An Idol Rant

Let me go ahead and make a 'shocking' confession. Though I have been known to ridicule the lack of 'reality' in reality television...and have wondered aloud how anyone could possibly schedule their calendars around such a program, I am now one of those people. I have been a closet 'Idol' fan for going on two seasons now.

It actually started three seasons ago when the girls were watching. I didn't really get addicted at that time because I had to be at church on Wednesday nights for teacher's meetings and missed the most important parts. (I did mange to see the episode where Kellie Pickler burst out saying, "Look, there's a pickle with my face on it!) However, last year, our class was participating in a different Bible study than the rest of the classes so I did not have to attend the meetings. I watched in horror as they went through the auditions...and kept watching all the way through the final show. I even cast a few votes!

This year, I decided to skip the auditions. It was just too hard to watch people make a complete fool of themselves on public television in front of millions of people. You can bet that I was tuned in come Hollywood week though...and have missed only one episode since then. I will admit that I sort of cheat by using the DVR to record the broadcast and tuning in about 3/4 of the way into it so that I can fast forward through the commercials. I mean, how many times can you watch the Geico caveman on the moving walkway at the airport and think, 'My, isn't that a clever commercial'?

But I digress, back to the reason for this post.

I have watched people leaving over the past two seasons and have sometimes disagreed with the results...but never so much as this week. I mean what are people thinking? As I watched the performances on Tuesday night I thought that the TOP three would have been (1) Syesha, (2) Carly and (3) David Cook. I have been a huge Carly and David fan throughout the season...Syesha, not so much. But on Tuesday night, I thought she stole the show. Carly rocked it, even though the song she sang is NOT one that I even sort of like. And David...well, this isn't his style at all, but still he pulled off the haunting undertones of the song quite well. Or so I thought.

Evidently most of America didn't see the same show that I saw. Maybe it was the DVR. Maybe it made the three of them somehow better when in 'reality' they weren't...because I have to tell you that when it was announced that Syesha was in the bottom two, I thought 'NO WAY'. Several weeks ago, I could have seen it and would have even agreed to it...but not this week. Then Carly...surely they were kidding us, right? Even if I don't agree with the choices, I can usually see how they came to be. But to have the best two be in the bottom two? Something is wrong with this picture.

I honestly thought that it would be Brooke and Jason in the bottom two. Brianne thought that Brooke would garner the sympathy vote and squeak by...but predicted that Jason and David A. would be the bottom two. (She didn't like that David would change one of her favorite songs from Phantom -- big fan that she is.) We were both shocked at the announcement. When Carly went home I was extremely disappointed. I have found her to be very consistent and entertaining throughout this season. I know that this will not be the last we hear from her. That girl certainly has a future in the entertainment business if anyone else does.

But it has me thinking about the voting process. I know that AT&T is in it for the money. I mean at 99 cents a pop...that's a lot of POP! But who text messages? And who text messages OVER and OVER with no thought to the cost? Ahhhh...young girls with cell phones!! Hence the fact that David A. has never been in the bottom three. Do you see how those girls nearly fall out when he takes the stage? And Jason is quite the cutie with those dimples...though I can hardly see past the dreds.

I think they should change the voting system to one vote per person like several online contests. Maybe then you would feel like your vote actually counted. Of course, that is just my humble opinion...and may cause AT&T to go broke. I know they must be struggling, after all, we only use them for our home phone, our Internet, my cell phone, our work phone and Internet.....

How about you? American Idol fan? Who is your favorite? Another reality show have your attention? Which one? And, if you happen to be one of the last people in the US not addicted to a reality show...well, never say never. It will sneak up from behind and bite you every time.

Bluebonnets and Allergies

We have had the most amazing week as weather goes. It has been absolutely beautiful with cool breezes blowing. The temperatures have been cool in the mornings (Monday morning we had frost on the windshields) with mild afternoons. I have definitely gotten use of the convertible this past week. I drop the top every evening for the drive home and let the wind blow the stress and worries of the day away. It is an awesome drive once I get outside of Houston...lots of curves and scenery on the two lane roads.

Not a lot to report from last week. We have all been keeping busy with work or school. We had friends in for the weekend. On Saturday the guys golfed and us girls went in search of bluebonnets. Unfortunately, they didn't do as well in our area this year and are just about gone. The new picture in the sidebar is from a gorgeous field in Grimes County. Today I am suffering from allergies and have been sleeping since Debbie gave me some Sudafed. That stuff works wonders! I have been taking another medication for the past week, but it just doesn't work and I can't sleep more than three or four hours before I need another dose.

Well, I just took the Chicken Pot Pie out of the oven...so I need to go call the crew for dinner. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Blame It On The Cookies

As sick as I am sure you all are of hearing about my fortune cookies...I have at least one more to share.

Two weeks ago I received this message via the 'all knowing' cookie:

You will attract cultured and artistic people to your home

As it turns out, in less than two weeks after receiving that message we hosted our annual company crawfish boil at our house. Here are few pictures from the day:

The crew, minus the kiddos who were too busy playing to have their picture taken.

The CFP family, minus one of our fearless leaders who went back to eating

Gathering for the horseshoe tournament rules

Boys being boys

It was a perfect Saturday for a party!

I will not try to designate who were the cultured and who were the artistic...but they were all a lot of fun! We should do this again sometime soon.

Yearbook Week

Do you remember yearbook week in high school? Everyone was in a hurry to get their hands on a copy of the yearbook. And what was the first thing you did when you received it? Why, you opened it up and began looking to see how many times you were in it, of course.

I was on yearbook staff at the very small high school that Jim and I both attended. Nearly every picture held a memory and you knew everyone in grades 9-12. Our girls, on the other hand, graduated from very large high schools in the Houston area. As a matter of fact, Meagan graduated from what was then one of the two largest high school's in Texas...they shared the title since the other was on the same city block. Looking through her yearbook was a whole different experience in that she personally knew very few of those pictured in the candid shots.

What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, I received a wonderful gift this past Sunday night. It is an album of our New York trip...actually, it is two albums of our New York trip. Robin took all of our pictures, organized them into days/events and had them printed in albums from the Shutterfly website. I was just in awe looking though a very professionally laid out keepsake of our trip. When I brought mine home and showed it to Jim he commented that it was like having a yearbook with pictures of only you and your friends.

Great description. If you are looking for a very personal gift, check out Shutterfly. The front cover is all about us, the back cover is all about us...and everything in between. The next time you are at my house, you will probably find it on my coffee table. Feel free to browse it's pages and enjoy our trip almost as much as we did. Thanks again, Robin, for an amazing remembrance of NYC!

New Red, Same Blue

That was the motto of Houston Police Department's Cadet Class #195. Last night forty-six new officers were sworn in to duty by Police Chief Harold Hurtt. Our son-in-law, Matt, was one of them. Here is a picture of Matt and his family after receiving his badge. Please keep Matt and the other forty-five new officers in your prayers. (Especially, Scott, who is Derrick's brother-in-law. Meagan will have an officer on both sides of the family.)

Confucius Say, Again

Here are pictures of the little princess -- Miss Brooke. She is growing up so fast! I wish we could get videos of her and Davin playing together. She thinks he is so funny...and her laugh is contagious.

See how I've grown!

I wonder how it will be when I am America's Next Top Model.

Mommy and Me!

I love my Daddy!

Dream Girl

Can we see the monkeys again?

Confucius Say

Nowdays I cannot even go to Whataburger for lunch without getting a fortune cookie message. On Thursday I picked up my Whatachicken sandwich and while eating lunch received the following message:

Pictures of grandchildren bring smiles to faces of family and friends.

Lest you think Whataburger has been holding out on you, the message came via email from my cousin, Rita. So...in view of this request, here are a few new pictures of Davin (The Monkey). Tomorrow I will post new ones of Brooke (The Bear). Enjoy, Rita! I hope you get lots of smiles out of these. I know I did!

Sacked out on a Saturday morning with Pappaw!

Jammin' to Rock Band with Uncle Will

Wearing my monkey shirt

Here comes Davin Cotton Tail in his Easter ears!

Hang on, it's going to be a wild ride.

I get tickled riding in the clothes basket!

Dinner With The Kids

Last night I was supposed to meet with the ladies of the North 40 group for dinner at La Madeleine's French Bakery. (I always have to do a Google search to spell that correctly!) We have not met since January and I was really looking forward to spending some time catching up with friends. Due to hectic schedules, parenting demands and sheer exhaustion, we were unable to make it again this month. Not wanting to go home at the last minute to figure out what to cook (and with the hubby gone on a turkey hunt), I called the kids and asked them to come into town and meet me for dinner.

We met at Chili's -- that is our 'go-to' place when we don't know or can't agree on what we want to eat. I have to say I had a quite delightful time visiting with the three of them. We do not get the opportunity to just sit and talk often enough. Oh, they all three still live here, but with homework and chores and phone calls...we rarely get uninterrupted conversation time together.

We talked about the season of our lives right now and the changes that have recently occurred. We laughed about old times...especially some of the unforgettable discipline moments. (Even though the couple next to us kept giving me a disapproving look, one of our sons actually thanked me that we had not let him get away with things like their friends did.) We discussed the pain and regret of wrong decisions made. We chatted about our strengths, weaknesses and dreams.

All in all it was a good night, a decent meal and wonderful company. It couldn't have been any more enjoyable if I had met with the North 40 group.

These Fortune Cookies Are Getting Mighty Expensive

I just finished my lunch from Panda Express and found another great fortune cookie message. I put it under my desk pad for inspiration. If you remember, the New York trip was prompted by a fortune cookie last year. The new message:

MAKE TIME FOR A RELAXING VACATION

I wonder where I will want to go??

Cooking With Taylor

This is Taylor, my cousin Shelly's little girl. We had a blast this morning making pancakes. And now we are off to the zoo! Pray that the rain stays away a little longer.