We've been preparing Ezra for the big trip ahead of us for the past month or so- telling him that we get to go on a BIG bye bye and see Grandma and Grandpa, MoMar and DooDad, Uncle Jared, Uncle Jaxon, Uncle David, Aunt Candace and Aunt Kristy.
When we tell him this, his eyes get about the size of dinner plates and he gasps all the air out of the room and holds his breath for a second with that look of pure, unadulterated joy upon his face. His eyes scan from left to right for a moment and then he turns and runs. He'll run down the hallway and flop onto his little bed or he'll just run in circles in the living room for awhile until I distract him with food.
He's excited to say the least.
The last couple of times I've put him down for a nap or for bed, he requests the "MoMar and Doodad Song". Since I am unaware of any pre-existing songs with that title, I was forced to make one up on the spot. Something about big bye-byes and all the fun people we'll get to see in Reno. He pretends he knows the words and sings along with me. I know he is pretending because even I don't know the words, seeing as how they change every single time he makes me sing it.
We sing the song three or four times before I'm finally able to pull myself from the death grip of his puppy dog eyes and slink backwards out of the room- reminding him that he should close his eyes and fall asleep instead of, oh, you know- NOT DOING THAT.
Today I put my ear up to his door about 30 minutes after I put him in bed for his nap because I thought I could hear him mumbling or something. He was singing the song about his family very quietly to himself... it sounded as if he would nod off to sleep at any moment. As I listened, it took all that I had inside of me not to rush in, scoop him up, load him in the car, and start driving to Reno (pedal to the metal) right that very second. I suppose I can wait one-and-a-half more days. IF I MUST.
Coming to a "Biggest Little City" near you!**********************************************
Question for yooooo:
Any good music recommendations that I can go download off of iTunes for a fresh music mix on the way out there? I'm bored of my music. Real bored.
Pretty Please-y Wheezy Heeellllllp meee!
32 comments:
have you ever checked out Dan Zanes for Ezra? He is the best, we love him at our house, he is actually the only kids musician we can stand right now.
For you? Well we always have some postal service and death cab for car rides but those aren't too new and I'm sure you've heard them...ummm Massive Attack and Portishead also make awesome driving music...oh and lately my husband's personal favorite is Bloc Party. You could check out Dead Ringer by RJD2 for something a little different.
Oh and you can't forget some good country. Willie Nelson's Teatro is oh so great along with the gritty Lucinda Williams (Car Wheels on a Gravel Road or World Without Tears both are achingly beautiful)
I'm realizing I could go on and on...so if you need more suggestions hit me up and I'll email you a stinking long list...we love music in this house and have extremely eclectic tastes between the three of us:)
Have you ever listened to Nickel Creek? Jack Johnson?
Well, it really all depends on what you like to listen to. So I will give you a list of some of the music my wife and I used on our little trip a while back.
Ok, now don't laugh but, John Fogerty has a new album, Gunslinger. Tom Petty's Highway Companion is a good one too. Some of the others we like are Michael Buble, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Tim Hughes, RED, and The Plain White T's.
SUFJAN STEVENS. I think it is perfect road trip music. also a love is The Format.
happy trails!
well, I have no idea what it is you really like to listen to, so the artisits I love might not appeal to you at all, but these are some of my personal favorites:
Colbie Caillat (she has her first CD out and it is great chillin' music), A Fine Frenzy, Ingrid Michaelson (she sings that Old Navy sweater song! :)), James Blunt, Caedmon's Call, Pink Martini, MIKA (I know, silly, but really fun :)), Vienna Teng, and Michael Buble (I'm a little bit in love with him).
you'll have to tell us what your musical preferences happen to be sometime and what you decided to listen to. I'd love to hear what you and your husband's tastes are, since you are both so musical and talented yourselves.
The song you made up for Ezra sounds cute. How sweet that he is looking forward to it so much!
This is totally random, but Candace told me that you were driving to Reno for a few months. So, I checked out your blog. I am living in Denver if you happen to be coming through this way, you would have a place to stay. (Pardon my complete lack of knowledge of if Denver is between OKC and Reno). Anyway, music ideas: Regina Spektor, Sleeping At Last, Greg Brown, Rilo Kiley, The Weakerthans. Well, that is what we like right!
Best wishes on your trip and stay in Reno!
My current fave is Coconut Records (Jason Schwartzman). When I'm diving I love to listen to Neko Case (and The New Pornographers), Jenny Lewis (and Rilo Kiley), The Avett Brothers. Brandi Carlile is great. Califone. New Radiohead or the new Robert Plant/Alison Krauss...good stuffs.
My new praise/worship fave right now is Kari Jobe.
Oooh! I love Band of Horses. And there's always Death Cab and The Postal Service. I could go on and on and on... but since I don't know your tastes, its hard to recommend.
Sigh. I love music.
Have fun!
I <3 Bebo Norman...if you don't have much of his stuff.
Oh! These suggestions are fabulous! I'm compiling a list...
Keep 'em coming!! :)
iron and wine too. i love the new album especially 'boy with a coin'
Ray Lamontagne is amazing!!! Damien Rice as well--both if you like real mellow, folk type stuff.
Morgan told me about a band called "Over the Rhine" I really like them right now! See you in a few days!!!!! YIPPPEEE!!!!!!!
I'm compiling a list too !! So much music, only two ears ... can you send me the words (and tune) to the Momar and Doodad song so that we can have it memorized by the time you get here? Can't wait !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oooh, I will definitely echo the Over the Rhine vote. I'll also throw in Rosie Thomas. All of her albums are really good, but Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer joined her on her latest, and you can't really go wrong with that combo. Mates of State is another favorite. Feist. Patty Griffin. Oh, and the Chair and Microphone series (especially vol. 2) from Enter the Worship Circle is pretty great. Oh, and Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton. Safe travels!
Merchant Band -- most people have never heard of them...they're from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (where Elizabeth works). Their new album "The World Can Wait" is totally on iTunes.
Or Charlie Dodrill...you might like his stuff.
Robinella and the CC String Band. Jazz inspired Bluegrass. Sooths my soul. Have fun on your trip!
um you're gonna hate me for this.. but i LOVE nickelback.. haha i know un likely.. but listen and appreciate the humor. also juliette and the licks ... alison krauss has a new album out with robert plant... i'm a sucker for cartel, what a dork... and chris brown is an INSANE dancer.. if you watch his performances as a way of listening to his music its awesome. there ya have it :)
skylana
oh and i LOVE dan zanes too! and i HATE ALL kids music.
skylana... again.
If there are any Starbucks near you, you should go and get the song of the day. My friend has been collecting them, one everyday and she is now up to I think 35+. All free songs from up and coming artists. Fun times. Supposed to be studying, but instead reading this. It's so much more fun.
geez, it took me forever to read through all the previous comments and it's a good thing, I didn't want to double or triple up any artists, and i totally would have.
all i'm going to say is. The National.
they're my new favorite.
have a safe and fun trip!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag i could just picture him running in circles all excited, so stinkin cute. and you know what else is so stinkin cute? YOUR HAIR! I love the bangs, love loove. Okay so music suggestions, my appologies if you already know them:
math & physics club...sounds like belle & sebastian
the elected...
feist....duh
ratatat...idk, but maybe
TERRIBLE TWOS.... so cute, the singer from get up kids made a CD for his babies
urban rescue...sehhh geeeeeed!
LEELAND.
Aaron Sprinkle...
Beirut...
etc etc etc
okay bye have funnnn!
Hahaha..Skylana and Nickelback.
I totally 3rd Dan Zanes...LOVE it.
We put it on and all the girls start dancing.
I also highly highly highly recommend Sandra McCracken (wife of Derek Webb). Particularly the song "Ticket Home" and the new album, "Gravity Love". I think you will dig it.
Derek's stuff is cool too.
i was going to say over the rhine but then i saw other people mentioned them. a good one to look up for driving though is "bothered" or pretty much the whole two cd ohio album. or the drunkard's prayer album.
and ryan adams has some good driving songs. but it depends on if you guys like mellow or, i don't know, "peppy" music when you drive. i like his mellow songs when i'm driving. or his whole 2 disc cold roses album. haha i guess i have a thing for 2 disc sets...
you should go to myspace and look up my friend dan because his music is super great...i forget the URL at the moment, but his name is dan miles. he's not on itunes but i think you can download his songs that are posted on myspace.
i've driven late nights in the rain listening to missy higgins, the sound of white album. i've only heard a couple songs from her newest album but i like them, too...
maybe the across the universe soundtrack? i don't really listen to the beatles but i like the way they did the songs for the movie. especially "let it be".
and i'm a sucker for many of the hillsong united songs.
and you might like the newest band from hume lake, where i usually live and work, and they are called "campaign" but i don't know if they're on itunes...they have a myspace...
when my cousins go on road trips, they listen to celine dion and black eyed peas.
what about some good ol' donut man? ever heard of him? my fam loved listening to those tapes growing up...
ooh, for rich, female jazzey vocals, you should look up lizz wright. if you haven't heard her before, try "confessin'" and "salt"
i don't know if you'd like justin king. he's one of those crazy guitar players but also has pretty mellow songs along with with the full band and complicated guitar songs. try "ashes" "locomotives" "same mistakes" "rewind"...
hmm i move to jamaica the same day you guys start your trip. i fly out of chicago in the afternoon on november 1 and should be at my new home, [www.robinsnestchildrenshome.org], by 10pm.
have a fun trip!
we like to download podcasts of "this american life" for long car rides. if you haven't listened, you must! (they're free at thislife.org)
if you're going to reno tomorrow, that means i'm going to reno soon. i am so excited to see you!!!
Dan Zanes is a must - I completely agree with your other comenters. Jack Johnson also. Look at (or I guess listen to) Philadelphia Chickens - very fun music for kids that won't make you want to gouge your eyeballs out. And try Peter Mayer (Peppermint Music). It's folk music that melts me and his lyrics are sheer, sublime poetry. His Million Year Mind is...just beyond description.
Shark Boy also likes things like Rockin Robin by the jackson 5, Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder, I Saw Her Standing There (Beatles covered by The Smithereens). Old Elton John like Crocodile Rock.
Happy and safe travels to you!!! Godspeed!
That girl Court above there? Whoa does she have some amazing music suggestions! She suggested most of what I was going to!
I will also add Jesca Hoop to the list, the new Radiohead, the new Bjork.
I also want to second the idea to download podcasts of "This American Life" - thislife.org. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that radio program. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE "Speaking of Faith" - speakingoffaith.org. I think as a person of faith you will find that show fascinating and the host, Krista Tippett, has the most amazing soothing beautiful voice. I listen to the weekly podcasts of both.
SAFE DRIVING! HUG RENO FOR ME!!!
*Emmy Lou Harris - Luxury Liner (roll your eyes if you want to, but this sort of music makes for a splendid road trip...it whisks you away to memories you haven't made yet)
*Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
*Jay Nash
*Veggie Tales - Bedtime Songs (the song that goes "I know that God loves me, I know that he cares" makes me cry like a baby!!)
Travel well, stop often, send postcards!
Ooooh! Now you'll have to blog about all the new music you listened to and tell us if you liked it!
I give ENTHUSIASTIC thumbs up to the following suggestions:
Midlake
Over The Rhine
Beirut
Feist
Yay for new music!
I cannot wait to see you guys at Christmas - and I love how eager everyone is to share good music. I would echo the Across the Universe soundtrack - its brilliant (and so is the movie).
You guys have all saved my life. seriously.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!
Every one of you have GREAT ears for music!!
I'll post a (long) list of our travelin' tunes when I get a second- ALL of them are from your recommendations!
um. i say, anything that anna listens to is good stuff:) we've lots and lots of quality time in the car together this summer and i've gotten to listen to a lot of good stuff (thanks to her!).
and oh my geez! my heart is just melting!!! my mom made up a song for me when i was little about going to mimi's house (mimi is my g-ma). "we're going down to mimi's house, mimi's house....far far away....."
good stuff.
I totally know this is an old post...do you get notified of comments? Anyway, I really Like Will Hoge. My fave is Counting Crows, but I know you already like them.
Melyni in PA
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