Songs of Summer - Country Playlist

I don't know what it is about Summer, but it makes me long for my country roots and all I want to listen to is some good ol' country music! If you can believe it, there are NO I mean, Zip. Zero. country radio stations in San Francisco!! It's seriously depressing. I was majorly missing out, until a friend filled me in on an amazing secret...

I'm sure you guys know about iTunes Radio by now (basically the same as Pandora) BUT iTunes Radio has a Top 50 Country Songs station, which is the Top 50 Country Songs that have been downloaded on iTunes each week. It's amazing! Now I can keep up to date on all the latest Country Music, all summer long! And if I want to listen to the classic stuff, I just switch over to my iTunes library.

There's nothing like driving with your windows down, sunroof open, and country music blasting on a hot summer day. Granted I have to leave the city to have any sort of summer weather, but I'll take what I can get. I should probably be embarrassed to admit how much joy this little station has brought me over the past few months! It gives me a little taste of summer while I'm hanging out in the fog.

This reminds me, I haven't been to a country concert in years! There is nothing like an outdoor country concert in the summer. I used to go to at least 2 or 3 a year back home, but as you can imagine, country music fans are harder to find in the big city and there aren't many country concert options :(

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this playlist of my current country favorites!

Get Your Sweat On - Playlist

Happy Friday my friends!

I met with a personal trainer at the gym on Monday. It was the extra motivation I needed to start to push myself during workouts and switch up my routine. 

Lucky for me, personal training sessions are included as a part of my gym membership. I met with my trainer for the first time a week ago to go over my goals. Then he created a workout designed to help me reach my goals. He created a total body routine that I will do 3 times a week, and I can mix in additional cardio days as well. My goal is to build muscle and tone, losing a few pounds will be a nice side effect, but mostly I want to be stronger and more fit overall. 

This week has gone really well so far. I was surprised how sore I was after the first day, but I love that feeling because you know you're getting results! The plan is to do this routine for two weeks, then I will meet with the trainer again to incorporate new exercises that will continue to push me. 

Even though there isn't as much one on one time with the trainer as I might get paying for sessions, it works for me because I know I have to check in with him every few weeks, and I want to show that I'm making progress and getting stronger. It's an affordable way to get personalized workout routine and I'm happy that I finally took advantage of it after a year of going to this gym! 

I created this playlist to help get me through the workouts and make it more fun. I love the mix of 80's rock and current top 100 hits with a little country thrown in at the end for a cool down! If any of you are in need of a few new songs to help motivate you at the gym, hopefully this will help!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend! We have some fun things planned so I'm looking forward to it! 


xoxo,


Theresa

O'Brien Family Soundtrack

source

I've always been one of those people that constantly needs music. In the car, working out, cooking dinner, cleaning house, even at work. I am a sucker for anything sentimental and nostalgic, and I love how music can take you back to an exact moment in time.

I attribute my love of music to my Dad. Growing up, we always had music playing in the house. I used to get out his records and play them, my favorite was The Monkee's "Hey Hey We're The Monkee's." But most of my memories listening to music take place in the Vanagon. I've mentioned how much time my family spent traveling and camping when I was growing up. And there was always music playing on those long drives. We had a huge basket filled with tapes on the floor board between the driver's side and passenger seats. Since my Dad was a high school teacher, we had the best mix tapes that his students would make for him. I still love, and listen to all of those songs. They always take me right back to those road trips we took growing up. And it's actually one of the first things I loved about Andrew, he and I both have the same love for Classic Rock and music of the 60's and 70's that we got from our Dad's.

For the blog challenge today I decided to make an O'Brien Family Playlist with some of my favorite songs from that old basket of tapes, a Family Soundtrack, if you will.  

O'Brien Family Soundtrack

1. America Pie, Don McLean

2. The River (live), Bruce Springsteen

3. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Crosby, Stills and Nash

(affectionately named the "Do Do Song")

4. Get Back, The Beatles

(Mom's song, because her name is Loretta)

5. Hotel California, The Eagles

6. Graceland, Paul Simon

7. Money For Nothing, Dire Straits

8. Red Red Wine, Bob Marley

9. Imagine, John Lennon

10. Little Lies, Fleetwood Mac

11. We Didn't Start The Fire, Billy Joel

12. Pinball Wizard, The Who

13. Cats in the Cradle, Cat Stevens

14. Against the Wind, Bob Seger

15. Pink Houses, John Cougar Mellencamp

16. Who'll Stop the Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival

17. Forrest Gump Suite, Alan Silvestri

(Or, "The Feather Song" as we called it)

I kept wanting to add more, but I figured I should stop before I had a box set. What songs would be on your family's soundtrack? 

A fun side note: At my sister's wedding the DJ played America Pie. The four of us, my Dad, Mom, Sister and I all danced together and sang and cried for the entire song! I think it's a favorite memory for all of us.

xoxo,

Theresa