Busy, Busy Birthday Weekend

Whew! This past weekend went by in a blur of activity. Saturday morning started bright and early with Kaelyn's softball practice. Kate came with me to play on the playground equipment so I had to keep my eye on her as well. Afterwards, we rushed home to get cleaned up for the PARTY! Kids were already coming and going from our house. Kaelyn's party was at Buck's Skating Rink in Boonville. She had a joint party with Colton and almost all of the first-graders made it to the party to help them celebrate. I wish I had been able to find my video camera cord because I surely would have been able to get footage for American's Funniest Videos with all those kids wiping out over and over again. It was almost painful to watch.

The party went quick but was a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who came out to help us celebrate. Next, the four girls that rode with me decided they were thirsty. I took them to Sonic for a drink. They soon decided they were also hungry. We finally made it back home.

We invited Devan and Clairice to spend the night and to have a campout and cookout in the back yard. That was a lot of fun and the hamburgers, hot dogs and s'mores were enjoyed by all. Kevin got called into work about this time leaving me with all of this mess and the tent to put up by myself. I got it done though and they had fun playing in the tent. Around 9 pm, I mentioned getting ready for bed and they asked me if I was going to sleep in the tent with them. I laughed and said no way. The girls all had stricken looks on their faces so I suggested we pile the sleeping bags on the living room floor and camp out there with a movie on. This suggestion was met with glee so in we went. Of course a movie had to have popcorn and soda. I finally got them all to sleep by 11 pm.

I was planning on making pancakes for breakfast but decided to take them to the breakfast buffet in Boonville instead. I have never seen four little girls put away so much food. After breakfast, we parked downtown and walked across the Missouri River bridge and back. This is when my purse got stolen. I had to deal with that for the next few hours. We made it back to Prairie Home in time for Kate's first ever ball practice. She was so cute running around the bases!

After practice, we went to Mom and Dad's and had cake and ice cream and Kaelyn opened her birthday presents. The kids from next door came over and had some cake with her. I left the kids at their house and went on a run/walk and enjoyed the peace and quiet for a little while. Then back home to get ready for an early bedtime!

Pictures to come...

Decluttering

I shared this picture on Facebook the other day. It got some laughs and I got some wonderful support from other Mom's who have been there, done that or doing that with the parenting thing. But that wasn't why I shared it. I shared it because I love irony and that is what the picture represented to me. I didn't place the "1,001 Timely Tips for Clutter Control" book there just to snap the picture, that is where I laid it after reading some of the tips before bed one night. I won't say when that was because it will be evident that I obviously haven't been very timely about using said tips.

I took advantage of a snow day today and tried to put Fly Lady's fifteen minutes to good use on several of my personal Hot Spots. My night stand is one of them. I cleared it in less than the allotted fifteen minutes, dusted it, and snapped a picture for good measure. But then I got to thinking about how that nightstand clutter really had a lot to say about me and my life right now.

Primarly the clutter on the nightstand was my first love, books. Any book, doesn't matter, I love them. I sneak in time with books after my motherly, wifely and household duties are done. That means the few minutes before I fall asleep every night, thus the pile on the nightstand.

Tonight I took a closer look at the picture...there are two self-help books, one on mothering and one on decluttering. There are two children books because I try to read to Kaelyn every night before she goes to sleep. The Vampire Diaries is there, for pure pleasure. My Bible is in the plaid covering, for when all the self-help books just aren't cutting it. There is a devotional book for understanding God's purpose in my life. There is a fiction book about a Deaf family because I am trying to learn about Deaf Culture.

And that is just a small representation of the million and one ways that I am pulled every day. No wonder my house is cluttered, my insides are all cluttered.

(The rest of the clutter is an art project the girls were working on, some mail, and a few stray socks waiting for their match to come through the dryer.)

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New Years Resolutions

Here it is already January 6 and I haven't done much thinking yet about resolutions or goals for 2010 and the new decade. Maybe one of my goals should be to not procrastinate! Get it? Not procrastinate, January 6?

Anyway...

I do have so many areas I want to improve: be healthier, lose weight,be more fit, be a better parent, wife and friend, keep up with housework better, save money, etc., etc. etc. But where to start? That is always the hardest part, taking those first steps. FlyLady teaches to take baby steps and to jump in where you are. So yesterday, I ordered some parenting books off Amazon yesterday (10 Days to a Less Defiant Child: The Breakthrough Program for Overcoming Your Child's Difficult Behavior, The New Dare to Discipline, One Tough Mother: It's Time to Step Up and Be the Mom, She's Gonna Blow!: Real Help for Moms Dealing with Anger) that I am looking forward to reading.

Can you tell I am struggling with parenting at the moment??

And then yesterday, I had an epiphany. I was pretty frustrated yesterday morning with the girls, trying to get them dressed and out the door for school and me to work. There was yelling and tears and the black cloud followed me through most of the morning. It hurts to think that my beautiful little girls may have had that same black cloud over them. It was the first day back, so some dawdling was to be expected. I should have planned better for that. I got up late, then tried to rush all of us to get ready and get out the door on time. Well...the epiphany part...I am a firm believer of the thought that the only person you can change is yourself. I got to thinking that I am the adult here and could certainly change my behavior. So I set my alarm clock for earlier, got up earlier, and got ready for the day before the girls were even out of bed. This made our morning a million times better than the day before.

So, I am starting to realize that change is possible with small steps and changes so for the new year, I am moving forward with that.

Barn Owl

Yesterday I heard Barko making some commotion (even more than usual) from the backyard. When I went to check it out, I saw there was a smallish animal by the side of our garage. Barko was wildly running in circles around it, barking his unhappiness at having his territory invaded. The animal had the strangest face, that it took me awhile to even identify what type of animal it was. First I thought a possum, but no. A rat? Hopefully not! "Is it a cat??" I asked Kaelyn? I ran inside to get my camera (yes, leaving my daughter outside alone with a crazed dog and an unidentified wild animal). While I was gone, the animal flew (AH HA! Must be from the bird family!) across the yard with Barko in hot pursuit. Kaelyn spoke up, "I think it's an owl. I am a bird expert." She must be, because it was a Barn Owl (verified by Google). It hissed at Barko a few times and then flew off, landing on our fence post. Barko, ran around a few times, very proud that he had done his job and cleared his yard of any dangerous tresspassers, then returned to the house to take a nap in the warmth.

Happy New Year!

I am so excited to ring in the New Year tonight. It's a double whammy of newness with the new year and the new decade...full of possibilities. I'll be celebrating the holiday with my favorite people this weekend, my parents and my siblings and families. It will be a full house as we all get together at Mom and Dad's for three days of eating, games, gifts, joking and laughing. I can hardly wait!

Christmas Jammies 2009

Starting my own little family made me consider Christmas traditions, old and new, that I wanted to implement for my children. One of the traditions I had as a child, that I have continued with my children, is the opening of one present on Christmas Eve. The first catch is I get to pick the present out. The second catch is that the present contains Christmas jammies for my babies to wear on Christmas Eve to make the visions of sugar plums especially sweet (and yea, to make for adorable Christmas morning pictures.) Here are the Christmas Eve pictures for the past four years:

2006

2007

(they were a little would up this year and I never did get a good shot of them)

2008

2009

Kate's Christmas

This first picture is of Kate's first Christmas, with a doll that Kaelyn picked out for her. I have always loved this picture, the way she is holding the package and really checking it out. The below picture from Christmas morning was so similar I had to share it. She's grown up a little bit!

Merry Christmas!

What the heck?

I was driving to work yesteday, listening to the radio as I usually do, unless I am talking on the phone. I drive thirty miles on rural highway to and from work everyday...talking on the phone is fairly safe. But I digress. I was listening to Man Cow radio show and they were interviewing someone from the Ashley Madison agency. This is a dating agency for married people who want to have affairs...online dating for people already in relationships. I just checked out their website and their tagline is "Life is short, have an affair?" This is one of those moments, when I have to stop and wonder, what is our world coming to? Life is short but eternity is forever and last I checked, many considered adultory to be immoral and a sin.

During the interview, the statistic that the U.S. infidelity rate was 84%. Wow. That's all I have to say about that.

But what really got me and what I feel compelled to share is that Man Cow made a comment about this being the "Devil's Website". "It's not the Devil's website. There are almost 5 million registed members," argued the spokesperson. There could be ten million users, and it still wouldn't make it RIGHT. I was taught that two wrongs don't make a right!

DSP Recognition Week

This is from an article I wrote for the newsletter at work:

September 14th – 18th was recently designated by the U.S. Senate as National Direct Support Professional Week.

What is a Direct Support Professional?

DSP’s, as they are commonly referred, provide hands-on care to a wide range of individuals including people with developmental disabilities. DSP’s are the “hands, feet, and heart” of the direct service profession. DSP Recognition Week provides a unique opportunity to organize events, rally people and generally draw attention to the noble work of more than 3.2 million DSP’s in the United States.

I would also like to take this opportunity to share information on pending federal legislation, the Direct Support Professionals Fairness and Security Act, H.R. 868 in the U.S. House of Representatives that would provide options to states for increasing wages for DSP’s. I encourage you to visit http://www.youneedtoknowme.org to learn more. I also encourage you to contact your U.S. Representative to request co-sponsorship of this important bill. Contact information for your policy maker can be found on http://www.house.gov/

*****************************************************

This subject is very near and dear to my heart. I got through college first working as a DSP, later supervising DSP's and at my current job, I train DSP's. I have been blessed to work along side some amazing people providing services and supports to people. These people unselfishly give so much. My experiences have made me a better person. It is time to give recognition to this PROFESSION!

Daddy Dollars

This is a Daddy Dollar. I read about this in the September issue of Family Fun magazine (which is one of my fave magazines and is very reasonably priced and no I don't get a kickback if you order, it's just that good). The concept is just a reward system. Kids get to earn Daddy Dollars for doing things around the house. In the article, the Mom would give each of her kids $3 Daddy Dollars for each morning if they were up, dressed, teeth brushed by 7:30 am. I made a list of chores and posted it on the fridge. Here is mine:

Ways to Earn Daddy Dollars
Clean your room $5

Make your bed $2

Put your trash in the trash can $1

Get up, dressed and teeth brushed by 7:30 am on school days $3

Pick up living room $2

Put away toys after you use them $1

Feed the animals $2

Vacuum under the bird cage $2

Help Mom fold or put away laundry $1

Sleep in your own bed $2

It can be customized to your household. Then kids can spend their Daddy Dollars at the Mommy Mall. Again, you can customize this to your household and by using true motivators for your kids. The idea is the stuff they can buy should be easily obtainable, inexpensive or free, so you can reward them as soon as they want to purchase. I plan to buy a grabbag of little toys/stickers/candy as well. Here is my Mommy Mall:

Mommy Mall
Trip to the playground $5
30-minutes computer time $2
Cook a recipe with Mom $5
McDonalds for dinner and play time $20
Sleepover $20
Bike Ride $2
30-minutes cartoons $2
Watch a movie $3
Reading with Mom/Dad $1
Trip to Bonkers $50
Trip to Chuck E. Cheese $50
Trip to the movie theater $50
Trip to Amanda’s for a snack $5
Soda from machine $2

I also posted some rules:

Mommy Mall Rules
1. Daddy Dollars can be earned by helping out around the house, being responsible, listening to Mom and Dad and other things

2. Daddy Dollars earned will be kept in the bank envelopes and kept on top of the refrigerator. A balance sheet will be kept on the fridge

3. Daddy Dollars can be used to shop at the Mommy Mall

4. Daddy Dollars can be saved to buy larger items or used for smaller items

At three, I don't know how much Kate will get the whole concept but we will help her. I think Kaelyn will really get into it. I'll keep you posted.

Here's the website where you can create Daddy Dollars. The girls think it is so funny to see their Dad's face on the dollar. I just hope I don't get busted for counterfeiting.

http://www.festisite.com/money/

The Great Mouse Massacre

Those of you on Facebook have already heard this story but I have to share it here too for those of you who aren't.

Sunday, we went to Petco to get some flea treatment for our new dog, Donnie Barko. His name is really irrelevant to this story but I like saying it. Anyway, while there, Kevin decided that he needed some pet mice, three in fact, one for him, one for Kate and one for Kaelyn. I said no but the pouting and whining wore me down, all from Kevin, I might add. He picks out a fancy cage with running wheel and multiple levels along with a fancy price tag. Good thing the mice only cost $2.79 apiece! I consented to the purchase with the exclamation that I would have nothing to do with these critters.

A side note, Kevin told me yesterday, that when he was having the clerk get the mice out for him, the clerk asked him if the mice were "feeders". Kevin said he was standing there with the fancy cage in his hand when he asked that. Kevin said he was thinking "Yes, we like our feeder mice to be really happy before they become lunch." We had a good laugh about this yesterday. A little foreshadowing here.

So we have all been fascinated by the antics of the mice family all week. The three mice recipients talked long and hard before deciding on their names. Kevin's mouse became Willard, Kaelyn named hers Agent Jaurez and Kate chose, what else? Kate. Despite running on their wheel all night and stinking to high heaven, they were really cute to watch.

Kevin called me this morning and says he has bad news. He then proceeds to tell me he was laying in bed when he heard a crash. He found that our cat Sam Henry had jumped up and knocked the fancy cage off the computer armoire and then proceeded to have a tasty snack of Willard and Kate Mouse. We think Agent Juarez got away. That or he was fully eaten. Kevin was near tears and I really dont' want to have this conversation with the girls when I get home. Each morning this week, the first thing they did was run and look at the mice and comment on what they were doing. It will be a sad night in our house tonight. Luckily I have time to come up with a good story before then.

Like they left home to seek their fortunes.

Go Diego Go! Go Iguana Go!

While trying to get through the first day of school chaos at our house this morning, I was sidetracked by the episode of Diego that the girls were watching. Kaelyn brought it to my attention as I was crossing the living room looking for Kate'e shoes. "Mom, look, the iguana is pooping strawberry seeds."

What? I stopped in my tracks and took a look at the TV. Sure enough, it did look like the iguana was pooping. But surely not! Getting out the door on time temporarily forgotten, I used the DVR to start the episode over to figure out what was going on. It appears that the Strawberry Festivale may have to be canceled as a strong wind has blown away all of the strawberry seeds. Diego to the rescue! His green iguana can eat strawberries and then take then to the field to be pooped out. Really. It was the strangest thing I have ever seen. I watched it over and over and then had to go wake Kevin up, get him out of bed and make him watch it. And then I had to come to work and Google it. Amazing.

My favorite part is when the iguana urges Diego to hurry as he "really has to go". The iguana does this little dance, and you can tell that if an iguana had butt cheeks he would be squeezing them, trying to keep those strawberry seeds in long enough to save the festivale. He looks so proud as he walks along the field rows, pooping out little piles of seeds. Then later, we get to see a picture of his intestines with the poop and seeds inside. And at the end of the show, the festivale is taking place and everyone is enjoying the scrumptious strawberries. Delicioso!

Must See TV at it's finest!

First Grade

My baby starts first grade tomorrow. Why does that seem so much older than kindergarten? She isn't too thrilled about it but I think she will be once she gets started. They have seventeen in their class this year. That's a lot of six-year-olds in one not very big room. We had to stop by her old kindergarten room while attending Open House last night to say hello to her teacher from last year. There are only six kids in kindergarten this year! So last year she had seventeen, this year six...what a difference!

So tomorrow we will get up early and take first day of school pictures in front of the tree in our front yard and I will walk my baby to school as I silently cry that another year of her childhood has passed.

Enjoy every minute of it sweet baby, it goes so fast.

Pictures to come.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samual Johnson or Ann Landers.

Another Kennedy died...so what? My Dad, an avid Kennedy fan (and Elvis Presley fan, but that's a post for a different day), passed on his fascination of all things Kennedy to me. When I heard that Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away earlier this week, I di a Google search out of curiosity. I knew little about this woman. As I read through the list of her humanatarian work, accomplishments and achievements, I was amazed and in awe. Having worked with people with disabilities for many years now, I am thankful for her work to achieve equality and increase opportunities for these forgotten members of our society. What an amazing woman. I urge you to take a few moments to read about her life.

The following is from the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation website.

In memoriam
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
1921-2009

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who for over 50 as a volunteer, led the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation died on August 11, 2009. She was 88.

Mrs. Shriver transformed America's view of people with intellectual disabilities worldwide from one of ostracism and denial of basic human rights and freedoms to friends, students, workers, neighbors and athletes.

During President’s Kennedy’s time in office, Mrs. Shriver advocated for research, services and recognition for people with intellectual disabilities, their families and for developing professionals to work with them. Her work at the Foundation ranged from supporting and advocating for basic research on the causes of intellectual disabilities to recommendations for legislation (P.L. 88-164 and P.L. 88-156) that resulted in the development of research centers at major universities now known as Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRC) and the University Affiliated Facilities, now known as University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD); as well as clinical training programs for professionals working with children with disabilities and special health care needs under Title V of the Social Security Act, which have evolved into the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Programs. Together, these programs have trained thousands of professionals, from researchers to clinicians. This work transformed the field by making it possible for students to see a role for themselves, during their academic careers, in research, training and service.

She also began the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Public Policy Fellowship program, bringing promising professionals and family advocates to Washington for a year at a time, to work on a Congressional Committee, learning how policy is made in Washington.

The Community of Caring program, begun as an effort to reduce teen pregnancy, was built around five core values that empower young people to be responsible and caring members of a community: Caring, Respect, Responsibility, Trust, and Family. That program, a well regarded character education approach to reducing destructive behaviors, is now in schools in 46 states and Canada.

It was from the foundation in 1968, she started what would become the world's largest athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Now, more than 1 million athletes in more than 160 countries participate in Special Olympics meets each year. Realizing the children were far more capable of sports than experts said, Shriver organized the first Special Olympics in 1968 in Chicago. The two-day event drew more than 1,000 participants from 26 states and Canada. At the World Games in 2007 in Shanghai, China there were 80,000 people in the opening ceremonies with more than 7,000 athletes from around the world.

Mrs. Shriver received so many honors and awards including America’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she received in 1984. In May 2009, the National Portrait Gallery installed a painting of her - the first portrait commissioned by the museum of someone who had not been a president or first lady.

Her son Mark Shriver said about his parents…"In the course of our upbringing, they stressed the importance of giving back," he said. "But we didn't sit around having family discussions about it. We learned by what she and my father were doing." Her son Tim Shriver said, in a letter to the Special Olympics Movement “She fought the good fight, she kept the faith, and though she knew the race for equality was not finished, she knew that the army of supports she had hoped for long ago had become a reality that would carry and someday complete her vision. On her behalf, as we prepare to say our last goodbyes, my family and I thank you for your shared commitment to that dream.”

For more information about Mrs. Shriver and her legacy, or to offer a written tribute, go to www.eunicekennedyshriver.org.

New Mindset

I am NOT on a diet. I am NOT exercising. What I AM, is in training for a 5K thanks to www.C25K.com. Doesn't that just sound better?

I haven't "ran", and I use that term very loosely, since high school track, more years ago than I care to remember. I didn't really enjoy it then. But I am enjoying it now. A friend asked last night if I felt any different yet. Physically, no, I don't feel different, except my knees are aching more. But mentally, I feel amazing. I am not a morning person but to have my workout done before 6:15 am in an amazing feeling. Watching the sunrise each day as I move my body is an amazing feeling. Reaching for a goal, challenging myself, making new routines...all amazing. You get the picture.

I feel my life changing. I have logged in fifteen workouts in June so far. I am watching less television. I am going to bed earlier. I feel more in control. These are all great things and I am feeling hopeful. I can do this!

I WILL do this!

Extreme Bathroom Makeover!

I got the best Mother's Day gift this year...a bathroom makeover. We loved our house at first sight, the bathroom was the one sore spot. We only have one and it is small. Really small. And it had really old linoleum and a stained sink and a tiny cabinet. Over the past four years, I have painted it, added a bright shower curtain, painted it again (a different color), added some decorations...and still it was a dingy little bathroom. And to top it all off, I was afraid that the floor was going to cave in at any minute.

I had been asking to have the floors redone since we moved in. So for Mother's Day, Kevin tore up the old linoleum and the sub floor and rebuilt it. He then put in ceramic tile and a new pedestal sink. I have always wanted a pedestal sink! The coolest thing though, was that Kevin picked out the faucet handles himseld with no input from me and they were exactly the ones I wanted! Here are some pictures of my bathroom. It's still tiny but I am loving it! It feels fresh and new.

Piano Men

I realized that I haven't said anything about the big concert we went to last week. Was it really only last week? It seems like months ago. Well, in a word, the concert was fantastic! I am not a big concert person but this one was amazing. How can you go wrong with Elton John and Billy Joel? Mom sent me this review that was in the Omaha paper so I thought I would include it here. It describes the concert better than I ever could.

Review: Sir Elton, Piano Man put on an electric performance
BY KEVIN COFFEY
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Sir Elton and the Piano Man sure know how to put on a show.

In front of a sold-out crowd Tuesday at the Qwest Center Omaha, Elton John and
Billy Joel played all of their own hits, plus a few by other artists.

The evening was - in a word - electric.

The two musicians have slightly different styles, but both put on performances
that had fans on their feet, singing along, waving their hands in the air and
dancing in the aisles.

Joel - in a simple black suit - acted like a goofball. He twirled his
microphone, danced on top of the pianos, pantomimed smoking a cigarette while
John performed a solo, walked around like Frankenstein's monster and cracked
jokes between songs (drawing laughs when he referred to seats at the back of the
arena as being in Council Bluffs).

John was flashy as can be, both in his piano playing and his attire. Wearing his
trademark sunglasses, a bright, shiny shirt and a long, black coat decorated in
a rainbow of colors, his fingers danced up and down the keys. And after each
song, he walked around stage shaking hands, waving and blowing kisses to the
audience.

This stop on the duo's "Face 2 Face" tour was more like a face-off. Each
appeared to be trying to one-up the other, which consummated in a piano duel
during John's "Bennie and the Jets."

Like a piano-styled question-and-answer session, each improvised a solo more
complex than the other. The duel ended with Joel and John playing together to
finish out the song.

Though nearly every song was a memorable hit, some songs had some extra depth as
duets. The performers sang each other's lyrics in their own style, giving new
twists to songs such as "Uptown Girl" and "The Bitch Is Back."

As for the audience, despite the priciest seats in the arena approaching $200 a
pop, more than 17,000 fans packed the Qwest Center, filling the arena from the
floor to its highest reaches. Most in the crowd looked like veteran fans of John
and Joel, both of whom have been performing since the '60s. Quite a few young
folks also dotted the audience.

And, boy, was the crowd loud. Whether screaming when the duo took the stage or
singing along to John's "Tiny Dancer," the crowd filled the arena with cheers.

The show started with Joel and John taking the stage together and alternating
songs. John then took the stage with his band, encouraging fans to sing along if
they knew the words (which they did). Joel then took the stage with his band,
leaving the piano only twice (to play electric guitar on "We Didn't Start the
Fire" and do his best Elvis Presley dance impersonation during "It's Still Rock
and Roll to Me").

For the finale, Joel and John took the stage together with both bands. They
played a few more hits together and even played the Beatles' "Birthday" and
"Back In the U.S.S.R."

They finished off the performance with duets of their biggest hits, "Candle in
the Wind" and "Piano Man." Lights from cell phones and lighters filled the
arena, and voices from the crowd sang along to both songs and screamed every
time Joel played the harmonica solo on "Piano Man."

• Contact the writer: 444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com

Copyright 2009 Omaha World-Herald. All rights reserved

Back to Work

I'm all confused about what day it is. It took me a long time to figure out why The Bachelorette was on Sunday night! Yep, it was really Monday but I was all confused there for awhile.

So, back to work today although it is going to be a short day. Kate started running a fever last night and still had one this morning. She seems fine otherwise, a slight cough but that is all. Poor baby. Grandma and Papa were good to help out so I could come get a few things done at work. Besides blogging, that is.

We had a nice weekend, didn't do much of anything, but that is nice in and of itself. I got the last of my flower planting done and we got new handles for our kitchen cabinets and drawers. The girls and I had a cookout one night...hot dogs and s'mores...can't beat that! There was a birthday party at the lake for my niece on Sunday. Took the girls to Burger King so they could play in the play place. And that's about it.

I have a ton of pictures to post so stay tuned!

He Did It!

Woo Hoo! Kris won! Can you tell I am excited?

This was the most amazing season of Idol. I loved Adam but was so happy that Kris won. Adam was always just a touch too theatrical for me. I like the artists that can sit down with their piano or acoustic guitar and sing a song. That is Kris. He doesn't need the fog or strobe lights to make you sit up and listen. So I am very happy with the outcome but truly hate to see the season come to an end.

I didn't get to see the whole show last night, I just skimmed through to the end to see the results. I saw bits and pieces and it looks like it was quite the shindig! I did see Adam's rendition of Beth...awesome! I tried to get Kevin out of bed to see Kiss perform but he wouldn't. I'll show him tonight. And Queen! I love Cyndi Lauper so really enjoyed her and Allison's performance. And David Cook! I can't wait to be able to watch the show in it's entirety.

But for now...YAY KRIS!!!!!