Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Yes, I am very aware that Valentine's Day was over a week ago... but today was the day James and I celebrated.... we drove 14 hours on actual Valentine's Day.... we probably ate at Subway... Wait. Subway has GREAT cookies. ok. Nevermind. I have NO grounds to be knocking Subway as an appropriate "Valentine's Day" destination. Maybe not someone's typical "first choice" when making reservations... but hey! Heat those cookies up in the microwave and it's a special occasion to me!

So I woke up to a slew of phone calls and messages... pretty normal when I sleep in :) But I got everything all squared away and even had time to get my hair appointments in!!! Y'all. I feel 10 pounds lighter!!! It has been so long since I got my hair cut. And though I have made it work... it will be SOOOO much easier to fix now. At least the PA State Troopers won't make me weigh in at the weight stations anymore ;)

So I was letting my highlights dry, and I had to do a bit of multi-tasking. I had an interview with Kearney, Nebraska's Daily newspaper (for our show there March 5 at Cunnighams). I had it all planned - I knew I would just be sitting there in the dryer when I needed to be doing the interview - and it actually couldn't have worked out more perfectly. It was so funny though. I was sitting in the hair salon, looking *oh so lovely* with tons of foil in my hair, doing an interview for an upcoming show. I felt so Hollywood! :) Hmmm... not sure how I feel about "feeling Hollywood"... but it's always fun to feel like one of the cool kids every once in a while. :)

I have to say, I have had so much fun with interviews lately. The interviewers have all been asking questions I have never been asked before. They are really keeping me on my toes and making me think! Today, I was talking to Mr. Rick Brown - who just seemed like the coolest guy, and we had been talking about my writing process, the writing of my first record, how it has changed since then, where my songs come from... you get the gist. Then he asked "Do you consider yourself more of a writer or a performer?"

No one has ever asked me that before!

The only way I knew how to answer was to say, "Well, if you told me I could only do one or the other for the rest of my life... I would have to choose performing. I don't know what I would do without it. But I surely can't imagine life without writing."
That one really makes me think! I stick by my answer 100%, but wow. Can't imagine life without EITHER ONE.

I remember watching the John Mayer/Brad Paisley Crossroads and they were asked (or maybe asking each other... don't recall) "If you had to choose between singing or playing guitar for the rest of your life - which would you choose?" They BOTH said playing guitar! I surely wouldn't want to have to choose between singing and playing the fiddle. They have both been such a part of my life since... well... since I can remember. But I think my heart would be absolutely broken if I could never sing again.

So back to Valentine's Day:
After getting my hair "did" all pretty.... THANK YOU DEBBIE!!! James surprised me with dinner reservations at the MELTING POT!!!
He had surprised me all day with chocolates left outside my door. :) Did y'all know they make DARK CHOCOLATE M&M's!?!?!? WOW. And if you have never been to the Melting Pot... someday you have to go! It's not something we can do often. That is for sure. But it is such a fun experience! You need at least a couple of hours.... Fondue takes a while! Plus, you get SOOO much food. But y'all. Dessert. Heavenly. I was SOOO full by the time we made it to desert that I was having a hard time eating it all. Who am I kidding? I was having a hard time during the main entree.

This was my Everest: (Yes. I took pictures)


And we decided on the Dark Chocolate/White Chocolate Fondue. They totally make it into a Yin Yang!


I could barely walk to the car. It's so funny. I ALWAYS take home left overs. I can't eat a lot at once - I always eat lots of small meals. But you can't take fondue home! It's just not the same. I didn't even eat THAT much.... It's just that I get full so quickly. But it was worth the "waddling" to the car. We don't EVER splurge like that. So yeah. Good day. :) And Good night!

Peace, Love, Fiddle, and Fondue,

~natalie