Have You Heard? // Kacey Musgraves - "Mele Kalikimaka"

Happy Friday Friends! Last night we went to see The Nutcracker at The Kauffman, which was so fun! :) I'm SO GLAD THAT IT IS THE WEEKEND, AND MY HOLIDAY "BREAK".**

I have really loved getting to know Kacey Musgraves's music this year, her Christmas album is super fun. I like that a lot of the songs have a vintage-y feel to them. I think this is one of my favorite tracks though it is hard to choose! :)


I really think that more people should cover this one, it is fun. :)

What are you guys doing this weekend?!

We have our Christmas party/game night with friends tomorrow evening which should be fun. We are doing breakfast food. YUM. Then Sunday we're not sure. Probably finishing up gift wrapping, driving around to see holiday lights, and possibly Jingle All the Way at our local theater. I've never seen it! :) Then it's Christmas Eve spent together, and Christmas spent with family. :)

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to you all!

And a HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)

XO,

Alexandra

**let's not talk about how I will only have FIVE vacation hours come January 1st. :( Buying a house + two longer vacations = nada vacation. OY. : /

Have You Heard? // Pentatonix - "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" (N'sync Cover)

Helllo! It's been a long time since I've done a "Have You Heard". This has not been my blogging year. That's ok, I'll just keep moving forward.

When Pentatonix covers an N'sync Xmas song... you've gotta share it. :)



Anyone else still listen to 90s and aughtie xmas albums?!

What are you guys up to this weekend?!

We are watching DUMPLIN' on Netflix tonight! HOORAY! I am so so so excited! Tomorrow we have a Hanukkah party this afternoon and early evening, and then a Christmas party with some of KC's former coworkers after that. Sunday is a dinner with my girlfriends. We're giving belated gifts to Jessica who's bday was last week!

I hope that you have a great weekend!

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // *Nsync - "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" // Throwback

OOoh yeah! To be real, I *wanted* to share Garth Brook's Christmas music, because KC and I both hilariously* grew up on listening to one of the albums. But you can't find it anywhere on YouTube OR Spotify. This is a travesty. (*hilarious because neither of us likes country music)

So instead, I found this absolutely throwback video that *Nsync posted that goes with their song, "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays". Dear lord this is the most '90's thing I've seen in a while. So much ramen-haired JT, so much orange, so many goggles, so much green screen. :P

Do yourselves a favor and watch this one.



What are you guys up to?!

For us we actually don't have anything until actual Christmas. So we are super excited to hang out together and do fun things, and relax a little! We've been swamped! I might get to finish a book, make progress on my album, etc. :) :) 

If you celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas! 

If you don't, Happy Holidays! 

If you don't do any of that, I hope that you have a great weekend! 

I'll be blogging a little, but no promises. I can't forget too many days in a row.... because New Year's Goals, y'all! 

P.S. - if you are hoping to focus more on gratitude next year, please stop by my new blog project with my friend Rachel! It's called The Year of Gratitude, and we are super excited abou tit! How it works: Each week there will be a new prompt to either journal or reflect on. We'll write our responses throughout the week and then share a reader/guest writer response at the end of the week. We'll also be doing tiny moments of gratitude, etc. on Facebook on Instagram. The hope is to cultivate a little community for people who are trying to be more grateful. A place where we can share successes and failures, and do our best to focus on gratitude. If this sounds saccharine, or naive, please know that Rachel is the snark snark snarkiest. (said with so much love, and understanding. LOL) And has already written in an intro post that she "hates the word 'journey'". We've both had horrible times of 2017, and are living proof that trying to focus on gratitude helps. It's going to be quite the variety, and really awesome! :) 

*eating humble pie now... *

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Hilary Duff ft. Lil' Romeo - "Tell Me A Story" // Throwback // Yeah I Went There...

Happy Friday Friends! It has been the busiest week, but I managed to read a little bit!!!! WHICH IS SHOCKING AND AMAZING! :) On to the Christmas music...

When I was a kid I didn't have any Christmas albums, because who wants to use their Christmas money on a Christmas CD? The season is already over. But I finally got one, and it was the ONLY one I actually had! It was Hilary Duff, and it is perfect if you are looking for poptart throwback perfection.

There's a particularly great song with Lil' Romeo that was on The Disney Channel. Hilarious. "Thanks for the video games and the bling bling" is an actual lyric. hehehe It's worth checking out the partial music video too.. so I'm going to paste that below.



Anyone remember this? :P



There ya have it! A blast from (my) past. hehe

What are you guys up to this weekend?!

We are watching my sister do her dance routine during the basketball halftime show and driving around to look at holiday lights for #lybholidayl tonight. Tomorrow we hit the Festival of Nativities with KC's parents, and then shop with my sisters and mom. Hoping to finish up gifts then! Sunday we see the Nutcracker. Hoping for downtime inbetween. hahaha

Other Posts This Week: LYBHolidayL Week 7 and Holiday Traditions and Advent Calendar Linkup.

On YouTube This Week: November Daily Days 25-30 Process Video, November Daily Flip Through & Leftovers, and December Daily DIY Project Life Cards // Vol. I.

Thank you to everyone who linked up with us on Wednesday! I have loved reading about your traditions so far, and I have a few more posts yet to get to! :) 

Have a great weekend! :) 

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Christina Aguilera - "Angels We Have Heard on High" // Throwback

Happy Friday Friends! I hope that you all had an excellent week! It's been nuts here, super busy. Hoping that this weekend I can play "catch up" a little! hahah (we'll see...)

I love Christmas music, and I love it (nearly) all! We have a huge playlist (400+ songs) and growing that we love to shuffle in the evenings around the house. Some of my favorites every year remain the '90's and '00's Christmas songs though. So much nostalgia! heheh

Christina's Christmas album is super fun to listen to, and totally filled with vocal flourishes, very '00's pop moments, etc. It's awesome, if you like that kind of thing. :) She recites the Lord's Prayer in the middle of "O Holy Night" - which is funny and also very '90's. heheh

This is one of my favorites! The end is absolutely nuts! :P



What is your favorite type of Christmas Music? 

If you like '90's and '00's music too, check out this post which has some more of my favorites. :) 

What are you up to this weekend?!

We are going to the Lindsey Stirling concert tonight, decorating a gingerbread house, and watching Darrick tomorrow night, and then doing some cooking/baking for Sunday night's game night with friends. :) In between those things I am hoping to "catch up" on some December Daily, Advent, and YouTube/Blog things! Have I mentioned that I have a bit too much on my plate... ? x_x

Other Posts This Week: LYBHolidayL Week 6, My Holiday Wish List, and 11 Months In // 2017 Goal Progress.

On YouTube This Week: Movie Night Process Video, 6 Ways to Make Your Own Project Life Cards // Vol. III, and November Daily Days 18-24.

XO,

Alexandra

P.S. - WE BOUGHT T-SWIFT TICKETS! GOODBYE, MONEY! (really though... why on sale right before xmas? That sucks for almost EVERYONE. BOO.) 

Have You Heard? // Lindsey Stirling feat. Becky G. - "Warmer in the Winter"

Happy Friday Friends! Yikes... what a week it has been! It started out normally and fairly productively, and then Scali was having trouble in the litter box. So after worrying about him all evening... we finally had to go to the 24 hour vet, in another city, to get him some medicine. He's going to be ok, thank goodness! We've got him on a slew of medicines that are on different time tables... and Duchess hissed at him for more than 24 hours afterward. Which meant no sleep and everyone feeling rotten at our house. Now they are friends again... but he's scared of the litter boxes. He thinks they are hurting him... so last night and this morning he started trying out the floor... it never ends. Today he's a sad cat in the bathroom all by himself with a box, etc. We are hoping he uses it.. because I'm not sure how much more we can deal with right now... even KC is at the end of his rope... and he's the most patient person in existence + this weekend is ULTRA busy... and it's going to be tough just to keep up with his medicines let alone trailing him around the house making sure he doesn't pee everywhere. Good vibes appreciated.

Rant over. :P

Have you guys listened to Lindsey Stirling? She was also on Dancing with the Stars this season I guess? Anyhow, she is coming to our performing arts center next week, and I am super excited to see the show! This is one of her new songs from her Christmas album. If you enjoy pop and/or violin in your Christmas music, this one is super catchy! I think it's pretty cute. (I don't know who Becky G. is... *covers eyes*)



She also did a version of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy that is growing on me pretty quickly!



What do you guys think?

What is your favorite Christmas music? (I LOVE IT ALL!) 

What are you up to this weekend?!

We are SO BUSY! Tonight I have a birthday party for a friend. Tomorrow I am calling my dad... because I missed his call last night. :( FAIL. Then we are headed to the "Old Fashioned Christmas Parade" - which is in it's 25th year here, and I have NEVER been. Excited! Then I am meeting up with another friend to work on a project for next year, excited to tell you guys about it soon! :) Then we are getting ready to head to KC for KC's grandpa's 85th birthday party! Sunday we'll get waffles at a pop up (assuming the menu sounds good) and then go to the ginger bread house auction. My sisters, brother-in-law, and mom are coming over for brownies and a movie, at Olivia's request after that. :) I'm really tired just typing this. I wish it was going to be a bit calmer, but we'll see how it goes. I think we have something every weekend day through the end of the year. : / Going to try really hard to keep the weeks free and work on self-care in between!

Other Posts This Week:  LYBHolidayL November Prompts & LYBHolidayL December Prompts + Advent/Holiday Traditions Linkup Announcement! (we hope you'll join us this month as you are able! You can tell by my weekend list, I'll need these reminders and prompts!!)

On YouTube This Week: November Daily Days 1-8, December Daily Supplies, and November Daily Days 9-17.

Whew, have a great weekend!!

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Pentatonix - "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"

Happy Friday Friends!

Since I've been posting about Christmas music every Friday, all of you have been raving about Pentatonix... and I was hesitant... but I do really like a lot of it!

This is by far my favorite track, and it's perfect timing... because we're heading to The Nutcracker at the Kauffman this weekend!



I always love modern takes on this classic piece, and this one is super fun!

Does anyone else love The Nutcracker?!

I know you all love Pentatonix!

I hope that you all have a LOVELY holiday and a happy new year. I'll be posting off and on, so if you're around stop by!

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Straight No Chaser - "The 12 Days of Christmas"

Happy Friday Friends! I hope that you each had a lovely week, and have an even lovelier weekend! :)

Today I am sharing another Christmas Album that KC and I love. This one is by Straight No Chaser. They are this super fun group of guys who often sing acapella. Their 12 Days of Christmas is super funny, yes I promise, really... just watch the whole thing.... Here's the original video from 1998! :)



Their albums are super fun to listen to, and I think KC extra loves them because he was a choir fella back in the day. :)

Do you like Straight No Chaser? Is there anyone who hadn't seen this one before?!

Other Christmas music posts: My Favorite Christmas Albums, '90's - '00's Poptart Xmas, and Celtic Woman Christmas.

What are you guys up to this weekend?

I have no idea what we'll be up to... probably another round of chores and wrapping! :)

I participated in Olya and Mattie's Holiday Blogger Exchange, my mystery gift is being shipped from far away, so I get to hold onto that fun anticipation for a bit longer! Check out Olya's post on my gift to her, here.

Other Posts This Week: November Reads & 12 Ways To Give Back This Holiday Season.

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // 90's & 00's Poptart Xmas Albums // Throwback

Happy Friday Friends!

A few years ago, I shared my favorite Christmas albums here on the blog. I'm starting to think about listening to Christmas music around the house since it's December now... so I thought I would share a few of my favorites throughout the next few weeks. See last week's post: Celtic Woman Christmas Albums. :) 

If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know that I post a lot of alternative music on here... but that doesn't mean that it's all I listen to! I LOVE so many genres. This week I wanted to do a throwback Christmas music post! These are some of my favorites from my childhood! :)

N'Sync. Oh, N'Sync. We miss you. Full of classics and original tunes to groove to. Actually, this album gets boring for me.... but some of the songs are great! In the sense of cheesy 90's music! :) Under my tree is sneakily so dirty... guessing none of us caught that back in the '90's. Well, no one my age during the '90's. :P





Xtina. Oh boy, I don't know about you guys...but I always kind of liked Xtina better. Of course when I was 14 and she was wearing assless chaps... that wasn't my idea of the classiest.. but she makes her own choices, and she can seriously sing. :) So you know, still team Xtina. This album has so many vocal fourishes... but it's still great.





Hilary Duff's Santa Claus Lane - this album is SO cheesy, but it's the ONLY Christmas album that I actually owned as a kid. I didn't get allowance, etc. and who wants to ask for a Christmas album FOR Christmas? (not this kid) Anyhow, I still rock out to this H-duff album from time to time. And you really can't beat the Lil' Romeo collab. I mean... "thanks for the video games and the bling bling"?! A '00's classic. LOL





Ah, Aly and AJ. Another '00's classic (for me). Aly was super cute as Keely on Phil of the Future, and so of course, she and her sister became Disney darlings... and luckily we got a Christmas album out of that! Most of this is pretty calm and relatively acoustic performances of these classic songs. You'll also get two original (more rock-like) songs, and an amped up performance of Little Drummer Boy. < that cannot be missed. Also, they just look like angels on this cover. 





So there you  have a few of my favorite Christmas songs, I'll share more in the next few weeks.

Are you listening to Christmas music yet? What are some of your favorites?

Are you doing anything fun this weekend? We are going to an Xmas PJ party. :)

XO,

Alexandra

Have You Heard? // Celtic Woman Christmas Albums

Hi Friends! Can you believe it's December?!?!? - it's insane.

A few years ago, I shared my favorite Christmas albums here on the blog. I'm starting to think about listening to Christmas music around the house since it's December now... so I thought I would share a few of my favorites throughout the next few weeks.

If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know that I love Celtic Woman. I don't know if it's because I was a choir kid, or because it's just lovely and soothing... but I can't help it, they are my favorite!

These two Christmas albums are very different (one is with a symphony) but I love both so much!

Here are a few of my favorite tracks... and most of them are just the freaking gorgeous ones...

A Christmas Celebration:







Home for Christmas





So there you  have a few of my favorite Christmas songs, I'll share more in the next few weeks.

Are you listening to Christmas music yet? What are some of your favorites?

Are you doing anything fun this weekend? We so far have NO plans other than decorating!

XO,

Alexandra

My Favorite Christmas Albums

I love Christmas music. I didn't always, but I have really started to in the past few years. Summer trips to Goodwill and the Salvation Army ended in many unexpected $2 additions to my collection!

In the meantime, here is a post dedicated to my favorite Christmas albums. Listed in no particular order. Most of these are older albums, and sadly many bands that I like don't do Christmas music.. which isn't surprising. But hopefully someday I can get genre playlists up here for the holidays, because 'cool' Christmas music does exist. :)

Keep in mind, this particular post is dedicated to favorite albums, not albums with favorite songs.. so there are of course some essentials being left out here! :) And a lot of the more unique stuff... 

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker

Genre: Classical

A classic in my book. As a child I loved the nutcracker story and the first year I saw the ballet I was mesmerized. Two years ago Kyle took me to see it again and it was just as wonderful. The music is beautiful. I love it in the car or in the background for decorating the tree. 

Favorite Tracks: Waltz of the Snowflakes, Pas De Deux, & Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy.

A Christmas Celebration - Celtic Woman

Genre: World / Classical / New Age

This is Celtic Woman's first Christmas album. Of course I love Celtic Woman, but this album is so fantastic that it would be a great addition to anyone's Christmas music collection. This album is fairly soothing and calm, it is all amazingly beautiful. 

Favorite Tracks: Ding Dong Merrily on High!, Christmas Pipes, Carol of the Bells, Don Oiche Ud I Mbeithil (That Night In Bethlehem){amazingly beautiful!}, The Wexford Carol{amazingly beautiful!}.

Home for Christmas - Celtic Woman

Genre: World / Classical / New Age

This album was just released last year but it is already a favorite of mine. This album is much more lively than the other one and recorded with a symphony. I will admit that I like the first album more so far, but this album has so many great songs on it that it can't be left out of my list. 

Favorite Tracks: I'll be home for Christmas {amazingly beautiful!}, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Mary's Boy Child, Auld Lang Syne {amazingly beautiful!}.

Acoustic Hearts of Winter - Aly & AJ

 Genre: Pop / Early 2000's Pop

This album is fairly short, but possibly my all time favorite Christmas album. I grew up with this one! It's very simple and acoustic but for some reason it's just really special. Their voices are beautiful and the music is simple and fun. The classic hymns are gorgeous and the more modern Christmas songs are fun and upbeat. There are also a few original songs one is very upbeat and pop-y very early 2000's and the other is about a year when their grandmother died during the holidays and they didn't want to celebrate. Overall it's really simple and a sentimental favorite of mine, I'm a sucker for early 2000's pop! 

Favorite Tracks: Joy to the World, We Three Kings, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Let it Snow, Deck the Halls, Little Drummer Boy.

December - Chris Botti 

 Genre: Jazz

This album is largely instrumental but contains one original song where Botti sings. He is a fantastic jazz trumpeter. Many of the songs are very lively, others as expected are more simple and slow. I really love it as background music. It would be great for a cocktail party or dinner party during the holidays!

Favorite Tracks: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Perfect Day, Winter Wonderland, Little Drummer Boy.

Santa Claus Lane - Hilary Duff

 Genre: Pop / Early 2000's Pop

This one is definitely a classic for me. You are probably reading this thinking.. "seriously? Hilary Duff makes your list?" And yes, she does! I admit it! This album was my very first Christmas CD of my own. I was a tween and it was perfect at the time. So anytime I listen to it I get really excited and nostalgic. It's very fun and upbeat. Not really quality music, but it's cute and fun. Definitely what gets me pumped up for Christmas. 

Favorite Tracks: Jingle Bell Rock, Sleigh Ride, Wonderful Christmastime, I Heard Santa on the Radio, Same Old Christmas, Tell Me a Story.

A Few of the Newer Additions to My Collection:

Winter Magic - Hayley Westenra

Genre: Classical / Pop

Hayley Westenra is not super well known in the US, but she should be! She is a New Zealand native and was briefly a member of Celtic Woman. She has a fantastic voice so I decided to download her Christmas album this year. So far I really like it. It's not your typical classical type album like you would think. Parts of it are very fun and modernized, but not silly pop like some of the albums mentioned above. Many of these songs will probably make it onto my classics list in the future! 

Favorite Tracks: Veni Veni Emmanuel, River, Corpus Christi Carol, Peace Shall Come.

White Christmas - Brooke White

Genre: Indie / Folk/ Pop

I love Brooke White. If you don't know who she is, you should. She was a former idol contestant the one year I watched. Now she is not only a singer but a mom, a blogger, a part of a group called Jack and White, and one half of the girls with glasses. I really really like Brooke White. So of course her Christmas album is a favorite too. It's a little pop-y, a little folk-sy and a little indie. My favorite song is probably Christmas Card, an original.

Favorite Tracks: Christmas Card, I Love Christmas, pretty much all of them.. :)

Holiday Spirits - Straight No Chaser

Genre: A Capella

If you haven't heard of Straight No Chaser, again go look them up. They are so talented and funny to listen to. Much of this album is funny and really really well performed. 12 Days, will have you laughing out loud! This is a great one for the car and for sing alongs.

Favorite Songs: Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jingle Bell Rock, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Angels We Have Heard On High, Little Saint Nick, The 12 Days of Christmas, Carol of the Bells, Africa {bonus track on itunes}.

So there you have it, a few of my favorite Christmas albums. Some are modern, some are classic. Some are well known others are guilty pleasures. I love them all!

I hope this post puts you in the holiday spirit whatever your musical tastes!

What are your favorite Christmas albums?

All for now,

Alexandra  

Snapshots of Christmas // 2012

Merry Christmas & Christmas Eve!

Here are some snapshots of my Christmas so far!

Our first ornament

Nutcracker King & Sparkling Tree

 Hayley Westenra's Christmas Album.

Spritz Cookies

Brooke White's Christmas Album, a new addition to the collection.

Our first winter snowfall! {finally!}

Santa peeking out of my stocking!

Celtic Woman's new Christmas album!

Festive Christmas cupcakes

Our way to give back a little this holiday! :)

What are your favorite Christmas season moments so far?

More pictures coming after Christmas!

All for now,

Alexandra