Yellow Butterflies and Funky Music

Yes, friends, it's Monday. And once again that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! 

If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here.


An Abundance of Butterflies
We have to deal with some unpleasant things here in the Sonoran Desert... scorpions, spiders, and snakes, just to name a few of the worst. But there is another far more pleasant thing that we get to see a lot of this time of year.

Photo: arizonensis.org

 I'm not an expert, but from what I could learn, I believe they are cloudless sulphur butterflies.

I don't know if there are more of them this year, or if I just didn't notice them as much in years past. But lately I have been seeing these happy little yellow butterflies everywhere.

Okay. To be fair, I don't know for sure that they're happy. But I like to believe that they are. At least they always give me a smile


Play That Funky Music
I freely admit that I am not much of a singer, and I have no rhythm for dancing. But for some reason, when I'm driving alone, none of that matters. I can turn up the music, sing along as loudly as I want, and do some awesomely terrible dancing in my seat. I'm sure I look like a crazy person while I'm doing it, but it makes me feel better, so I continue unashamed.

The music varies, and I always enjoy a wide variety. But lately I've discovered that it is absolutely impossible for me to be in anything less than a fantastic mood when I'm singing along to this song:

Ok. I shared mine - now it's your turn! Please leave me a comment and share some of your recent LML moments. 

Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

Mind-blowing Information

My daughter and I joined my son for lunch in the school cafeteria yesterday. As a reward for the school's great attendance during the recent state testing, the administration had hired a DJ to entertain the kids during lunch, and he was excited for us to share in the fun.

The kids were all having a great time listening to the music. It was fairly loud, as I had expected, and most of the music was kid-oriented, which I also expected. But it was cute watching the kids enjoy themselves, so it was all good.

Before we were done, the DJ (for some reason) played "Footloose." Of course none of the kids were at all familiar with it, or cared at all about it. But anyone who is old enough to appreciate eighties music like I do just can't help but love that song. Before I knew it, I was singing and bopping along with the music, much to the amusement of the second graders around me.

One of the boys asked me where that song came from, and I told them it was from a really old movie called Footloose. He just kind of shrugged, obviously dismissing it as an "old people movie." Then I did a quick calculation, and realized how long ago that movie was made. I know I'm dating myself here, but I asked the kids "can you believe that I was in kindergarten when this song came out?"

Jaws dropped, and the looks I got were priceless. For an eight-year-old mind, the thought of an old lady like me being in kindergarten is apparently just to much to process. :)

Things My Kids Say

Unless you've been completely out of touch with popular culture for the last several months, there's a good chance you've seen this video.

And probably at least one or two of the countless parodies. Like this one. Or this one. Or this one. Or (possibly the best one out there) this one from Saturday Night Live.

Not surprisingly, because they aren't out of touch with popular culture (even though I'd sometimes like them to be) my kids have seen this too. And several of the parodies. (Their favorite is the Annoying Orange.)

So the other day my daughter came in and asked me what time it was. I was where I couldn't see it, and she knows how to tell time, so I said "I don't know. What does the clock say?" And without missing a beat, she sang

          "Tick, tick, tick, ta-tick, ta-tick tock!
          Tick, tick, ta-tick, ta-tick tock!
          What's the clock say?!"

It was a beautiful moment.

More Great Misunderstood Christmas Lyrics

My kids are getting older, and are gaining  a little better grasp of the world around them, so I wasn't sure if I would have any lyrical treats like I did last year. (And if you missed that one, you really should check it out.) But just as I was starting to think that there wouldn't be any new ones this year, they both got me.

My son's was "Holly Jolly Christmas," which, because they have been singing it in music class, has become one of his favorites. But apparently his music teacher didn't quite get all of the lyrics across to them. His version includes the line:

Oh, ho, the mistletoe

Hung where you can see

Somebody waits for you.

"Yes sir!" once for me.

And my daughter's was "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." She was humming it to herself, when she suddenly asked me "Mommy, what's a love bug?" Wanting to put it in the proper context, I asked what she was talking about. She responded with the line:

There'll be much mistletoeing

And hearts will be glowing

When lovebugs are near.

Yes, it's definitely the most wonderful time of the year. :)

Old Friends and Karaoke

It's Monday once again, my friends. And as always that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! 

If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here. 


Among all of the other holiday festivities going on this past week, I also had the immense joy of attending a Karaoke Party hosted by my dear friend Miss Riki. Although we keep in touch regularly online, I don't get to see her in person nearly as often as I'd like, so this weekend was quite a treat.

And that treat was doubled, because at the party I also go to see another great lady (that I've known since high school, but also don't see nearly as often as I'd like.) It was lovely to hang out by the pool and do some catching up. It's always a shame when so much time passes between visits with old friends, but it's wonderful to be able to pick right back up like no time has passed. That's what real friendship is all about.

Now, fortunately Miss Riki was kind enough as to not force all of her guests to sing at this Karaoke Party. (And I'm pretty sure that was a wise choice on her part, considering what everyone would have had to sit through had I picked up the mic.) But she was also kind enough to allow anyone who did want to sing, and my kids were thrilled to take part.

We were treated to such hits as "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." It was wonderful.


Ok. I shared mine - now it's your turn! Please feel free to leave me a comment and share some of your recent LML moments. Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

And if you're a blogger and would like to get in on the LML fun, feel free to grab the code and join the blog hop! Your post doesn't specifically have to use the "LML" label (although you're welcome to use it if you'd like, and the graphic that goes along with it.) If you have any kind of happy, positive Monday message that you'd like to share you're welcome to join. The more happy vibes, the better the Monday!

And Then I Fell in Love

One of my favorite songs in the '90s was Michael Peterson's "Love's Great." It was all about how wonderful it was being single, and how committed he was to that life. Because love's great (when you're not in it.)

It was totally tongue-in-cheek, of course, and very funny. But for most of my teens and early twenties, it was also kind of my anthem. I swore that being single was the way to be, and couldn't imagine ever wanting to be married.

It wasn't that I had anything against the institution. I just liked being my own person, and didn't think I could ever be happy sharing my life so closely with another person.

And then he came along.

I wasn't looking for it, and I didn't expect it. But it was so obviously meant to be. So I said yes, and haven't regretted it for a minute.

And so today, as I celebrate 11 years of being married to my best friend and the love of my life, all I can say is... thank goodness I was wrong. Love's great, especially when you're in it.

Do you hear the people sing?

So the latest version of Les Miserables came out in stores a couple of weeks ago. And of course I was there that morning to get my copy. And of course I stayed up that night to watch it after the kids went to bed. Because, regardless of how anyone else might have felt about this version, I remain firmly entrenched in the "Loved it!" camp.

Sure, I didn't think it was perfect. Nothing ever is. And there were some things I would have done differently. I'm not a fan of Russell Crow, for example, and thought someone else (anyone else?) could have done a better job as Javert.

And it bugged me a little that Thenardier started off sounding French, but seemed to lose the accent about halfway through the movie. (By the end, he looked more French but sounded more British.) And that Gavroche sounded exaggeratedly British, right up until he said "Vive la France!" (But it's like that in every performance I've ever seen, so I really can't blame this actor or the director.)

But despite the few minor annoyances that I found, I thought that the movie as a whole completely delivered. And I don't think I've ever seen a more gut-wrenching performance than Anne Hathaway's "I Dreamed a Dream." It was absolutely brutal, and I'm pretty sure it was the best version of that song that I've ever seen.

Now, whenever you share your opinion about something, there are bound to be people that disagree. (Particularly if you share said opinion on the Internet!) So when I made a comment on Facebook about loving the movie I was totally prepared for differing opinions, and they didn't bother me at all. (We all have different tastes. You are in no way obligated to love something just because I did, any more than I'm obligated to hate it if you did.)

But there was one comment that got me to thinking, when one of my friends made a remark about this being a "remake." (With the implication that it's been done before, so why do we need another one?) I couldn't really see it that way, though.

The way I see it, the nature of a stage production is that it is meant to be done repeatedly, with different casts, and that every production will be similar but not exactly the same. Sure, this one was done for the big screen and not the stage, but I still think the same principle applies.

Nothing will ever be the same as the original London cast, and that version will always hold a special place in my heart. But I say that a musical this incredible, and this powerful, should never stop being performed. I say make it as many times as you can, and don't ever stop.

I'm curious, though. What do you think? Did you love the movie, or hate it? Was it just another unnecessary remake, or did you welcome another chance to see a new performance? I'd love to hear your opinion!

Our Favorite Misunderstood Christmas Lyrics

If you have kids, or have ever been around kids, you probably know the joy of hearing how they interpret things they don't quite understand. It's particularly amusing with song lyrics, and at this time of the year (with all of the seasonal songs that everyone is singing) there seems to be a never-ending potential for hilarious misinterpretations. (You've probably all heard about "Round John Virgin" in the song "Silent Night.")

My daughter loves to sing, and she has really gotten in to the Christmas music this year - everything from the classics to the more modern hits. Her favorites would probably have to be "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Holly Jolly Christmas" (and she knows all the words to both of them.) But she still has a little trouble with parts of "The 12 Days of Christmas." I've been trying to help her, but in her mind "6 bees away" doesn't make any less sense than "6 geese a-laying," so that's still how she sings it every time.

Earlier this year my son came to me. "Mommy, what's a dirdledot?"
"Um... a what?"
"A dirdledot."
"I have no idea."
(Frustrated) "You know! Like in the song about the 12 days of Christmas!"
"Oh! It actually says 'two turtledoves.'"
"Oh, okay." (Pause for contemplation.) "Mommy, what's a turtledove?"

Now he gets it, and he sings it correctly. But to be honest, I kind of miss the dirdledots a little bit. :)

Ok, how about you? I'm sure you have some stories to share about your kids. What were their best misunderstood song lyrics? (You can keep it in the holidays if you want, but it doesn't have to be Christmas songs.) Please share your favorites!

A Very Taylor Swift Christmas

Despite what some of my Facebook friends might think, I actually don't hate Taylor Swift. I'm not really her target audience, but I do think she has a decent voice, and she's kind of cute. But I do wish (if ever a wish there was) that she could find some other inspiration for a song besides failed relationships. And I know that I'm not alone in this.

Yeah, you could say I'm not the only one who has noticed it. And I'm sure that to the girls in her demographic the subject is a lot more meaningful than it is to me. And hey - it's working for her. So I suppose we could go the "you go girl" route.

But I have to say that I got a pretty good laugh the other day when I heard her version of "Last Christmas" on the radio. Now, I go back and forth on that song to begin with. On one hand, it's kind of irritating. On the other hand, I like George Michael, so sometimes I listen to it anyway.

So I heard a little bit of it as I was debating about whether or not to change the station.

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart.

The very next day, you gave it away.

Yep. So far this sounds like an appropriate song for her to be singing.

This year, to save me from tears,

I'll give it to someone special.

Nope, sorry. That's where you lost me. But I suppose that "I'll give it to the next guy I'm going to write a song about" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

*     *     *

Do you find yourself very motivated to read other "V" posts? Feel free to visit ABC Wednesday. :)

LML Monday - Iced Coffee, Tootsie Pop Ghosts & The Fresh Beat Band

It's Monday once again, my friends. And as always that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! 

If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here. 

Iced Coffee
Most of you probably know that I'm usually more of a tea person, but I have to admit that lately I've been having a bit of a love affair with iced coffee. (I've even started keeping a pitcher of coffee in the refrigerator just so I don't have to brew it and wait for it to cool whenever the mood strikes.) I'm really looking forward to the days when it's cold enough outside to make me want to curl up with a hot drink. But until that happens, iced coffee is my new best friend.

Tootsie Pop Ghosts
Last Friday my son's class had their Fall party, and as "room mom" I got to plan and organize the festivities. There were plenty of crafts and games and treats, and everything went over pretty well. (I was actually really impressed with how well a room full of 1st graders handled everything.) We all had fun, and there weren't any major problems or messes.

One of the stations that I set up was having the kids make Tootsie Pop ghosts. Anyone remember making these as a kid? I remember learning how to make them when I was in school, and thinking that they were really cute. I wasn't quite sure how this generation would react to them, but luckily I wasn't disappointed.

The kids all seemed to have a great time making and decorating their ghosts. And several of them got really creative with it, which was awesome to watch. But the best part was whenever I told them that I learned how to make these when I was their age. I always got the same response - a very wide-eyed "WOW!" as they tried to imagine how many years ago that must have been. It was adorable.

The Fresh Beat Band
If you have a preschooler, I'd bet that there's a pretty good chance you've had to sit through an episode or two of The Fresh Beat Band. It's silly, and annoying at times, but it's actually not terrible, as far as kids' shows go. I've seen much worse.

Because she loves singing and dancing, my daughter is, of course, a big fan of the show. She does their little dances, and sings along with them. She especially loves the little song and dance that they do at the end of every episode, and she's gotten pretty good at it. It's always very cute to watch.

The other day I happened to walk into the room just as that song was coming on, and about halfway through I realized that I was singing along with it. Sure, I had the initial "just-shoot-me-in-the-head-now" thought that most parents get when they realized that they're doing something like that. But then I realized that, as painful as it might be to admit, I actually kind of like that song.

We had a great day!

It was a super way,

To spend some time together.

We had a great day,

The very best day.

And nothing could be better.

It goes on for a while, but you get the idea. And I realized as I was singing along that I really like how they end every episode singing about what a great day it was. It reminded me of how my kids have had a tendency, for years, to label every day "the best day ever." (If you haven't heard that story, go check it out. It's really cute.) And because of that, I realized that I've grown to respect The Fresh Beat Band just a little more. :)


Ok. I shared mine - now it's your turn! Please feel free to leave me a comment and share some of your recent LML moments. Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

And if you're a blogger and would like to get in on the LML fun, feel free to grab the code and join the blog hop! (And please be sure to link back here!) Your post doesn't specifically have to use the "LML" label (although you're welcome to use it if you'd like.) But if you have any kind of happy, positive Monday message that you'd like to share you're welcome to join. The more happy vibes, the better the Monday!

Logic, Five-year-old Style

Today's ABC Wednesday brings us to the letter L. There were several things that came to mind as I started brainstorming... love, laughter, my little ones. All things that are very important in my life. But then this morning I overheard my daughter singing a song, and it reminded me of a story, and the story always makes me smile, so I decided that I needed to share it.

My son's logic and reasoning skills have always been a source of amusement in our family. Not because it's particularly funny, but because it's just kind of unusual to meet someone his age that can be so incredibly analytical and reason his way through just about anything as well as he always has. He comes by it honestly, of course (coming from a long line of strenuous thinkers) but it's still funny to witness.

One day last year we were listening to one of the kids' CDs, and that wonderfully annoying song about the five little monkeys jumping on the bed came on.

The kids were singing along, having a good time. But for me that song has always gotten old really fast - mostly because Mama obviously isn't getting it, and telling her over and over again "no more monkeys jumping on the bed!" isn't doing any good.

So in an apparently less-than-stellar attempt at a joke, I changed the lyrics after the fourth monkey.

Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said

"Why do you keep calling me if you're not going to listen to my advice?!"

I wasn't actually expecting an answer, of course, but I got one. After just a brief pause my son said "Well... maybe she was calling a different doctor each time to see if they had any better advice." And yeah, I had to admit that made a little more sense than a woman that keeps calling to get the same advice and just keeps ignoring it every time.

I also had to admit that it's kind of sad when you try to make a joke only to be shown up by your five-year-old kid. So much for my grand comedic skills. :)

LML Monday - George Takei, Brad Paisley & Doctor Who

It's Monday once again, my friends. And as always that means it's time to reflect on the things that made us happy over the past week. And of course now is also the perfect time to set the tone for a great week to come! If you missed my take on LML, you can find it here. If you missed the explanation of LML Monday, you can catch up here.

George Takei
As usual, I opened up Facebook today  and found a slew of "It's Monday" pictures in my news feed. (I suppose there's a pretty good chance that you did too.) This one came from George Takei. It's not the funniest pic he's ever posted, but it made me smile, and seemed pretty fitting for how I feel today.

If you haven't "liked" George on Facebook, chances are you have friends that have, and that some of the funniest pictures in your news feed are things that your friends repost from his page. (He posts some of the best, and often geekiest, stuff, usually sent to him by his other awesome fans.) I can almost always count on him for a laugh.

If you don't want to wait for your friends to repost the good stuff, head over there and like him yourself!

Brad Paisley
The other day I was listening to Brad while washing the dishes. My daughter ran in the room, stopped and listened for a second, then smiled and said "Brad Paisley?" I confirmed, and she smiled even wider and said "I recognized him!" Then in kind of a shy whisper she added "He's one of my favorites."

I love that I'm raising a kid with good taste in music. :)

Doctor Who
This past week I finally started watching Doctor Who. (Don't ask me why I never watched it before now, because I have no idea.) But thanks to Netflix I can finally catch up - and now I can finally start getting all of the references that people are always posting! 

So yesterday I put an episode on the computer while I was sitting at my desk, and my son happened to walk in right as it was starting. Apparently the opening credits caught his eye, and he started asking questions about what I was watching. I expected him to run off to play as soon as I had answered his questions, but he just stayed right there, mesmerized. 

Before I knew it he had pulled up a chair, and he sat there and watched the entire episode with me. (This is a kid that rarely sits still for an entire episode of any show, let alone a show intended for adult audiences.) TV just usually doesn't hold his attention. But for some reason, Doctor Who did.

The episode ended kind of abruptly, because it turned out to be a two-parter, and he said, frustrated, "But Mommy, I really want to know what happens next!" I tried telling him that I'd fill him in after I watched it later, but that wasn't good enough. ("But I want to see it!") I finally agreed ('cause I kind of wanted to know what happened, too) and once again he sat there and watched the entire episode with me.

It was definitely a great mother/son bonding moment. And I'm pretty sure that having a six-year-old that already appreciates a geeky sci-fi show like Doctor Who makes me one of the most super-awesome moms in the world. :)


Now it's your turn! Please feel free to share some of your recent LML moments. Focus on the happy thoughts, and let's all have a great week!

And if you're a blogger and would like to get in on the LML fun, feel free to grab the code and join the blog hop! (This is the first time I'm trying this, so thanks for your patience if there are any kinks to work out.) Your post doesn't specifically have to use the "LML" label (although you're welcome to use it if you'd like.) But if you have any kind of happy, positive Monday message that you'd like to share you're welcome to join. The more happy vibes, the better the Monday!

Some Other Beginning's End

One of my favorite songs in the late 90s was "Closing Time" by the band Semisonic. (Still is one of my favorites, now that I think about it.) It was just one of those songs that came out at the perfect time to really resonate with where I was in my life. I bet you probably have some songs like that too.

Closing time

One last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer

Closing time

You don't have to go home but you can't stay here

This song always comes to mind whenever something in my life comes to an end. And today marks the end of the current round of the Ultimate Blog Challenge, so of course it's been in my head all day. Today's the day when so many of us are wrapping up our final posts of the challenge, and trying to decide where we go from here.

There have been some conversations among bloggers over the past month about what we will all do when the challenge is over. How much has the daily blogging changed us? Will we keep up the habits we've developed through the challenge, or will we revert to our previous selves?

I have to say that my perspective as a blogger is much different than it was a year ago when I completed my first UBC. When that challenge ended, I lost so much of the motivation that I thought I had gained, and almost immediately slipped back into my very undisciplined sporadic blogging. I think I had kind of burned myself out, and just couldn't keep it going.

I can't say with completely certainty what will happen as I move forward, but I can say that my motivation is different now. And this time I feel like even though it's time to leave this particular part of my life, it doesn't mean that I just have to go back to where I used to be.

So gather up your jackets, move it to the exits

I hope you have found a friend

Community means a lot more to me than it did a month ago. I still haven't had as much time to get as involved as I would have liked, but I have gotten a lot more involved with other bloggers than I ever did before. I've discovered some great people, and some excellent blogs. And I've definitely found some friends.

Closing time

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end

Endings can be (and often are) sad. Or scary. Or confusing. Or, at the very least, filled with uncertainty. But like I've said before, it's all about where we choose to put our focus. And if we accept that when one phase of our lives ends it usually just means that it's time for the next phase to begin, it can make things a little easier.

So what do you do when you come to an ending? Do you just "go home" to what's familiar, or do you look for something new? Did you make connections along the way, or did you keep to yourself and miss out on the rewards of new friendships? Do you focus on what's ending, or look ahead to what's beginning?

I for one am happy to be moving forward, and ready to see what new exciting challenges come next. I hope you are too. :)

Make Life Your Own

Thanks to my cousin over at Que Sara, Sara, I've had this song stuck in my head all day:

And now it'll probably be stuck in your head too. (Sorry. Or you're welcome, depending on your point of view.) I know it's a very popular song, so please, please don't be offended when I say that it has always irritated me. (Keep in mind that we all have different tastes, and that's ok. You're just as entitled to love it as I am entitled to not love it.)

I'll give you that it's a pretty song, and that Doris Day is beautiful, but the lyrics have just always rubbed me the wrong way. What she says is:

When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother 'What will I be?
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?' Here's what she said to me:
'Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be will be.
The future's not ours to see. Que Sera, Sera.'

But ever since I was a kid, what I always heard was: When I was young and impressionable, I asked my mother for guidance and insight into the world, and she said 'Eh. Whatever.'

I know that's an overly simplistic (and perhaps overly cynical) attitude toward the song. And I really was always half joking when I said it. But like I said, I formed the opinion as a kid... so maybe I was overly simplistic and overly cynical at the time. Either way, that's what I began to think about this morning as the song played through my head.

Of course, now that I'm older and wiser (and more philosophical) than I was in my youth, the thoughts didn't end there. I started to wonder if I could put away the sarcasm for a bit and hear the song on a different level. And yes, I can appreciate what it is trying to say. But I also came to the conclusion that I mostly still disagree with it.

Sure, you can't predict the future. And sure, there are outside forces that you can't control. And no, it doesn't do you any good to worry about things that you can't change. But does that mean that you should just accept "whatever will be," or should you take a more active approach in determining your fate?

Maybe the future isn't "ours to see," but I believe that it is ours to make. So I say don't just sit back and wait for life to happen. Go out there and make your life what you want it to be.

There Goes My Life

I was actually just listening to the playlist that I mentioned in my last post, and I thought of another song. But I decided that this one deserves its own post. And it can't really be boiled down to one quote - you just kind of have to watch the video.

This song is particularly poignant to me right now, since this whole nostalgia kick that I'm on was caused by my noticing how quickly my kids are growing up. (And yes, I sat here and cried during the whole video.)

Granted, my story of parenthood didn't start anything like it did for the kids in this song. I was married, I was in my late 20s, and we did it on purpose. But regardless of how old you are, or how "ready" for it you think you are, having a kid changes everything, and turns you whole life upside down.

And it doesn't take long to realize how right he is about your kids being your life... your future... your everything.

My Nostalgic Playlist

I mentioned the other day that I'm growing increasingly nostalgic lately, thanks to the rapidly approaching day when my oldest starts kindergarten. I even started a "Nostalgic" playlist on my phone. These are the songs I've come up with so far:

1. Welcome to the Future by Brad Paisley

When I was ten years old
I remember thinkin' how cool it would be
when we were goin' on an eight hour drive
if I could just watch TV.

And I'd have given anything
to have my own Pac-Man game at home.
I used to have to get a ride down to the arcade.
Now I've got it on my phone.

2. Back When by Tim McGraw

Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke
And crack's what you were doing
when you were cracking jokes.

Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down't with that
It meant you had the flu.

I miss back when. 

3. A Different World by Bucky Covington

We were born to mothers who smoked and drank.
Our cribs were covered in lead based paint.
No child proof lids, no seat belts in cars.
Rode bikes with no helmets, and still here we are.

We got Daddy's belt when we misbehaved.
Had three TV channels you got up to change.
No video games and no satellite.
All we had were friends, and they were outside.

It was a different life
when we were boys and girls.
Not just a different time
It was a different world.

4. Don't Blink by Kenny Chesney

Don't blink.
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads
next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead.
Trust me friend, a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink.

5. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Times grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

6. Grandpa (Tell Me 'bout the Good Old Days) by The Judds

Did lovers really fall in love to stay
and stand beside each other, come what may?
Was a promise really something people kept
not just something they would say?

Did families really bow their heads to pray?
Did daddies really never go away?
Oh, Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old days.

7. I Go Back by Kenny Chesney

I go back to a two-toned short bed Chevy,
Driving my first love out to the levy,
Livin' life with no sense of time.

And I go back to the feel of a fifty yard line,
A blanket, a girl, and some raspberry wine,
Wishing time would stop right in its tracks.
Every time I hear that song, I go back.

8. Nineteen Somethin' by Mark Wills

It was 1980-somethin'
in the world that I grew up in.
Skatin' rinks and black Trans Ams,
big hair and parachute pants.

Lookin' back now I can see me,
Oh man, did I look cheesy.
But I wouldn't trade those days for nothin'
Oh, it was 1980-somethin'

9. The Dance by Garth Brooks

And now, I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go.

Our lives are better left to chance.
I could have missed the pain,
But I'd of had to miss the dance.

Do you have any favorite "nostalgic songs"? Please share them here!