If you’re new to my blog, “Hey!” I started the year blogging about “getting real” about our lives as I worked to transform the Big Six: body, mind, spirit, work, home, relationships. So you can scooch on back through the posts if you’re interested in those. I also post #getReal inspiration on Instagram and Twitter with pics.

Then this summer I switched to a #GetOut series in an effort to add a wee bit more adventure to my life. I invite you to do the same.

If you’re a returning visitor, “thank you!”  If  I could I’d totally make a banana, yogurt, kale smoothie for two and share it with you.

Caught up? Awesome.

This past weekend, my Get Out adventure was three days of country music. While I live in the “City” as we from western Oklahoma fondly call Oklahoma City, (and I technically live in the northern ‘burb), I’ll always consider myself a small town girl at heart and a country music fan – especially classic country which is what I grew up on living with my grandparents. Since my husband isn’t a country fan, he stayed home and spent time with the kids while I got to spend time with my sis and the cousins got to hang out downtown and at our house.

OKC Fest was a music festival held in downtown OKC and my sis and BIL and I got tickets for the Friday and Saturday evening performances. I was most excited about Merle Haggard (LEGEND!!) who played before the headliner Dierks Bentley and I’ll admit I’m strangely fond of “Drunk on a Plane” which I hadn’t heard until I looked it up before going to see him that night. And, yep, Merle’s still got it going on.

I also learned, via Twitter and Instagram likes, that Merle has a son, Ben Haggard, @benhaggardmusic @benhaggard who plays lead guitar in his band. Very cool that they get to share the stage and this experience together.

Mostly I loved spending time with my sis. Last time we went to an outdoor concert together was four years ago when Lady Antebellum and Tim McGraw played and it was so hot that I PASSED OUT. I’d only had one frozen drink and not nearly enough water and I was wearing jeans smack dab in the sunshine. Really dumb. This time I dressed cooler.

Saturday I headed back downtown to the Myriad Gardens. If you’re in Oklahoma, or visiting us, do make a point to visit. It’s simply gorgeous. It’s amazing what you can do with some funding and TLC on landscaping, you know? I took these shots with my iPhone and they turned out great courtesy of an overcast afternoon.

The second night I also got to have a pre-party at my husband’s bosses’ house where they have an awesome tree swing. I felt pretty talented drinking and swinging at the same time so I’m sure I’ll have no problem drinking on a plane in a few weeks when I go to Hawaii. (If you see a tree swing, don’t pass it up. I’m serious about this. It was better than 20 minutes of meditation!)

I saw Scotty McCreery (who won American Idol two years ago) at the Grand Ole Opry last summer and he was great. Still is. He played just before Lady A and as nightfall came and the cute couples to our left were swing dancing and I sang along to “Bartender” which I hadn’t heard until that night.

Sunday, I volunteered for OMRF’s 241 event to raise money for cancer research. In exchange for selling raffle tickets, I got to partake of some of the finest food from incredible restaurants in OKC, Norman and Tulsa. Aaaand I got to see the private concert given by Vince Gill out on the patio (windy per usual for OK) with a special surprise guest ALICE COOPER. Wow. Pretty cool. They raised $650,000. A great end to a cool weekend.

Have you been to a music festival? What’s holding you back? Slather on the sunscreen and the bug spray and Get Out!

Next week, I’ll be talking 4th of July festivities, so hopefully you’re planning on seeing fireworks IN PERSON. I just don’t get watching them on TV. What fun is that? None. That’s what. So, get out and catch a parade and eat some watermelon and watch some whiz bangs.

Try something new. Expand your horizons. Live with intention.

xo,

Malena