Scotty, Mason, and a sweet little kitty.

Yay for American Idol's newest winner, Scotty!


It makes me sad to think that I have to wait until January for the next season. Boo.

On a complete subject change, I came across both of these videos recently. They're both about the recent Alabama tornadoes, and they're both about sweet, loyal pets. Take a look, but be sure the kleenex is handy.

I have NO clue...

...who is going to win this thing!

I usually have a slight intuition as to who will win the title, but I really just don't know this year.

Before tonight, I was kinda thinking it would be Scotty (after all, his idol is George Strait!), but did you watch the show tonight? Lauren totally rocked it.

So, not only is tomorrow my very last day to report to school until August, but it's also the season finale of American Idol!

I can't wait.

Lauren? Scotty? Hurry! It's the last chance to make your predictions!

Top 3 and a hobby maybe?

I love Haley. I love Scotty. I love Lauren.

I'm not sure what's going to happen here. If you had asked me 2 hours ago, I would've told you that I was convinced that Haley would get the boot after tonight, but did you see her performances? She just has such a unique voice, and I like her.

Now, Scotty? He's the cutie pie country music singer. I'm a sucker for artists like Jake Owen and Josh Turner. There's just something a little sexy about a guy who can reach those low notes. Whether he wins this competition or not, he'll be successful. No doubt.

And I would have to say that out of the 3, Lauren has been the most consistent. I fell in love with her when I first saw her audition. While her voice is amazing, I'm worried that she may not have that unique touch it takes to win the competition. Still--she was amazing tonight!

I have been unable to vote, because if I did, I would probably have to vote for them equally, and that just doesn't make much sense, now does it?What's going to happen tomorrow night?

Aren't you excited about the season finale next week? I am!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, what is this hobby that I speak of?

Well...that's where I need your help.

You may recall my previous post: 30 things I learned in my 20s. Number 20 on my list stated that I think everyone should have a hobby or 2, and I mentioned that I wanted to turn over a new leaf now that I'm 30. I think I'd like to step out on a limb and learn how to do something new this summer. I am pretty active, so I'm not really wanting to learn how to play a new sport or anything that requires physical activity. (Plus, I'm pretty sure I'm too old to take up soccer or gymnastics).
I'm actually leaning more along the lines of something "crafty"--like sewing, knitting, monogramming (though I'm afraid it may be too expensive), etc. --- or possibly even something musical. I'm no singer, nor do I own any musical instrument, but I do think that it would be fun to learn how to play the guitar or re-learn how to play the piano.

I just want to find something that I enjoy doing during any free time I may have during my summer. I'd like to find something that is relaxing and fun and NOT anything that's too stressful! :) I also can't afford for my "new hobby" to cost too much money, so I'm sure that's going to put a limit on some things too.

How can you help me decide how to spend my summer?

Who's YOUR favorite?

Season finale in 3 weeks!

Who's going to win?

James? Haley? Jacob? Lauren? Scotty?

I'm torn.Who do you think is going to win?

shortest post ever.

Who's going home on American Idol this week? I'm so torn. Give me your opinion, but HURRY, the results will be announced in less than 24 hours! Opinions? I think I love them all this season!

WHAT????

As an American Idol fan for like 8 years now, I must say, tonight was probably the biggest shock yet!!

Pia? Sent HOME? REALLY???

I'm not over it.And Stefano is still in this competition?

This is just not ok to me.

Thoughts?

American Idol top 24...

It's season 10, and I'm still hooked on this show! I miss Simon like crazy, but I'm surprisingly loving J.Lo, and Steven Tyler adds the little neurotic pop that Paula Abdul took with her. The important people who are in charge of judge choices have really never let me down. Keep up the good work, judge pickers.

Now...on to the top 24...

I probably say this every year, but I really think this year has the best contestants. I'm having a tough time choosing my favorites, and there really haven't been any that I think need to go home any time soon. It's gonna be a tough call this year, America!I'm sure my favorites will change from week to week, but after the top 24 performed this week, my favorites are:

Paul McDonald: First of all, he's fantastic to look at; Secondly, he has an amazing voice. Also, he's fantastic to look at. Did I mention that already? Also, he looks like Bradley Cooper. Don't you think?

Scotty McCreery: Good ol' country boy! I love him and his deep little 17 year old voice!
Lauren Turner- I can't really pinpoint what I love about her. Maybe it's the dark curly hair. Maybe it's her initials. Oh, and she has a great voice too.

Karen Rodriguez-She added a little Espanol to her song tonight and she did it fabulously. I liked her a lot tonight!

Lauren Alaina- She's been one of my favorites since her audition. She's only 16 and Randy told her tonight that she was a good mix of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Can you imagine being 16 and receiving a compliment like that? She'll probably be in the top 5.

Pia Toscano- She was amazing tonight. After her performance, she received a standing ovation---and rightfully so! Again, she'll probably be in the top 5 or at least the top 10.

What are your thoughts?

He won. And I love him.

I love Lee.

he's gonna win.

Umm. Yeah. I pretty much love him.

This was amazing.

what's not to love?

I have had to rewind this last night because I loved it so much. How in the world is America going to choose?

I know I can't!

...and then there were 4...

I'm not trying to be mean, but I was ready for Aaron to go home on Idol. Talented? Sure. Cute? As a bug! But NOT American Idol material. I personally think he's too young and needs a little maturing. So there's my opinion on that, whether you wanted it or not.

We're down to 4 now, and I couldn't agree more with the final 4:

1. Casey James.

Cutie patootie, but I predict he'll go home next.

2. Michael Lynche.

Sometimes I love him, sometimes I don't. He's the wishy-washy contestant.

3. Crystal Bowersox.

My favorite performer. I predict that she's going to win.
4. Lee DeWyze (aka the love of my life).

LOVE.HIM. I think we're soulmates. I already tried to befriend him on facebook, but he already had too many friends. Dang it. Any other suggestions on how I can let him know that we're meant to be together? I want to come across as stalkerless as possible.

Even if he doesn't win, he's going to be successful; so once we're married, I'll probably never have to work again.

Glory.

Opinions?

Let me know by voting on my poll to the right.

Happy Happy Friday--almost!

a prayer, a recipe, and Idol...

First of all, there was yet another horrible apartment fire in Starkville this afternoon (click here for more info). To my understanding, at least 32 apartments were destroyed. Mandy and I drove to take a look when we heard about it, and it was a devastating sight to say the least. When I saw dozens of firemen risking their lives and people crying because they just lost their home or couldn't find their pets, all I could do was stop and pray. I did hear that there were no fatalities. Praise God. I can't imagine losing my home and all of my belongings. When saying your prayers tonight, please remember any victims involved.

Secondly (and on a slightly more cheerful note!), I have a recipe to share! Anybody looking for a good meal for summer? This is one of my favorites, and it's SO EASY. Forgive me if I've posted this recipe in the past. Even if I did, there's probably a good chance that you didn't copy it down the first time. My suggestion is that you do it now. You'll be glad you did!

I fixed this just tonight. For some reason, I always start craving this when it gets warm outside. I dunno.

Anyway, here you go...

Tomato-Basil-Asparagus Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 16 oz. pkg. bow tie pasta

1 lb. asparagus, cut into 2 " pieces

1 c lemon vinaigrette (I always have trouble finding this. I usually just use Fat Free Italian Salad Dressing! It gives the salad a great taste without the extra calories!)

I pkg. fresh basil, chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper to taste (I also love lemon pepper!)

sliced grilled chicken (it's optional really, but I prefer it!)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions, adding asparagus last 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water. Stir together vinaigrette and chopped basil. Pour 3/4 c. over pasta mixture. Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper (don't forget the lemon pepper!), and chicken. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Toss with remainder of dressing.

How easy is that?

This recipe makes A LOT of servings, and in my opinion, it tastes better the day after it's made! I like it because I live alone and I can eat on it for several days! Perfection.

MSKS, do some research and check on the WW points for this meal. I mean, it can't be THAT many points, right?

And finally, (before I crash for the night), my report on tonight's performances on AI: BEST NIGHT SO FAR THIS SEASON. Last week, I thought I had decided my favorites, but after tonight's performances, I have no idea what to think. I LOVED Crystal (as always), Katie (fell in love with her after tonight's performance) and Lee (I may be in love with him actually). We'll see what happens tomorrow night!

Goodnight, dear friends!

much ado about nothing...

So, I've been chastised for my lack of blogging this week...again. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm not tired of blogging and it's not that I don't have time to blog, but I guess I just feel like I've had a lack of material lately. I don't know.

I'm probably going to jump around with topics in this post, so just bear with me here, please. Thanks.

First and foremost. I suppose it's been a while since I blogged about AI, so I'm going to throw in my 2 cents on my favorite contestants. There are only 9 contestants left, and while I'm 99.9% confident that Crystal will win (LOVE HER)... ...there are 3 others that I really, REALLY like:

1. Michael
2. Lee

3. Casey

Agreed?

And....moving on....

I've been asked to share a little more about my p90x experience thus far. Well, I've completed week 5, and while some of the workouts are still rough, they ARE getting easier and for the most part, I really am enjoying it. Here are some of my favorite things about it:

1. I can work out at home, which means I'm saving money on a gym membership and I can wear what I want to wear.

2. I like have a schedule to go by and I like having somebody tell me exactly what to do. While I want to hit Tony in the face most of the time, he's really pretty good about explaining how to do every exercise properly. I also like how much he makes you stretch before and after each workout. I've never been the best at stretching.

3. Kempo! Who knew punching and kicking could be so much fun? It's my favorite.

What do I NOT like about p9ox?

1. Yoga. I cried the first time.

2. Push ups. I would rather poke my eyes out with a fork.

If you're thinking about jumping on the p90x train, DO IT. I was hesitant about continuing it after I completed the first week, but I'm glad I did. I don't know that my lbs are decreasing, but I definitely have more energy and I feel better about myself.

I was off school today and will be out again on Monday (yay!), so I'm looking forward a long, relaxing weekend. I'm in Clinton until Sunday, so I'm sure I'll have some Easter pics to post in a few days.

God bless you and your family this Easter!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." -1 Peter 1:3

Top AI Picks...

Happy Thursday, blog friends.

Many of you out there been keeping up with Idol? While it took me a while to really choose my favorites, after the performances this week, I think I've decided which ones I'm going to really pull for this year.

First for the girls. I think the girls are stronger than the boys this year. I've thought that since the beginning. I have 3 favorite girls, and I like them all for different reasons. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Siobhan. She's cute, talented, and I totally love her singing style. I look forward to her weekly performances.

2. Didi. How can you not love this girl? I want to hug her every week! I personally think the judges are too hard on her. While she may not be the absolute best singer in the competition, I.LOVE.HER.

3. Crystal. Now THIS is the girl to beat. She's got an edge to her that I just love. I also think that out of all of the girls, she's the most consistent. She's fantastic every week.

Moving on to the guys now.

While I think they girls are stronger as a whole, I had a harder time narrowing down my favorite male singers. Weird.

So, here are my top 4 favorite male singers.

1. Todrick- I actually wasn't a huge fan of his until last night. His performance was one of my favorites, and I think he's got a great chance of making it to the top.

2. Lee. First of all, he's cute, but I suppose that's beside the point here. I think he's consistently good and is definitely a popular contestant.

3. Michael. While I may not have been quite moved to tears like Kara was last night, I did absolutely LOVE Michael's performance. He won me over last night. He definitely won't be going home anytime soon.

4. Casey. Like Lee, he's quite the little hottie. I like the rocker side of him, but I thought he did a fabulous job with the Keith Urban song last night. I also like the fact that he plays the guitar while he sings. Double sexy.

What about you? Agree? Disagree?

and here they are...

American Idol

Season 9

Top 24!

females) Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Lacey Brown, Michelle Delamor, Katelyn Epperly, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Ashley Rodriguez, Lilly Scott, Katie Stevens, Haeley Vaughn and Janell Wheeler; (males) Lee Dewyze, Andrew Garcia, Tyler Grady, Todrick Hall, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Alex Lambert, Michael Lynche, Joe Muñoz, John Park, Jermaine Sellers and Tim Urban

While the auditions are fun and entertaining, I always look forward to this point in the competition when I can focus and really start picking and choosing. Do I sound like an AI addict? Well....maybe I am.

Anybody have a favorite yet?

It's American Idol time!

Is anybody else pumped about the premiere of season 9 of American Idol tonight? I'm PUMPED. I'm not sure yet how I feel about Ellen replacing Paula this year, but I'm going into it with an open mind. We'll see how that goes. What are your opinions of the new judge? I also heard that Simon is leaving after this season. What in the world will AI be like without him?

Idol, Ellen, and 9/11

I am a true American Idol fan and have been for YEARS. I love music (and secretly wish I could sing), enjoy competition, and, well, I kinda think Simon is sexy. :) I have also become quite attached to the other judges; Randy, Paula, and the new addition, Kara, who I think is just a doll. I'm not big on change though, so I was saddened to hear that Paula was leaving the show! I mean...part of what made it so great was PAULA...her clothes, her dancing, and her absolutely bizarre comments. I mean...I'm just going to miss her.

It was recently announced that Ellen will be taking her place. I'm just a little unsure about this. I will give her a shot, but I'm worried that I'm going to be disappointed. Thoughts??

On a more serious note, I woke up thinking about what happened to our country exactly 8 years ago. I don't have a very good memory, but I do remember exactly where I was when this tragedy occurred. I was in college and living in the KD house. I'm sure I'll never forget that day.

I'm watching a documentary of 9/11 right now, and while I'm not really seeing anything I haven't seen before, it still hurts my heart and gives me chills to think about.

"This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world. Thank you. Good night and God bless America."

-George W. Bush 9/11/01

GOD BLESS AMERICA. LAND THAT I LOVE.

Adam vs. Kris and the Jon Gosselin scandal...

Well, I personally think it's going to be a tough call tomorrow night. In my opinion, both performers did well tonight, each having their own "shining moment." I think Adam is favored to win, but I definitely don't think Kris should be ruled out! I truly like them equally, but I tend to pull for underdogs, so I'm crossing my fingers for Kris (plus, my friend Heather is a die hard Adam fan, and I think a little rivalry between us will be fun!). Something else to think about-- There were a lot of Danny Gokey fans out there, so who's going to get the majority of THOSE votes? I think Kris will, but that's just me.Thoughts?

2nd topic of the night: JON GOSSELIN. Now, I've heard the rumors that have been going around about him having an affair, but I tried not to think anything of it in hopes that they WERE just rumors! I mean, I LOVE JON AND KATE PLUS 8! You'll watch an episode or 2 and be totally convinced that, even though their lives are completely chaotic with 8 children, they were very much in love with each other and happily married! My heart hurt today when I saw Kate on the cover of People magazine. It's one thing to see their picture on the cover of The National Enquirer, but when it's seen in People, I tend to believe it. I read the article in which Kate was interviewed, and it made me so sad. She seemed very hurt about it all, and says their marriage is really struggling. While Jon denies having an affair, she still says that regardless, things aren't so great. It makes me so sad! I guess it just goes to show you that even though some families seem picture-perfect, they may be, in fact, very far from it.

I'm anxious to see what's going to happen with the Gosselins!

Top 3 predictions...

It'll be a close call, but after the performances last night on AI, I've chosen the 3 who I believe will make it to the top 12:1. Allison- LOVED HER. She's a shoe-in in my opinion. And she's only 16!

2. Adam- besides the fact that he's got a bit of sexiness to him, he's SO talented. I think he'll for sure make it through too.

3. Jesse- I'm not 100% about this one. The judges weren't too fond of her last night, but I really liked her.

As much as I would LOVE for Jasmine, the Mississippi girl to make it through, I'm not so sure she was strong enough last night. We'll see though!

Opinions?

It's the BEST season of the year!

And NO...I'm not referring to the bitter, miserably cold winter we are enduring. I'm talking about AMERICAN IDOL SEASON! Did you watch the season premiere last night?? I love watching the auditions...I mean LOVE it. My personal fave from last night--the African American with the insanely deep voice. I'll probably search for that one on YouTube when I need a good laugh.

And guess what? If you're beating yourself up for missing it last night, have no fear! Tune in again TONIGHT for some more fun (or set up the Tivo for all of you who are up-to-date-on-technology. That's NOT me)!

Thanks to all of you who humored me by giving me a shout-out on the blog. What can I say? I'm easily entertained and love getting comments. It's fun to know who actually keeps up with this blog, even though, most of the time it's nonsensical (is that a word??).

OK. Now for the next order of business, my sister Kristen's dear friend Laura awarded me with this "Proximidade" award. Below is a description of it. Although I'm not quite sure my blog is "exceedingly charming," I'll happily accept the compliment. Now MY job is to choose 8 blogs that I enjoy reading and who I feel are worthy of this honorable award. ;) (Unfortunately, there's no cash prize for it. I never win money).

I read literally a hundred blogs, so it's hard for me to choose 8. I'm not going to choose the sis, because she's already been awarded by another blogger.
So, here you go! Here are 8 fantastic blogs, that you MUST check out, if you haven't done so already:
Mary Straton Smith's (a.k.a. MSKS): "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"

Katey Overstreet's: "The Overstreets"

Emily Redwood's: "The Redwoods on Redbud"

Candy Robertson's: "The Robertsons"

Laura Dearman's: "The Dearman Family"

Tassie Rosamond's: "Tassie and Her Random Thoughts"

Jenny Holloway's: "The Holloway Family"

Mary Katherine Segrest's: "The Segrest Family"

Thanks to all of you who ask about my marathon training! So far, so good. I must admit...getting out to run when it's SO COLD outside, is difficult. However, I always feel MUCH better after doing it! I'm proud of myself so far. My next big run: this Saturday--7 miles!

I'm off to run an easy 3-miler now ;)

Stay warm...