weepies.

i always believe that, for me...music. is. therapy.
all it takes is the right tune. the right lyrics. the right voice.
and i will calm down. feel better. be energized.

i have had a relationship with "the weepies" for about 5 years now.
bud introduced me in 2005 during invisible children.
we were on the road. a lot. which means we listened to (needed) music. a lot.

so if life is every overwhelming.
and there is nothing to 'figure out' exactly. or anyone to talk to.
listen. to the weepies.

they are (and have) been there for me when i needed them :)
and although i ended up going all by my lonesome...they were one of the best concerts ive been to.
genuine. happy. therapeutic.

thanks weepies.

chick-fil-a fo' life.

why is my alarm going off???
why it is 4:45am, on my day off, and my alarm is going off???
what could be THAT important that i have to be up for?
And then I saw my pile of camping gear next to my bed.
oh right. i was meeting josh, matt and trent at the chick-fil-a in LITTLETON at 5:30am.
i was camping out for free chicken sandwiches....duh.
it sounds like something i would do.

as i pulled up the the parking lot and saw over a hundred other people doing the same thing, I got excited. i had heard about people doing this first 100 customer thing, but had never done it myself. i spotted laura hoover and about 20 of her closest friends. there was a big group of younglife people setting up a YL tent and playing worship music. ha. this was going to be fun. At 6am there were more than 100 people, which means they do a raffle. then after we made the cut we sign our lives away...basically if you leave the parking lot, you are disqualified from getting free chick-fil-a.

everyone set up their tents. played games. tried to take naps. ate as many chicken sandwiches as we could. later on their were dance contest. body bingo. musical chairs. it was just like after-prom. hannah and justin and alicia and desi all came to visit.
we finally went to sleep in our 6 person tent...5:30am came quick and they woke us up with a chick-fil-a cow ringing cowbells, chick-fil-a t-shirts, and hats. awesome. it was freezing. and i just wanted to get my chick-fil-a coupons, go home and take a 5 hour nap.

when i finally got home, i dropped all my stuff on the floor and just thought what the heck did i just do.

Austin City Limits music festival!

i have become an expert at road trips to texas.
i know the speed limits. the best gas stations. im actually considering making a "road trip through texas mix."

it was 5:45am. i was driving and we made a pit stop in amarillo. whataburger was open and although i wasnt really hungry, i felt like it was a road trip requirement. matt jolts awake. orders some hamburger value meal with a coke and a chocolate shake and concerningly looks at his phone.
amarillo!?
yes.

oh. good. here it is. and then he turns up the volume and starts blaring out...

"Amarillo By Morning, Up from San Antone
Everything that I got, Is just what I've got on.
When that sun is high in that Texas sky, I'll be buckin' at the county fair.
Amarillo By Morning, Amarillo I'll be there."

naturally dan and i join in.

"im glad your up," i say, "its your shift."

our final stop was austin. we had friends waiting. three full days of music. matts birthday.
there was fun to be had.
and as i write this 4 days later, i can tell you that i am still catching up on lost sleep.
but oh. it was worth it.

Top moments in Austin:
1.) the entire black keys concert. so sexy.
2.) dancing our hearts our to vampire weekend.
3.) being surrounded by true phish fans. and trying to be one of them.
4.) exploring austin and stopping to get feather extensions from nicolette :)
5.) meeting new friends at the ultimate hipster bar - shangri la.
6.) rocking out (by myself) to matt and kim
7.) eating the best queso with the best boys at kerby lane cafe.
8.) falling in deep love with the magical mysterious edward sharpe.
9.) singing along with 80,000 people to the classic eagles.
10.) driving through oklahoma through a HUGE lightning storm.

(other moments include muse, local natives, monsters of folk, the temper trap, spoon, norah jones, flaming lips, amos lee, band of horses, bananarchy, trying to stay up past our bed time, seeing aldo on the bus)

vincent turns 3.

birthdays are a big deal.
especially when you are three.
its about candles and ice cream and cake and wishes and pizza and birthday hats and presents and getting spoiled.
my parents always made sure of these things growing up.
these are the best birthdays.

the guida boys love chuck e. cheese and vinny has been looking forward to this day for sooo long. he is such a sweet guy.
excited and thankful for every little present. running around with the biggest smile on his face.
it is the happiest day.
i love this kid.
and when he looks in your eyes and asks you if you are coming to his birthday party.
you cant say no.

happy birthday vincent!

Road Trip!!!

my lovely friend shell and her lovely husband dane now live in wichita falls, texas.
i know, i have never heard of it either.
but this is where dane got based to train to be a fighter pilot and so this is where we go to visit :)
thanks to my job, you could live in springfield, missouri or little rock, arkansas or des moines, iowa and i will most likely come to visit :)
me, hannah, jackie and becca all have very busy schedules (who doesnt)...so finding a weekend to drive to texas was hard. honestly, im actually surprised it all came together. on august 24th we woke up at the butt crack-of-dawn - beccas car packed with junk food, mix cds, blankets, pillows, starbucks and the best of friends.
it was sooo good to see the coppinis and their new little life in texas. we laughed and drank wine and ate michelles famous meatballs (her grandmas recipe) and slept in and laughed some more and met friends and almost got attacked by a bull and then laughed a little bit more.
all of us girls are quite different and we are all in different paths of life but we can always understand each other and be there for each other and share some wine together.
and that is what girlfriends are for.

i am one of those.

“Some people do not have to search, for they find their niche early in life and rest there seemingly contented and resigned.
At times, I envy them but usually I do not understand them…
And seldom do they understand me.
I am one of those searchers.
There are, I believe, millions of us. We are not unhappy, but neither are we completely content.
We continue to explore ourselves, hoping to understand.
We like to walk along the beach; we are drawn to the ocean, taken by its power and unceasing motion, its mystery and unspeakable beauty.
We like forests, mountains, deserts, hidden rivers, and lovely cities as well. Our sadness is as much a part of our lives as our laughter. We are ambitious only for life itself and for anything beautiful it can provide.
Most of all, we want to love and be loved, to live in a relationship that will not impede our wanderings and prevent our search.
We do not want to prove ourselves to others or compete for love.
This passage is for wanderers, dreamers, and lovers who dare to ask of life everything which is good and beautiful.”

top 10 signs you hang out with kids too much.

10. you prefer the Toy Story shapped mac and cheese over regular.
9. you dont even notice when the cartoon network is on...all day.
8. your day revolves around how much you can get done during nap time.
7. you are wearing one of those shape bracelet rubber band things.
6. you have books like "alexander and his no good, very bad, terrible day"....memorized.
5. you know what "icarly" and "diary of a whimpy kid" means.
4. you find yourself cutting your food into tiny, bite-size pieces.
3. there are about 12 shoes in the closet. none of them are pairs and only about half actually belong to your kids.
2. 90% of your phone apps are kids games.
1. you find yourself bribing your friends and husband with cookies or "treats."

kids are wonderful. i love being an aunt :) they definitely change your life.
my sister can relate to all of these im sure. and i can relate to most :)