Saturday, February 28, 2009

Time Flies

Tomorrow is already March. Can you believe it? Tomorrow is the first day of the month that my youngest nephew turns 2 (eek!) and my husband turns 30.

March is finally the arrival of spring. It's the month I will (hopefully) be able to start working in a classroom. It will be a short month away from our first anniversary (holy crap!).

So I'm going to go stitch and sew the day away on this final day of February. I may do it on the porch just for the sake of the sun that's out today.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Friday Photo

It's been sunny here for the past few days. I like it, but I'm also waiting for the rain we're supposed to have. Anyway, all this sunshine has me thinking of spring. My mom is quite the gardener. She always has flowers ready to go as soon as she's able to start in her yard. Last year, Tad was her little helper. He helped with the planting, and of course played in the dirt.

So thinking of spring coming, thought today's picture would be perfect.


Nevermind that the kid's hair is a little shaggy here, look at those little hands. And that sky up behind him. I'm proud to say I took this one. This was last spring in mom's front yard. I look forward to bringing him over for more yard work this spring.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

American Idol - Second Elimination

I really don't feel like sitting through more of the show tonight. There's far too much filler for me right now. Thankfully Comcast gets those results out early. They stick with Eastern time so I don't have to suffer the strange and ridiculous comments of the judges. So, want to know who the three are?

Adam Lambert is through (I totally called that one). Allison is through (I totally called that one too). And Kris Allen is through.

Wait, what? Yeah, for those of you who found him forgettable, he's the one who sang Man in the Mirror last night. I don't know how he got so many votes. I wonder what the difference was between him and the fourth highest...

Anywho, let's gear up for next week now. I hope they aren't a massive disappointment.

Four Posts???

Yes, this is my fourth post today. But I found another of those trailer mashups like the Toy Story ones I found a while ago.

I give you Watchmen... the Futurama edition.




Who makes these? I want to name my firstborn after him or her.

Maybe...

... just maybe the universe doesn't hate me.

I finally got an email confirming...

THAT I AM A CREDENTIALED TEACHER IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

It's not quite as exciting as I was imagining, I don't even get a paper copy, just a link to my online copy (printable). But I'm officially done. No more waiting on the state to give me everything I need for my job.

No celebrations or anything, it's not quite the same as a graduation, therefore I don't think a party is justified. Maybe if I'm lucky hubby will get me flowers though.

The Universe Hates Me

NKOTB tickets go on sale tomorrow. I can afford one. Now I just need to get mom to go with me since NO ONE else will.

No Doubt goes on sale in one week. I can possibly afford that one also. And I even have people to go with. Yay!

And today I find out that DAVE MATTHEWS BAND is coming to town. And tickets go on sale in two weeks.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! I've only wanted to see them since high school! And there's no way I can afford three concert tickets in three weeks!!! Not to mention hubby wouldn't enjoy going with me so I am officially dateless for that one.

Thanks universe. You're a big fat jerk.

The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham

Just some thoughts on Lost last night.
  1. Hubby took less than two seconds to guess who the "mystery person" was at the very beginning of the show. "It's Locke." Then BAM! It is.
  2. Dude, when did Walt become a MAN?! Hubby uttered a "holy (insert naughty-word)" at the sight of him.
  3. Hurley is great. Thinking he was seeing Locke because he was dead and asking the nurse if he was talking to a guy in a wheelchair. Classic Hurley.
  4. It's just weird seeing Locke in his wheelchair.
  5. I'm sad for John at Helen's grave. I knew nothing good could have happened to her.
  6. Jeebus Ben is a weasel. I hate that he's the one who killed Locke.
  7. I really have no clue who to trust in the Ben vs. Widmore thing. But with Ben killing John once he got what he wanted for him I'm going to side with Widmore.

So much more on my mind about the episode, but it's just hard to put some of it into words. I welcome your comments. Unless of course you're a snarky smarty-pants like the random commenter last time. I'll delete you if I feel like you're being a jerk.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

American Idol - Second 12

We're onto the second group of twelve tonight. After being mostly disappointed last week I didn't have high hopes tonight either. So let's see how it all went...

First up was Jasmine Murray. She's still in high school and has kind of been a judge favorite leading up to tonight. She sang Love Song by Sara Bareilles. And she wasn't as good as I thought she would be. Randy called her pitchy, Kara said it wasn't her best. Paula agreed. And Simon said he wasn't sure she was ready. I call bad song choice. This did not bode well for the rest of the night.

Next was Matt Giraud. I've liked him up to now. He was GREAT during Hollywood week when he sang Georgia On My Mind. He made hubby sit up and take notice. Tonight he sang Viva la Vida by Coldplay. I'm not a big fan of Coldplay, but I tried not to let that sway my thoughts. I didn't have to. He just didn't do it well. I was really hoping for better. Kara said it didn't show his best, Simon said it was verging on terrible. Randy and Paula blamed bad song choice. *sigh* Somebody help these people with song choice!!!

Jeanine Vailes was next. Who? Oh, she's apparently been flying under the radar. I sure don't remember her. She did This Love by Maroon 5. LOVE that song. Sadly, didn't love her. She was kind of all over the place with it. I was disappointed. The best Paula could come up with was "great legs." Simon called it terrible and painful. Randy said the best part was the end, when she stopped. Kara called it overdone. I totally agree.

Ugh, next up was Nick Mitchell. I should say it was Norman Gentle because that's the alter ego he decided to go with tonight. Idiot. He sang that You're Gonna Love Me song that everyone on the show has done by now. He barely tried singing and relied mostly on his "comedy." Simon is praying he doesn't go to the next round (I second that!). Randy called him entertaining but said the vocals were not happening. Kara and Paula said essentially the same thing. Can he go home now???

Following that was redemption in the form of Allison Iraheta. I actually don't remember her from auditions. She sang Alone by Heart. HOLY COW. She rocked it. Slightly reminds me of Kelly Clarkson in looks and in voice. I loved her. Randy said she "blew it out the box." Kara loved her. Paula said she could sing the telephone book. Simon called her the best tonight. I will totally be voting for her.

Kris Allen was next. He did Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. I winced at that announcement, MJ is harder than these singers seem to realize. He was good though. He got better as he kept going, his beginning was rough. Kara didn't like it, but the other three did.

Megan Corkrey was up next. I remember her from auditions, her voice was super unique. She did Girl Put Your Records On by Corrine Bailey Rae. Love that song. I liked her. She doesn't look totally comfortable up there yet, but she sounded good. All four judges like her. Simon even said that he hopes America votes for her.

Then we came to welder Matt Breitzke. I like him. He's just likable. He sang If You Could Only See by Tonic. Oh that song brings back high school memories. And I loved his singing. He looked a little uncomfortable, but I liked him. The judges thought he was boring. It was pretty unanimous that he should have chosen something else. I disagree.

Next up was Jesse Langseth. There's something kind of weird about her that I can't put my finger on. She sang Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes. I wasn't too impressed. I mean, she's got a good voice, but the performance felt mumbly. Paula was the only one who loved it, saying that she's been captivating this whole time. Simon decided she was forgettable. Randy and Kara were feeling so-so.

Kai Kalama followed Jesse. He's the one who slightly reminds me of my brother. He sang What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin. I was a little disappointed. Mostly with his song choice. He sang well, but I wanted him to choose something more modern. The judges totally agreed with the bad song choice. Randy called him safe and Simon called him forgettable.

After Kai was Mishavonna Henson. She's cute. I've been enjoying her. She sang Drops of Jupiter by Train. Another song I love. She KILLED it. She even looked good. None of the judges were super impressed though. They like her, but didn't like her song choice. The general agreement was that she was too serious and grown up. Um, hello? Remember last week when Stevie tried to be young for the judges? Yeah, that really worked out well.

Finishing the night was Adam Lambert. He's a bit drama-ish. But he's in musical theater. Has been since he was a kid. He did Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones. I got worried. But then he started singing. And I really enjoyed him. Really. He's seriously talented. Paula, Simon and Kara liked him and are pretty amazed with his vocal abilities. Simon was torn because there were moments that were excruciating, and other moments that were brilliant.

So my three choices tonight? I had a tough time. Adam is hands-down the guy I choose tonight. My hands-down girl is Allison. My third... I had a totally tough time. But I think I'm going with Megan. This group ended up much better than last week's group though. And I'm thankful for that.

For You to Amuse Yourself

I've been to MyHeritage many times. But for those of you who haven't been, it's a site where you upload a picture of yourself and see who you look like. The results are sometimes way off, and sometimes you don't even know who the people are, but it's fun. Try it with a few different pictures of yourself.

I decided to make a few collages to share.

Me.




Hubby.




My dad. (Hey mom, are you stoked for the Swayze pic?!)




And mom. (Did ya notice we both got Kimberly Williams?)




My bro. (HOLY SH*%, look at that, Brad Pitt. He's single ladies.)




And finally, my buddy Leon. He just might kill me if he sees this. But I have ALWAYS said he reminds me of Leonard DiCaprio. Even when we were kids. So I had to check...




So go have some fun today. Upload some pics. See if you look like who you hope you do.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Guilty

I'm a Twilight crack-head.

It's a recent thing. I only started the series this month. I actually had the first book sitting in my house for a month before I picked it up.

But then I did. And it was all over for this girl.

I picked it up when hubby was at work one day. He leaves the house at seven for the hospital, and for some reason, I was wide awake when he left that particular morning. So I picked up the book.

And read for four hours straight.

Reading continued in chunks until he got home. I didn't want to ignore him, but those last hundred pages or so were calling to me, so as soon as he decided it was bedtime I went to bed too. And finished the book.

OMG, can I just tell you that I'm totally embarrassed by how enjoyable I find them? If these had come out when I was in high school, I would be one of those hopeless girls with "I heart Edward" on my backpack, binder, keychain... I'm ridiculous.

So shout-out to Claudia for bringing the last two books for me today. I started Eclipse. And I'm struggling with not holing up in bed until I'm through with it.

Because I am ridiculous and feeling like a high schooler all over again.

Monday, February 23, 2009

O is for...

Wow the things O could be for... but I won't go there!

O is for old.

Yeah, I know, I'm in my twenties, how can I possibly be considered old? But there are things making me feel old now. My husband will be thirty next month. He's struggling with that more than me. My nephew who is like my child will be starting Kindergarten this year. Kindergarten! I just can't picture him spending time at school now, where they get report cards and bad cafeteria food. It makes me sad and I will likely cry. Then hubby will laugh. And I'll get mad.

I also have an issue with the fact that my oldest nephew is going to be eight this year. Eight years old. This is the kid that was a year and a half when I met hubby. The kid who stole my soda the first time I met him. He can't possibly be eight already. I have trouble accepting this.

I know it will only get worse as they continue to grow up. I know that no girls will ever be good enough for my nephews and no boys will be good enough for my nieces. I know this will be the case with my own children one day. How do parents do it? I don't think I ever really realized just how old I was getting until I had kids in my life.

Ugh.

I don't want to be old.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Wow

We actually watched the Oscars tonight. They're almost over now. I'm not going to go on about every little thing. Maybe tomorrow. But I will say that the in memoriam part is always the most bittersweet thing of the night.

I'm not going to wax philosophical or anything, but as hubby and I sat here I realized something. Charlton Heston, Roy Scheider, and Paul Newman have all died in the last year. Three of the manliest men in films. It just made me sad.

*Hubby gets comment of the night. Richard Jenkins was just featured because he's nominated for best actor. Hubby asked, "Did he get nominated for Step-Brothers? Because he was pretty good in that." Ohhhh, my husband.

A Lesson for You

Don't watch Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (the one with Guy Fieri on Food Network) when you are hungover.

I'm fine now, no sensitive stomach or any of that nonsense. To be honest it was a baby hangover in the first place. But I'm one of those people that craves fatty comfort food when I'm recovering from a night of alcohol-induced fun.

And watching two back-to-back episodes has left me craving a ginormous burger. And big, fat onion rings. My taste buds are pleading with me right now...

Movie Review

Wednesday night we felt like a movie. Since the kid is still with us (I totally don't mind that either!) we knew it had to be something kid-friendly. So we settled on Coraline (or as Tad says it, "Toraline"). We didn't catch it in 3D because of price and because the theater that's two minutes from us didn't have it in 3D. I'll survive.

Okay, I fully expected some weirdness and some coolness. Tim Burton was involved so it wouldn't be right if it wasn't a little weird.
But it was weird. Not in a bad way. I really liked it. The idea behind it was good, there was a little message for those of you that like messages.
And the stop-motion animation... ohhhhh. LOVED it. The whole beginning sequence was super fun to me because I've been so into stitching and such lately. And the rest of the movie... awesome. Her other-dad's garden was possibly my favorite scene in the movie. It was just cool.
Hubby liked it. "Cool movie, kind of creepy." I'll agree that there was a little creepiness there. It's not as much a kid movie as you'd like to think it is. But Tad liked it. He did admit to me that there were parts that were scary though. But apparently not that scary. He didn't crawl into my lap or anything. He was totally focused the whole movie.
So I'll give it a solid A. Just don't expect your average three-or four-year-old to be enthralled. It's not as juvenile as one would expect.
And previews? Oh how I love previews. There was one for Monsters vs. Aliens. I hadn't actually seen a trailer for that one. It looks HILARIOUS. I may be taking a trip to see that one. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs also came up. It was the squirrel-thing again in his own little moment with the acorn. Tad loved that. I may see it, but not likely in theaters unless Tad asks for it directly. There was also Up, the new fun from Pixar. It looks weird, but you know I'll see it. Pixar always has awesomeness. Then there was this weird flick called 9. I really am still not sure what was going on with it. It doesn't look like a kid movie. But it looks like one of those movies that you'll regret not seeing on a large screen. Tim Burton is involved in that one too. And Christopher Plummer does a voice. So there's two big reasons for me to want to watch.
Okay, enough of that for one review. No telling when the next review will be, but keep an eye open.
*Edit: Apparently, 9 is based on a short film. I've embedded the short here for you.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

You Should Watch...

You should really watch Important Things With Demetri Martin. What? You don't know what it is?

Demetri Martin is a comedian. I honestly had no clue who he was until we caught the show on Comedy Central last week. It's great. He's so random and I love it. You know me and randomness. Randomness is the frosting on my cupcake.

So if you have cable or satellite, check it out. He's on Wednesdays at 10:30. You will laugh. If you don't, I'll give you your money back.* And to further convince you, a video.




*Ha, on you! You're not paying so I don't owe you a thing!

Friday, February 20, 2009

I Call B.S.

So this caught my eye on TMZ earlier. Sports Illustrated used Danica Patrick in their swimsuit issue and airbrushed her tattoo away. Their reason?

"The Swimsuit issue emphasizes natural beauty..."

REALLY?! Really pigs? Because you don't airbrush anyone's body, right? And none of those pictures are edited? And everyone in that particular issue can honestly say they've never had any enhancements?

I don't know why, maybe because I'm already moody about something else, but that is the most ridiculous thing I've read today.

Friday Photo

You're in luck this week. You get MULTIPLE FRIDAY PHOTOS! That's right, I love you all sooo much that I decided you deserve more than one picture today. Okay maybe it has something to do with me wanting to show off the fun we had yesterday...

Yesterday, hubby and I took the kid to the snow. It wasn't his first trip there or anything, but there was a TON of fresh snow from storms this week and we wanted to go up there. So we did. And probably should have had chains (oops) but we didn't get stuck or anything so it's cool. We were up there for about an hour until the kid's teeth were chattering then came home. And here's some pictures for you...

As you can see, the little one had fun throwing the snow around. It was perfect for making snowballs, still all powdery and awesome.


He also had fun eating the snow with hubby. Weirdos.

There was also plenty of laughing and screaming as an epic snowball fight ensued.

And the only other picture of me, just being cute with the kid.

Hubby built some snowpeople (you can't tell, but I totally put snow-boobs on the one on the right, sorry mom).
Then we made a little one. Ya know, for the kid.
It was actually a super fun day. I kinda want to go back already.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

FINALLY!

I got an email last night saying that my credential request was submitted and I can finally pay for it.

I'M FINALLY GOING TO GET MY STINKING CREDENTIAL!!!

Only... *checks calendar* two weeks after they told us we were going to get it. Whatever, I can finally work! Which means I may actually be able to get something good for hubby's birthday! And I might actually be able to buy a cute spring dress or two!

Maybe I should get hired first...

Hubby May Not Like This...

... but I have to share.

I have moments where I think I'm married to Joey Fatone of N'Sync. My husband actually kind of looks like him. And he hates that I say that. But he did give me permission to show you the evidence.

Laugh, but let me show you some pictures...



There's a website that analyzes pictures you upload to see which celebrities you look like. Joey is a match for hubby EVERY time. Any picture I upload.

Just had to share. Don't tease him if you see him out and about.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

American Idol - First Elimination

Okay, so the guy with the most votes, the girl with the most votes, and the third person (regardless of gender) will get through tonight. Then after the other two groups there will be a wild card night where the remaining three spots will be filled.

Let me just throw out that results nights bug the CRAP out of me. There is far too much filler. I just want results. And maybe a good performance.

There's a group performance. It's alright, but of course it's not as great as the real top twelve performance will be. But it wasn't bad. I sure didn't love how they all sound together though.

Interesting. While reviewing the performances from last night, they saved Alexis and Danny for last. Danny makes sense seeing as how he was last to perform, but why put Alexis so far back when she performed third? Could she be in the top twelve???

First three people are called. Casey and Stephen are out. Alexis is through! I called that one. They let her sing. Even though I love her, this is the needless filler I'm talking about.

Ricky and Jackie are up next. Together. Both are out. Anoop and Michael are up together now. A good amount of screaming from some girls in the audience. Not sure for who. Michael is in, Anoop isn't. More filler as he sings.

Filler from Disney World's new American Idol Experience. Only highlight of this is me wishing I had been there to see Carrie Underwood and David Cook perform together.

EEEE!!! Surprise! Michael Johns and Carly Smithson are on stage! I loved them last year!!! At least their performance is the good kind of filler.

String of announcements. Anne-Marie, Brent and Stevie are standing. All three are out. That leaves Danny and Tatiana. They so did this on purpose. Tatiana is an idiot again. Fixing her hair and trying to look all "beautiful dramatic." Paula says it should be Danny to go through. Aaaand the show is a jerk, making me wait until after a commercial.

Tatiana really makes me insane. She keeps messing with her hair and mugging for the camera.

IT'S DANNY!!!!!!!

Thank God. Now I can go watch my Lost in peace. We'll see more next week.

Finally, Valentine's Day projects

I just have to throw in a note that I don't think I can write "V-Day" without thinking it sounds dirty or diseased. Therefore I will be using the full term in my blogs.

Anyhow, I got crafty. It was fun. I made some little Valentine pins. These are only two, I didn't take pictures of the other two before I uploaded these.




I also made stuff for the kids and my sis-in-law. Aren't these little bags cute??? I may just try to sell some next year. They were a lot easier than I expected them to be.



Then there were projects that Tad helped me with. We made two of these, one for my mom (his grandma, duh) and one for his mom. There's also a couple close ups of the flowers. Yes, they're a bunch of smaller hearts fanned out to make a flower.




And of course I had to make some cheesy stuff for our apartment. There's this garland...



And there's Tim's massive Valentine's card. Because I didn't go out and buy one and this gave him twenty-seven things that I love less than him. It was fun. And got some good laughs out of him.



So see? I kept busy. And now it's all over. (And I'll send you a surly black heart pin next year James.)

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

American Idol - First 12

We're finally down to competition!!!

The thirty-six finalists have been split into three groups of twelve. I'm still not clear on what the heck is going on before they get to the actual top twelve, but whatev. I do know that I'm voting for Danny tonight... I'll put his number up when they get to him. BTW, I'm doing this as the show goes, but just not posting it live. Hence anything that seems random.

First up is Jackie Tohn singing A Little Less Conversation by Elvis. I like this song. I don't know if I love her version. It's not horrible, but it's not my thing either. And her outfit tonight... ugh. Not flattering. I don't think it could be cute on anybody. None of the judges loved her to death, but they each had something good to say. Kind of. You know how Simon is...

Now is Ricky Braddy singing... something. I totally missed what he said he was singing. It's probably something I should know. But he's singing it well. Actually, he's pretty good. Everyone loved him except Simon. He only liked him and commented on his stage presence.

Up third is Alexis Grace singing Never Loved a Man by Aretha. She's good. She's cute too. I would totally find her for my brother if she didn't have a kid. I don't know if he could handle having a kid... but yeah, back to her singing. I like her. Better than Jackie. All four judges LOVE her. Simon told her she's the best contestant and reminds him of Kelly Clarkson. She's "one to watch."

Brent Keith is next. Maybe not quite as swoon-worthy as I originally thought. But he's still cute. He's singing a song I know, Hicktown, by Jason Aldean. Honestly, he doesn't sound as great as I thought he would. Hubby just echoed the sentiment. He doesn't strike me as a star here. Randy liked him, Kara called him "safe." Paula is going with Randy and saying she sees him as a country star. Simon wasn't impressed.

Now we're seeing Stevie Wright. She's going to sing You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift. Ouch, rough start. Nope... just not good. I feel semi-bad saying it, but it sounds like karaoke. I understand she's probably trying to go for a young vibe, but I don't like it. And none of the judges liked it. Simon just said that there's zero chance of her getting through.

AAAACKKKK! NPH is totally in the audience!!! Now I wish I were there...

Anoop is up now. He's singing Angel of Mine by Monica. I grew up LOVING this song. He sings it well. I'm not swooning or anything, but he definitely sounds good. And he's lost that awkward feeling I think. He looks pretty comfortable on the stage. Paula's standing. She must love him. She straight up compared him to Brian McKnight. The other judges are torn. They like him still, but they didn't love the song choice.

Casey Carlson's turn. Singing Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by The Police. Love this song. And I kinda like her. She still reminds hubby and me of Mandy Moore. Even her singing. But she makes some weird faces... She's not great. I wouldn't be opposed to her getting through though. Kara is an idiot. She so wants to market her as bubblegum and is belittling her for not picking something "girly." And her and Paula are idiots because apparently all they can talk about is how pretty she is. Like that helps the sting of being told you aren't good.

Our roughneck Michael Sarver is up now. Singing I Don't Wanna Be by Gavin DeGraw. Good, but I don't know if he's great. He definitely looks comfortable on stage. He looks like he's having fun. Overall the judges were unsure of his song choice. But they like him so they're actually hoping that he gets into the top twelve based on votes.

Anne-Marie Boskovich is next. I liked her during auditions, but I thought it was stupid that they cared so much about her image back then. She's singing Natural Woman. She's pretty good. Once again, not sure if I'd call her great. It might be another bad song choice. There seems to be a lot of that going around. Judges are kind of split on her, but the agreement is that it's another bad song choice. If they're so picky, maybe the song choices should be more limited.

EEEEE!!! Trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine! I put everything down to watch it. Greatness. I don't know if I can wait until May 1.

Now is Stephen Fowler who forgot the words during Hollywood week and still made it through. He's going to sing Rock With You by Michael Jackson. Not great. Kind of tame, kind of karaoke. He's not bad, but he isn't amazing. Judges weren't impressed. At all. But actually, Simon pointed out (and I agree) that the musicians weren't too great tonight either.

Tatiana is next... ugh. Hubby has mentioned at least five times tonight how much he cannot stand her. She's singing Saving All My Love by Whitney Houston. If I listen without looking at the television, she's good. But then I look up and she's trying to make eyes at the camera constantly and it irritates me. Kara is pointing out that Tatiana is like a roller coaster ride. Good point. Maybe we should make sure she's medicated... HAA! Simon just called her a "complete and utter drama queen." So perfect. The judges don't sound sure about whether or not they like her.

So, tangent here, but I think we should play a drinking game. Every time Tatiana mentions this being "her dream" you take a drink. I guarantee you will be drunk every episode.

Ahhhh... last of the night is Danny Gokey. Better get my phone ready. He's singing Hero by Mariah Carey. First thought is, "Eek!" Why choose Mariah? Ohhh but he's doing gooood. Have I mentioned I love him yet tonight? Because I do. And Paula is already standing before he even got to the chorus. He is KILLING it. But I could be biased. *sigh* Okay, even Kara is going NUTS for him. Randy just called him "the redeemer of the night." Kara called him "the hero." Paula just said "sold-out arenas." Simon of course has issues and can only call him good, not anything more. If you want to vote for him (I'm assuming you text like me), text "VOTE" to 5712. I'll be voting as soon as I hit "publish."

My two faves of the night? Easily Danny and Alexis. Ricky was pretty good too. But everyone else really wasn't as good. Wait, Anoop was good. So those are my four picks. But I guess only three get through tomorrow? We'll find out what's up tomorrow night...

I Made Cupcakes

My girl Andrea suggested baking to help me out of my funk. Between baking and realizing that a small part of the funk is just the ever-so-delightful PMS (sorry if that was an overshare) I think I'm feeling a little bit better now.

So yeah, cupcakes. I picked a box of plain white cake mix and decided I wanted to do some funky tie dyed looking cupcakes as my friend John and I had discussed a couple weeks ago. It wasn't nearly as tedious as I was afraid it would be. And I love how they turned out. So have a picture...


Look how pretty they are all frosted!

It's naked so you can see its colors.


And here's a gutted one. I dare you to look at these cupcakes and not smile.

The colors are happy and I'm glad I made them. I have some more pictures (finally) so look forward to finally finding out what I made for Valentine's Day. I also have some fun websites to share. And some more crafting to get done. (Homemade birthday gifts for my youngest nephew since we're broke.) I still may not post as much as normal. Or be as fun as normal. But we shall see...

Monday, February 16, 2009

N is for...

N is for negative.

I know I said that I wouldn't post unless I had something to say, but this is kind of something to say.

I feel icky lately. It's not just being sick, it's the fact that everything seems to be going to hell. I'm waiting on the state to get me my credential so I can just get a job already. Hubby is waiting on the state for one last test he has to take. No one is hiring in our area. Having a tiny apartment stinks sometimes, but it wouldn't be smart to pay what we don't have for a house right now.

I've been distracting myself with books. And the kid. But it's just hard to keep a happy mood with everything going on. Layoffs and shorter hours everywhere you look. Hiring freezes. The cost of EVERYTHING going up. What next? Will they tax me if I breathe too much? It's all quite ridiculous.

So I've just been feeling poopy and negative. I'll get over it. I'm not looking for sympathy, just had to spit it all out.

This negative poopiness is what's leading to the issues with me blogging. I just feel like I have nothing positive to say. Nothing great. Nothing to make you enjoy the blog at the moment. Maybe I'll go out on an adventure this week. Something to get out of this mood...

Meh

Yeah, I haven't been around. I haven't been feeling particularly passionate about writing right now. Other things on my mind...

I did find Jorge Garcia's blog tonight. Yeah, Jorge Garcia. "Hurley" from Lost. It's fun. Makes me think hubby and I could totally get along with him.

I'm not sure how posting will go this week. I don't like writing just to write. I'll be back when I have something to say...

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you've got something good planned, even if you're not celebrating for one reason or another.

We're staying in tonight. Which means I've got some cleaning and cooking ahead of me. And I have to get the kid bathed and to my mom's house. I do promise to get pictures up at some point. Really.

Food Review

I haven't done one of these. But this one was SO necessary.

Cold Stone Creamery is serving ice cream cupcakes through the end of March.

I learned this and did a happy dance. I love Cold Stone. I love cupcakes. What could be better? So hubby and I went to get some recently. There are three flavors available: Sweet Cream, Cake Batter Delux (yes, they spell it that way), and Double Chocolate Devotion. Descriptions of each are available at the link above.


Overall review: really good. I was expecting the chocolate cups to be obnoxious and too thick. But not at all. They were a perfect thickness. The ice cream was great (duh), the frosting (whipped cream!) was not too sweet at all (I was worried), and the cake tasted good. My only complaint? Not quite enough cake. I could definitely do with more cake in mine. Hubby agrees. On to details...

Sweet Cream: Oh soooooo good. I loved it. Surprisingly, I haven't had the sweet cream ice cream before. I will definitely be getting that on the next visit. Cake was good, just not quite enough for me.

Cake Batter Delux: Good. I'm not a huge fan of the cake batter ice cream though. The red velvet cake was good though, and that's one cake that I'm picky about.

Double Chocolate Devotion: Reeeeally good. Seriously. If you have a chocolate craving, have one of these. Cake was great, ice cream was great... I was happy.

Overall I think I may have liked the Sweet Cream best. But if I was PMSing, I can totally see downing three Double Chocolate Devotions. Cake Batter Delux, I would eat it again. It was good, but given a choice I would pick the other two. Hubby can't pick. He loved them all. If he absolutely had to pick though, he said Sweet Cream also.

So go forth. And purchase ice cream cupcakes! They come in six packs and you can get one flavor, or the variety pack with two of each flavor. Remember, this is only through the end of March!

Friday, February 13, 2009

You Can Fire Me

I'm not going to post any pics today. This is actually the first time I've been online all day. It was another busy day around here. Hubby, the kid, and I ran around a bit. Took him to mom's work where everyone marveled at the kid's cuteness. I tutored a bit. Brother-in-law came by. And now I have a toddler asleep on my leg.

I'll honestly try to post tomorrow. Swear.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

EEEEEE!!!

I will post trailers OFTEN. As has been pounded into your heads, I love movies. Therefore I share things like trailers.

Hubby found the trailer for X-Men Origins: Wolverine tonight. Since it's on IMDB I can't embed it, but here's a link to it.

Add another one to the summer calendar. That might end up being one that has to be seen twice in the theater...

Oh, hi there

I totally forgot to blog today didn't I? Oops.

And right now I'm about to throw the booger-faced kid (seriously, he's got a cold) into the bathtub so that doesn't give me long to talk at you.

I'm going to pick up a couple hours tutoring this weekend. Some unexpected money is always good. And my mom's going to watch the kid for us Saturday so we can have the dinner we had planned.

And that's life. I'm really struggling to sit out here and pay attention to what's going on in my household when I have New Moon sitting on my nightstand in the bedroom. Yup. Shout-out to Claudia for letting me borrow it! The library totally didn't have any copies checked in. And Claudia is the "Twilight Crack Dealer" at mom and hubby's work (yes, they work at the same place). She was totally awesome enough to let me borrow the second one.

Alright, the kid is sitting here staring at me, waiting for his bath. Guess I have to go now. Pictures tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

American Idol - Final 36

So we finally made it down to thirty-six spots tonight. Of course I had some issues with some that were chosen, but isn't that always the case? There was a twist this year: in a few instances two contestants had to "sing for survival" against each other. So let me get down to this in a way that makes sense.

Singing for survival:
  • Alex vs. Cody: I recognized them, but they haven't stood out much to me. Alex went through.
  • Jenn vs. Kristen: Kristen was the one involved in a lot of drama during group week. Jenn has been flying under the radar. Kristen got through, but not without an unnecessary amount of bit**ing from Simon. He was butthurt that the "pretty one" wasn't let through. I'm really tired of how piggish he seems this season. Is it just me, or is he worse?
  • Frankie vs. Jesse: Frankie was awesome during auditions, but Jesse stood out more often. Jesse got through.
  • Jackie vs. Nathaniel: I don't particularly remember Jackie, and Nathaniel only stands out because he's so emo it hurts. Nathaniel is through. I swear, the way he cries, Kleenex should totally sponsor him. They'd get at least five tissues an episode used by this crybaby.
  • Michael vs. Matt: One works on an oil rig, one is a welder. I like them both. And they both got through. Which was totally planned, seeing as how the producers KNOW that they're only keeping thirty-six and these were the last two to get results.

So through? I'll list the names of people who don't earn a plethora of comments. Anoop, Von, Alex, Adam, Taylor, Jasmine (no surprise there), Arianna, Casey (hubby LOVES her), Megan, Mishavonna, Stevie, Joanna, Kendall, Kristen, Alexis, Scott, Lil (no surprise there either), Jesse, Allison, Danny (KNEW it!), Ricky, Matt, Ju'not, Jorge, Brent (cute guy), Stephen (I'm amazed because he's the one who walked off his last chance last night), Jackie (who took her heels off to run out and celebrate), Nathaniel, Jeanine, Kai (yay!), Anne-Marie, Kris, Michael, and Matt.

Now, if you counted all those names you would only come up with thirty-four. That's because I'm severely disappointed with two of the choices. Nick/Norman got through. The guy who doesn't seem to realize that it's not a comedy competition. I'm annoyed that Paula even likes him. And I love that Simon is not subtle in expressing his disagreement with the decision. The other disappointment? Tatiana. That's right, the one who hyperventilates and runs her mouth every other minute. She's loud, annoying, talks far too much... ugh. Even Simon told her, "Just try for once not to be annoying." It didn't work.

Also, Jamar (Danny's BFF) didn't get through. That was sad. First of all, Kara was grinning when she told him he wasn't staying. And the whole room was in shock when Jamar came back down. I felt so horrible when I saw the look on Danny's face.

So, next week apparently we get to vote? I was only half-paying attention. Regardless, I'll blog with the next episode again. Here's where it starts to get good...

Wow

Is it really after two in the afternoon already?

Tad and I have had a busy day. We were up at eight eating cereal because "his tummy was starving." Then I saw that one of our grocery stores had a super good deal on cake mix, frosting and the like. So off we went to the store. And ever since we've been home we've been crafting and eating (he's a bottomless pit right now).

I'm pretty excited about some of our cute Valentiney stuff. I'll have to post pictures later.

Off to do more creating!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

American Idol - Hollywood First Cuts

So they made cuts tonight. Finally. After they watched everyone audition solo.

Wasn't sure about some of the song choices, loved others. I also can't give you every last name of the people who survived tonight. But here's the one's I can actually remember.

Through: Adam (emoish kid that's good), Matt Giraud (plays piano, hubby really liked him), Danny (*sigh*), Scott (blind guy who Seacrest tried to high five), Lil (been good since the start), Tatiana (ugh, the one who hyperventilates and freaks out at every turn), Nathaniel (crying emo boy), Stephen (after he forgot the lyrics, but I'm glad he stayed), Nick/Norman (the guy who can't take it seriously apparently), Jamar (Danny's BFF), and Michael (the roughneck whose voice surprises you).

Out: Jason Castro's little brother (how sad is it that I can't even remember his name) and Leneshe (was really good so I'm surprised). Can't remember any other names.

Tomorrow, more cuts. Down to thirty-six people. I'm guessing Danny, Lil, and Matt for sure will stay. Beyond that, I really have no clue. Guess we'll see if I'm right tomorrow.

Macaroni and Cheese

What is it with kids and that box of bright orange noodles? I told Tad he could have pizza. Or a sandwich. Or plenty of other things. But he wanted macaroni and cheese.

So now we sit here with macaroni and cheese and a Capri Sun. Watching Spongebob. Later on we're doing some Valentine crafting.

Is this what it's like to be a stay-at-home mom? Because I could totally handle it.

Monday, February 9, 2009

M is for...

M is for movies! You know I love them by now. Summer movies are ridiculously exciting for hubby and I. If someone doesn't know what to buy us, they remember movie passes make us deliriously happy.

My best guess would put us at... one hundred fiftyish movies sitting on our shelves. That's actually not a lot now that I think about it. I guess I thought we had more. Of course there are plenty that we don't own that we wouldn't mind owning.

And speaking of movies, I'm sitting here watching a Veggie Tales DVD with the kid. We love those veggies. And we know all their songs. I'm thinking the sing-along may come next...

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Dancing! Dancing is coming!!!

I was waiting anxiously for the lineup for Dancing With the Stars to be announced. And my wonderings and suspicions are now a thing of the past. Here's the lineup, with a brief "who they are," and of course a brief (or not-so-brief) "what I think."

Belinda Carlisle: Yes, that Belinda. Of the Go-Go's. I loved them for a short time (I was old enough to like them in the eighties). What do I think? Meh. I really have no speculations right now about how she'll do.

David Alan Grier: Ahhhh, DAG. He's buddies with Adam Carolla so I'm most familiar with him on that show. That's really the only capacity I can say I love him in. But if you're not sure what he's done (FYI, he has both television and movies under his belt) you could look him up on IMDB. I don't know how his dancing will be, but I hope he doesn't go tame just for the show. Because he's actually pretty funny.

Jewel: I'm kind of excited for Jewel, I have to admit. You remember her from the nineties music scene. I loved her then, and I actually got to see her open for Brad Paisley last summer. Anywho, I hope she does well. They've got some rivalry going because her husband is also dancing this season. (see Ty Murray below)

Shawn Johnson: The little girl that everyone loved on the U.S. gymnastic team last summer. We'll see how she does. She's awful little which could work as an advantage as well as a disadvantage. I'm meh on her at this point.

Lil' Kim: Ugh. If you don't know who she is, I'm envious. I wouldn't put it past her to have an "accidental" wardrobe malfunction. I hope she leaves quickly.

Gilles Marini: Who? Apparently he had a part in the Sex and the City movie. That would explain why I don't know him. I don't watch that mindless drivel.

Ty Murray: Retired rodeo bull-rider. I loved him. Yes, I watch PBR. And enjoy every minute. So yes, love him. He's also married to Jewel. I hope he sticks around for a while. Although it will be funny to me to see him dancing when I'm used to seeing him in a dirty ring jumping off a bull.

Steve-O: Of Jackass fame!!! I'm far more excited about this than I should be. I have this weird twisted crush on him. Well, not anymore, but I did for a long time. I doubt he'll last long, but a girl can hope, can't she?

Nancy O'Dell: From Access Hollywood. And lots of award show red carpets. She's cute and all, but I feel like her smiley, shiny television persona might get to me. We'll see. Watch her end up being insanely good.

Denise Richards: The attention-whore who might possibly be most famous for marrying and divorcing Charlie Sheen (and talking all kinds of trash in the process) or the movie Wild Things. And only Wild Things because she kissed a girl and had a threesome. I'm sure you can gauge my feelings toward her, right? She loves the spotlight a little too much for me.

Lawrence Taylor: The NFL Hall of Famer. Awesome. I can't remember how old he is at the moment, but if he looks old I might be a little bothered by that. I'm betting he'll be around for a while. Football players can dance.

Chuck Wicks: Country singer. Relative newcomer to the music industry. We actually caught him on tour with Brad Paisley too. He's a'ight. But funny part? He's dating Julianne Hough. Yes, the pro dancer from the show. And word is that they're going to be coupled. I'm really excited. And I have a funny story about him. When we were at said concert, I was in the bathroom afterward and overheard some extremely drunk women talking. One commented to the other that, "That Chad Hicks was pretty cute." I laughed. Hard. And loudly. I still refer to him as that.

Steve Wozniak: Apparently something to do with computers? He worked for Apple forever ago. Big whoop. My guess is he won't stick around long. Because I actually had to read about him to know who he is. Oh but wait, I'm not one of those Apple freaks who keeps track of every last person who has ever worked for them. So if nerds watch I guess he'll get votes.

There's the lineup. Show starts in March. The partners (apart from Chuck and Julianne) haven't been announced yet. I'm so stoked. Oh, and if you want the link, here.

We'll be having adventures...

I have the kid for at least a couple days. When hubby and I went to get him last night he was excited to see us. I love that he's not too old to be excited to go with us.

So posts over the next couple days may not be too exciting. Unless I'm posting late at night. I figure I've got to spend as much time with this kid while he's still willing to sit with me and cuddle with me. Because before I know it he'll be too cool to do that. And won't even want eskimo kisses from me.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Books, Books, Books

I'm a bookworm. This is a widely known fact in my family. As a kid my mom would take my brother and I to the library over the summer. I would check out seven or eight books, go home, and disappear into my room until they were finished. Usually around a week I think (right, mom?). Then I'd beg her to take us back.

High school hit and I got annoyed at having to read books for class. They interfered with what I wanted to read. At that time I was all about Stephen King. I may have not read some class assignments... But summers were always my time to get lost in book after book. We had a pool so I would go out after lunch with a book and lay next to the pool or on a raft and read while I tanned. I still love to do it.

I've gotten back into an insane amount of reading since I finished school in December. Part of it came from not having to deal with homework anymore. Part of it is that I missed reading before bed. And the other part came from some of my students. I had one in particular that loved to tell me what she was reading about. It reminded me of me in a way. I was really amused by it. And she actually got me into a new author and series. So ever since I left school I've been reading. And for those of you that want some easy reads (or even something for your kids) I thought I'd list some of what I've been reading...

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. I discovered these when a coworker and I decided to read the first one to our class in after-school program. He took it home and read it then passed it to me before we made a decision. And I thought it was fun. The whole series deals with a rich, 12-year-old genius. There's also a fantasy element with fairies, goblins and other creatures. But it's not your little girl Disney-type fantasy. The fairies have major technology. I've read the first few books more than once. I definitely say try it out on your kids.

I just read As Long As We Both Shall Live by Lurlene McDaniel. Actually, I finished it last night. Crying for the last twenty pages or so. If you're female you may have heard of this author. Or not, I feel like I'm the only person who knows about her. I read a TON of her books when I was younger. Basically... she writes about death. Don't go thinking I'm morbid! She writes a lot about young people with terminal illnesses (cystic fibrosis, types of cancer, etc.) because her own son was diagnosed with leukemia. I was reading these books in fourth or fifth grade and my mom still questions what she was thinking and how I managed to turn out okay. They're reeeeeally good though. And quick, easy reads. And I dare you to read one without crying.

I finally started Twilight this morning. I've had it sitting here for about a month now, borrowed it from my mother-in-law. Finally I picked it up last night and put it on my nightstand, intending to start it tonight. But I couldn't go back to sleep when hubby left this morning so I started reading. And before I knew it, I was 200 pages in. Sure it's not the best writing ever, but I'm loving the story. And it's totally taking me back to the goofy high school emotions. The way I'm flying through it though I either need to get to the library or find someone with a copy of number two.

Wow, that ended up a lot longer than I meant it to. I could have given you backstory in it's very own entry. Expect more book reviews/recommendations in the future. Maybe not so much reviews, I don't proclaim to be an expert.

I'm off to read some more I think. The weather lately has been perfect for curling up with a book and big blanket.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Friday Photo

It's Friday. And I need to get off my butt and do things. Because tonight (or maybe Sunday) I'm going to see High School Musical on Ice! And yes, I'm excited. Go ahead and laugh, I'll just assume you don't know how to find joy in things. Then I'll pity you. But only for a moment.

So, a picture...




So it's a little fuzzy, but I enjoy this one. Tim and I sat and played at the Lego store in Downtown Disney when we were there a couple months ago. I figured with my mini-speech about finding joy in things that this picture would be appropriate.

I love Legos. Perhaps it's time to buy some for Tad...

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Lost: The Little Prince

Why, oh why do you leave me with more questions every week Lost? Why? Do you enjoy hurting my brain? Do you enjoy making me obsess over things?

What's up with the lawyer-guy? Why does he have his finger in everybody's peanut butter? He's dealing with Claire's mom, Kate and Aaron, and apparently Hurley. And reporting to Ben in the process. WTF? Hubby says he's from the island and one of Ben's cohorts.

Hubby also totally called the fact that Ben was the one demanding a test from Kate. All to get her back to the island.

Okay, and who sent Sun the gun? BTW, I love the fact that it was in the box of chocolates. I told hubby that would be a perfectly acceptable way to give me a gun. Disguised by a layer of tasty, tasty chocolate.

And I so KNEW Jin wasn't dead. This made me very happy. I told hubby there was no way he could be dead. So he's been floating around close enough to the island that he's been going through all these flashes in time? I'm assuming that's what happened.

And one more thing. IS ANYBODY ELSE SICK TO DEATH OF JULIET?! Ugh, her mere presence is annoying. I have a problem with the fact that she seems to show absolutely no emotion. Hubby said it's part of being an Other. I don't know if I buy that. But I do buy that she sucks. She'll die at some point, right? Right???

So anyone else have any other observations/questions about last night?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

American Idol - Hollywood Group Night

Ahhhh group night, how I love thee. The drama, the divas, the people who can't handle any amount of pressure... I always feel bad for the people who can't find a group to work with and have to run around begging people to let them join. It's sad. And this year I'm sad for Rose (cute hippie) because somehow she ended up in a group with Katrina (Bikini Girl). So the drama was OUTSTANDING tonight, I loved it.

Remember Tatiana, the girl with the laugh that makes you want to burst your own eardrums? She had major issues tonight. Bounced between two groups and caused drama there. Cried about how it's her "dream" and just annoyed people overall. Somehow she made it through again. And as she went on and on and onnnn... one of her teammates looked like she wanted to punch her. I totally wouldn't have blamed her. If I could reach through the television I would have.

I don't remember Nancy from auditions, but oh dear... mom turn away right now. Nancy is a raging bitch. She ended up leaving, thank God, but she annoyed me before she got kicked off. She had major issues with her group. And she seems like one of those folks that just likes to be yelled at so she can yell back. Ugh.

As I mentioned, poor Rose got stuck with Katrina. And the group named themselves The Divas. Yuck. Way to give yourself a reputation BEFORE you're even part of the business. That's awesome. So after practicing all night Katrina is pissing and moaning and not getting out of bed. She got my hopes up, but then showed up after all. Her group was PISSED. Verdict after the group performed? She's gone! *happy dance* Her drama isn't fun. She's self-centered and has a huge superiority complex. She even posed and batted her eyes at Simon some more. Girl has a future... I just won't tell you where. Unfortunately Rose left too.

So a big thing that Simon mentioned this year: forget the words to your song, and you're out. That freaked everyone out. It was funny.

Groups that stood out: White Chocolate (India, Matt, Kris, and Justin) was FANTABULOUS! They are so great together. They should stick together. But this is a solo competition. There was also the Rainbow Coalition. Featuring Danny the widower. They were awesome too. Hubby said Danny will go far. I informed him that yes, I will be using our unlimited texting to vote for him.

Just a note: the Osmond is gone. Thank goodness for no shameless whoring out of the family. I can handle that.

About seventy-five got through tonight. One more night of Hollywood I believe. I already know some of the ones I want to stick around. We'll find out what's up next week.

Have Some Pictures

I had a good day yesterday. So I thought I would show you. But let's leave out the boring, uneventful morning. Let's start with when I opened the newspaper...



I was greeted by this goodness!

I'm still dying. The sale date has changed which gives me more time to set aside some money.

The weather had been gorgeous the past couple days. So hubby and I took a drive to the foothills. We thought we would go hiking.

But we kept driving and found SNOW! So we had to play in it instead of hiking.

A horribly unflattering picture of me...


... writing our initials in a heart. Because I'm cheesy like that.

I meant to bring the tripod, but forgot, so here's our self-picture. No, we're not wearing sweatshirts. We weren't planning on visiting the snow.


We found a snowman that someone had built and tortured it. I guess we're evil.


We also threw snowballs at each other. For a while. And we suck and couldn't hit each other.


We stopped when our hands were red and numb.


When we got home I made some heart-shaped brownies with peanut butter chips. Yum.


Then I crafted until bedtime. Here's my messy coffee table.

And that was my day. Today is comic book day. And I'm going to see a new tutoring student. And it's our last day of nice weather. We're supposed to be getting a storm blowing in. That makes me happy. I love the rain.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

American Idol - Hollywood

The list got cut down to 104 contestants tonight. My overall review, I'm happy about a few that got through. Others... not so much.

It kills me that Ryan has to open the show with how it's "the biggest season yet." Um, don't you say that every year? What if it proves to be a letdown? Can I call you a liar?

One change this year was stylists and vocal coaches in the Hollywood round! Can I just tell you I was very excited for stylists? They also brought in Barry Manilow as a mentor or something. He really just gave the finalists a speech. Is it bad that I'm pretty much the opposite of impressed with him? Sure, argue that he's timeless, but with that amount of plastic surgery I could be timeless too! Hubby actually quipped that that's what Clay Aiken will look like in fifty years. It earned a laugh from me.

Little notes about the night:
  • Dennis reminded me of Urkel. His face kind of said surprised or scared a lot. Not a good singer. I'm glad he didn't make it through. I think he's a little nuts.
  • Nathaniel... I don't remember him from auditions, but he has a good voice. But what happened to the stylists? His outfit (and HEADBAND) was mildly distracting.
  • Anoop is the guy that had some serious eyebrows and looked "geeky." (Simon said it, not me.) Either the stylists did a number on him or he doesn't always dress geeky, because he looked like he might be able to make it through for a bit. Helps that he really does have a good voice.
  • Rose was the cute hippie chick. She sounded nervous. But her whole group made it through. And I think Jason Castro's brother was in that group! Any hope for more Jason is alright with me...
  • I like Jorge, he's the guy who sang in Spanish and English. I hate that Kara called him "George." Really? Really Kara???
  • Simon called Von "indulgent" and "annoying." I think I agree with the indulgent thing.
  • Norman Gentle from auditions? Yeah, he was an alter ego of Nick. And Nick obviously doesn't give a spit about the competition because he unleashed Norman again. I think I'm with Simon in the "annoyed and ready to hurt him" camp. And for some reason they let him through.
  • Danny is the one who lost his wife. AND I LOVE HIM! He's reeeeally good. I will be voting for him.
  • "Bikini Girl" has a name and it's Katrina. Does anyone else find it amusingly coincidental that she shares a name with one of the worst natural disasters this decade? She made it through, but the highlight of her whole segment was Kara being catty after she left the stage. She totally turned to Paula and said, "Bring your pole tomorrow." I died.
  • David Osmond is good, but I swear if they use him as a way to get Donny and Marie on this show for any amount of time I WILL CHANGE THE CHANNEL!
  • Emily chose a completely different song than she had been practicing. She is totally lucky she made it through after a stupid decision like that.
  • Erika annoyed me when she begged for another chance. She even threw in that it was her husband's birthday. Honey, the judges don't care.
  • Brent, the one that made me swoon during auditions made it. Maybe I'll have to vote for him too...

There you have it. My breakdown of the night. And in case any of you are wondering how I kept names and quotes straight...

I totally took notes in my journal.

See you tomorrow for more!

OMGOMGOMG!!!

So I grabbed the paper this morning, but didn't read it. It sat next to me on the couch for the past hour. Just sitting, not shouting "READ ME!" But I finally picked it up. And what do I find out?

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK ARE COMING TO MY CITY!!!

I'm so dying. You have no idea. They were my first concert. I had countless shirts, pins, scrunchies... the fancy jacket! I thought I was going to marry Joey.

I must go to this. Tickets go on sale Saturday. I am willing to eat cereal for a week if that's what it takes to spend the money on a ticket. I will go. And it will be AWESOME!

I have an idea...


Hubby and I were watching the news last night and I realized just how depressing the news has been as of late. There's no escaping the fact that we are basically in a depression. Add to that the fact that I live in California where we're suffering a RIDICULOUS budget crisis, and all is not well in the world.

So I came up with something. Block it out for a day.

Take a day off from your news sometime this week. In fact, let's all promise to have a good Friday and take a day off from news. Don't read your paper (except maybe the comics). Don't watch your news. Don't be bogged down by water cooler talk about how bad things are. Don't check your Yahoo news, Google news or whatever other servers are normal in your day. Just don't!

I know, it sounds weird, but let's do it. I promise the world will go on if you take a day off from learning about what company is laying off thousands of their employees. Or if you don't hear about which politician put their foot in their mouth. Or who is making entirely too much for their job (hello Manny Ramirez and your $25 million one-year contract). Take Friday and enjoy it. Read the comics instead of the business page. Watch Sesame Street instead of your morning news while you get ready for work. Visit icanhascheezburger instead of a news site.

Like this idea? Pass it on. I think we could all use a day of non-depressing news. Feel free to link to this post on your own blog, or forward the link to your office. See who you can get to have a fun, carefree day with you.

Let's see if we can all have a truly happy Friday.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Oh Happy Day

ABC is announcing their names for Dancing With the Stars on Sunday!!!! They're going to drop the names during their shows on Sunday, which I'm totally not going to sit around and watch. But that means the names will be all over the interwebz before I go to bed Sunday night!!!

Here's me being super excited at all this good news on a Monday.

EEEEEE!!!!

I love movies. You should know that by now. I especially love when movies are made from childhood favorites and look promising. I loved Transformers (hellooo Josh Duhamel) and have been waiting (not so patiently) for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. Well, if you watched the game yesterday (I didn't, hubby found this online for me) you saw the FIRST TEASER TRAILER!!! I must share if you didn't see it...




There was also a teaser trailer for GI Joe. Dude, I grew up on that. My brother had all the toys and we totally watched the cartoon. Throw in the fact that Channing Tatum (hotness!) is in it and you got me...




Then on youtube, while I was looking up these trailers, I found one for Land of the Lost. Looks different than I remember it, but hey, it has Will Ferrell. Love him. So I'll share that with you too...




I am SO READY for summer to get here so I can get myself to the movies!!!!

L is for...

L is for "list." As in THE list. You know, your five celebs that you get to take off with, no questions asked.

My husband and I have always laughed at our lists. We've had them, mine has changed a hundred times.

On our way home from Disneyland the idea of a list came up. Tad was asleep but all of us were awake. I think I mentioned something about my list and soon mom and I are talking about it. It kept us occupied for a while. My dad didn't name anyone so of course mom was trying to decide who he would pick. Tim couldn't come up with five, even though I know he had five the last time it was brought up.

Well, apparently the list idea got stuck in my mom's head and she and her friend/coworker talk about it (they share an office). So out of nowhere my mom will tell me, "Oh I thought of someone else for my list." It's actually really funny.

So who's on my list? Well, I have a hard time thinking of five definite ones. I have a couple that are a constant. Some of the ones that have fallen off are Barry Zito (I'm just over him), Vin Diesel (also over him) and probably others that escape my mind right now. The new list...

1. Gerard Butler - will ALWAYS be number one
2. Josh Duhamel - he's been there since he was on All My Children, I looove him
3. Josh Holloway - I have to put him on, who doesn't want to get lost with Sawyer?
4. Ben Barnes - he brings the HOTNESS to Prince Caspian
5. Chris Daughtry - I can't help it, it's the singing thing, and the baldness

Numbers 4 and 5 are totally subject to change because I didn't think of them immediately which makes me question whether I would really ditch hubby for them. But there's my list. Who's on yours?

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Lazy Sunday and some Musings

It's Super Bowl Sunday. Big deal. We're not going to any parties, in fact, I'm sitting here watching The Real World. Much better to me than two teams I don't care about.

We got the UFC fight last night, last minute plan. Tim's cousin is normally the one who gets it, but his wife had made plans for them (oops). I promptly vowed to Tim to NEVER make plans for fight night. Anyway, I was super stoked for the title fight: Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn. I was totally for GSP, Tim was for Penn. Actually, the other three people who came over were ALSO for Penn. I was totally outnumbered. But then GSP won and made my night. I so should have bet them some money.

Today is one more day to relax before the week. Tomorrow I have to solve the problem school created. It looks like it will be easier than I thought. But now that I'm on my way to solving my problem, I read in the paper yesterday that our school district (my number one choice) is "suspending hiring." With the exception of emergencies. I don't think it's quite the same as a hiring freeze. So I might still be able to get in as a sub, since they aren't salary employees. There's also a school district that neighbors ours. So far they aren't in trouble, so hopefully I can get in there too.

But all stressful things aside, I'm just going to enjoy my day today. Maybe I'll get back to the crafting. We'll see.