AMERICAN IDOL analysis

So-I have to admit that American Idol is the highlight of our home at nights. It has been for a few years. I always look forward to Tuesday and Wednesdays because those are the nights it is on...REALLY look forward to it...as does Ashton and Troy. As you can tell, our lives are really exciting. Our family really isn't very musical but don't you worry- we can critique just about anyone on the show.

Anyway- this year we didn't have one single one that really stood out to us that we were rooting for for the entire show. We really liked Anoop Dog and I was sad to see Allison cut b/c i love her voice. And Obviously Adam was always over-the-top but really an amazing singer and performer. I think that everyone thought all along that the cat was in the bag with Adam winning the whole thing. He has the look, the smile, the voice, the creativity, everything.

Now about Kris - when he originally made it to the final 13 - i was shocked. i thought he was plain and didn't have much spark...he seemed forgettable and average. However, week after week he really grew on me. I think all his song choices were great and he mixed them up and made them his own and really, next to Adam- i felt like he was really an "artist." It seemed to come natural to him. And he was opposite of Adam and seemed very down to earth and not as confident. I think people relate to him...kind of like the guy next door.

So concerning Ashton--- Ashton LOVES Idol as well. Last year he was so disappointed when David Archuletta didn't win...he still talks about it. When he watches - he is very quiet and doesn't express his opinion much. But if i ask him about what he thinks afterwards- i can tell he has analyzed it all very much. For the last several weeks- he actually really liked Kris the best he would tell me. When it was the bottom 3, he hoped that Adam would have gotten cut so that Kris would have a better chance in the finals against Gokey (what a thinker!). Last night he said he was sure it was going to be Adam that wins even though he hoped it would be Kris.

I really am shocked that Kris won though. As i think EVERYONE was. Even the judges faces were kind of blank...how sad though. I think Kris deserved it just as much as Adam. My philosophy on it is that all of Gokey's followers moved over to Kris when Gokey got cut and therefore- Kris won. And we all know that Adam will have a record in no time anyway...give me a break. They will both be doing just fine.

Oh, and the best part of last night's show was the bikini girl and Cara. HILARIOUS! We laughed until we almost peed!!

Anyway, now we'll have to find something else to look forward to every week. We really need to find a family hobby or something...

More of my favorites... our Family Photos

So, are you salivating like i am? I know i am a bit bias, but aren't they little munchies and beyond adorable?

Getting pictures done is very stressful... First it is what to wear? will it rain?(which it did at the tail end of our shoot- but the overcast skies made all the pictures all the more beautiful). will Seneka have had her nap and will she cooperate? (which starting out, she would just throw her head back and sob...but the more time went on and the more we just let her be by her brother, she hammed it up). ETC, etc.....

And now that the pictures are here... the new stress is... HOW DO I PICK?!!!! I don't have a single photo hung on any of my walls in my house. And now- i don't know if i have enough wall space to distribute all these photos!!!

The photographer was Heidi Lynn Photography and she did an amazing job. We shot at an antique shop and it was perfect. Just happy it is over and we got some awesome pictures finally of our whole fam! Well overdue.

Doesn't this picture read "TROUBLE"?

Teaser of family photos

Just a taste of some of our family photos we had done.

(I'll post more soon when my computer starts working better.)

Inspiration...

In case you are needing a little pick-me-up or a little bit of some good old inspiration to remind you to be positive and work on that attitude of yours (as do i, every single day-seriously) ...check out my friend Katie's blog. She was featured on Sportbeat Sunday for Mothers Day (click on the link on her post)...and it may just bring tears to your eyes, like it did for me.

Katie and I met at Reagan Outdoor Advertising - 8 years ago - while we were both Sales Reps. It was a miracle that we were both women and working in a competitive sales environment, however we hit it off and became good friends. She was my saving grace there - helping me from not going completely CRAZY (an explanation of why I felt like going crazy would take too long to explain). We were partners in crime. Anyway, one year later she was in a car accident and became paralyzed from the waist down. Truly, i was devastated. I remember she didn't arrive to sales meeting on Monday and i knew something had to be majorly wrong. That just wasn't Katie. A few minutes later her husband called me on my cell phone trying to reach our boss to let her know. I remember just sitting there and crying uncontrollably.

I wanted to be there for her. I remember sitting at the hospital day after day, even though i couldn't see her b/c she was in intensive care (and in a coma) and only family could go to her room. However, i distinctly remember the first time i could go back and i finally saw her. I tried so hard to hold back the tears but after a minute, they just started streaming down my face. I couldn't believe this could have happened to my friend.

Little did i know that 7 years later (and a few rough patches along the way), that we would still be friends and that our friendship would even be stronger in a lot of ways than before. I feel that since Katie's accident, she has molded herself into this rock of a person. She has such a wonderful attitude and such a great outlook on life. She overcomes so many challenges just living day to day. Yet she prevails. She doesn't do things to be "showy" or to get attention. She does what she does to better herself and to push herself and to be an example to others, especially her kids. She has, on occasion, been a personal inspiration to me to push myself to be better. And i can only imagine the influence she has had on many others. Katie cycles in marathons and is hoping to be part of the next Olympics with her cycling. Nothing is off limits for her. She really is an exceptional person and friend.

SPRING FLOWERS

Just thought you would like to see my spring flowers in bloom. They have been such a beautiful sight of color on my street- which otherwise has little other color (most of our street are empty lots or homes with no yards in yet). Driving up to our house really has been a litte bit of sunshine. Sad to say though, the daffodils are all gone now but a few of the tulips remain. I guess that means it is time to start planting some more. The good news is that today we got our garden ready to plant. WAHOOO!! (Thanks so much to Sylvia!) Did you know you use cow poop to make your soil better for your vegetables?!! Who knew poop could be put to so much use?! And who knew that people actually pay money for poop? News to me. Maybe I should start selling mine?! (OK -i am being gross now...i will stop.)

You learn somthing new every day!

Tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, squash, peas, strawberries, pumpkins, watermelon, etc... etc.... etc.... HERE WE COME!!!