Happy Music

A while ago, I asked for help making a music playlist for giving birth and meeting baby.  I got really, really good suggestions!

I ended up making two playlists: meeting baby (for when I was relaxing in the hospital after giving birth) and happy music (creative playlist titles, yes?). The happy music playlist's purpose is to give me a bit of energy after long hours of childcare.

So, I wanted to share my happy music playlist. A lot of the songs are similar-sounding--upbeat with a certain guitar strum that I love.  I created this playlist about a week before I gave birth and played it often before and during my hospital stay.  As a result, Quincy loves this music and gets noticeably more calm and content when I put it on. My other kids love it, too!

Here it is.  I couldn't put it in a cool playlist format like most blogs have, because those sites aren't available in Japan. So, I had to just link to the Youtube videos.


Happy Music Playlist

1.) Rhythm of Love, by Plain White Ts.
2.) Everything's Okay, by Lenka.
3.) All the Pennies, by Mindy Gledhill
4.) Love is Endless, Mozella
5.) Momma's Boy, by Chromeo.  My kids love this one!
6.) Oh, It Is Love, by Hellogoodbye A good old favorite!
7.) Angel, Monkey Majik. We love our Monkey Majik!  I had to include one of my favorites!
8.) Everything at Once, Lenka.  Not super happy music, but it's a fun song. Coco is obsessed.
9.) I Do Adore, by Mindy Gledhill

Enjoy!  And please please share some music you love.  New music is the best!

Stashbusting!: Melly Sews' Rose T-shirt Pattern

  As you know, I am trying to use up as much fabric as I can before we leave Japan next month. So, when Melissa of Melly Sews offered up a free pattern of her not-yet-released Rose T-shirt Pattern to those who wanted to test it out, I jumped on the chance to try a new pattern AND use up some of my fabric.

   I made a small and added a bottom band for length.  The pattern was well-written and super easy to follow.  Sewing with jersey knit is great now that I have a stretch needle, but the fabric is a little thin for me. It works, though.  I am in the very awkward post-baby stage where literally 5% of my clothes fit me, so hooray for a free, new shirt!

And can I just say that I am getting my haircut on the way home from the airport once we get to the U.S.  I haven't wanted to get it cut here, where I can't describe what I want very clearly, and now my split ends have split ends.  Really.  So I am so excited for a haircut---and short this time!

Reading Love

Articles: Your Refined Heavenly Home by Douglas Callister is the best church article I have ever read.  I read it often, because it is just so beautiful and well-written.

Books: Wuthering Heights, currently.  I read it in high school and can not remember anything about it.  I love to read books and then watch the film adaptations, so the real reason I'm reading it is to be able to then watch the version with Tom Hardy in it. Not to actually, you know, brush up on the Classics.

Kids' Books: Goodnight iPad.  It's so cute! We Give Books has so many great books on it!

Website/Blog: www.random-tutorial.com is fun--click the button and it takes you to a random tutorial.

Poetry: I have challenged myself to memorize a poem a week (as if I didn't need any more distractions from memorizing Japanese kanji).  Last week was Invictus, my Grandpa's favorite poem. This week is Ebeneezer Bleezer, for my kids. I have had these memorized before but then forgot them.  It has been a really good mental project for me while I sit and nurse throughout the day.

Also, this is currently my favorite poem right now. It's beautiful and makes me happy!

I have been daydreaming about American libraries lately...and magazines...
please distract me from thoughts of these luxuries with anything else good to read!