5 Songs that Remind Me of the Adams Family



                                           

     Ever since I was little the Adams family has been a huge part of my life. A majority of my childhood memories include them, especially Jaime. Jaime and I were born just 4 days apart. Growing up, we were attached at the hip. Her family is like my second family. Not only are Jaime and I best friends, our parents are too. Over the past few years Jaime and I have drifted apart. High school has really changed everything and we barely see each other anymore. When we do though, it is always a blast. She has always been that one person in my life that I could tell anything to and she would never judge me. I still consider her my best friend.
    
     Although I am not a big music person, there are many songs that remind me of Jaime and her family. Here is a list of just a few of them that bring back some of my favorite memories:


The Tide is High
by: Hilary Duff



"Every girl wants you to be her man,
But I'll wait right here 'til it's my turn.
I'm not the kind of girl
Who gives up just like that.
Oh, no!
The tide is high but I'm holding on.
I'm gonna be your number one."

     Back in the day Jaime, her sister Kate, and I loved Lizzy McGuire. When the movie came out in 2003, we fell in love with the songs. That summer we went on vacation to Gulf Shores, AL and of course we listened to that CD the entire way. There was one moment when we were trying to find a hotel for the night and no one had any open rooms. After about 6 different hotels, this song came on and we sat with the van door open, belting it at the top of our lungs. Eventually after singing it a few times, we found a place to stay.


Who Let the Dogs Out
by: Baha Men



"Who let the dogs out? {woof, woof, woof, woof}
Who let the dogs out? {woof, woof, woof, woof}"

Vickie, Jaime's mom, loves to sing. One thing that she has always done since we were all little was change song lyrics so that they were about us. She loved this song. Every time she played it she would insert someones name into in like, "Who let Brett out? {woof, woof, woof, woof}." As a little kid, I thought it was so funny.

Long Live
by: Taylor Swift



"Can you take a moment,
Promise me this:
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye.
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures,
Please tell 'em my name"

     In 2011, Taylor Swift came to St. Louis with her Speak Now tour. Jaime's aunt, Jill, bought all of us tickets to see her. However, no one told me about them and so for my 16th birthday, they surprised me with tickets. It was seriously one of the best nights ever.
Jaime and I had floor seats near the stage and Taylor put on an amazing
show. This song is on her Speak Now album. It is special to me for a couple of reasons.
    
     First, Jaime and I are graduating this year.
That is what this whole song is about, remembering those great high school moments. We don't get to walk across the stage together and probably don't have the same memories but it's such a huge moment in our lives. I don't know what her plans are for college but I doubt we will go somewhere together. I know it'll pull us further apart but I pray that when we come back for breaks that we can reconnect.

     Second, we've always said we would raise our kids together and have them be best friends just like us. But life in unpredictable. I would hope that we can be a part of each other's children's lives someday. If not, I hope she tells them about me and all of our adventures; I know I will tell my kids.


Blown Away
by: Carrie Underwood



"Shatter every window till it's all blown away,
Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away.
Till there's nothing left standing,
Nothing left to yesterday.
Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away,
Blown away."

     Jaime, Kate, and I went to another concert together. It was Carrie Underwood's Blown Away tour at the Scottrade Center. It was simply amazing. The lyrics have no personal connections to either of our lives because we have no "tear-soaked whiskey memories". We both had great childhoods and are blessed to have the lives that we do. The song is just one of our favorites she has written recently and was the encore for her concert.

The Climb
by: Miley Cyrus



"There's always gonna be another mountain.
I'm always gonna wanna make it move.
Always gonna be a uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose.
Ain't about how fast I get there;
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side,
It's the climb."

     Although I do not like this song, it brings back a lot of memories of car rides with the Adams. This was Vickie's favorite song to make fun of the other year, so all of us girls would sing it in our most terrible voices whenever it came on. It was also on the Hannah Montana movie which we tried to watch about 6 or 7 times but we never got a chance to finish. But the song also connects to all of the things that we have been through. The Adams have been there for me at all times, like when my aunt died. They were there to push me through that "uphill battle" and all of the tears. Without them, I don't know where I'd be today.

A New Twist on the Term "Pill Bag"

      Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have officially lost it. Their brand, The Row, along with artist Damien Hirst created 12 exclusive backpacks. These bags are made of black patent, Nile crocodile and each bag is signed and decorated either by dots or prescription pills. Yes that's right, pills. They went on sale this past Wednesday, December 11, at the L.A boutique and e-tailer, Just One Eye. And what was the price you ask? $55,000... that is like 1,800 times more than the average backpack. I understand that Nile crocodile may be expensive but the price tag is ridiculous especially since the backpack isn't even cute. And what is the deal with the pills? Pills are supposed to be in a bottle IN the purse, not on it. I guess if you forget to take your pill in morning, you could always just peel one off of your bag. The dots are a little better but it reminds me of a twister board made of crocodile. It's just not anything special, it's weird. So the question is; who will buy these backpacks? The Olsens' other bags range from $2,350 to $39,000 which have been a huge hit at Barneys. I would love to know who would pay such an absurd amount for a small bag. I mean a classic Chanel purse is around $5,000 and they usually aren't found on the arm of the average woman. Why would anyone want to pay 11 times that amount for something so ugly? It could be because a portion of the $55,000 benefits UNICEF, I don't know how much goes to the cause but at least they are donating some of their profit. Maybe someone would buy it just to say they own one of the twelve made or maybe if they are fans of Damien Hirst's art. Either way it is a massive waste of money. I guess it's safe to say that this backpack is not on my Christmas list this year.

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If Only...

2009

     If I could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, I would choose my aunt Lisa. She passed away a little over 3 years ago from breast cancer. My aunt was my rock, my idol. No matter what battle she was fighting she always kept a smile on her face. I admired her strength and beauty so much. Because all of the chemo and radiation, she lost her hair but that didn't change anything. Even with a bandanna and hat on her head she was still so beautiful to me. She died a few weeks before I started high school so freshman year was a little rough for me. My aunt was like my second mother; she was there for me no matter what. I miss her... everyday.
      We used to always go on big shopping excursions with my mom and my cousin Paige. After hours of shopping we would go and get dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. That's where I'd want to go if I could have dinner with her again. We would get the usual; chicken piccata with mashed potatoes for me and the crab cake sandwich with fries for her. I don't like cheesecake but after we ate she would probably order a cup of coffee and some type of chocolate cheesecake. She would scrape up the whipped cream off of the cheesecake and put it in her coffee. I would wear my green and blue polka dot Boden pull-over that she got me for my birthday. It was the last gift I received from her and it means the world to me. She would wear her matching one; it was a pink and orange polka dot jacket. She would have on one of her many pendants from Posh as well. I definitely admired her style.
      We would talk for hours about everything in life. I would update her on the family; about Vernita, Grandma, John's wife as well as all of us. Everything has changed so much since she's been gone. But I'd talk to her about high school and tell her about all of the dresses I have worn for homecoming. That was always something we wanted to do-- pick out my dresses together. I would tell her about the boys who have come in and out of my life. My aunt would ask about college of course, and she would assure me that no matter what path I choose, it will end in success. Her kids would be the next topic. Oh how I wish she could have been there to raise those two beautiful kids. I know they still struggle with her loss although they don't talk about her really. I never see them anymore because of my uncle's new wife and it's sad to see how much they've changed. But her kids will never forget her or the amazing lessons she taught them early on. Their step-mom isn't horrible but I hate her. I shouldn't because she has done her best to help raise them. My uncle didn't do well on his own but no one will ever compare to my aunt. She was the most compassionate and sweet person I have ever known. My aunt was truly one-of-a-kind.
      I wish I could have dinner with her just one last time. I would give anything just to see her smile and to hug her again. But I know she is no longer in pain and is watching over me and everyone else from heaven.