Princess and the Prezzie: 33-Mendous Music!

You may be confused by what a 'Prezzie' is...don't worry, you can figure out my categories & words {here}. Simply put, I'm about to have a birthday!! When I turned 31, my best friend Amanda Hill (you'll meet her in a later post) said it would be '31-derful' and I loved it. Some friends helped with '32-rific', and the ridiculousness continues with the fact that I am going to be '33-mendous' on July 2nd. Whoop. Not quite sure what next year will hold, but I'm sure you'll be waiting with bated breath.

A funny thing about birthdays with the Brown sisters: whenever Sarah had a birthday, I pitched a fit until my mom let me open a present too. Because my birthday was in summer (a 7 yr old can only have so many swimsuits), and because I was bratty, it became a tradition for us to get presents on each other's birthdays. This year is no exception. I want to give YOU a present!! (and I mean 'you' singular, cuz I only had change for one gift). BUT IT'S A GREAT ONE!

Ok, on to the point of this post...(there's a deadline, so skip to the very end if you are greedy & impatient like me, ha!)

The category should be 'Princess and the Piano' because technically it is about music. But I have found that life doesn't always fit into neat little boxes. In fact, it NEVER seems to. So, I'll just tack on an extra category if you promise not to tell. Most of you know that I heart music with a passion. From Bieber to The Cure, Tom Petty to Usher...I love just about any type of music. I also really like local music because of the intimate settings and the fact that a member of this band below was one of my Starbucks baristas (she's too cool for that job anyway, so let's help her be famous, okay?)

The band is named Seryn and they are from Denton, TX. They are all beautiful with voices that harmonize like Jesus is returning. You can read how the band got together {here}. It's pretty awesome. I remember thinking my Starbucks barista was so cool looking with her blond dreadlocks (little known fact: I've ALWAYS wanted to sport dreads!) Then I went to Kevin Roden's Drink & Think house show and she was playing in a band! I fell in love with their music that night, and since then, I've been going to their local shows Dr. Seuss style--

I've seen them in a house, 
       I've seem them in a pub,
             I've seen them in a church, 
                  I've seen them in a club.

And now I want to share them with you! I bought their CD today at Recycled Books in Denton. See?

BTW Seryn: this was the last one they had. Yay!

And it's YOURS if you want it! Here's the catch: like any brat, I want you to do something for me before I just give it away. They need our help to win a sweet contest, plus I want as many people as possible to know about them anyway. So this is how you can win the free CD (each one is an entry):

~Link this blog post on your Twitter, Facebook, a friend's FB page, or whatever cool way you talk to peeps on the interwebz

~Go to {this page} and rate Seryn with 5 stars/all other bands lower stars (hey, we want them to win, right?)--voting ends Friday,June 24th!! 
  --> The video quality on that page doesn't quite show how great they sound, so you can also take a listen below. 

~Use a different e-mail address and VOTE AGAIN. 

**Then...leave a comment or e-mail me and tell me all that you did..I'll put your name in for each vote, re-post, tweet, etc. We're going honor system style here, so don't let me down. :)

I will announce a birthday buddy winner on my birthday, July 2nd & I'll send it with love in the mail. Though time is of the essence for the contest (voting ends TOMORROW people!), you can still link/send this to people you think might love them like I do and want free stuff from strangers! And...go!

As a side note, I think all music stirs something in your soul and it is different for each person. Listening to Seryn makes me want to walk in fall leaves, or write a book, or dance, or snuggle up & kiss someone (TMI?)

                             What does Seryn stir up in you?

Princess and the Pauperazzi: I'm all over the place

Just a picture post that is TOTALLY random, as this is often how my mind works {collective *gasp* from those who know me}. As a side note, I wanted to write "rrrr-andom" because I originally said it with an operatic rolling R...but it didn't quite translate through the lines and squiggles. I can demonstrate it for you later if you want the full effect. Here are some happenings over this last week:

Check out this little pot o' gold I received (Fed Ex Truck=rainbow in this illustration...go with it):

I was this close to playing Credit Card Roulette on Kidd Kraddick in the Morning...almost uploaded it, but then was too embarrassed about my balance to go through with it. Put down your gavels, Judge Judys, it's mostly dental/medical bills (I try to buy my little pots o' gold with a stack o' green). For all of you wondering, I DID NOT choose the super-sweet bull/bear card. It chose me. And yes, I need to stop chewing on my fingers.

I walked outside to find these little trashy puppies on my sidewalk. All down the street it looked like a gremlin got a hold of box of napkins and went to town. Are we really doing this in 2011? Who still gets newspapers thrown to their doors (without even signing up for it)? I felt like I should grab Lassie & a nickel and ride my bike down to the soda shop. 

It's called the internet people. {No trees were harmed in the making of this Public Service Announcement...well, except for the subject of the photo. But that's my point.}

Does anyone else have a little collection of tiny, useless pins? I mean, I'm so honored to have the honor ('Yay, our school is exemplary!' 'Yay, I finished my Reading Recovery training!'), but I always feel obligated to hang on to these. In all seriousness, it's not like I have a letter jacket for Life that can display these little cuties. What's a girl to do?

The school year ended (whoop) and I have successfully dwindled down the possessions that I have to take home for summer as each year goes by. Apparently, now I won't have to carry my palm tree anymore, cuz it died in the hot car while I ate dinner with Ashley. Now I refer to it as the "Poopy Palm." It wilted and turned brown..will it ever recover? I know, edge-of-your-seat type stuff here.

Thanks for letting me get all this randomness off my chest. Or rather, off my iPhone camera roll.

Princess and the Paws: Bye-Bye, Brownie

I was never a 'dog person.' When we first got 8 month-old Brownie from someone who couldn't handle his energy, he was already full grown & would literally knock over old people. They had named him 'Buster' because he 'busted everything up.' I quickly changed his name to Brownie because that was my grandfather's nickname and he looked like a hu-mungo brown bear to me. I was so NOT a dog owner, that I used to wash my hands after touching him. I know, right? Little did I know that I'd be practically laying on him 8 years later as we said goodbye to his sweet, little eyes. 

This is the 'I'm so small...you won't even notice I'm here' face

I trained Brownie to do tricks and he is one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen. He picked up the Army Crawl after I showed him one time. He could high-5, shake, catch just about anything, eat just about anything...he even did a front bow every time I walked in the door (like a true Prince, I'd say!)

His nickname was 'Mr. Happy' for this face alone

But Brownie starting having seizures a few years ago and it has been a hard journey ever since. He lost most of his tricks, except sitting & bowing (of course he kept the bow to his Princess...ha!) We struggled with the decision of when to say goodbye to some(one?) who has unconditionally loved you, day in and day out, even in your worst moments. Well, he let us know a few days ago when he stopped eating and couldn't even hold down water. He went from bouncing around like normal to having to be carried to the vet in a matter of 1.5 days. We are so thankful that he no longer has to suffer. But I miss my big, brown bear. So bad.

I still wouldn't consider myself an official dog person, but I can definitely see why they are called 'Man's best friend.' Because they are. Brownie was 1/2 chocolate lab, 1/2 Australian Shepherd...and 'shepherd' he did. He would be on your heels EVERYWHERE you went in the house, up and down the stairs (sometimes risking your life!), escorting the trash out to the back, guarding our door every night, etc. etc. He has left behind his little gal, Soleil, and she is already standing at the door like he's coming back. While it is hard to see such strength fade in an animal, I wanted to post a tribute video of how I remember Brownie the most. Soleil makes a guest appearance as they do the one thing that STILL makes me & my family laugh (it never gets old!) Watch and see how they twist and turn their heads when I mention 'the word you should never say'. He even looks to the leash basket, as if I needed a reminder of where they were. Enjoy!

Princess and the Pumpkin Pumps: What I *Wish* I Wore

I'm no fashionista, that's for sure. In fact, as most of you know, I have worn this jacket pretty much every day & to every event since October. But I don't think you have to be fashionable to appreciate the lovely in life. My clothing budget is tiny, but I have a 'go big & go hungry' mentality when it comes to the things I like. 

Around the web, some ladies post "What I Wore (WIW)" to inspire them to dress well every day and to link/share with others. I love it! I thought, 'Maybe I should too?' Well, I'm not going to do that. I promise, I have worn that brown jacket EVERY day...you WILL get bored with my WIW after about a nanosecond. So instead, my posts will be 'What I *Wish* I Wore (WIWIW) instead. I will just post pics of outfits that inspire me and make me want to dress up my super-snore wardrobe.

My first post HAS to be about Emersonmade. I am in love with these people. There, I said it. I love Jesus more, but I admit to having a huge fashion crush on this company & this couple (read their bio...LOVE). I couldn't decide what to buy first because it can get a little pricey for my little 'teacher-still-paying-off-college-debt' budget. When I saw the website, I was overwhelmed with eye candy. Seriously, don't visit Emersonmade unless you have cash to spend or INCREDIBLE Dave Ramsey willpower...don't say you weren't warned! Let me tempt you, shall I? Here's WIWIW:

How beautiful is she?? Seriously...smart, talented, gorgey.

I WILL own the Goldie Skirt!

To be honest, I am not super comfortable with my body right now and didn't want to buy any new clothes. I know, that's not good. But that's the truth. And then I remembered a quote from the movie, 'In Her Shoes' when the Toni Collette character said, "Clothes never look any good, and food just makes me fatter, but shoes always fit." So I browsed through the flowers (of course...you know how I love me a good petal) and then I saw these stunners:

Even the tee-niny deer kissing the Patent Pumpkin Pumps made me want to buy them (they are marketing geniuses, aren't they??) So, I did. And I heart them. Big time. I also bought my bestie a flower clutch that I had a HAAARRRDD time parting with. The only sad thing I'd have to say about Emersonmade is that everyone buys up all the stuff before I can save some cash for it!! ugh. And some of my faves are not returning. Big boo. Thanks a lot, Dave Ramsey...it's all your fault. At least I got these before they sold out, ha! {I couldn't find a cute little deer, so I posed mine with my two cute little dears...not quite the same effect, I know.}

Anywho, that's WIWIW. How about you, are you in love yet?

Princess and the Pants: "What's that?!"

I teach small group reading intervention and the other day I was chatting with one of my first grade groups...here's what transpired (and why I'm starting a new section on my blog for health/fitness!):

Me: *talking to kids even though they are probably tuning me out*

Little First Grade Princess Cutie: *Interrupting me mid-sentence* "Miss Brown, what's that?!"

Me: *kinda freaking out & thinking...is it a spider? Baby Jesus, get it OFF!* "What honey?"

LFGPC: *pointing generically to my leg* "THAT! That part that's sticking out."

Me: *Bewildered* "What do you mean, sweetie?"

LFGPC: *Pointing directly to my lower leg* "That fat part right there..."

Little First Grade Peacock: "Um, that's her calf."

LFGPC: *sheepish* "Oh."

Me: *saying silently to myself* "Yeah, oh. Um, my 'diet' starts tomorrow. For realz."

Simultaneously, some of my friends at work rallied together and we started the "Chunkless Challenge"--it's like the Biggest Loser meets Cheaters. We each have a goal (mine is to be more healthy & fit). We weigh-in each week and you have to pay $ if you gain weight or eat sugar over 5g. We have a "cheat" item (which I lovingly re-named a "treat" item) every 2 weeks. We've been going for 3 weeks...I already owe money. Oops.

I planned to post pictures of the "extra love" melting off my body, but my body has not gotten that memo. So, I'll wait until I have lost more than my meager 7 pounds. Until then, remind me to stay away from honest first graders.