music monday: beginner tip #5

When you're getting started as a musician, there are endless options on how to get started and what the best path to take is. There's no surefire way to guarantee success, and even those already making a living in the industry are constantly refining what they do and trying to learn  from their experiences. Jordan and I were recently invited to speak on a panel at GMA's Immerse in Nashville and the topic was "Building a Touring Business". Other panel guests were artists at varying points in their careers, a manager, and a booking agent. It was enlightening to think through our own answers, but also to hear everyone else's advice about touring and business. One thing stuck out as a pretty strong consensus, and that little snippet is today's beginner tip #5.

this weekend...

It's the weekend (almost)! I hope your week was fantastic, and that your weekend is even better. We're playing in South Dakota for the first time, then Minnesota. We're sneaking in a few visits with family while we're out this way in Iowa as well, which is always a blessing. Here are some fun links from around the web...

good things

Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. I can hardly believe they are already showing "back to school" commercials on television..where is the time going!? We are getting ready to celebrate Lorelei's 2nd birthday in less than two weeks, which is so exciting and also maybe breaking my heart a little bit. She's not supposed to be such a big girl just yet! At least I have my teensy niece to give me a baby fix. It's honestly been a crazy, semi-rough week, but there is much to celebrate and be thankful for! This week's good things after the jump...

the thief of joy...

With so much of our lives being portrayed online through status updates, photo albums, blog posts, and so much  more, we have a unique opportunity in this day and age to control much of what others see of us. Yes, the people who are part of our daily lives get a more realistic picture (assuming we are vulnerable enough to open up a little), but it's amazing to me how much of our opinions of one another are formed or influenced by our online presence. Today's post is about a trend I've seen and recognized in my life and the lives of others: the tendency to create an idealized version of ourselves to represent us online, while in reality, we are struggling with the perceived "perfection" of others and our inability to truly live up to those standards.

music monday: beginner tip #4

Well hello! Last week was a bit sparse on the posting, so I'm excited to be back with this week's music monday. We spent most of the week helping with our sweet new niece and with Jordan's sister, who was having some unexpected complications. Thankfully God has been gracious and she's back home and on the mend. I'd love for you to pray for her as she continues to recover and enjoys life with her new little girl! Keep on reading for beginner tip #4...

music monday: beginner tip #3

I can't believe we're already half way through July! This summer has been flying by—it will be Fall before we know it...This weekend Jordan and I were the worship leaders at Coaches Time Out Great Lakes, and it was such a blessing. It was so great to see the way CTO pours into coaches and their spouses over the course of the weekend, and I'd strongly encourage you to find a CTO in your area if you're a coach of any sport, for any age group! I think I've said it before, but one of my favorite parts of what I do is getting the chance to partner with such a wide variety of churches and ministries, and to see what God is doing in so many people's lives. Today's music monday post features beginner tip # 3: take every opportunity!

happy friday!

Photo by brightideas.com

We're at a retreat this weekend and I didn't have time to round up links, but isn't this cake fun? I've been browsing Pinterest for ideas for Lorelei's 2nd birthday and I came across this brownie cake, inspired by an ice cream sandwich! So fun :)

Hope your weekend is a great one!

favorite things: voluspa candle

Voluspa candle in Bella Sucre

Candles are one of those things I love having around the house, but they can be ridiculously expensive considering you just burn them up. Since the nice ones are a little bit of a luxury, it feels so special to receive them as gifts. Last Christmas my gift from Jordan included a Voluspa candle in Bella Sucre, a mild, sweet scent with Demarara Sugar, Tiare Flower, and Coconut Milk. The packaging is lovely, and I fell for the scent immediately. Yesterday we lit it after taking a little break from candles during the crazy heat wave we've been having, and I immediately felt more relaxed. It's funny how certain smells take on meaning and bring back memories.

Are there certain scents that bring back memories for you? I love it when you unexpectedly catch a scent that reminds you of a person or place that you love! :)

good things

Happy Wednesday! We've been enjoying a quick few days at home before we head to MI for the weekend for a retreat. Having so few days at home usually means we spend most of our time unpacking, doing laundry, running errands, then repacking, but it's always good to be in our own house for a few nights. Here are this week's good things...

link love: the pioneer woman

Between her fantastic website, successful cookbooks, and Food Network series, The Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond) has become pretty well-known. For those of you that still aren't on the PW train, I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite websites: thepioneerwoman.com.

music monday: beginner tip #2

How was everybody's weekend? Ours was great, except for the very long drive home from Tampa yesterday! We hit two major traffic jams, Lorelei threw up, and we ended with a severe rain storm. We finally rolled in just before midnight, and I have to say, we haven't been so happy to be home in a long time! Thankfully we got home safe and healthy, so we can't complain too much! Today's music monday post is the second in a series of quick tips for "beginner" musicians. Hopefully you'll find them helpful, especially if you're just getting started.

this weekend...

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

I can't believe it's already Friday! Our week of vacation is drawing to a close, and although I'm a little sad to get back to "real life", it's been such a blessing to have this time off. Wednesday we unexpectedly spent the day in the ER with Lorelei. We're pretty sure she was dehydrated after a few days of sun and lots of activity. Once we got her to keep some liquids down she perked up quite a bit, and we were able to get back to the hotel to rest and clean up. Although it wasn't exactly how we planned to spend 4th of July, we were so thankful to have a hospital nearby and for the chance to get in quickly. Seeing my baby sick is the worst! I'm so glad she's on the mend. This weekend we'll be soaking up our last moments of vacation, and then performing on Sunday before we head back to Nashville. Here are some fun links from around the web...

spotlight: kidco peapod plus

Lorelei demonstrating "night night" in her PeaPod

Life on the road generally means hauling around a lot of stuff. Between the gear, merch, suitcases, and extra kid necessities, the loading/unloading process can be a little ridiculous! We used to use a Pack n' Play for Lorelei, and it worked fine, but it was pretty bulky, and we noticed as LJ grew she seemed less comfortable in it. After using the Pack n' Play for about a year, we made a stop in Racine, WI where we were staying with a couple we'd become friends with after doing several concerts there. Mark represents KidCo, and naturally, told us all about their products seeing as we have a little one! He generously gave us a PeaPod Plus and told us to try it out when we got a chance. We've been using it for a while now and we much prefer it over the Pack n' Play. Check out my review after the jump!

good things

Happy Fourth of July! This week's good things is my "vacation edition", as we still have a few days left to soak up this precious time as a family. Sometimes life can get so busy we forget to take time out to just be. It's so healthy to get away to recharge our bodies and souls! That doesn't always mean spending money on a vacation (our actual vacations are few and far between with how crazy our schedule is), but simply not overloading ourselves to the point of exhaustion and taking a little time here and there can work wonders. Since today is a holiday, I hope many of you are getting a little relaxation time in too! Here are this week's good things...

life in pictures

music monday: beginner tip #1

Hey all! How was your weekend? We were at a church in Miami on Sunday (the farthest south we've ever driven!) and though it was a small church, the people there were such a big blessing. I had a chance to talk with a woman whose ability to walk is severely impaired by MS, and her perspective on life and her attitude were such an encouragement to me. We were connected by our faith in Christ and the knowledge that this world is not truly our home, and I will never tire of the way my job allows me to get such a beautiful glimpse of the body at work! Today's music monday post is the first in a mini-series of quick tips for anyone looking to get started as a musician.