Summer Lovin'

The summer has come and is going just as quickly. Its been busy and full of airplanes, concerts, family time, sunshine and friends. I havent blogged in quite a while bc Nick and I have been sharing my laptop since his went Byebye, and he really needs it more than I do, so he usually takes it. It feels like so much has happened that one blog can't contain it. I might just have to catch you all up over the next few blogs. We're looking into an Ipad for me, instead of another laptop for him, so our problem will be solved, and blogging can happen again on a regular basis!!

It's been a hot summer, a busy summer and a happy few months for Nick and I. I've pretty much been gone every weekend for festivals. I love festivals. but they do wear. Me. Out. Hot, sweaty, sometimes no dressing room to get out of the heat(so changing for shows as a girl can get creative). But then there are the craaaazy crowds. People who are sunburnt, dehydrated, worn out and overstimulated by too many loud shows in one weekend..but they are willing to stand in the blazing hot sun(or lightning, thunder and rain) for bands they love and maybe only see once a year! And we have so much fun with our fans and friends...it's been a good summer of festivals.

Last weekend we played Creation West which has moved to the Seattle area now..always a beautiful place and a good time. I get to see some of my favorite people who live on the other side of the country at least every summer, so that's a bonus. My best friend, Kory, just had her first baby boy, Tollan. I got to spend a day with them and meet my lil god-nephew. Such a special time in their lives and I loved getting to see the look of love only a new parent can know with their very own baby. The day before Creation we played a show in Oregon..I was reminded of how much I love Oregon! Great show too.

Everyone meet Tollan. I heart him.



Our friends Laura and Tiffiny





Then we flew over to Houston and went to see the great people at KSBJ there. Such a cool station and theyre following a cool new vision they have to make a station that's what youth want to hear, even if it means losing the adult crowd and support. The show that night was at the Houston Boardwalk. Beautiful place! We thought we might get rained out or the crowd might be small bc it was raining all day. But showtime came, it was cleared up just enough and the people showed up. It was one of those special shows we'll remember bc the crowd was so gracious, so into the show and a part of it just like we like. They were intense(and it was hot, believe me) and with us til the very end. We signed for a long time and met so many great people! Thank you, Houston, for being a favorite show of our summer season. A mom in the autograph line told us that she had a daughter who died last year and they played one of our songs at the funeral. I know for them, being at the show was such a mix of emotions. Those moments remind me that God is gracious and good and He comforts each one of us in a special way bc He knows us and loves us so intimately. We belong to such a passionate, loving and giving God.

This week I got back home and got to spend a couple of days with Nick, my parents, niece and nephew and sis. It was Mom's birthday Thursday, and I was so happy we got to have time with her. That's the best gift we can give people. The memories we make with people we love are permanent, and stuff we can give is so temporary. My niece, Amanda and nephew, Josiah are really growing up so fast! Crazy when you remember the diaper, baby phase and now we can have God conversations and talk about what they'll do after H.S. someday and grown-up things. My nephew goes into h.s. this year. It brings back so many memories for me of my h.s. years...some awesome, some scarry, some tough. But I'm proud of who he is. He is confident and knows what he believes. And I'm hoping our albums can be a little help getting him through the tough. =)

Family times




I actually had this weekend home. I forget how weird and rare that can be, and when I'm home and Nick's gone, I find myself having no clue what to do with myself. I spent time with my girlfriend, Pixie, today. Her name is Laura, Pixie is what I think when I see her and so it became her nickname..And I'm just about to leave to go see "Inception" with Melissa. I've heard so much about how good it is. I hope I'm not disappointed.

Hope you're all doing well! Thanks so much for reading or following me. Stay tuned for more updates soon on my worship album. It's moving along. We've been writing every day we can that we're both home, and just Thursday wrote one of our favorites yet. So exciting seeing these songs unfold and envisioning people worshipping in their church or their car or wherever they might be with headphones, to something we were a part of. I've always known I would write a worship album, but now it's so real. We're talking dates for the photo shoot and artwork and album title. Crazy. Next year, people...I'll keep you posted on all of it here.

That's all for tonight. Much love.

T

Humility, good perspective and a ghetto van

Last weekend we drove(in the van, thank you)to Atlanta and played Atlantafest...we were the opening band wed night and the only band...had quite the nice crowd despite the intense heat and the sky looking a bit sketchy. Fun show, until about 4 songs from the end, we were pulled offstage because apparently there was lightning surrounding the stage, I just hadnt noticed, I guess. Sadly we didn't get to play the last 4 songs in the set, which happen to be the top singles we've had and the ones that most people know, and ironically enough, the last song would've been Stand In the Rain. haha, It happens. Ask me how funny it is when we pull up to festivals in our ghetto old van and park it in the spot where they thought we'd park our bus next to all the other buses. Pretty amazing moments. I need to write a book.

We drove about 6 hours after the show into Kentucky and had a hotel room for about 2 hours before we had to check-out. It wasnt the nicest hotel(or should I say motel)we've stayed at, so not being there long didnt make me sad apart from the lack of sleep. This is what being in a band living on a budget looks like, friends. The truth is, we had years we were making more and when the economy wasn't falling apart, and we didnt always spend it wisely. I see bands taking out multiple buses and flying home when they have a couple days off, and you know what I think? First, that $300 you just spent on that flight is right out of your own pocket and every time you decide to splurge on the nicer hotel or more rooms to be more comfy or first class seats, that's a vacation you could've spent with family, its money that could be in a savings account that could put a kid through college or sponsor a child for a whole year...well, you get my point. And second, everything unravels eventually. Esp in this career, if you're doing well, save what you make for the time which could be soon when people suddenly don't think you're as cool, don't buy as many albums, don't race to your shows and don't treat you like royalty.

Do I sound jaded? Honestly I don't feel jaded, I just feel like someone who's been working in a career for 11 years and seen plenty of success, amazing times, and seen the album I'm still proud of not do well. It happens. It's perspective, I think, not jadism...haha, I'm sure that's not a word but I like it. It's a Trishism.

While I'm off the topic....the other day we got to a show and saw the promoter, who we've worked with quite a bit. After our last tour we sent out thank-yous to all the promoters who brought us into their towns. We each wrote a little something inside. When we first saw the promoters, they thanked us for the card and said that in 12 years, it was the first thank-you note they'd ever received. We do feel like these people work so hard, take a gamble to bring us into their towns, pray for these events, and then sometimes we get to the show and dread being social, hide out in our buses or at our hotels til the last minute, treat the volunteers like they should be happy to wait on us bc of who we are..The truth is, if we're really doing this with the right hearts, we should walk out of the bus ready to meet new people, to reach out to someone who's in need and expect God to use us that day. I'm preaching to myself here too. I have hide-out days, guys. I think it's tough to find balance between giving until you lose your voice and emotionally can't handle another smile and not giving at all and just letting people serve you and even expecting it. I don't tell the story to say we're amazing people every day. I'm still just amazed and saddened that ours was the first card they've ever received.

So, Thursday we played Icthus. Very hot, but beautiful day in Kentucky. Our parents got to come out, and we got to see some great friends. The crowds at Icthus are always super energetic and sweet but we particularly liked this years. Really fun show and none of us passed out. =) A friend of mine from H.S. got to play the festival too, which was cool. His name is Brent Reed. Such a great, talented guy and I'm happy to see things moving forward for him. I also got to meet Dave Ramsey, Mr. financial guy. He wasnt actually all that friendly but I get being busy and tired and wanting to just eat and not be social all day long. He's helping a lot of people stop the mentality of living on credit cards and get DEBT FREE!! haha. It's a good thing.

After the show we made the roadtrip back to Nashville with our parents...they came to visit for a couple nights for Fathers Day weekend. It's such a cool thing to be friends with your parents, to enjoy them, to have adult conversation and be able to make silly jokes and have fun together. I love my parents. I love sharing what I do with them, because I know how proud they are of us, and I know I am who I am because of the 18+ years they raised and nurtured and loved and worried and didnt sleep and learned to let go and know I was ready to go...and I imagine that's one of the toughest moments for a parent. I look forward to them being an amazing grandma and grandpa to our kids someday..and after Fathers Day, in honor of them I say to myself and all of us. Don't wait for one Hallmark holiday a year to tell the people you love and treasure who they are to you. We all need to hear those words. We need to be needed. We all want to know we are valued by others and that our life matters. So let's not hold back our emotions and words because sometimes it's scarry to be vulnerable. Let tears flow if they need to, apologize, say I love you, hug someone longer...because all we have is today. It's a gift. It's not worth it to hold grudges and to be stubborn and to refuse the smallest 2 words that can heal so many huge wounds.

Tomorrow we have a meeting and then I'm writing for my worship album. I welcome your prayers for this album that I've always known would happen. I pray for creativity and inspiration from God. I feel small and humble in knowing how to worship and what we should always say...but I'm so encouraged by where it's going and excited to release it for all of you someday soon!!!

goodnight all--hope you're well wherever you are

(happy face) trish

Little Engine That Could

It has been a whirlwind last few weeks! I've been without my laptop travelling, because it just takes up too much space and adds too much weight in carry-ons, and believe me, airlines are so Nazi about weight and size and blah blah blah. Esp travelling overseas, it gets tricky. Each one has their own rules and you just never know. Anyway, this blog is my attempt to catch up with you! Like old friends, we're sitting down with coffee and cookies and we're chatting about way too much time gone by with no bloggy blog from Tricia. Here we go---

My bestest friend in the whole world lives in Seattle, and we don't get to see each other a lot. She's quite pregnant and I hadn't even gotten to see her little baby bump yet, so her sweet hubby flew me out there a couple of weeks back, and I got to spend a few days with them. So exciting! They were putting the finishing touches on the nursery and sifting through piles of gifts from showers. Kory and I are pretty silly together. She can make me laugh like no other person in the world. It was such a special, refreshing time to have with her the last time before she becomes a Momma. Can't wait to meet Tolin very soon!! Here we are being us together...



Last week we were in Europe. We flew into Vienna first to catch our breath and try to handle jetlag in a beautiful city and before crazy schedule set in. Vienna is lovely. Small enough not to feel threating, sweet people, yummy little cafes, stroooooong coffee. Literally my eyes popped open a bit more with each sip. It was rainy and cool, and we were all fighting the urge to just sleep for 2 days straight. If you've never experienced that kind of jetlag, well, I'd say good for you. It's brutal. It was 7 hours ahead of Nashville time, and that's not easy to adjust to. We explored and rested and then headed to a new spot for us, the country of Slovakia. We played in Trnava. Adorable city, great people, amazing crowd that night that filled this little town square. You couldnt feel much more European than the vibe. People watched from the streets, from the little cafes and pub near the stage, so much fun! Early flight the next day to Sweden...

We played in Uppsala, Sweden. We played at Word of Life church, one of the biggest churches in Europe. The staff and esp the youth pastor and his wife were such welcoming people. We would love to go back, and stay at their retreat even for a bit of a vacation. It was a beautiful part of Sweden and we met such sweet fans that night after the show.

Our friend, Josefine, came to see us. We met her years ago because she is the lady in charge of one of the biggest festivals in Sweden and she's booked us a couple of times, and we just love her! So good to see friends all the way across the world, and know that with the internet, keeping in touch isnt so tough. Here's Josefine with Melissa and I after the show playing in the dressing room.



Next we flew(always bright and early)to Switzerland to play a show we played last year too, and were excited to be asked back to! It was in Frauenfeld and it's called Springtime Festival. Beautiful part of the country, and such a nice time of year to go! We played with Hawk Nelson and Switchfoot that night to end the Europe tiny tour. Not sure if I've ever mentioned here, that I love Switchfoot? I can call them friends, but I'm still a fan of their music and their hearts. Their show never gets boring. They were on our first tour with us, back in the day. Festival Con Dios. haha, good and awful memories are accompanied with that tour.

The next day we had a day to explore Switzerland with such a sweet guide willing to show us around, so we drove to Lucerne. Considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland, and it definitely won my heart! I would love to go back and take my hubby someday. Perfect tourist day to end the trip, and be ready for home.




So, that just about catches me up. We are jumping into summer festivals as we speak. We had one last night in Pennsylvania, that was a huge crowd and so much fun. We played with Building 429(amazing guys) and Natalie Grant(and new friend, but I instantly like her.) This week we leave Wed, drive down to Atlantafest and then drive up to Kentucky for Icthus. Little fact, Icthus was THE first Christian music festival. I didnt know that til recently. Lots of history, and lots of good bands play and frolic in the mud there every year. haha. As of lately, when I think of our band, the first thing that comes to mind is, the little engine that could. That just about sums us up, I think! We just keep chugging along as long as all of you keep coming out to shows and buying the albums, we'll be here. =)

My worship album is underway. We are writing and doing demos of all the songs we write in this phase, and are really excited allready about where it's going. Stay in touch and I'll keep you posted on how it's going and release date when it's announced and all!!

I am going to make a late dinner for myself now, while some random Harrison Ford movie plays in the background(I'm a sucker for him since Indiana Jones). Goodnight all, and here's to a great week this week!

-T

You've got so much love in you...

I just got home after the last weekend of tour with Bread of Stone, Luminate and John Reuben. Fun tour! I can definitely say I will miss seeing some of those guys every day. But everything in moderation is good, and the summer festival season is about to be here! Our show last night was in Shaumburg, IL, Chicagoland area. Great show, worked with Edan productions who we love, and got to see some family and friends. It was an outdoor, benefit show with a walk during the day for cancer. Definitely got us all thinking about all the hot, summer festivals we'll play. They are so much fun and the one season of the year you run into so many friends, but such tiring days. The heat, the rain(sometimes), then there's mud...mud and concert don't work well together. But there's something so special about a huge crowd of people who are dirty and roughing it in the outdoors for a few days, excited to see all their favorite bands in one spot. It's such a good energy. I think the pros outweigh the cons. Looking forward to seeing all of you this summer!

We had a couple dates in MI this last weekend..The first was in Trenton at Metro South Church. A young, new, very cook place and so many great people there helping out all day! That night there was a girl we met after the show that said such a simple thing to me that really stuck with me. She came up while we were taking pics with people and said she's been a fan a while and for the first time saw us live, and that she just saw how much love we had in us. Yes, there is a song by the Rocket Summer that says "You've got so much love in you"..that was the first thing that popped into my head. But her comment stuck with me. Not exactly sure why, but I think its really humbling when people say things like that. First, because I know I don't always have the greatest attitude going into a show, or whatever..but I guess my heart of hearts would be for people to see me that way. So, when I see that in spite of me and my imperfections that God really can show Himself through me every night, I feel very small. And I guess I'm glad I'm small or there would be more of me to get in His way.

That same night I met a mom and her daughter. Sweet people. The mom was wearing a silk scarf and looked like she was bald underneath. I asked about it and she very matter of factly said she's lost her hair for 4th time on chemo. When her daughter was born, and I'd guess she was about 10 she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and she's been fighting it ever since. I could see she was a fighter. She gave me a little pink punching glove that says, "Fight like a girl" on it. And I don't think I'll ever forget her face or that glove as a reminder of so many women out there fighting against cancer of some kind. I have been affected by cancer very closely, but don't know what it's like to have it attacking my own body. Any of you out there in that battle or who maybe have won the fight like my own amazing mom..my prayers are with you and your families, that you will win this fight, or that your remission will be for the rest of your long lives. Really puts life into perspective for me.




Well, it is a hot, sunny day in Nashville today. We are having a LOST party tonight at my sisters, bc she has tivo and we missed it yesterday. Can't wait, but also a bit sad that this saga of TV is over. Some people for fed up with it, but I've loved it all along. And our LOST nights with friends might be better memories than the show would ever have given! We're making kabobs on the grill(my hubby loves to grill out, and is quite the good chef!)

And for now I'm off to soak up some Vitamins from the lovely sun and have a nice day with my hubby while I can. Hope you're all doin well this Monday wherever you are! Make sure to tell your friends about my blog or twitter if you like keeping in touch..I love all the comments you leave me and feedback on topics I write about. Much love! See you all this summer...

trish

I wanna live in TVLand..or the movies.

Last night I had a date night with hubby. We are pretty good about having those every week or every other when we're together and can make it happen. We sometimes are only together 2 days a week average when I'm on tour, maybe less, so I think it makes us appreciate that time. And we've learned to 'schedule' each other in when we have days together, or the quality time won't be there..If anything good comes from being apart a lot, its that you don't get tired of each other and take time together for granted. I think it's actually been good for us for the for couple of years of married life! It's a good feeling to know that my husband still wants to pencil me in 2 years in. =)

Don't get me wrong. I know some of you out there are like my parents and grandparents and have been together more years than you've been apart, and I welcome advice on how you've done it and are still in love and still like each other. Sometimes I think the "like" might be more important than the "in love". My dad's advice always was to marry my best friend, and to marry someone I really like. Someone I enjoy being with, so that if the romance is gone or life gets tough or things throw you for a loop, you still have each other and being together, which is good.

Back to the date...we went for sushi with some of our favorite doubledaters, the Molnars. David and Tammy have their own photography business and they travel the world together doing what they love and are amazing at. They are such amazing, inspiring friends. Once at a Michael W. Smith show, he talked about how humbled he is to be surrounded by such driven, talented people and he said he attributed so much of his own success to being surrounded by them. I think Nick and I feel that way. The Molnar's definitely push us to live a better story. (Even loaned us the book I learned that one in). haha.

Miyako is our fav little sushi spot. Maybe not THE best sushi in town, but close and cheap and fast and sweet people who own it. Then Nick and I saw the new Robin Hood. Great movie. I love action flicks and mostly like guy flicks more than chick ones, so this was right up my alley. I grew up loving a Sunday afternoon of action movies or (shockingly) even John Wayne Westerns if it meant time with my Dad..(good memories can make you love the strangest things.) I still might be caught at home alone on a weekend watching Bonanza on TVLand or something of the sort. Yea....I know.

Interesting fun fact is that Superchick has a song called TVLANd..if you're a fan like I am you might be amused. It's a fun song. Here's a lyric for you..-"I wanna live in TVLand with Mr T and the A Team. My problems they could solve before the end of the show. In TVLand." - It gets better from there. Go take a listen.



Back to Robin Hood. I mean, Russell Crowe and this kind of action movie just work so well together! He is so good at being the guy on the white horse who will always pull through and rescue the damsel in distress. Good storyline. Not just the classic Robin Hood story, but some background and a nice love story mixed in. Leaving the theatre, I promptly told my hubs he could call me "milady" anytime he likes. I'm such a sucker for that stuff! Anyway, some movies are best to just wait and redbox or get on netflix(which I recently have and LOVE!)...but this is one that's worth the $10 ticket to see on a big screen. Grab the candy for $1 or less at the store on the way, and you have a fun night out! Yes, I just endorsed sneaking candy in. $5 for the same box of candy is just ridiculous.

I feel old saying that movie tickets are $10. Wow. Inflation.

Tonight was Lost night. The last episode is this Sunday and it's been such a fun thing to watch together with our friends we're all going to wait and watch together Monday night if we can convince someone to tivo it who has tivo. We usully do a potluck dinner or takeout or something, and veg out and enjoy. It's the simple things in life I love.

sidenote: Nick and I are writing for a solo worship album I'm putting out..really excited for this! I've wanted to do a worship album since I've been singing. (Most of my life) So for anyone who has begged me for years...it's coming. Patience. But it's coming. Stay tuned.

Go to --david@davidmolnar.com to see what Dave and Tammy do

Operation Beautiful

Tonight we played a h.s. in McAlister, PA. It was a perfect fall weather day out, and we woke up literally parked next to a soccer field and a nice track..I could sense Sophie's excitement when we had our potty walk this morning, and she was antsy all morning til Momma got ready and we went exploring. (Sophie's my dog. Not to be confused with my sister or something, and then that last statement would be really weird.)

Once in a while we hear of something that seems to really go along with our vision as a band, and recently we heard of this movement called Operation Beautiful. You can check it out more at OperationBeautiful.com- The mission of Operation Beautiful is to post anonymous notes in public places for other women to find. The point is that WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. You are enough... just the way you are! It's so simple, but if you make someone smile or think differently about themselves today, than it's worth the little effort, right? We loved the idea, and wrote Caitlin, who started O.B. and told her about our band and that some of our songs are about self-esteem, eating disorders, dealing with body image stuff and we'd love to get involved!



So on our album Rock What You Got there's a song called So Beautiful that pretty much sums up O.B. so Caitlin has used it in some of the videos she posts on her site, and we want to partner with Caitlin and help get the word out. Such a fun, easy, silly little way you can brighten someone's day.



Tonight at our show, Melissa and I posed with the amazing crowd and told them all about O.B. and how they could bring it to their town and start making a difference one little post-it at a time. And earlier today we made some signs and posed out in the soccer field(and I think Sophie even wanted to be a part of it...)



So, if you start this and tell someone about it, it will have a ripple affect, and we'll be making girls feel beautiful all over the world. Check out the website, come up with your own creative way to spread the love if you're interested, and I'd love to see some of your ideas too! If you can, send me a copy to this email---beautyfrompain08@hotmail.com--definitely send them into O.B. and if you want, let them know you heard about them through us..=) Because we really are all beautiful, just like we are, but sometimes it's nice to hear.

p.s. I am wearing a tutu. It was made especially for me by the lovely Kim Mills and Jessica Ramsay. Thanks girls!!!

Sick and thoughtful in DC

Today we are parked just outside of Washington DC for a travel day off. That means that from Nashville to our next show was too far to drive in one night..so we stopped here for the driver to sleep, and then drive the rest tonight. We try to stop somewhere interesting on these days, and some of the band hadn't ever done the DC tourist thing, so they're off doing just that.

Last weekend I came down with some cold bug...started with a sore throat, turned to swollen glands and burning throat, then voice going hoarse and all the other symptoms that come with the usual, sinus infection. I'm actually amazed when I stay healthy, with all the travelling and not always getting solid night's sleep, different allergies every day, different germs...but staying healthy when you're the singer and the show somewhat depends on you is a big deal. I used to stress over it a lot. I remember being on a Newsboys tour where we hardly had a day off a week...a cold wrecked my voice and it didn't have time to heal, and I had to sing on it every night...until I almost had no voice left, and finally had to bail out on a show and take a couple days off. My voice was hoarse for quite a while, so I knew I'd done some damage. Not sure what was worse though....letting my band down or telling the Newsboys I had to miss a show. They were unamused and not what we call, sympathetic. I believe one of them said one night, "I think your voice sounds pretty cool actually"....haha.

It's interesting how my quiet times always teach me something. Voice rest can be hard for someone fairly social and who's love language is communication. I feel awful not communicating with people. I feel like a jerk if I don't sign autographs but doing that without talking just can't work. I end up trying to explain to everyone why I shouldnt talk and by doing that, yep...I talk too much. haha. When I'm trying to rest my voice I naturally listen more, and I'm reminded of how important that is. It's much harder to be a good listener than a good talker. And wiser.

So, trying to be responsible, I stayed behind today to rest instead of sightseeing with the rest of the tour..its mostly just me and my Sophie. She doesnt demand any talking out of me, unless she runs off and I have to yell at her to come back. Sometimes I think it's the best relationships we have that are comfortable with silence. I think its true with us and God too. When I stop giving Him my fix-it or to-do lists and just sit and listen for a while, prayer becomes something so far beyond Forgive me and Help me, God...it can become Speak to me. Quiet me. Guide me. Show me your plan for me right now. And I can't argue that those times in life have been some of my best. Why don't I stay quiet more?

It's been an interesting season in my life lately. Nick and I are coming up on our 2 year Anniversary this August. I feel like the best is yet to come. A family someday, some new projects that are in the works..very exciting things are ahead! I am still praying for so many people I know and love who have been in a season of struggle for what seems like too long. Hold on. Your dawn will come. Live today like it's your first and your last.

"Still here, staggering on, through the impossible. We remain. I can breathe, one more day...still here. Still fighting on. All we have is today. Find my way. To the beauty of one more day, still here." -Superchick