American Idol - Top 5 Results Show

Okay, so it's the 1st commercial right now during the results show (west coast), and the second they announced that Jason Castro was SAFE I realized why last night's show was so difficult for me to get through. There are so many parameters determining what makes these contestants leave or stay in that I just can't weed through it all. Last week I thought Brooke was going home, then I thought Jason would, then I thought Syesha...oh Carly's out.

So tonight since Jason is safe, Brooke is going to be my 2nd choice (but you can bet she isn't the one going home because I am predicting it!) Tell me this isn't a Daughtry week for David C.

Update after the results: We really could have three guys in the top 3 this season. How fun!

Wordless Wednesday: Peek A Boo!

Click here for other amazing Wordless Wednesday participants. If you are participating in Wordless Wednesday, leave a comment so I can check out your picture of the week!

American Idol - Top 5

Can I just say this was a rough week? All my thoughts are pretty much negative. Maybe because I just kept wishing I was listening to Neil Diamond? I don't know. And as you can see I wrote my thoughts down before hearing the judges (since I barely agreed). I did love Simon's recap of round one, though.

Jason Castro - “Forever In Blue Jeans” - I just don't even care enough about it to say anything negative. Just o.k.

“September Morn” - Much better than the first song. Felt more like Jason.

David Cook - “I’m Alive” - Chorus is okay, but first David C song that I just didn't like.

“All I Really Need Is You” - I think I've put David (who is my fav by far) on such a pedestal that he really has to blow me away every week for me to be impressed. It was good, but he's done so much better before.

Brooke White - “I’m A Believer” - Fashion note: cute dress when she met with Neil, but what's with tonight's outfit? Did someone try to dress her to match this performance? Totally cheesy. I can't believe I'm going to use Simon's karaoke line, but that's really what it felt like!

“I Am, I Said” - Since they changed NY to AZ, they should have changed the "between two shores" like. Better than song #1, but I have been off the Brooke bandwagon for a long time.

David Archuleta - “Sweet Caroline” - Again, he sang the right notes, but I just don't think he brought anything TO it.

“America” - Go David! I don't even care about his little squeak. He was awesome. Best performance of the night (yes, I wrote that before hearing Syesha's 2nd song, but knew I would just leave it out if in some parallel universe Syesha sang better than David twice).

Syesha Mercado - “Hello Again” - I can't believe that my favorite song of round 1 was sung by Syesha. I really enjoyed it.

“Thank The Lord For The Nighttime” - Showed her fun personality. She should be proud. Oh, and the dress was beautiful, and I thought her hair really softened her.

Should go: Jason

Will go: Maybe Jason? (I don't know America is going to pick!!!)

Best of the night: David A or Syesha-I can't even believe I feel that way!

Want better idol reviews? Go over to BooMama.

1st Day at the Pool!

Dan went underway yesterday, and I have now discovered my favorite thing about blogging! My husband can see pictures and videos of his kids! Well, yes, I could email him pictures, but I definitely can't send videos. As Dan goes underway more often this year, you may start to see a LOT of videos or you'll see pictures that really only parents can appreciate. Just join our family!

Today I got BRAVE. Neither of my kids swim yet, so I've had in my mind I could only go to the pool when Dan is home. It suddenly hit me last week that, duh, we have a baby pool, and I am the Mommy and can MAKE RULES. That was rule #1: we stay at the baby pool, which as you'll see in the pics is nicely sized. These 2 kids were SO excited to go today. They didn't want to put on clothes over their suits or anything (the pool is only a .1 mile walk, so that was okay). They are also very good about getting their sunscreen, so happy moments all around.

In case you can't hear, this is the Hokey Pokey.

A Giveaway AND a Discount!

I know someone who is doing a giveaway. How cool is that? Sarah at Rah Rah's Ramblings is helping spread the word about wonderful products by Great Cakes Soapworks, and you have a chance to win an Almond Milk soapcake and matching lotion! This giveaway is everything you need to make that special mom (even yourself) feel loved and pampered. Go over to Sara's blog and enter to win!

Blast From the Past

Two journeyman friends of mine were here this weekend, and we had a great time!! It's hard to believe we met 13 years ago. We have met up in cities all around the world: Richmond, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Dallas, and San Diego, but because of life's directions haven't seen each other in 6 years!!! Crazy! (As j-man, Sunneye lived in Taiwan, Missy in Thailand, and Kim & I in the Philippines).

Missy lives in Tulsa now, but her husband had business here, which was a perfect excuse for Sunneye to come down from L.A. It was a lot of fun. Before I post a picture of us this weekend, I had to get in a couple of nice jabs of how we looked so many years ago.

This 1st picture is Sunneye, Kim, me and Missy after a 12 hour, middle of the night train ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. That train was COLD!!!!!!! Overheard: "Could those curtains be used as a blanket?"

You know how when you go to an amusement park there's always some place where you can dress up like you're from a saloon town? We'll this is Chiang Mai's version. It's totally more fun to pretend that you're Thai royalty!!!

And here we are today. Kim is back in PI with her husband as a career missionary.

Mother's Day Giveaway

Go visit 5 Minutes For Mom for great giveaways. They're at it again!

Family Picture

There are reasons why you can't walk into someone's home and see a nice family portrait that involves a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. I count the fact that everyone is looking towards the general direction of the camera an accomplishment!

Consistency-Could It Be?

Since Dan's job always has us moving and dates for things keep on changing, I usually don't mess with explaining all the little details. Something interesting came up yesterday, though, and for some reason I feel like it is worth trying to explain some crazy Navy terms:

EAOS-End of Active Obligated Service-This is the date that Dan is committed to work up to each time he reenlists. When Dan first enlisted he committed to 6 years, and he has reenlisted two times, 4 years each. Four years is pretty standard. Dan's current EAOS is April 2010.

PRD-Projected Rotation Date-This is the date that he would be up for new orders or job assignment that for some reason is not the same # of years as a reenlistment. For example, we had a 3-yr assignment in Little Rock (normal shore duty length), which meant he still had an extra year of commitment to the Navy when he finished his commitment in Little Rock.

Up until yesterday Dan's PRD here was August 2009. It's standard to start talking to a detailer 9 months prior to your PRD about what job possibilities are out there. That's still not until November, but it doesn't matter because Dan accidentally saw yesterday that his PRD has been changed to match his EAOS. Civilianeze: he's been extended 8 months in San Diego.

In the system.

Without being notified.

SO professional.

Now that my snobbery of all things Navy is out there for all to see, I can say that it's so cool to think we'll be here an extra year. We LOVE it here. Samantha has a fantastic doctor. Timothy and I (Sam almost) love MOPS. Timothy loves AWANA. Our church is amazing. Of course we have school starting, which will have it's own issues, but we'll have to deal with that anywhere.

The giant result of all this is that if we actually stay here for 2 more years (and the "system" doesn't change again), we will have lived in the same dwelling (one that we actually like) for THREE years! It's so exciting!!! That's double the amount of time we've lived in any other dwelling! Before you know it, we'll be normal.

I know that last sentence WAS funny, wasn't it?

American Idol - Top 6

So we're down to the final 6, and they're all good which makes it really fun to watch. I'm liking the tape I've seen so far of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Sounds like he's going to have interesting input. I didn't really do "live" blogging last week, but this week I'm doing it just like everyone who links up to BooMama does! I even wrote down my thoughts before the judges spoke so that I wouldn't be influenced. Here we go:

Syesha Mercado - “One Rock And Roll Too Many”

Great song choice. She looks great, sounds great, and really is showing her personality. Maybe her best performance since Hollywood week.

Jason Castro - “Memory”

Very brave choice. I'm liking it. Oh, I loved it, just loved it. And he wasn't even showing that beautiful smile as he sang it.

Brooke White - “You Must Love Me”

Good song choice. OUCH. I'm so embarrassed for her. I'm uncomfortable! Am I imagining it's pitchy because I think she must be nervous or is that just her style? She's ending well, thank goodness.

David Archuleta - “Think Of Me”

Good advice from "Sir" about the eye thing. GREAT jacket-this is the best he's been dressed all season. He sounds great, of course. There's no denying David's talent, but it feels monotonous to me.

Carly Smithson - "All I Ask of You" turned “Jesus Christ Superstar”

Has anyone even been asked to change their song choice by the guest mentor? Surely no one has ever done it. I can't remember, but it's a good thing she did. WHAT a PERFECT CHOICE!!! Blowing me Away! Go Carly Go! I'm so happy for you-couldn't be more perfect. And the dress rocks.

David Cook - “Music Of The Night”

David, you had me @ slowly. He sounds made for the theater...chills...so different to hear him singing a slow song, but I like seeing this side of him that shows how good of a singer he really is. Weird last note.

Should go: Brooke

Will go: Brooke (sad she'll be singing "You Must Love Me" tomorrow night)

Best of the night: Carly!!!!

Where are you?

This is SO good: Christian Women Online

I love you, honey

If you've read this you know that time has changed the romantic notions I once had about marriage. Some things we've been through are too private and painful to tell, and definitely too personal to share on a blog. But I'm learning so much about what God can do in a relationship. I don't know why it should surprise me. When He created the world, He made something from nothing. Of course he can do things in my marriage that I never thought possible!

So one tiny thing that He has done is make us miss each other. Dan has been gone 9 days, and I miss him so much. I want him home! As a military wife, I get in the habit of just knowing I have to make it through, but these 9 days have felt like an eternity. I'm feeling like a school girl again because my hubby wrote me today telling me the same thing. It's felt like an eternity to him as well, and all he wants is to be home! He dug out this picture (that I didn't even know he had) to remind me of a night long ago when we were just happy-go-lucky single people falling in love. I couldn't help but share.

Win $1000 by Paying Tribute to Your Mom!

You've got to do this quick. The contest ends by 8pm CST. Here's my Haiku:

I am amazed by
Your unconditional love
For little ol' me

And here's how you can enter: Rocks In My Dryer