look at this picture! It's paradise! My boss just smiled that crooked smile that he has, and I had to remember, I have a life back home! Hello, put my head back on. You have to go back to school, and the hospital.

The reality of the matter is this. Dr. P, a doctor that I worked with at my hospital, is a chief at a NC hospital. He has offered to move me to NC. His family has 2 houses. One is on Lake Norman! They have offered to let me live there for nothing! If I transfer to Duke and work with Dr. P at the hospital. Oh, and there would be a little bit of babysitting on my part. They have 4 amazing kids. I used to watch the oldest 2 when they still lived near me. And maybe some cooking for an occasional dinner party. Yes, I used to do these things for them. Along with a little cleaning.

Oh, I might just have to take them up on that offer. Because look at this place! It's amazing! And their house, well, you can put 10 of my houses in theirs. Yes, they have a palace for a house! Just imagine, a chief of a hospital lived there. Now it's just like their summer house!

So what did we do today? It started with breakfast in bed! Hello! I LOVE my boss and the guys in the band. Although, I think they're buttering me up. They want me to cook a big feast one night, for dinner. Then we all got our bathing suits on, slathered up in SPF, and headed to the lake.

We spent the day on the boat. Well, I spent part of the day. My pregnant best friend, she couldn't handle all the movement of the water. So we spent a good part of the day relaxing by the swimming pool. Yes, swimming pool. These lakeside houses are not just houses, they're mansions!

We had a HUGE cookout. It was a catered affair. Remember, I had the day off! And my white skin, well we hung out under lots of protection. Slathered in SPF 50. Yes, I'm still white as sin! But now, my hair is nicely highlighted with red. Hello! I love this about my hair. :)

And we ended the day watching the sunset with a big bonfire. We made s'mores and laughed at silly stories. It was so magical. I wish I could go back. Lay on the beach. Play in the water. But we're back at the boss' house. Getting ready to watch some movies. And call it a night. Tomorrow is ridiculously full of work! ♫

Up On the Ridge

This song is AMAZING! One of my new favorites. I just like Bluegrass music in general. Just the raw emotion of the music. It's fun. Just like this song! And let me tell you, this is one of the bands favorite songs to play! I just LOVE that!

We're getting ready for some big gigs. I'm so excited!!! And this song, it makes my toes curl. I really can't wait to hit that "Good 'ol Carolina Stage." Seriously, these are some of our favorite gigs. EVER!

And pretty much, from now until the end of May, I'm not getting much of a break. But I can't complain. I get paid to hangout with my friends. To jam. And to perform some really fun music. Now I'm off to listen to Dierks some more. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE his music? :P ♫

Sign, Seeled, Delivered

The BBs (the band I'm in) and I signed contracts today. Looks like we're headed to Sin City (Las Vegas) next week. It's pretty exciting! Not only do I get to work, and hello, make some money! But I get to spend time with my friends. And enjoy some fun events. Hello, Sin City! I'm ready for you. I hope you're ready for the BBs!

My boss, Daddy Warbucks, is very excited. He's already buying some of my costumes for these shows. Makes me laugh! But my friend who works for him, she's been on buying trips for weeks already. I guess DW just knew we were going to say yes to this gig!

But I'm really excited. We always have a lot of fun going to Sin City. My favorite things to do while I'm there...they include the lush suite I always get, the mini wedding cakes, and the outlet shopping. I'm not much of a gambler or drinker. But we have a lot of fun! Now, I can't wait to get to work! ♫

Too Fast!

The weekend has gone by so fast! I still can't believe it. It's almost time for me to leave. Yesterday, we got here. I drove my car because I need to leave straight from here tomorrow. I have a 6 hour trip tomorrow morning. But I don't mind. I was actually about 30 minutes ahead of my parents. Which turned out to be a good thing. I got here before them, and I got to sit and talk to my Tatie. Turns out Nanie was out of town.

But Tatie and I sat and talked for a good 90 minutes. About all kinds of things. We just caught up. Talking like the old days. I always enjoy hearing the stories my Tatie has to tell. We fed the animals and sat with Tiger (his cat.) Honestly, I enjoyed that the most. Just sitting there talking.

Over the last 2 days, I've managed to do a lot of cooking and baking. And I mean a lot! The food always tastes so yummy here. I've already made 2 cakes. :) My mom has been cooking breakfast, and I'm doing the rest. And we've been crafting a lot! I finally made Mi Princesa's purple tutu. And I've been working on baby stuff. The blanket for my best friend. And some baby sweaters. But I've really enjoyed it!

Tonight, my Mom and I went through a bunch of my old stuff. Lots of my things from my childhood are here. So we went through boxes of toys, books, and clothes. And we laughed so hard! But it was nice to go down "Memory Lane." My mom even gave me one of her old dresses. I'm going to wear it for an upcoming gig. :)

I definitely needed this. I only wish that I could stay longer. I just want to sit outside, under the trees, and read. I wish I could spend a month here! I honestly feel so much better. And I haven't even been here for 24 hours. I guess I just missed coming here. When I was young, we'd come almost every single weekend. But, I'm just grateful for the chance to come out here. To spend time with my grandparents. And to breathe some fresh air. ♫