Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
The Big 3-0
Someone turned 30 yesterday, and his initials are Z.R.R. It’s hard to believe that Zach’s twenties are really and truly over, especially since I’m not too far behind him!
When Zach and I got together, we were both 21 years old –almost an entire decade younger than we are now. We definitely lived it up over the past (almost) nine years, and I think we’re just where we should be in life at 29 and 30.
We celebrated the big birthday with a family dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Maldaners. That was followed by the standard fudge nut and mint chocolate chip ice cream cake along with that big ol’ caramel ice cream sundae. Too much ice cream for Zach? No such thing.
Zach is going to celebrate again on Saturday with a boys’ night out, which I am more than happy to miss out on since I’ll be playing a gig. I won’t have any wild and crazy birthday celebrations this year, considering I will be 9 months pregnant on June 5! But that’s just fine with me…I’m more than willing to wait an extra week or so for the best 30th birthday gift ever.
Week 17
Another week, another baby belly photo! This week, Junebug is the size of an onion. I can definitely tell a difference in the size of my bump, but no one has actually called me out on it yet (other than people who know I’m pregnant).
We had our 16 week doctor’s appointment at the end of last week, and it went great. We listened to the baby’s heartbeat, which was about 150 beats per minute, and scheduled our next BIG appointment — when we’ll find out whether it’s a girl or boy!
On January 25, we’ll have an ultrasound to check out the baby, but instead of having them tell us then and there, we’re going to have them write it down in an envelope. Zach’s dad is taking the envelope to Baskin-Robbins and having them decorate the cake based on the baby’s sex, and we’ll do a big reveal at dinner later that night with our family. I’m going to be going crazy all day with anticipation, but I think it will be worth it to have that fun moment.
What Junebug Got For Christmas
It was a great Christmas in the Rambach household, particularly for the one of us who isn’t born yet. Zach and I got plenty of great presents from each other and our families, of course, but it was great to get a head start on baby supplies and accessories.
The entire box you see above is completely filled with clothes, toys, bath supplies, and other completely adorable (and gender-neutral…notice no pink or blue!?) things for Junebug. But that wasn’t all we got.
I also got some thoughtful baby-related gifts from my students, like these two books. I thought it was so sweet of my student, Annie, to choose two of her favorite books from when she was a baby for Junebug.
Zach received some reading material, too! I absolutely LOVE this book gifted to him from his siblings — it definitely applies to this iEverything addict. I’m going to have to remind him to read it on a regular basis pretty soon. In addition to this book, he also received The Expectant Father and Quarterback Dad: A Play-By-Play Guide To Tackling Your New Baby.
I am in no way whatsoever a fan of football, but Zach is a HUGE Chicago Bears fan. I couldn’t resist picking up a couple cute outfits I came across at Target just before Christmas. We still don’t know whether Junebug is a girl or boy, but I figured they can be worn either way. I think Sadie was a little jealous of all the attention the baby is already receiving, poor puppy.
I didn’t take pictures of ALL our baby-related gifts, but there were lots of others. One of my favorites is the diaper bag my best friend Katie gave me. She is always giving me very extravagant gifts, so I shouldn’t be surprised that it is a Coach bag. I’m going to be a stylish mom…well, at least as far as the diaper bag goes :) I also received plenty of maternity clothes that, in addition to all the clothes my sister-in-law Rebecca gave me, will get me through the rest of my pregnancy.
This is only a taste of being a family with a baby. We were definitely reminded enough times to enjoy the last relatively quiet holiday of our lives. I can only imagine what next Christmas is going to look like!
Seeking Balance in 2013
Here’s the cold, hard truth: the transition from 2012 to 2013 has been a little rough for me. Not because I wasn’t ready for the start of a new year, but because physically, I was in bad shape. I’ve had enough cold bugs in the past that I normally stand up to them like a champ, but this last one got the best of me.
I spent the final three days of 2012 in bed, only getting up to fulfill two performance obligations (including one on New Year’s Eve, when I was at my very worst). There was so much I wanted to do — take down my Christmas decorations, clean my house, write my “2013” song, and get my studio ready for the new semester — but nothing got done. This was one of those rare occasions when I decided to really listen to my body and put my health above all, something I wasn’t used to doing before I was pregnant.
That extra rest paid off, thankfully, and I was ready for my first day back to work yesterday. I’m still not feeling my best, and my voice isn’t nearly back to normal, but I’m thrilled to be functioning as a human being again.
And I’m finally at the point where I can be excited about the start of a brand new year. There is so much to look forward to in 2013; so much, in fact, that I decided not to overwhelm myself with any HUGE goals or resolutions. With my first baby on the way, I need to focus on bringing more BALANCE into my life…something that has eluded me in the past. And that was okay; I could get away with overloading myself with work up until now.
So while I may not be committing to blogging every single day or writing a new song every week in 2013, I am making a promise to set an example in productivity, creativity, and progress in both my work and personal lives…while maintaining my sanity and keeping my stress level to a minimum (both of which where challenged frequently over the last few years!).
My next balancing act of the day involves eating a healthy breakfast, followed by getting to work recording my new “2013” song — well, the instrument parts, at least. I’ll have the finished product here for you just as soon as my voice returns in full. Thanks for being patient, and for following along with my quest for balance in 2013!
Weekly Bump
As soon as we found out I was pregnant, Zach suggested that we take weekly photos to document my growing belly. It was also his idea to pose with the corresponding-sized fruit each week…pretty creative, right?
I’ve had a couple friends (both whom also happen to be pregnant) ask if I was going to start wearing a shirt once I got bigger, which I thought was hilarious :) And also an excellent idea. When I was 4 weeks pregnant and still had a flat belly, going shirtless didn’t seem like a big deal at all, but as I’ve grown, I’m getting a little more self-conscious.
I have 4 weeks to go before I hit the halfway mark (and get to find out the sex for sure!) which seems just unbelievable. There have been times when this pregnancy has seemed to crawl by at a snail’s pace, but other times, it’s like time has flown.
These photos will be so much fun to look back at near the end and after the baby is born. Right now I can’t even imagine having a huge belly, but it does get bigger with each passing week. I’ll know exactly how it feels soon enough, that’s for sure!
Friday Fave: 2012 in Review
It’s a little mind-blowing to think that I’m writing the very last “Friday Fave” installment of 2012. This year seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye…maybe because I wasn’t blogging every day like I did in 2011.
Even so, I had plenty to keep me busy over the last 12 months. I kicked off 2012 by announcing a BIG work-related goal: to write and record an original Listen & Learn song every single week for a year. I had been slacking a bit in the songwriting department, and wanted to work on my skills (not to mention beef up my catalog of resources for my own clients).
This goal proved to be a challenging one, but it has also been one of the most rewarding. I truly love the writing and recording process, now moreso than ever; and the feedback I’ve received from my own clients, Listen & Learn readers, and other music therapists who’ve purchased my songs has made my effort worth every last moment spent (times one hundred!).
I’m looking forward to writing many more songs in 2013, but I’m not setting a hard and fast goal for myself when it comes to the blog. But I’ll save the New Year’s talk for January…let’s get back to 2012. When I wasn’t busy cranking out new music, I was working with clients, teaching lessons, and building my Music Therapy Connections business.
In June, I had the opportunity to hire a brilliant music therapist who had just moved to the area, and she has been subcontracting for me ever since. It has worked out better than I could have ever imagined — not only does she have an opportunity to work with lots of clients, but I now have a much shorter waiting list.
The highlight reel for 2012 is quite long, so I’ll end my yearly review with a few bullet points. Here goes:
- Celebrating 3 years of Music Therapy Round Table podcasts and a successful first year of Music Therapy Pro
- Watching many of my students perform in our local Junior Festival — a few even received their first gold cups!
- Wrapping up my first official year of full-time business ownership, which went more smoothly than I could have asked for
- Spending a fun and productive weekend with my MTRT & MT Pro colleagues, Kimberly Sena Moore and Michelle Efurt (and finding out that Michelle is expecting a baby…due in a little over a week!)
- Taking some personal time to enjoy several amazing vacations with my husband. Between Key Largo, Europe, and Maui, we had the travel year of a lifetime
- Getting the opportunity to spread the word about my business through several media outlets, including television and radio interviews
- Finding out that I’m expecting! Baby Rambach is due on June 14!
- Seeing many of my music therapy friends (and meeting lots of new ones) in person at the AMTA national conference
- Spending the holidays with my friends from across the country and of course, my entire family
Both personally and professionally, 2012 was a year I will never forget…in the best possible way. I’m so thankful to have an outlet where I can share my ideas, creations, and random thoughts, and even more thankful that so many people are interested in reading.
Thank you so much for making this blog worth writing. I hope your year was filled with good things, and I so look forward to ringing in 2013 with you!
From Our Family To Yours…
Catch the Spirit
We’ve caught the spirit BIG TIME in my house, and spread it to all of our friends and family at our annual “Tis the Season” holiday party last night. It’s highly contagious, but in the best possible way ;)
Honestly, though, I’ve been filled with the spirit for a couple of weeks now, thanks to all of my wonderful students coming through the door brimming with excitement about Christmas break and presents and everything else that come along with the holidays.
They inspired me to write this week’s song, which is all about catching the spirit of this time of year, and then spreading it to others. It’s one of those songs that just makes me feel good inside; I hope it puts a smile on your face and some cheer in your heart.
How are you spending this Christmas Eve? After some serious sleeping in and cleaning up after the festivities last night, I’m enjoying a relaxing day at home before dinner, church, and more holiday parties this evening. Have fun, be careful, and Merry Christmas!
Friday Fave: You’re Unique, You Are Special
I haven’t written about the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary because, well, I’m not sure what to say that hasn’t been said already. What I do know is that I’m absolutely heartbroken — for the victims, for their families, and for the entire community of Newtown, Connecticut.
Earlier this week, I received a message from my friend and fellow music therapist, Julie Lindemuth. She had written a song called “You’re Unique, You Are Special” some time ago, but shared it recently with a child who has autism and was terrified to go back to school after hearing about the shooting.
She was kind enough to allow me to post the video here at Listen & Learn today; I know that many of you, like myself, work with children and adolescents who might very well benefit from a song like this.
As music therapists, we often are faced with difficult issues within our sessions and it’s not always easy to come up with appropriate ways to handle them. Thank you, Julie, for taking the time to pass this great resource along.
Lights, Lights, Lights
I wrote this song over two weeks ago, but just now got around to recording it after getting sick and then going on vacation. It’s been running through my head all this time, so it feels good to get it out and share it with you.
Christmas is only days away, and yet this is the only holiday song I’ve written so far this year. It has a much different feel than others I’ve written in previous years; it’s more laid-back and sounds a little more grown-up to me. I think that fits with the subject matter, though — this song makes me want to take a stroll through my neighborhood and admire all the lights twinkling at night.
This is my last week with students before the holiday break, so I’m going to be getting as much use out of my holiday repertoire as possible. My original songs and all the traditional standards have been in high demand all month, not that I’m complaining!