"Yeah, thats a song for another time"

Music is such an important part of human development, I can't image what life would be like without the music I adore. It has been such an important part of my life since as far back as I can remember. Going to gigs and watching the musicians I loved was how I spent a lot of my evenings gas a teenager and I've been lucky enough to see some amazing bands over the years. With Opeie being so into music too, it was only a matter of time before we moved from listening to music at home and in the car, to being in the stalls seeing the amazing bands live.

Last night marked that awesome milestone of Opeie's first gig and WOW! what a great gig. Thanks to the wonders of Spotify I'd had noticed that one of Opeie's favourite country bands were playing 4 dates in the UK so we quickly booked tickets. It seemed like such a long wait but well worth it. 

As Old Dominion took to the stage last night Opeie's little face beamed, this was clearly where he needed to be more often. He was in his element, dancing and singing along to all the words. He must have been the youngest person there (we did have to lie and say he was 8 after all! shhhhh.....). What was truly amazing to see was that he had a lot of me in him, lost in the music and going for it like no one was watching... and people were watching. I could see groups of people looking at Opeie singing along to every song, telling their friends and smiling. I was so proud of him.

All the excitement was clearly exhausting and when the headliner, Thomas Rhett came on (another of Opeie's favourites), he was clearly shattered so we didn't stay till the end. He did manage to muster up some energy for a little dance off at the end though which really made our night. The excitement in his voice as we walked back to the car was awesome to listen to. I knew being a dad was going to be amazing but this little guy blows my mind, I'm so smitten!

Of course, Old Dominion had to be Immortalised in LEGO too!

"If it wasn't for the speakers in the door Telling me a truth I hadn't ever heard before..."

I always hoped that music would become a big part of the boys lives early on as Mrs M and I formed some pretty solid groundwork for our relationship around the music we loved. Seth is yet to really find the music he is passionate about (I'm sure that will all come soon though), but he has instead gone down the playing music himself path, which we are so proud of him for and it is doing wonders for his confidence. Opeie has catapulted himself into music and it needs to be on in the background all of the time. We had bought him an iPod a while back when he was going through his 'bieber phase' (thank god that's over), he'd not really bothered with it since then but over the last few months Opeie's love of 'New Country' seems to have hit a new level. He can heard regularly through the day saying 'Oh yeah! this is my jam!'.

A few days ago he asked me if (in his words) we could "wipe all the trash" off his iPod and fill it up with the music he loves. I thought for sure that it was going to be a long drawn out affair with Opeie not really knowing what he wanted on there but he sat there and reeled off 71 songs for his playlist, artist and title. I don't think I even knew 10 songs when I was 6. As I started filling up his iPod I thought 'what a great idea for a post, I've written a few 'Opeie's top 5' music posts but for anyone out there that loves country music this is the playlist for you.

1. Brad Paisley - Beat this summer
2. Thomas Rhett - Star of the show
3. Sam Hunt - Take your time
4. Rascal flatts - Rewind
5. Old Dominion - No such thing as a broken heart
6. Luke Combs - Hurricane
7. Keith Urban - Blue ain't your colour
8. Elle King - Americas Sweetheart
9. Dustin Lynch - Small Town Boy
10. Old Dominion - Snapback
11. Chris Young - I'm coming over
12. Dylan Scott - My Girl
13. Brad Paisley - Crushin' It
14. Brett Young - In case you didn't know
15. Thomas Rhett - Make me wanna
16. Sam Hunt - Break up in a small town
17. Luke Bryan - Huntin, Fishin and lovin every day
18. Kenny Chesney - Save it for a rainy day
19. Jon Pardi - Heartache on the dancefloor
20. Brett Eldredge - Beat of the music
21. Dan and Shay - 19 You and me
22. David Nail - Whatever shes got
23. Elle King - Devil don't go
24. Florida Georgia line - H.O.L.Y
25. Old Dominion - Break up with him
26. Hunter Hayes - Everybody's got somebody but me
27. LOCASH - I know somebody
28. Maddie and Tae - Shut up and fish
29. Rascal Flatts - I like the sound of that
30. Sam Hunt - Make you miss me
31. Thomas Rhett - Crash and Burn
32. Brett Young - Sleep without you
33. Chris Young - Lonely eyes
34. Dean Brody - Bounty
35. Dierks Bentley - Different for Girls
36. Hunter Hayes - Wanted
37. Jake Owen - Real Life
38. Old Dominion - Be with me
39. Thomas Rhett - Get me some of that
40. Dierks Bentley - Somewhere on a beach
41. Old Dominion - Written in the Sand
42. Jon Pardi - Dirt on my boots
43. Blake Shelton - Mine would be you
44. Florida Georgia line - May we all
45. Brett Eldredge - Drunk on your love
46. Brad Paisley - Today
47. Maren Morris - 80s Mercedes
48. Dierks Bentley - Drunk on a plane
49. Old Dominion - Til its over
50. Craig Morgan - Wake up lovin' you
51. Luke Bryan - I don't want this night to end
52. Jon Pardi - Head over Boots
53. Thomas Rhett - Sixteen
54. Kenny Chesney - Come Over
55. Blake Shelton - She's got a way with words
56. Billy Currington - It Don't Hurt Like It Used To
57. Brett Eldredge - Somethin' I'm good at
58. Chris Young - Think of you
59. Luke Bryan - Fast
60. Leave the night on - Sam Hunt
61. Rascal Flatts - Yours if you want it
62. Jake Owen - American country love song
63. Jason Aldean - Any Ol' barstool
64. Josh Turner - Hometown girl
65. Michael Ray - Think a little less
66. Chris Lane - For Her
67. Joe Nichols - Yeah
68. Kane Brown - What ifs
69. Yeah boy - Kelsea Ballerini
70. Canaan Smith - Love you like that
71. Old Dominion - So you go

I know a huge chunk of parents think they have the most amazing child on the planet but seriously I was nowhere near as cool at 6-years-old as Opeie is, I'm so proud of that little dude of mine. 

"Windows down, country sound, FM on the radio. Just me and you and the man on the moon Cruisin' down some old back road"

 I've written so many posts over the years documenting Opeie's love of music. Seth is yet to find music that really has an impact on him but for Opeie, the music he loves is a way of life. I have really eclectic taste and listen to all sorts, but for me, country music is my big love. Last week Opeie heard this track by Sam Hunt...

and his world has been opened up to a new style of music.  Turns out that that awesome 5-year-old of ours is now seriously into country! so I guessed it was time for a 'What Opeie is listening to' update. I won't waffle on, here are some of his favourite tracks. Time to get him a cowboy hat I think... enjoy!

 

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

This week has been the first chance we've had to venture outside of the car around the new area we've moved to. We've done a lot of driving in and out over the last few weeks but I really wanted to get a feel for the surrounding area.

A few days back I realised Opeie's library books were a few days overdue. As we are only about a mile away from the library me and Opeie packed a backpack, got the Microscooters out of the boot and went on a mission in search of new literature. It was a a lovely scoot down there and everyone was smiling at us scooting together which was really cute.

Yesterday we decided to go for a drive to Carding mill valley, our popular summer hang out. The sun was out but the wind was fierce and it was freezing and when we arrived and realised that between us we had failed to put a big coat in the car for Opeie we hopped back in the car to drive home. Despite the disappointment We were still in the rambling mood when we got home so after kitting Opeie out with the correct winter attire we walked away from the house with no plans on where we were going (just the sort of adventure I love).

It turns out that if you walk 5 minutes from our road in the direction we hadn't been before there are miles after miles of farm land and a 6 - 8 mile woodland walk, it really is quite beautiful and i love having that on our doorstep.

It was cold and wet but the country walk was keeping us in great spirits. It was like being in a completely different part of Shropshire. Originally I'm a Birmingham lad but this is my home and the place I've always felt most comfortable.

Opeie is a huge fan of that classic toy 'the stick' and no adventure goes by without a new stick joining him along the way (well how else is he going to fend off trolls and hold back brambles?).

There was no shortage of animals along the way and Mrs M and Opeie fell in love with an adorable donkey we passed called Penn. Despite the weather (my hands were freezing), it was the perfect afternoon stroll and it is great to be a little more familiar with the surrounding area.

"I'm not a blue bird I'm sorry to say, Oh I'm gonna sing songs to you anyway"

Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of.... Raspberries?

Yesterday was our first day of the summer holiday with Seth because of him being away. Mrs M woke up and came in to us in the morning and mentioned going to Essington farm for some PYO fun. We went a few weeks back but Seth wasn't with us and missed out on the fun, plus they didn't have much in season. Mrs M had completely run out of her beloved beets and I was low on greens for juicing so we got ready and headed out.

It was a sunny morning but as soon as we pulled away in the car it started to rain, typical. We debated turning around but Mrs M was in a positive mood and said 'let's just go', luckily when we arrived at Essington the rain was just coming to a halt and the sun had definitely got his hat on (hip hip hip hooray). There was plenty more in season this time round so after filling a basket with beets we moved on to the onion field (yummy). Seth doesn't like onions but as long as he got to pull something out of the ground or rip something off a tree he was in his element.

We soon moved over to the raspberry field and Mrs M turned in to a gannet. Stuffing her face like they were going out of fashion, that was until PC Seth pointed out that she needed to pay for those before consumption. This was followed by Mrs M shiftily sneaking them every time Seth wasn't looking (never underestimate Shropshires finest I wouldn't put a citizens arrest past him).

Me and Opeie walked off up the field and I spotted what I thought was a grasshopper jumping through the grass but when I bent down to have a closer look i realised it was the smallest little frog I had ever seen. He was adorable, Opeie was excited and kept repeating 'Ribbit' and Seth told us he wanted a pet frog. Mrs M offered to pitch him a tent up there so he could live there but he thankfully declined.

We spent a good hour or so picking and our baskets were full of raspberries, onions, beet root, gooseberries and peas it was a good little haul and should keep us covered for the next few days at least. We do go through so much veg though that I'm sure we will need to visit again soon.

Its great having Seth with us during the week, we always feel a little guilty when were out doing things and he's cooped up in school. we will certainly do our best to make sure he has a fun holiday while he's with us. As for me and Opeie, well were always joined at the hip but he's clearly a much happier boy now that his big brother is here to look after him.