Lyric Lover- A Music Review of Heart On My Sleeve

Song lyrics have always been important to me.  In college I was the girl that had the perfect song for the moment.  Back then I would drag my jam box out from my bedroom and play what I thought was the perfect CD for the moment (because it was of course a million years before iTunes and iPods and playlists).  From bad break ups (hello Alanis Morissette) to my life isn't exactly like I thought it would be (thank you Sarah McLachlan for understanding) to I just want to be me (amen Ani DiFranco) I knew the singers and songs with the right lyrics.  

Good lyrics mostly from strong women helped tell the story of my young life.  From Madonna to Tori Amos, looking back I grew up with some great music and great lyrics. 

Singing the meaningful words over and over in my car or quoting the lyrics in my journal, the song lyrics comforted me.  They made me feel less alone, more understood.

I got a chance to review Mary Lambert's new album Heart On My Sleeve and I feel like shouting to whomever is in the room, "I've got the perfect song!"  It's not just Lambert's melodic voice on the new music, it's the lyrics, the words she is singing.  

Mary Lambert is probably best known for writing and singing the hook on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' marriage equality anthem "Same Love."  Before that song, Lambert was an aspiring singer-songwriter who also worked as a brunch waitress and bartender.  After years of struggling both financially and personally, Lambert suddenly found herself signed to Capitol Records, releasing an EP (Welcome To The Age of My Body) and getting nominated for two Grammy Awards 

On Heart On My Sleeve Lambert sings about identity, dealing with pain from the past, finding love and being vulnerable and authentic.  

Some songs are slow and somewhat hypnotic like "When You Sleep," others have more of a pop/dancey feel like "Secrets."  She even sings a haunting cover of Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" and makes it her own.

One of my favorite songs off the album is "Sum of Our Parts."  It speaks to my inner lyric loving college girl.  It's both slow and dancey.  It's full of anthem-like lyrics about accepting ourselves and saving ourselves, lyrics I want to write in a journal or sing into a hairbrush. 

I don't want to really call her a voice of a generation because she spans generations.  Her songs are relatable to 20-somethings and 40-somethings.

Whether it's a group of my 40-something girlfriends getting together to discuss perimenopausal angst or my four kids and I baking together in the kitchen, I can find the perfect song for the moment on Mary's album Heart On My Sleeve.

This is the perfect song ("Secrets") to dance along to in my kitchen with my kids. 

Mary Lambert's album Heart On My Sleeve is available on iTunes ( click here   http://bit.ly/MaryHeart) and on Amazon (click here http://bit.ly/MaryLHeart)

I participated in the Mary Lambert Heart On My Sleeve album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own. 

Books=Happiness

This print is from The Little Illustrator on Etsy. Check her out, she has amazingly cute stuff.

Ahhh, books. I love books.  I love words and stories.  There are so many books I want to read.  But I hardly read anymore.  Before I became a mother, I heard the stories of moms who stopped reading books.  And of course, since I was full of empathy and compassion, I rolled my eyes and thought that would never be me.  But dude, it's me.  I generally fall asleep two pages into a book.

I still love books.  I have shelves lined with books I've read or want to read.  I have boxes of books that I haven't even unpacked yet from our move last year.  My nightstand is stacked with books that I plan on reading. Even my iPad bookshelf is loaded with downloads of books waiting to be finished (hello BossyPants).

Yeah, there's a Shrek glass and a pacifier on my nightstand too.  And yeah, my son is almost 4 and too old for a "paci" but please don't judge. (Not to mention I'm way too old for a Shrek glass.)

There are also a couple books I've read on my nightstand or that I've started and haven't finished yet.  And when I say I don't read books anymore, I just mean not as many as I want.  I read a few a year (that sounds so horribly embarrassing, ugh, you can judge that, go ahead).    Rockabye by Rebecca Woolfe is one book I recently finished.  She is a blogger and totally cool chick.  Her blog is GirlsGoneChild.net.  The book is about adjusting to motherhood after the birth of her first baby.  Since it was a million years ago (really only 11, but today it feels like a lot longer, Spring Break is making me older and more exhausted by the minute), I thought maybe I couldn't relate.  But, I did.  

I finished the book on the plane to Dallas last week.  As I prepped myself for my weekend away from my family and told myself to let go of the guilt and enjoy myself and embrace the power of pursuing my own dreams, I read this:

Preach.  This is exactly what I needed to read before my big blogging conference weekend away.

I love books. I love words and stories.  So what, if I only read a few books a year.  I know I'll read more when I'm less exhausted and the kids are a little older and there are magically more hours in a day.  Until then, I will be inspired, entertained and enlightened by the books I do read.

And then there's the whole joy of reading books to my kids and sharing the love and happiness.  I often worry about baby Wade (I know he's almost 4 and he's not a baby, even though he still has a paci at night and climbs in bed with me, but he's my baby) and the fact that as the youngest of four kids, he hasn't been read to as much as the others.  But I shouldn't worry.  He loves books too.  His current favorite is AbiYoYo.  He literally jumps up and down with joy when we get the book out to read.  

We just started reading Where The Red Fern Grows as a family last night.  I remember loving that book when Ms. Hunter, my fifth grade teacher, read it to our class.  Ms. Hunter was a very cool teacher and very progressive.  She was the first divorced teacher I ever had and the first woman/teacher/person I ever met that used Ms. instead of Miss or Mrs.  Radical stuff for 1984.  So, not sure if it was because I liked Ms. Hunter or the book itself, but two chapters in and the whole family is hooked.  So far so good--we're all hooked.  I love books.  And words and stories.

What are you reading right now?  What's on your nightstand?  Is there a book I should put in my top four must-reads this year? Are you reading any good books to your kids? 

A Little Bit of Light (Pinterest Inspired)

Normally I would be writing about the Pinterest Poser Challenge, but today is a little different. 

(In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,* every week I detail a new Pinterest challenge whether it be a new recipe or a craft.   
**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.**  It will be back very soon in full effect.) 

I normally do the craft/recipe/project the weekend before I post on Tuesday.  But this past weekend was a little different.  Because the world was a little different.

Instead of perfecting attempting to make a craft, I hung out with the family, relaxed, watched Christmas movies, played and just soaked up all the goodness--all the joy and light in my life.

This little light of mine--Wade in the star costume at pageant practice at church this past Sunday. You didn't think I was going to type that I sewed that shiny number did you?  I'm getting craftier for sure, but I'm no where near a shiny star making kind of mama, yet. Yet.

Admittedly, I was online a lot too.  Not only reading news reports, but also connecting with other horrified parents on Facebook and Twitter.  And learning about ways I could help in some small way.  

I was on Pinterest too, finding projects I will make next weekend and reading inspiring quotes about faith, hope and love and light.  

I pinned this image from the amazing Brene Brown's blog Ordinary Courage.  She is also the author of an amazing book called Daring Greatly.  

Here are some links I found that offer ways to help out some of the grieving families in CT:
Newtown Youth and Family Services
Noah's Ark of Hope Fund

And here is an example, on Twitter, of some of the light coming from this dark tragedy (this is really good):
#26ActsofKindess

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Check out some of the other wise words I found Pinterest (here):

For all you Pinterest Posers:

Check out these amazing holiday projects I featured (click here) from guest Pinterest Poser Challenger Amy (follow her here on Pinterest for more ideas).

If you missed last week's Poser Challenge for the Holidays, it was my favorite--a bleached out T-shirt.  Check it out.  You could make this with one of the inspiring quotes you find on Pinterest.

Come on over and follow my Pinterest boards too.

And join me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood.

Twain is Timeless

Thank god my kids love books and reading.

I remember the way my dad's voice sounded.  I can hear it in my memory, like a long-forgotten sweet lullaby.  Soothing. Calm. Smart. Safe.  That was my dad as he read book after book to my sister, brother and me when we were kids.


The entire Little House on the Prairie series. Oh how we loved those books.  My sister and I would recreate the scenes my father read to us.  Of course, being the older, wiser, calmer one, my sister would get to be Mary Ingalls.  And of course, being the irrational, emotional, impulsive one, I would be Laura Ingalls.  We totally fit the parts.


My father read so many books to us.  Sometimes I would hang on every word, so deep into the story I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. Begging for "just one more chapter, pleeeeaaassee!"  Other times, I played with my toys while he read.  Sorry to say, but I wasn't a fan of The Hobbit series.  (Never was and still am not.)  


He read Watership Down to us (when I was 6 years old), The Call of the Wild, The Chronicles of Narnia and more.


Those nights were the launching pad for my imagination.  Those nights were also the foundation for some of my sweetest childhood memories.  


There's something special about reading aloud to your kids.  Experiencing and rediscovering the joy of a story together. Now I have the great privilege of experiencing that joy with my own children.  And believe me I feel honored. 

I just got done reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to my oldest two children, Peyton (age 10) and Lucy (age 8).


It was an edited "child-appropriate version" that someone had given Peyton as a gift.  We laughed at some of the crazy things that went on in Huck's life.  We were appalled together about slavery and the treatment of Jim.  We had silly discussions one minute and extremely moving, deep discussions the next.  


My children amazed me with their empathy and compassion.  I feel as if I know their hearts better after sharing this experience with them.  


"Can you read the Harry Potter series to us?," Peyton asked after I was done.  He has read all the books, but said he "wants to hear it all together."  


"Are you kidding me?," I asked excitedly.  "Of course I will, I can't wait."

What are you reading to your kids?

This is a good site/resource to help get some ideas for books for your kids to read on their own and for everyone to read together-ReadKiddoRead.com

And just for fun, the oh so quotable Mark Twain:


"Man will do many things to get himself loved; he will do all things to get himself envied."
Mark Twain just summed up Facebook. 


"Always do right. That will gratify some of the people, and astonish the rest."


"The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet."

I mean come on, this is so true today.  Twain is timeless.

A Change of Scenery

For the past few days we've been taking it easy, well at least for our family.  Laying low, chilling out, trying to not break JT's arm even more while we wait for the cast.  But the thing is, we aren't really a low-laying, chill out kind of family.  So, yesterday we headed out into the stifling heat wave and walked to the library.

We have a great library.  A beautiful library.  It was actually one of the reasons I moved here, that and my future husband lived here.  


My kids (and me) not only needed a change of scenery, they needed a little space from each other.

I love that they were so excited to pick out their books and had trouble narrowing it to a five book limit.  I love that the older kids read a couple of their books before we left and had to go back to pick out new ones to bring home.  

What I find confusing is why the little ones became fascinated with toys that we have at home?  They had a little trouble sharing the train table with other kids. 

"Um, guys, let that kid play, we  can go play with our train table at home," I told them.  They looked at me like I was nuts.  Mmm-kay.

But, whatever.  They were happy, mostly, and no one broke anything.  It was a good day.

Speaking of scenery changes, here's blog update...I just added a page on this here blog called "Blogging/Vlogging Here Too."  It has some links to other sites and channels where I've been featured or done some work.  It also includes this key phrase:

"If you are interested in having me write a review, a guest post or produce a video for you, please contact me at youngbloodsix@yahoo.com."

Know anyone that might need my writing/video production services?  Please feel free to pass along my information.

Here's just a fun little video from up and coming group Karmin.  Sure it's a year old, but it's fun.  I think I love them and what they call "swag pop."  Enjoy.

One Big Wild Rumpus

There have been so many words in my head lately.  I've started keeping lists again to get the words out.  Lists of things I want to remember to talk to Tim, my husband, about.  Lists of emails I need to send.  Lists of ideas I have.  Lists of lessons I want to teach my kids. Lists of things we need to do. So many words.


It isn't a bad thing, it's just a lot of stuff in my head.  So today I want to share someone else's words.  Maurice Sendak is an author and illustrator most famous for the children's book Where the Wild Things Are.  He died yesterday.  He was a pretty cool dude.


I was reading through his words last night and here are some good ones that resonate with me right here in this moment.  This moment of worrying if I am doing the right thing with my kids, wondering if there is a right thing with my kids. This moment of worrying about what to do with all my worries, maybe make a list.

This moment of extreme busyness and hectic-ness and wordiness.  This moment that will pass more quickly than I can imagine.

"Certainly we want to protect our children from new and painful experiences that are beyond their emotional comprehension and that prevent premature exposure to such experiences.  That is obvious.


But what is just as obvious--and what is too often overlooked--is the fact that from their earliest years children live on familiar terms with disrupting emotions, fear and anxiety are an intrinsic part of their everyday lives, they continually cope with frustrations as best they can.


And it is through fantasy that children achieve catharsis.  It is the best means they have for taming Wild Things."
-Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator


Oooh Mr. Sendak, I love those words.  Almost as much as I love these, which we say daily:

"Let the wild rumpus start!"
-from Where the Wild Things Are

We are good at the rumpus-ing.  It's one big old wild rumpus everyday in our house.