5th Day of BWC: 100 Custom Christmas Card Prints

This giveaway goes out to all the slackers out there, the procrastinators, the wait till the last minuters! Haha, let me rephrase that, to those of us who have yet had a free second to even think about Christmas Cards. Guilty! I still haven't put one together, however I just can't bring myself to not send one. So I opt for the better late than never. I just love Christmas Cards, especially receiving. I know we all see each others faces just about everyday on Instagram and Facebook, but there is still something so magical and nostalgic about getting a card in the mail, with a stamp, and  a lovely pieces of paper that you can hold in your hands and tape to the backside of the door. I look forward to it every year. 

I love Christmas cards so much, that I even wrote a song about it. This song is possibly one of the most inspired songs I have written in the last five years. Written from personal experiences. A song about forgiveness and reconciliation in the smallest simplest form of a Christmas card. Explaining meaning of songs is always weird, Maybe you want to just listen to it here. This is a real heart song. I get a tiny tear in the corners of my eyes when I sing it. 

Remember last years awesome Christmas Card Contest? There was an incredible level of participation and it made my heart literally sing with glee and gladness to see all of the creative and unique designs that so many people came up with. I wish we had more time, but we're kind of cutting it close to Christmas, pushing the envelope if you will. Pun Intended.

So this year we are simplifying with a one day giveaway. Whether you plan on getting your cards out in the final hour, or you want to send a New Years card, or heck, a Valentines Greeting, than this giveaway is for you! Or you can even use this giveaway for next year! 

Our cool Friends in Mesa, Arizona of ASHLEE'S PRINTING are kind enough to give away 100 custom printed Christmas Cards of your own design to one wonderful winner! Note: They do not do the design, just printing. So if you like designing your own cards, or have a friend or family member who does, then this is for you! The turn around is super fast, so you will have them quick! 

TO WIN:

- POST: your favorite family picture, whatever your family looks like, newly weds, cute kids, you and a cat. NOTE: This doesn't have to be the picture you would use on the actual card! For an extra entry, you can even post your design. 

- TAG: Hashtag #5DayofBrookeWhiteChristmas and tag @realbrookewhite 

- COMMENT: Leave me a comment letting me know you entered, especially if your account is private.

Winner will be randomly selected and chosen by noon tomorrow!! 

JAMM: FLY FLY FLY

You will notice a cute Londy Loo, waddling around the background in this one. Motherhood and Music must exist in the same room, as I always hoped it would, and I'm grateful that it does :) You will also noticed I said "forget" twice in the bridge, I mean't "regret" the second time. (important lyric distinction)

If you were to ask most singers, they would tell ya that they prefer to sing ballads. Why? 

Probably because they contain more emotion, and the slower pace makes it easier to give it the inflection and feeling it needs to really find it's soul and connect with the lyric. In a way, it's easier-ish, kind of. An up tempo tune with the wrong arrangement was usually the kiss of death on American Idol. That is why everyone is singing slow songs, if you were wondering:) It is deceptively hard to perform fast songs and pull it off.  I mean don't get me wrong, when it comes to listening to records, I prefer something peppy, something with a solid beat that makes me wanna dance and let my hair down. Yes I do love to rock. And if I am in the studio, putting together an upbeat track is the greatest! But making it happen live, different story. Be it fast or slow, singing really well while also connecting really well while also playing an instrument really well, and picking or writing a song really well... is well, really quite tricky! I just keep working at it... someday I might get "there"!

As I mentioned last week, I also wrote this song for Banner 4th of July. The inspiration was fully present in writing this one. It is definitely my favorite song of the two, and certainly my favorite scene in the movie with Christian Campbell. I am posting half of the scene below that mjsbigblog put up on Youtube, (thanks MJBB!). This was the song that she had written just before the band split. She was feeling the need to "go find her way all on her own". But it's never really that easy, leaving the familiar, the family, the place you've always known, and it almost always hurts the ones you leave behind, and that is the hardest part. We all go through this at some point in our lives whether it's a place, a relationship or even a job, sometimes you got to fly fly fly away... and yet those places and people and things will always be a part of who you are. 

At this point in the story, years have passed, feelings are hurt, a brother and sister damaged by the distance and a misunderstood past. This song is the healer. As it always does, the music is what says what she has never been able to say, and it speaks to him what he's never been able to hear. It transcends who's wrong and who's right... it's the language that the heart can understand.

We usually never intend on hurting the ones we love, and yet so often we do... it's a bummer. Life is complicated, and so much get's lost in misunderstanding. How do we make it right? Time? Saying a sincere I'm sorry? Letting go of pride, failed expectations? Sometimes we just let it be. 

In this case, Desiree Banner makes it right with a song. And in many of my own cases, I do too... or at least, I try.

PS- Thank you and happy birthday to the lovely miss Priscilla Chang for capturing this video for me, and for helping me get my JAMM back!

PSS- Oh and yes, FLY FLY FLY is available on itunes! yay!

FUNNY AND AWESOME...

A few random things that I find both funny and awesome:

1. DAVE RAY CPA:

Yesterday... the sun is still shining, and it's 6:30... seriously, how much do I love these longer days?! Anywho, I'm in the kitchen, making dinner (a rarity) actually it was Monday, therefore I was making breakfast for dinner (is that cheating? When will I ever learn how to actually make Dinner for dinner?) when suddenly, a loud and thunderous voice with awesome forced vibrato comes charging through the door, serenading me with this lil' gem of a... uhhh... tune, with these exact words: 

"BROOOOOKE, why do you love me so MMUUUUCCCHHH?

Is it because I am Handsome, Funny and SMARRRRT???

OR is it because of my all out Sex APPEEEAAAAALLLL?!?!?!

Dave, yes, I love you because of all these things, but you forgot one thing...  I mostly love you for your straight up serious SONGWRITING SKILLZ! Sometimes them CPA's are hilarious I tell ya, and have many wonderful hidden talents.

2. OOOOHHH...NIGHT AFTER NIGHT REMIX... YEAH! :

Okay, so you know (or maybe you didn't, don't want to be presumptuous) Jack and I have this song on our last Winter EP called Night after Night. Well this fellow connected with us and offered to remix our song into a Fancy Dancy Remix ready to be "up in the club" as they say (don't they say that?). And folks that is exactly what he did... I've never heard any of my songs remixed, so at first listen I kinda just laughed out loud, especially everytime I hear the part "YEAH"... oh man, I die. But then it really started to grow on me and before I knew it I had my glow sticks out and I was gettin' my dance on in the living room... totally by myself. Okay not really, but kind of, just minus the glow sticks, but myself... YEAH! Anywho, some people are really diggin' it and the young folks seem to think we're hippish and maybe a bit cool, however some others in a more mature age group of our demographic seem to think "it's kinda loud and has a lot of sounds in it... I think it was much better the way it was before" HaHa!

Anywho, it's fun and we appreciate our buddy, AKA the Electric Valentine for making this HOT Remix. Take a listen for yourself... could be good for the treadmill...

Oh and PS... lil' disclaimer, while we are very appreciative of this mix, it has been titled  the "kids on drugs remix" Please note, We don't really advocate "kids on drugs", unless of course mom gives them some tylenol for when they have a fever. 

3. A GIRL NAMED GAY:

Meet my friend Gabrielle Hansen, but really we all call her Gay... and I call her GayGay, along with this lil character, Mr. Dallen B, one of her four super hilarious and attractive children. Well GayGay (Gay I hope you don't mind that I call you that) has been bloggin' over the years here and there about the kids and her sports nut of a husband (and BYU bosom buddies with Dave Ray CPA), but in the last few months she has turned into a BLOGGIN' MACHINE! This gal has a gift for telling stories, for bravely and eloquently saying out loud all those thoughts we are all thinking, she tells it like it is, she is insightful and yet doesn't take herself too seriously... all in all, GayGay is a real kind of girl, the kind of gal that when you are reading her words you think "I just like her"... read it, you'll know what I mean. 

I love supporting my friends, I am especially happy to tell you about "A Girl Named Gay" not just because she is my friend, but because I am a big believer in creative expression! You Go Gay! By the way, she is doing pretty much the greatest give away for HER birthday on her blog right now. Have you ever heard of LULU LEMON?!?  I have a testimony of Lulu Lemon, Pretty much the greatest work out clothes of all time... I'm telling you, these pants make your behinder look so good you could skip the gym and just head straight to Target, and everyone in the check out line would be helpless to notice that perfectly round lil' keister, and they will wonder how you manage such a magnificent rear-end with that package of Oreos, bag of cheetos and gallon of rocky road that you've got kickin' in your cart, so naturally they assume that you must've just finished nearly killin' yourself in spin class to achieve that fine behind (yeah right)... welp forget the agony and pain, oh and sweat of spin class, all you need is the pants, they are truly magical... and expensive. And Gay is gonna get you the pants, with a $100 gift card! So quick, go read this post and then, all the others, cause she's just that good, that Gay Gay is.

BRAD THE DAD...

Not only did my momma have a birthday, so did my rad dad Brad just two days later! Having flown home for my mom's special day, my parents decided that they would drive me back to California and spend the weekend with us, and also catch my JACK AND WHITE show at the Hotel Cafe which also happened to be the same day as my dads big fat birthday! As well, my sweet sister Katie aka "the Boo" joined us with her little man Heath who just smothers my soul with his cuteness. I kissed his delicious fat cheeks at least 246 times, at least. By the way he is already 17.5 pounds at 4 and a half months, he is healthy and perfect and I love him a lot multiplied by a million. You take a look at him and you realize that that's what life is about right there. And my little sister, she is such a super duper mom, I look up to her.

Our drive back to the west coast was a slow one, with many U-turns and stops for gas, feedings, burpings, diaper changes. Took us a few extra hours then usual and though it was a bit grueling I found it fun. We listened to my dads iPod on shuffle mode... he's got a billion of these random novelty songs about monkeys and kangaroos and stuff, and though he's heard 'em all thousands of times, he still get's a kick out of them and turns it up and says "you gotta hear this". We listened to the new EP in the truck, sounded pretty darn good in the big ol' Ford truck. "Hold Up my Heart" came on, it's his favorite song, (he always calls me to tell me he listens to "Hold up My heart" almost daily). Then we got to talking about deep complex spiritual thoughts, I always have more questions then there are answers. My dad has faith, solid faith. I'm grateful. My mom kept reminding him to keep his eyes on the road while he talks passionately and looking at us in the backseat through the rearview, and then we all took turns driving. My neck and shoulders felt like a pile of rocks by the end, but I enjoyed the roadtrip with the fam. 

Poor dad was put to work as soon as we got to my house, we are still working on loads of projects and my dad is this amazing carpenter so he has been of great help to us in making this old house look new. Since it was his birthday weekend and all we wanted to give him the exciting opportunity to cut a new door in the garage, happy birthday dad! Seriously, We promise that next time he comes he can just chill by the pool and go play golf with Dave.

Sunday however, was a day of rest for dad, we went to church and came home for a breakfast of Eggs Benedict, a White House family tradition. My parents have perfected the recipe, may be my favorite thing to eat of all time... more then pizza even. Though pizza is pretty unbelievable. We opened some gifts and he took a good Sunday snooze on the couch. Mom made him a cherry chip cake, have you ever had one of those? Really yummy. I made green chili enchilada's for dad's birthday, I am not much in the kitchen, as of now I can make less then five things, one of those five things is enchiladas, luckily they are one of my dads favorites. I have to say that they turned out quite tasty, we ate the left overs over the next two days...mmm. 

That evening was the Jack and White show at the Hotel Cafe. When it comes to my music, my dad is my number one fan (mom too). Most parents aren't in favor of their kids packin' up and moving out to LA to become a rockstar (not that thats exactly how it went) but my parents had a feeling early on, they knew before I did, but they never pushed, they've prayerfully supported and stayed close to me through it all with loving enthusiasm, I'm very grateful. They are music lovers, I am a music lover because they are music lovers. Anywho, back to the show, we are a new lil' band me and jack and we are just starting to get out there and perform our songs, so I loved that my fam was there, honestly, even if no one shows up and my family is there, I feel on top of the world. All in all it was a fun show,We did a special Beatles style birthday tune "ya say it's your birthday" good times rock n' roll! 

The next morning they left at 4:30 in order to get back for work, I always feel like cryin' when they pull out of the driveway and back down the road to Arizona. 

Dad, I hope you had a great birthday, so glad we could share it with ya. You are one wonderful dad. 

SHE'S FIFTY AND FINE...

On August 11th Kaylene, my too pretty for words mom that looks like she could be my sister, turned 50. I know that is still so young, but many would agree that 50 is a significant milestone of life. I am already just a little over halfway there and that is kinda freaky, not that I really think about it often, but isn't it amazing how speedily the sand falls through the hour glass. Each year feels faster then the last. I jumped on board the fast train years ago, and sometimes wish I could brace myself and jump off, or even just slow it down, however this is the golden age of health and opportunity and I am really trying to enjoy and utilize all this energy that most likely won't last forever. Artistically I feel like maybe I've hit my prime and am starting to love what I do more then ever, emotionally i'm finally starting to feel a little more secure with in myself, I've gotten to do so much, and yet there is so much more to look forward to, so much more to do, the most important things are yet to come... looking forward to it all and yet happy in the here and now.

Anywho, we wanted to surprise my momma, and so we devised a top secret plan a week in advance. I snuck over to Arizona the night before, my sister picked me up from the airport, we stayed up late into the evening at her house preparing an early morning surprise tea party.  She had requested that we didn't throw her a full blown surprise party, so we kept it quaint and personable with just us girls. With stealthy coordination with our awesome dad, we were able to come over in the early hours of the morning and set the table with fresh flowers, place tags, tea cups and a yummy breakfast with out making a peep... not an easy task for super loud talkers like us. When she came out of her room for my dad to "take her out to breakfast" she was completely stunned! It's the greatest thing when someone is genuinely surprised! We made her wear a goofy childrens princess hat, she was so happy, and that made me sooo happy. We also gave her a book that my siblings, and dad and I compiled for her using iphoto... "fifty things we love about Kaylene" with pictures throughout her life and all the things we love about her big and small, she cried some happy tears. Per her request we ended the day with the whole family at the Dbacks Game where we had a fancy dinner of hotdogs and a soda, even Katie Boo could get herself a gluten free bun at the game. Oh and the Dbacks were able to pull off the win in the extra inning! Woowoo!

Pretty much I love this lady a lot. As babelicious and sparkly as she is on the outside, she is even sparklier on the inside... so much depth and character, compassion and empathy towards others. She is authentic and honest, a true individual always trying to better herself and is courageous to be who she is regardless of what people think. She is quirky and candid, funny and innocent.  And she butters toast like no other. Mom we sure do love ya. 

Somehow she has turned back the clock, and can't be defined by a number, but  hey, If this is what 50 looks like, then cool, sign me up!