172/365

Just when I thought Kansas couldn't get any better...it did!!! The Clawson All-American Retreat starts right now. There will be water. There will be late-night walks around the lake. There will be cornfield tours. There will be marshmallow shakes from Dairy Dump. There will be little league softball. There will be fireworks and clay pigeons. And, most importantly, there will be US. Together. For the first time in 10 days.

171/365

The older we get, the more different our lives look. The more different our lives look, the closer we get. It used to be as simple as laying out on the trampoline and baking cookies. Now it's about having babies and taxes and in-laws and ex-wives :) Alot of complicated stuff on our plates, but our relationship feels pretty effortless. And I love her for that.

I got the chance to ride around with my best childhood friend, Brenna, today, and see her at work. Which I would recommend exposing yourself to all your best friend's work environments. It gives you a new appreciation and understanding for their life. I came away from a few hours with Brenna with this thought: we are all uniquely made. Thank God for that! Because I can look you in the eye and say that I was NOT created in any way to be a hospice nurse. Listening to Brenna dish out drugs in between patiently handling their disgruntled family members was very impressive to me. I mean, I can barely figure out how to properly apply a band-aid.

170/365

If I could just find an industry where tanning can create a profit for me...then I'd be in business. This week has been about good workouts, good healthy meals, good family time and a good TAN! I am one of those white-skinned girls. No other way to describe it, really. Just white. But I do harvest a good crop of freckles between Memorial Day and Labor Day....took this vid on the way back from the pool today. They're starting to multiply to the point that they're just one big blob of melanin. Bring on the summertime.

169/365

This moment was precious and just made my day. She sure loves her "Peeper!" (translation: Cooper). I should also add that there will be a similar response when I see my man tomorrow for the 1st time in 10 days...(8 days too many, in my opinion.)

168/365

Never a dull moment. (as you can see from this last week's entries.) I would like to declare that a vacation at my parent's house might be the most entertaining getaway I could find. From the slip-n-slide to the recon mission, swimming pool to little league, weddings and birthday parties...I am having a blast. Now I just need my loverboy to get here....

167/365

Oh, to be young again.

Remember those recon missions I mentioned in Day 137? Well, here's a more descriptive interpretation of such a mission. Once again, I'd like to stress that we have the best dad in the world. He woke up at 3:30 am for work in 100 degree heat, stood over a grill and threw a birthday party for Coop all night and then took the guys out for a little country combat around 10:30 pm. Dad of the year. Or the decade. Or of the world. He's incredible.

I would also like to mention that I attempted to brave the night and capture this mission on tape (well, hard drive, really) and I only lasted about 10 minutes in the giant mosquitos. No sister awards here.

166/365

To all Dairy Queen employees nationwide, please take note. THIS is a crunch cone. It is a vanilla cone covered in crunchy elements. Please don't make me argue and get dramatic with you every time I come through the drive thru in Nashville or elsewhere. Please don't treat me like I'm a mental patient when I order one. Please don't act like you can't make me one because it's not on your menu. Because you can. If they can do it in Kansas, you can do it too.

It was such a treat to hit up a real DQ tonight. It's the little things, I tell ya...

165/365

20-6, final score. Sterling's newest nine year old bat like a crazy man tonight too. Go Coop! Go Jacam! Go summer vacation!

164/365

Nine. Years. Old. Kinda freaks me out because when I left for Nash, he has just turned 1. You do the math.

One day during my junior year of high school, mom and I were driving to piano and she just started bawling uncontrollably. She told me she was pregnant and that she didn't know what she was going to do. Claimed she was too old. Riley had just started school, so she had gone back to work for the first time in years just 2 weeks before. It was her 37th bday that day and she was an emotional mess all through her birthday party.

Needless to say, mom is the greatest mother ever. And needless to say, God knew exactly what He was doing. Because just as I was leaving the nest, He was giving her someone who needed her in ways I didn't anymore. So He filled that void. I cannot tell you how many times in the last nine years we've all looked at each other and said how we cannot imagine whatever we're experiencing at the time without him. (Wether it be a holiday or a dinner, a trip in the car or any wedding dance!) Out of all of us, he is the most like mom. He's quirky, engaged in the moment, sensitive, spiritually in tune, wears his heart on his sleeve and is extremely tender-hearted. Like last year when he asked why we don't celebrate the mothers on birthdays "since they did all the work". It's just one comment like that after another. Happy Birthday, Cooper Christian Galyon. You are truly an icon of God's love for this family.

If you'd like to see what a difference a year makes, click HERE.

163/365

I thought today's footage was a great representation of our family. It says something that I couldn't put into words.

Ok, so lets talk about Father's Day for a minute. My poor dad gets ripped off every year because his birthday is June 19th. And everyone knows what happens...joint gifts, which hardly ever compensate for the two holidays. But here's the thing about my dad. He wants for so little and gives so much. If I had to describe my dad's love for us in one word it would be sacrifice. Quick example: this year for Father's Day he wouldn't let us buy him anything because he said that he bought a membership for the family at the Pine Acres Pool here in Sterling (it's a private swimming pool) and that was his gift to himself. I mean, really? He basically bought US a gift for Father's Day. Typical.

Twenty something years ago he sacrificed alot, to CHOOSE to be my dad. And he has never once waivered in his commitment to me. He has woken up at 5:00 every morning to go work in the coldest of winters and the hottest of summers to put food on the table. And in doing so he put the wind in my wings. Because he has instilled in me the concept of dying to yourself to life a fulfilling life. Too many times the world will tell us that what we want is what we need. But my dad has taught me that a good life sometimes means doing things that are difficult, and it has served me well in my life. I know we don't get to pick our parents and most of the time our parents don't get to pick us. But, I consider myself lucky, because my dad chose me, and I am very proud to be the daughter of a workin' man.

162/365

The video says it all. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Jake Shaw...err....I mean, Jered Shaw. (You had to be there.)

Aside from my altercation with the drugged up deejay, today was a picture of homegrown goodness.

161/365

My cousin is marrying her childhood love tomorrow at the church 1 block away from grandma's house in Little River, KS (population 1,000-and-something).

Now look me in the eye and try to tell me that's not that sweetest thing in the world. I dare you.

160/365

This was going down across the street from my grandma's house when we pulled into town today. I mean, when it's 100+ degrees in a town with no swimming pool, what do you expect? I live for these true Heart of America moments.

Speaking of the heart...mine was very full today. I got a phone call as I was pulling into Little River, KS for a wedding rehearsal that Jim Brickman played the piano track/solo on "The Giver & The Gift" today. Repeat: Jim Brickman played piano on "The Giver & The Gift". I know to some that might a) not be a very big deal and/or b) be a cheesy accomplishment. But, for me personally, it was one of those full circle moments. Here's why...

When I was 8, 9, 10 years old, I started having a desire to play songs on the piano outside of what I was learning in my lessons. So, I would save my birthday and special occasion money. We would drive to Hutchinson and mom would take me to Johnson's Music. If sheet music were candy, I was like a kid in a candy store. It was better than any toy or candy I could find anywhere. New music. (Funny how some things never change.) The wall of sheet music seemed to be 2 stories high because at the time I was so little. So I'd point and have mom grab the books I couldn't reach. Once I found something I liked, I'd ask permission to play one of the pianos in the store, which was a real treat, because at the time, we had a pretty crummy piano. So to play a shiny new instrument that had all the ivories was such a privilege. Anyway, back to my point. I used to LOVELOVELOVE to buy Jim Brickman piano music.

To think that I was 8 years old playing piano parts that Jim Brickman wrote...and that today Jim Brickman played a piano part I wrote....well....it's huge. Christmas in June just keeps on comin!

159/365

There are a million different opinions on what it takes to make it in Nashville. Well, I would say, in this case, it takes guts. Molly and I knew that we couldn't ignore the fact that God had opened all the doors for us to stand on that stage in front of those people in the face of huge opportunities. So we prayed, gave each other a hug, and went out there and shook our tutus in a room full of tattooed indie artists. And, I have to say, that without a doubt, this has been one of the most fulfilling music endeavors I've ever undertaken. It's less about the music, but more about the fact that we don't feel like we know how this thing turned into what it is. And, even more, we can't comprehend some of the things that could potentially be happening in the future with it. Minutes after we finished, we threw off our Santa hats, laid on the ground of the green room at the Rutledge in silence, then looked at each other and said, "we did it." As my publisher put it best, this will always be remembered as the week the Mistletoe Project grew its wings. Sounds more like something you'd say to The Reindeer Project, but I liked the sentiment :)

158/365

All Music Conference. 2010. As my publisher put it, the week the "Mistletoe Project grew its wings." In short, the AMC is a 3-day event where artists & tv/film music supervisors' worlds collide. Think summer camp meets the music biz. First item of business today was a co-write w/ 4 music supervisors and 3 musicians I'd never met before. The assignment was to introduce ourselves and write a song in less than 2 hours then record it at Oceanway in 30 minutes. Sounded like a potential trainwreck to me. But this is what we came up with...

157/365

If you would have told me a year ago that I'd be dancing around like a maniac in a tutu & tights in front of a room full of indie artists and film/tv supervisors....well, I woulda spit my drink out laughing. But, sho nuff, just like everything in my life, God surprises me. And stretches me. Case in point, The Mistletoe Project.

Me and ol' Moldog are taking the All Music Conference by storm tomorrow night. Honored to be playing in a lineup of a bunch of names that we totally respect musically. But, lets be honest, we're gonna stand out like sore thumbs. Sore thumbs in red tutus. Can I tell you a secret, though? (In my whisper voice: I am actually really really excited.) You either stand out or you blend in in this life. And I am ready for every head to spin tomorrow night when we fire up the Christmas lights, prop up the Christmas trees, and set that stage on fire. Why can't it always be this way????!!!!!! It's a HOL-I-DAY!!!!!

156/365

Use it or lose it. Never been so evident as yesterday and today...as I for the first time in a number of years sat down to sight read some sheet music. Since the age of 5, I have been told by every piano teacher that I am extremely good sight-reader. I actually faked my way through most of my piano lessons in grade school because they couldn't tell that I didn't practice. I could just focus and play it note for note off the page. That obviously got more difficult as I progressed as a piano player. Playing had alot more to do with interpretation and technique than it did playing notes. Anyway, back to my point...

I feel like I'm dyslexic.

Or cross-eyed.

Or just flat-out stupid.

It has been really humbling.

And frustrating.

I think I'm back in the groove now. I can almost recognize the old me coming out from hiding. But it's taken a few hours. I am one of the few that DIDN'T quit taking piano lessons in 7th grade when it became uncool and was overshadowed by athletics. And I am so proud to be one of the few people in Nashville that can actually read music. It is truly one of my favorite things to do. Just play and not have the responsibility for making it all come out of thin air. But who would've thunk I'd spend all those years practicing, just to find out that I only need to know 3 chords to get paid to write for a living. Hm.

155/365

I found myself in the storage room looking for an old 3-ring-binder to use for a wedding I'm playing in this weekend. An hour later I found myself in the middle of a pile of pictures, yearbooks and letters. The past. The tangible past. I found several letters from high school boyfriends...let me tell you, that was a trip. I read through our senior class literary journal and old volleyball and basketball newspaper clippings. I could have videoed so many things, but I thought this little item was pretty relevant. 7th grade article on my future plans. Oh, little girl, little did you know...

154/365

As I was trapped belly to back at the front of a crowd of 80,000 drug-induced bodies, in 90 degree heat, with no guarantee of not getting trampled or a deathly secondhand high, I couldn't help but ask myself, "How did I get here"? And now that I'm back in the comfort of my air-conditioned home, 2 showers and 8 hours of sleep later, I can tell you exactly how I got there. GRAND DESIGN. Although at the time I was in the most delirious form of heat-exhausted states, Bonnaroo was most definitely a memory that has grown and flourished in the past 24 hours. There's no telling how big it will be in my mind 20 years from now.

To be more exact, I had the privilege of sharing in the fruits of my friends' labor. If you've never heard of Aloompa, that ends today. Kurt Nelson, Tyler Seymour & Drew Burchfield have spent the past several years marrying the digital age with their imaginations. And they have proven time and time again that they can basically do anything they want. Because they are brilliant, and even harder workers than they are genius. My point? They created the iPhone app for Bonnaroo. Therefore, they got sweet passes. Somehow, they had an extra. Ultimately, I got to experience the Woodstock of our time. Thank you ALOOMPA & thank you BONNAROO. I wouldn't trade one trip to the port-a-potty, one breath of second hand pot, one footstep in the mud, one bead of sweat down my back for yesterday.

P.S. That's Conan O' Brian. We're buds now.

153/365

I've never done this before, but there's a first time for everything. And once you see day 154, you'll know what I mean. This past week has been a busy blur of days, topped off by none other than my first trip to Bonnaroo. This week's clip is a preview of our musical experience, serenaded by Miss Brandi Carlisle and her audience. I've been spending a lot of time studying how artists take command of not only the stage, but the room. How it is they make their audience feel connected and involved in the event. No matter how subtle or grandiose the tactic, they are always deliberate. In the case of Miss Carlile, she managed to not only get everyone in the room singing, but to do so in 3-part harmony. Just a taste of what we consumed this weekend.

Speaking of artists, I've been seeing a lot of Ron lately (my voice coach, but I prefer to call him my diva instructor). He's turning me into the singer I never knew I could be. I know that sounds soooo cheesy. Believe me, I would have thought so before my time with Ron. But, it is true. Even more than singing, he's giving me nuggets of wisdom along the way. Today (Friday)(day 153), I was telling him about how much I value reality. And that I'm a realist in my approach to all things music. He said, "An artist's livelihood is their imagination." Imagining a song going from your head to tape. Imagining yourself on a huge stage. Imagining yourself accepting an award. Or having your name on the top of the charts. I mean, I've heard all about the power of positive thinking and planning on something coming true. The whole Secret approach to life. But something about him just saying "Nicolle, use your imagination" really resonated with me. Because as creative as I am, I'd admit I don't have a great imagination. I aim to create art that is based on reality. But, moving forward, I am making a conscious and deliberate effort to use my imagination. Because, as Ron put it best, "You're a superstar as soon as you start thinking you are."

152/365

I often wonder how it is that I got the life I live. Of course I know it's the Lord. And I don't mean to say that flippantly. I just know that He's responsible. But, He's also responsible for putting people in my path that aid in His plan for my life. Tonight, I had the privilege of going to dinner with my peeps at Warner-Chappell. They insisted upon celebrating my resigning with the company. (They didn't have to insist. The slightest mention of free dinner and I'm there.) But it felt uncanny....kind of like I should be treating them, since they after all are taking the chance on me as a writer. I love what I do, and it is because of several people at this table that I get to continue to do it.

Here's to the future...

151/365

Big'n? Really? Big'n?

This man uses a bluetooth. This man talks about fishing. This man uses the word big'n. He is a redneck and he is mine.

150/365

I was pretty high on life today. I wish I could bottle it up and take a dose of whatever I was drunk on today everyday. There was a moment when I was driving down the street, just thinking to myself "this is good. i love this." Maybe I should just claim my humanity and accept that that feeling is fleeting. But there's this voice inside of me that says not to settle for that. I can't really put my finger on what it is that set me into such a happy little orbit, but I think it might the perfect balance of socializing and work, structure and flexibility, predictable and variety in my day. I don't know about you, but for me that's such an overarc theme in my life. Finding balance. Work and play. Family and friends. Privacy and public. Grace and truth. Real and fantasy. Today I had the most relaxing and impromptu breakfast with a friend, ran some errands, wrote a song, had a voice lesson, went to a birthday party, then went to a show. I'm currently studying the elements of this day. Because there was something very right about it.

149/365

Practice, practice, practice.

My publisher sent me this article today called Personality Counts...all about what it takes to be an artist in the music biz. It was 11 bullet points. And what was #1?

1. Are you willing to work?

Plan on giving up television. Nights out with your friends. Marriage.
Children. Making it is about sacrifice. Talent is at best fifty
percent, desire is the rest.

Well, I'd just like to announce that if wearing tutu's in June in front of a room full of indie artists isn't sacrifice and passion, then I don't know what is :) The Mistletoe Project is playing the All Music Conference next week and can I just publicly confess that I've been praying for courage. And for a true sense of confidence in God's plan. Because I'm gonna need both of those in order to sell what we're fixin to sell at this show. We'll be playing our Christmas project for film and tv supervisors alongside some SERIOUS musicians...in our full-on Mistletoe gear! AHHHH. It's a private event, so we won't really have our die-hard Christmas addicts there to give us that boost we need, so we're practicing our little tutu-bearin' booties off in order to best prepare ourselves for the gig.

As for my pub's email, I have to say...that I love anything that puts hard work at the top of the list. Not because hard work is about earning something great. But hard work is an active faith in what God will provide. So, we're just fa-la-la-laboring our way toward next week and whatever it will bring.

148/365

"God will destroy everything you love if you live long enough."

"All I want's a piggyback ride into the other side."

"Head versus heart equals bicycle versus the car."

Don't mention that he's a great singer, multi-faceted instrumentalist, attractive, funny, a great performer, has the coolest website* I've ever seen, or the fact that he loves Breaking Bad. Bob Schneider is a lyrical genius. Lets focus on that part. He makes writing a hit sound boring. If a great song were in a rubix cube, he'd have solid colors on all sides within minutes.

I can't remember how or who turned me on to his records about 5 years ago, but I have been a BIG BIG BIG fan from first listen. And tonight, I finally got to see him play live. Final thoughts? John Mayer, Ludacris, Daughtry...I love you...you are mucho talented...but you better hope he never gets top 40 play, or else he's gonna make what you do look elementary.

*not PG.

147/365

If I could write the script for a perfect Tennessee evening, this might be it. The best barbeque you've ever imagined, great people (many of whom are big supporters of my musical cause), adirondack conversations on the shore of the lake, and a 2 hour midnite music fest. I'll admit that there are moments--possibly just for sheer convenience--where I long for a house downtown. But, I turned to Rodney last night as we walked across the street from our neighbor's house and said, "I wouldn't trade this for anything." And it's the truth. We sat on the side of the lake til about 1am with our feet in the water, sipping the most delicious Rum concoction, telling stories and laughing until we couldn't laugh anymore. Priceless.

146/365

gulch (n.)- 1. A small ravine, especially one cut by a torrent. 2. The location of the Walker's loft. 3. Home of Cantina Laredo. 4. A good Friday night.

145/365

Zion fell asleep asleep during his mom's show. I wish Tampa Bay was in Tennessee.

144/365

I miss my Grandpa Ed. That's him singin. He built a mighty fine family. Received a purple heart in WW2. And loved to play his Gibson guitar from East Tennessee to Central Kansas. I think I decided today that I want a cross and keys on my headstone.

Happy Memorial Day, Pappy. Thanks for telling me to write my own songs before I even knew what you were talking about.