A 3rd Generation Pianist...

My mom got Elli this cute pink piano for her birthday, and Elli is now obsessed with it!! I think it's pretty cool that she can sit on the little seat and move her little fingers that way since, sadly, she's never seen anyone play before. Well, unless you count the times that I drag her to the instrument section of Best Buy and make her sit in her stroller while I play the keyboards and dream of the day that we'll have a piano again :) Ha!

I remember my mom playing the piano all the time when I was a little girl. First, it was on the up-right that I learned on, and then it was on the Baby Grand that my grandparents bought for her as a gift. Oh how I love playing on that piano, and hearing the music fill the rooms of my mother's home. I think it's so important to instill a love of music in children, and hopefully I'll be able to do that for Elli...with or without a "real" piano :)

Do y'all have musical instruments in your home? If so, do you play for your kids? And at what age did you start lessons? It's good to be prepared for the future, you know! Ha!

Christmas Tunes!!

I finally figured out how to put music on my blog (I told you I was computer illiterate!), and what better to start out with than Christmas music!?  One of my favorite Christmas traditions (when I'm in Texas, of course) is going to North Park Mall in Dallas with my mom, looking at all the wonderful decorations, shopping for last minute gifts, and listening to the Christmas music play overhead.  I also like to go to the SPCA shop to look at the little puppies that need a good home, but we always ended up w/ a new dog when I did that, so I had to stop!  Anyway, back to the music...

My favorite song of the season is "O Holy Night", but not just any version.  I LOVE the one that they play in Home Alone where Kevin goes into the church...do you remember that scene?  It was actually sung by the Trinity High School Choir (I just love Google!), and it is the most gorgeous arrangement of it that I have ever heard.  Unfortunately, I can't find it on the little playlist finder thing, so I chose another good one from Home Alone, "Carol of the Bells".  Sounds like I'm a little obsessed with that movie, huh?  I'm really not, I just love the sound of a choir singing, and I think that this particular choir just sounds so angelic.  Take a listen, and see for yourself!  

I also love "Baby, It's Cold Outside"...but only the original version.  I know, I know...I'm a little picky with my versions :)  And, the Boston Pop Orchestra's rendition of "Sleigh Ride" is awesome too.  It just really gets me in the mood for some hot chocolate!  We heard it when we were in Hamburg, and I think I started dancing (Chris quickly told me to stop since we were in the middle of a hoard of people, and my dancing isn't too pretty!)  And perhaps one of the sweetest Christmas songs is "My Grown Up Christmas List".  I actually had it in my head when I woke up this morning, and it's what inspired me to finally conquer this whole Blog Music thing!

I'd love to hear what some of your favorite Christmas songs are, and why they hold a special place in your heart.  I'll even add them onto my playlist (that is if I can find them!!)...there can never be too much of the holiday spirit!!  

Happy listening :)

Amy