This weekend...

Hey all! We stopped in Hilton Head, SC for a few days on our way to FL, visiting with friends that recently moved here. It's too pretty to sit inside on the computer, so no links this week, but I wish you all a lovely weekend! Try to stay cool, especially our Nashville friends (the temps are predicted to reach 108!). Happy Friday! :)

summer sun essentials

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Our family is headed down to Florida for work, and while we're there we'll be sneaking in a little family vacation time. We've haven't taken a vacation as a family since Lorelei was born, and I'm excited to have a few days to relax, focus on spending time together, and taking LJ to the beach! Here are a few things I'll be bringing (and some on my wish list) when we're spending our days in the sun. We're hoping to take Lorelei to the zoo for the first time as well, which will be so exciting!

Do you have vacation plans this summer? How about a special family vacation that you'll always remember? I'd love to hear!

good things

I hope you all are doing fabulously today! I am still beaming after meeting my precious niece London yesterday. She is perfect, so tiny and sweet and still. We spent the morning eating brunch (I made Swedish pancakes, an Anderson family tradition) and enjoying little London and her parents and it was so lovely. Lorelei was pretty jealous to see her daddy holding another baby, but she seems excited to have a cousin. Obviously meeting London is at the top of the good things list, but I'll share the rest after the jump!

everyday faves

clockwise: 1 & 2 // 3 // 4

Sorry guys, this post is definitely for the ladies! :) While I am passionate about the fact that who we are and the value we have comes from Christ, not our external beauty, I am still a total "girlie girl". I have always loved playing with makeup, but while I find myself with a whole drawer full of fun colors and extras, I tend to use the same products on a daily basis. With a hectic schedule and busy toddler, I don't have the time to experiment, and no one likes to leave the house feeling uncertain about a new trend! I've tried lots of products since I started wearing makeup as a young teen (including a phase that included lots and lots of shimmery silver/white eyeshadow) and I try to find products that work well without breaking the bank. 

Here are a few of my everyday faves, clockwise from top left: MAC eyeshadow in Retrospeck, a pretty shimmery beige that matches my fair skin; MAC eyeshadow in Tempting, a gorgeous shimmering brown; Cover Girl Lash Blast Volumizing Mascara in Very Black, which I pile on pretty thick thanks to my best friend/former roomate/mascara addict Teresa; and Maybelline Baby Lips in Quench, a clear, glossy balm that has a sweet, fruity smell.

Do you ladies wear makeup daily, or just when you're getting dolled up? Do you have any amazing drugstore finds? How about those special purchases you only use on special occasions? I'd love to hear! :)

music monday: artists + fans = :)

It's Monday! The weekend went by so quickly for me...we got up so early (4:30, ack!) on Saturday and drove to the Alive Festival to perform. It was a gorgeous day and the festival was a lot of fun; Alive has an amazing staff and volunteers. We played Sunday morning at Akron Baptist Temple where our friend Sean McNeill is the worship leader and then drove back up to MI to pick up miss Lorelei from grandma and grandpa's house. Today we're headed back to Nashville and I'm beyond excited to meet our new niece! Today's music monday post is about the relationship between artists and fans. Read more after the jump...

this weekend...

Photo taken by Char Beck (www.charbeck.net)

Happy Friday, and Happy Summer! It's felt like summer since before Memorial Day in Nashville, but this week marked the official beginning of the season. To be honest, I much prefer Fall weather, but there's something so carefree about summer that I love. Lorelei loves to be outdoors and especially loves the water, so we've been having a blast playing in pools and sprinklers with her. She looks so cute in her little bathing suits! This weekend we're playing at the Alive Festival on Saturday (11 am on the Woods Stage if you'll be there) and on Monday we head back to Nashville. I can't wait to see my new niece! Here are some of my favorite posts from around the web...

bff's

Photo taken by D Sharon Pruitt

BFF. Somewhere along the way, the term "bff" became so consistently used it's practically a real word.  The concept of "Best Friends Forever" rolls around early in childhood—especially for girls. I still have vivid memories of my childhood best friends, including secret languages, best friends necklaces, made up songs, and matching outfits. Once my early-childhood best friend/next door neighbor and I went so far as to be found walking along a main road a few blocks from home in pursuit of Greenland, after seeing a commercial on television! Other than the heart attacks we must have given our moms, it's a funny story of two best buddies ready to conquer the world.

good things

How's everybody's week going? Hopefully you're all doing wonderfully! I'll keep today's post short and sweet and get right to this week's good things after the jump...

life in pictures

The last few weeks have been a lot of fun. Miss Lorelei learned that sunglasses have an actual purpose (other than making her look super cool, of course). I ate way too much sugar—check out those chocolate high heels! While I didn't make my way through a chocolate shoe, we did sample lots of fudge, eat a lot of ice cream, and of course, some s'mores and roasted marshmallows around the bonfire. Thankfully I counteracted a few calories by biking everywhere this weekend, including an 8 mile bike around the island and some pretty intense hills on our way to the cookout. My muscles are still sore! Since Lorelei stayed with her grandparents this weekend, we celebrated Father's Day on Monday by taking Jordan to our favorite BBQ place here in MI and spending some family time on the lake. And finally, a week after she was due, we got to celebrate the birth of my niece London Rae! Little girl kept us all guessing, and we got news of her birth during our stay on Mackinac Island. I can't wait to get back to Nashville and have a chance to love on her!

happy monday!

We spent the weekend on gorgeous Mackinac Island with Mackinac Island Bible Church and it was so lovely. There are no cars on the island so we rode bikes or walked everywhere. We led worship Sunday morning and again at an evening bonfire for the summer workers. It was so beautiful and such a nice break, I didn't open my computer once! I'm taking a week off from music Monday to enjoy the drive home with Jordan and spend time with Lorelei this evening. Sometimes it's so nice to just free up a day to focus on what matters the most. Also, to let my poor muscles recover from some pretty intense uphill biking...

Hope you all have a lovely Monday, and that your weekend was relaxing and beautiful!

this weekend...

Photo taken by Char Beck (www.charbeck.net)

It's Friday! Do you have big plans for the weekend? We are headed to MI today, and I'm so excited that tomorrow we'll go to Mackinac Island for the weekend. It's our third summer doing an event with Mackinac Island Bible Church, and it's been such a special time to get away and recharge a little bit. There are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island (except for the emergency vehicles) and everyone bikes or takes a horse drawn carriage. I'm looking forward to getting back on a bike again this weekend—I hope the weather is good! Last year was our first time leaving Lorelei overnight with her grandparents, and being on the peaceful island with perfect weather made it so much easier to relax!

Fingers crossed that we all get great weather this weekend and can enjoy some time in God's beautiful creation. I'm so thankful to be escaping the heat of Nashville for a few days...Here are this week's favorite links:

A gorgeous home before and after.

How to DIY a one-of-a-kind masterpiece for your family.

Loved this post on flying with a toddler. (Lorelei has been on a few flights, but not since she was an infant. Flying with a toddler scares me!)

I couldn't help but repin this stunning photo. Such a beautiful woman!

One of my favorite things in life is cheesy potatoes. They get me every time!

I would like some giant balloons with beautiful tassels please.

I'd love to make these neon dipped "teacher gifts" for myself, if we were home enough to keep plants alive...

Not at all practical for long-term decor, but this flower wall is so dreamy!

Have a beautiful weekend!

a favorite verse

good things

The last week has been so full of good things for me and for our family. It's also been a week where the message of the gospel has been a heavy weight on my heart as I think about the brokenness in our world and in our culture. When bad things happen to friends of mine who have a relationship with Christ, I am encouraged to know that their sorrow is countered by the joy of Christ inside of them. However, when bad things happen to friends that don't have a relationship with Christ, my heart absolutely breaks for the pain they feel. I have so many amazing people in my life, Christians and non-Christians, and my deepest desire is that every one of us would enter into a fulfilling and intimate relationship with the God who created us and so deeply loves us. Lots of prayers in my heart and mind right now, and with that, let's get to this week's good things!

tech savvy: hellofax

 

The last time I thought about faxing was when I was in junior high and my parents had a fax line for some rental properties they owned and managed. The only reason I even thought about it then was because it could have potentially interfered with my  dial-up internet connection and instant messenger conversations! That is, until I had to start faxing reports in to the record label. Suddenly I had to figure out how to find a quick and cost effective way to send faxes during busy tours. Thankfully, I'd heard about online faxing services and came across hellofax! Side note: anybody remember the printer paper that came in rolls with those perforated edges? I feel old.

music monday: working hard

How was your weekend? Mine went by so fast! We took advantage of some time to relax, and had a chance to visit with more friends and family before we left. Today we're on our way back to Nashville, and my fingers are crossed that my sweet baby niece will be born this week while we're there. I can't wait to become an aunt! Today's music monday is based on some follow up thoughts to the post about why we do what we do. Once you get past the initial inspiration, passion, and definition of why you're getting started, the next step is just plain old hard work!

this weekend...

Photo taken by Char Beck (www.charbeck.net)

Happy Friday! I hope it's been a wonderful week for you. I have really been enjoying spending time with family and friends in Des Moines this week, and it's been nice to escape the crazy heat in Nashville and enjoy some midwestern weather. We'll be in the area through the weekend for another concert, anxiously waiting to hear if our new niece will decide to join us! We got a peek at some of the video footage from this week's project and I am even more excited about sharing it when it's ready! Here are some of my favorite links from the week:

not-so-secret project

Yesterday we got started on a not-so-secret project that I'm super excited about. With the help of the talented Oceanwide Studios and a few of our favorite people, we managed to get a piano into the middle of a field and capture some great footage. I can't wait to share the finished product with you, but I figured in the mean time I would share some snaps from the day.

good things

How is everybody's week going? It's Wednesday, which means we're halfway through already! We've been having a great time in Iowa visiting with family in between concerts this week. Today we're starting on a fun new project that I'm really excited about, so make sure you're following me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for behind the scenes peeks! Here are this week's good things:

tour diary

As with any artist, touring makes up a huge part of what I do. We are on the road more often than not these days, and constantly performing in new places and meeting new people (such a fun perk of this job!). Many times, people have lots of questions about what life is like for an artist, especially on tour. I thought starting a tour diary would be a fun way to document life on the road, and I'm excited to introduce the tour diary column to WanderLove!

music monday: needtobreathe

Hello friends! After a little break for Memorial Day, music monday is back! I hope your weekend was fantastic. We did a lot of driving and a lot of performing, and this week we're starting a special project that I'm looking forward to sharing with you all. More details on that soon, but today we're talking about an Anderson family all-time favorite: NEEDTOBREATHE.

this weekend...

Photo taken by Char Beck (www.charbeck.net)

Isn't that photo of San Francisco dreamy? Jordan and I had the chance to visit a few months ago. We performed at a retreat center, but luckily our friend Joey hosted us for a few extra days and had time to show us around a little bit. I'd visited before, but having our own personal tour guide really made Jordan and me fall in love with the city ourselves. By the way, that photo (and most of my Friday photos) was taken by the talented Char Beck, a dear friend we met while serving in Ecuador during the annual Extreme Response Christmas parties in 2010. I'd highly recommend browsing his site and hiring him if you need a talented and charming photographer. Lorelei was quite smitten with him!