FRIDAY FUNNY! MIDWEST CELEBRITIES....

Nothing against people that live in the midwest...Hell, even though I wasn't born and raised here...I have lived here for 18 years and I just thought this was too damn
funny not to share with you. The last one cracks me up! So, without further ado...

This is what celebrities would look like if they moved to the MidWest...


Britany Spears























Catherine Zeta Jones & Michael Douglas






















John Travolta


















Sarah Jessica Parker




















Tara Reid



















Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen



















Sharon Stone

















Gwen Stefani

















Ashlee Simpson





















Nicole Kidman



















Paris Hilton















Pam Anderson


















Jennifer Aniston



















Cameron Diaz


















Johnny Depp




















The Beckhams



















J Lo and Mark Anthony

















Tom Cruise



I don't care who you are....that right thar is funnnyyyyy!!!!!!

Have a great weekend ya'll!

How clean is the hotel room you stay in?

Yesterday, here in the office where I work...one of our managers was discussing the hotel room he stayed in last week. He commented how dissatisfied he was with the housekeeping of said hotel room. Now, this guy is new to our branch....nice guy, but seriously, this dude's cleanliness expectations are worse than Danny Tanner, played by Bob Saget...you know this guy, from the television show, "Full House"...


When at the hotel, he said he crawled down beneath the sheets to the bottom of the bed, took a pen and made a small x on the bottom of the sheet. The next day, upon returning to his hotel room, he pulled the sheets back, to check and see if the x was still there. That way, he would know if the maid had changed the sheets or not. Lo and behold, the x was still there. He threw a fit, demanded that housekeeping return, reclean the room, he was going to stay there, watch them this time, to see that they did. He said he also takes his own anti-bacterial wipes with him, to wipe down the bathroom, counters, phone, etc...

Now, in my opinion, that is a little excessive. Unitl I found out that he had developed a staph infection from the hotel he stayed at. I thought alot about it..so, I did some research online...just to see how clean some hotels really are. I found, that my co-worker may not be overly excessive after all.

Here is what I found...from MSNBC.

Hotel rooms are public places, and you are sharing them with other people.

1. Choose your lodging well.
Know that a smaller property may be cleaner than a large one. The more rooms a housekeeper has to turn over, the more likely he is to cut corners.

2. Give the room a good inspection. You can get a sense of the cleanliness of a room as soon as you walk in the door. But take the time to look in the bathroom, under the beds, in drawers, etc. And pull back the bedcovers! Bedbugs and other critters can be an issue at even the nicest properties.

A vigilant guest who liked to pull back bedcovers found one of the biggest problems ever a hotel. He found lice in his bed, and the hotel was able to track the little bugs to their source. An elderly couple, who were very sweet but obviously had hygiene issues, had brought a suitcase full of lice on vacation with them. The hotel had to shut down three floors for extermination.

3. Speak up. If you feel the room is not up to par, say so. And don’t worry that you will have to move rooms. Chances are you won’t have to. Give a housekeeping supervisor about 15 minutes in a room, and he can usually rectify any problem. But if multiple rooms, common areas, and especially restaurants or pools at a property all seem unclean to the point of being unsafe, you have every right to leave and ask for a refund.

4. Ditch the bedspread. How often are the bedspreads cleaned? The truth is: not that often. Cleaning bedspreads is expensive, and most folks would balk at the room rate if that cost were passed on to the customer. So yes, that comforter could very well be dirty. Remove it if you like.

But have heart: A nice trend we’re seeing at some properties is the use of duvets with removable duvet covers that can easily be cleaned after each guest. Ask about the linens when you book your room; you may be in for a pleasant surprise.

5. Carry your own cleaners. If you really are phobic about germs, or if you know you pick up every little virus, you may want to do your own wipe-down of your room. Antibacterial solutions are easy to find in travel sizes. Take some with you and wipe down the telephone, door handles, bathroom fixtures — whatever “bugs” you. Bring your own heavy-duty hand-washing soap, too, if you like.

But don’t stress too much. Most housekeepers do a great job and wipe down all surfaces with industrial-strength cleaners. (That recent study that showed how a person with a cold can contaminate a room? They tested for germs before the room was cleaned, not after.) That’s not to say that some budget-conscious housekeeping managers water down the chemicals! So feel free to take extra precautions if you like.

So, knowing what I know, do I take all these precautions when I travel? Honestly, no. I do check for bedbugs — they’re scary! And when I turn in for the night, I pull that bedspread totally off the bed.I do believe that there are more germs on that community fax machine in the office — and on my child after a day at school — than in an entire hotel room. But as cozy as that room might seem, it’s not really your home away from home. It’s a public place, and it doesn’t hurt to treat it as such.

What are your thoughts on hotel room cleanliness?
What precautions if any do you take when sleeping at a hotel?

Do you use the bedspread, reclean the bathroom?

Let's discuss......

AMERCIAN IDOL..SEASON 7...VOTED OFF!

Wow...was my predictions totally off this week.

Eliminated This Week - Jason Yeager, Alexandrea Lushington, Alaina Whitaker, Robbie Carrico





So, do you think the right ones went home?

I know when I reveiewed the guys a few days ago, Jason was in my bottom two...I changed my perdictions up, based on a few idol polls I had seen around...but, were they ever wrong.

I really do not know what next week holds...but, let's tune in and find out.

Dixiechick...out!

American Idol...Season 7...Top 10 Girls....

Well, last night the top 10 girls rocked out, or didn't...to songs from the 70's.
I was not impressed with a single one. To me, it seemed that the majority of the girls, were just picking the wrong darn songs. I thought they were better last week, which allowed the guys to outshine them this week.

Let's recap...

So, the former recording artist, Carly Smithson..was up first...she sang "Crazy on You" by Heart..(I love heart)...her performance was pretty good...I give her four out of five stars.


The judges comments:

Randy~The beginning wasn't so good, but it was better towards the middle and the end. You seem to have more problems with the lower notes, kind of pitchy.
Paula~You are an amazing singer and you did an amazing job.
Simon~Much better than last week. You are an incredible singer, but I don't think that was the right song for you.

I agree with Simon....she did ok....not one of my favorites...but, I think she will be around for awhile.

Second to perform...Syesha Mercado..singing "Me and Mr Jones" by Billy Paul...


I like this girl....I thought she did fairly well last night. The song wasn't right for her. She definitely needs to up her game as far as song choices go. More upbeat, high tempo song would be so good for her.

Here is what the judges had to say:

Randy~That was not a great song choice. You need to pick songs that work with what you have, songs that you can really belt out. It was soft~went nowhere. Just alright for me.
Paula~I like your interpretation, what you did with it. But in softer songs, you tend to go off, fall out of pitch.
Simon~It was a bit indulgent. That song was not written for a girl. It was a silly thing to do. It was not designed for your voice; not a clever choice for you.

Third up...our other little pre recording artist...Brooke White...singing "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon....


Brooke is your wholesome next door kind of girl..I like her...last night she chose to sing with her guitar..nice touch, but I think she does better with piano. I give her four out of five stars.

Here is what the judges thought:

Randy~It was a great song choice. I liked it. But, I don't think you brought anything different to it.
Paula~It was the perfect song for you. It suited you. You brought familiarity to it.
Simon~I absolutely loved it. It was the perfect song for you, absolutley connected.

I don't think Brooke will be going home tonight, that's for sure.

Next up..the little woman with a powerful voice...Ramiele Malubay...singing "Don't ve Me This Way" by Thelma Houston.

She is such a little cutie....I thought she sang well, but not as well as last week.
I still give her four out of five stars. If you can make it on cuteness factor alone, she will make it to the top three females.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~It was just ok for me. The song choice was weird.
Paula~You are the one to beat. Your vocals are amazing. Although, I don't feel like with this song, you were able to perform your magic.
Simon~You were much better last week. This was not a memorable performance.

Memorable or not, Simon..this little chickie is going to be around a little longer.

Fifth to perform...Kristy Lee Cook..singing "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt....




I thought she was just ok...she looked good. She is a very pretty girl and I think that alone will keep her in for a while. She will most definitely be in the top 8 I am thinking. For her performance last night, I give her four out of five stars.

Here is what the judges thought:

Randy~100% improvement over last week. It was a better song choice, In tune and I liked it.
Paula~You're back. It was a good song choice for you.
Simon~It was a huge improvement. At this point, I really don't know how to label you. I think you should go the Country route, that is where you have potential.

Who knows, if she listens to Simon, she could end up being the next Carrie Underwood...nah.....

My, oh my....what I am about to show you next..there is no words..what the hell happened to my home girl...Amanda Overmeyer...Honey the stylist screwed you over last night...WTF???????? Here is Amanda...singing "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas...

Girl looked like Cruella Daville...she sounded terrible, looked terrible. I am so afraid, because of this performance, she is going home. I gave her two stars out of five. Amanda...you have let me down.

Here is what the judges thought:

Randy~That was not the right song for you. There was too much melody. The verses were pitchy.
Paula~You got some moves. You can dance. You are a brilliant artist and you need to do what feels right. That was not the right song for you.
Simon~That was terrible. From the hair, to the clothes, to the song. I couldn't wait for it to finish. It was contrived, nothing was real about it.

Wow, Amanda...I just don't know what else to say. I would rather see you try to be Janis Joplin.

Seventh..Alaina Whitaker...singing "Hopelessly Devoted To You" by Olivia Newton-John..

I believe Alaina has potential.....she just needs to work on being herself. As far as last nights performance goes...I give her four out of five stars, even though I feel the song wasn't right for her.

Here are the judges comments:

Randy~It wasn't the right song for you. You have a strong voice, when you belt it. That was restrained. Very pitchy.
Paula~I think you did a good job. I forget how young you really are. You are very mature for your age.
Simon~I like you, but it was almost as if your grandmother prepared you for this performance. It was very old fashioned. Almost pagenty. You are one of the dark horses of this competition. Sort yourself out.

She is definitely a beautiful girl, that alone will keep her in for awhile. She is not going home tonight.

Eighth...Alexandria' Lushington...singing "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago...

I thought it was just ok...kind of mundane, robotic. Nothing impressive. I give her three stars out of five...she is definitely in my bottom three.

Here is what the judges had to say:

Randy~It was safe. You have mad vocal skills and you need to challenge yourself more. It was boring.
Paula~I have never heard a female take that song on. I feel you made it your own. I am impressed and I feel you are relevant to this competition.
Simon~I was a big fan of you in the early stages of this competition. I think you are struggling now. You were in and out of tune. It was boring for me.

Ninth....Kady Malloy...singing "Magic Man" by Heart...


It was just ok for me...to me, she is just another "pretty girl" of the competition. She does nothing for me. If she doesn't up her game, I see her going home soon.
I give her two out of three stars.

Here is what the judges thought:

Randy~You never found the notes. It didn't work for me.
Paula~When you powered it, you sounded great, but on the low notes, you lost it. You really need to come back, define yourself and who you are.
Simon~I am frustrated. Everything you do on film is fantastic, but you come out here and it does not go anywhere. There was no melody.

Girl...you look great, but you sucked. Stick to your impersonations of Brittany.

Last on the show last night, but possibly first to go home tonight...Asia'h Epperson...singing "All By Myself" by Celine Dion....

All I can say is that it was terrible. What the hell was she thinking. Celine Dion is an amazing artist...no one can come close to replicating her vocals...especially not some want to be little girl. I gave her one star, just because she killed this Celine Dion song...and I love Celine.

Here are the judges thoughts...

Randy~It was a difficult song. I think you did a good job.
Paula~You did it. That was great. The ending was what counts.
(um, no Paula...she screwed up the beginning and a half assed singer does not sell records)
Simon~That was one of the top Diva songs of all time. You are not that good of a singer to be able to pull that off. That song showed you up. You almost got away with it, but fact is..you didn't. It was a silly decision.

Simon, I couldn't agree with you more.

So, my choices for going home tonight are..Amanda Overmeyer and Asia'h Epperson.

For the guys...Luke Menard and Danny Noriega.

Who do you think is going home tonight?

Tune in tonight for the vote-off.

Dixiechick...out.

Which American Idol Judge are you?

Which American Idol Personality Are You?

More on American Idol. Created by BuddyTV

My son..the artist...

As I have mentioned before...my eight year old loves to draw....and for eight...he is pretty darn good.

He free handed this the other night in the car....in ten minutes....and "painted it" when he got home....am I biased or is this really good for an eight year old....

You be the judge...click on the picture, enlarge it....



Do you know what it is...it is a fall harvest picture...complete with cornucopia, pumpkins, gords (sp?), etc....in the forefront is an Indian head band....The dark area, behind the head band..that is the shadow, emanating off the cornucopia...his words, not mine...Is he a cool little boy or what?

It's great to be loved...if only for my American Idol post...

An award...I am honored that my friend Troy, from Not World Famous felt I was deserving of this totally cool award...
Although the guy in the picture is so totally uncool looking...I swear I look nothing like that...My hair is darker. Ha....seriously, though...thanks dude...

Here is his post, awarding this totally cool award to me:
To Dixie Chick: It takes someone who is super-cool to be so accurate a judge of what is and what isn’t cool. Seriously, when it comes to American Idol, can she call ‘em or what?




After all the hard work I put into my Idol post, it is awesome to be recognized for it. You are so cool Troy for recognizing the coolness that is me! You rock!

Now, to pass this award on....

Janet:
She is wonderwoman to her her Wonderhubby and Five...yes, Five Wonderkids...I totally heart her and I am going to drag her to blogger this year if it kills me! If only I could be as cool as her.

Ajooja : His sense of humor surpasses all levels of coolness. I love starting my days out with him...probably would my nights too, if we were both not so happily married!
Flat...my new blogger girl crush...we are definitley going to meet next month, when Hubby and I go to back down to Nashville...although I know I will be so imtimidated by all of her coolness! She has some hilarious stories...and she is a big hockey fan, so check her out, read her archives, link her....but the buck stops there dudes...she is happily involved...with Bat Shit....don't let the name fool you...he is as hunky as she is gorgeous!

Well..that's it...as far as the awarding goes...not as far as the coolness factor. All of the blogs on my blogroll are cool or they wouldn't be there...trust a girl on this...but, It would take me two days to give a run down of everyone on my blog...so, if you are reading this, I didn't call your name, and you want to be cool like us...just link back to me, and claim the cool button for yourself.

Who love's all of ya'll? Dixie!!!!

Whoo Hooo...now go revel in all of your coolness~

I screwed up....Corrected Idol Post ahead...

Ok..I totally screwed up with my AI post...I have David Archulettas picture where David Cooks should be and blogger will not let me fix it.

So...here is the final two recap from last nights performance the way it should be.

Ninth...David Cook...singing "All Right now"...


I thought he did a great job. He is definitley rocker material. I give him four out of five stars.

Here is what the judges had to say:

Randy~You are a real rocker. Smart choice of song.
Paula~You are the real deal!
Simon~It was believable.

Tenth....David Archuletta...singing "Imagine"....

I have to give the kid props...not only is he one of the youngest contestants, but he has the most amazing voice and he has a lot of nerve...to sing a John Lennon song, Wow~unbelievable. I give him five out of five stars.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~You know what I have said about the young ones this season. That was one of the best vocals I have ever heard on this show. You were born to do this.
Paula~You are ridiculous~I could just dangle you from my rearview mirror. That was the most moving performance I have ever heard. You are destined for super stardom.
Simon~It was risky to do John Lennon, but it worked for you. You are definitley the one to beat in this competition.

Well, that's a wrap....

Here are my top two and my bottom two choices..

Top Two: David Archuletta and David Hernandez

Bottom Two: Luke Menard and Jason Yeager

Who are your favorites? Who do you think are going home? And what do you think about the contestants with previous record labels?

Dixiechick...out!

American Idol....Season 7...Top 10 Boys....

Last night was 70's night on Idol...and I thought the boys, overall did a fantastic job...Much better than last week, in my opinion.

So, lets recap...

First up....Michael Johns...Singing "You Can Go Your Own Way"...


I thought he was much better than last week...a little off key, but maybe that is just the way he sings....I give him three out of five stars. Here is what the judges had to say:

Randy~I was ready for you to let go, but you started slow. Not your best dude.
Paula~You are a great contestant. You got the crowd working. You are charismatic and charming, a seasoned Performer. Nice way to start the show.
Simon~I feel that was your weakest performance. You are just coasting along. It was a weak choice of song.


Second up...Jason Castro....singing "I Just Want To Be Your Everything"...


I felt he did alright, except toward the end...his voice went out of range...was a little off key...but, I give him four out of five stars.

Here is what the judges had to say:

Randy~The guitar is cool as an act. The vocals were just ok, kind of karaoke.
Paula~I think you are cute. The song choice was clever, but next week, come back without the guitar. Be vulnerable as an artist..just be you.
Simon~The song was a horrible choice for you. It didn't suit your vocals..it was average.

Third to perform...my hometown boy...Luke Menard...singing "Killer Queen"...


He was average...better than last week...I give him three out of five stars. But what really bothers me is the fact that he has recorded a record and is part of an Acapella group that has toured. I like him, don't get me wrong..but I am a little annoyed, not only with him but several other Idol Contestants.

What the hell is up with some of this year's contestants having previous record labels? I thought American Idol was supposed to be about raw, undiscovered talent? When did the rules change? It kind of pisses me off. Seriously, should any of those with previous recording experience, of any kind, be allowed to win? I don't think so....
I would really like to hear all of your thoughts on this....

Ok, I will step down off of my soapbox...moving on.

Here are the judges comments regarding Luke...

Randy~Pretty good. Better than last week. There were a couple of pitch problems, but it was a tough song.
Paula~Perfect song choice. This is a great week for you. Contestants like you are what makes me fight to get people in the Top 24.
Simon~I think the song choice was a mistake. You are always going to be judged by the original artist of any song you sing. The original for this song was charismatic and had personality, you are not charismatic, nor do you have personality. You are theatrical and whiny.

Unfortunately, I think Luke may be heading home.

Fourth..Robbie Carico...another contestant with recording history...singing "Hot Blooded"....

Not only did dude open for Brittany Spears at one time...he also drag races cars...as far as his vocal abilities go..dude is definitely a rocker....and a favorite of mine.
I thought he did a fantastic job and I give him four out of five stars.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~Pretty good job. I don't know if rock is your thing, Rock is like an attitude and I didn't hear it in your voice.
Paula~How does anyone know who you are but you. You played it safe. When you play it safe, you lose your personality and character.
Simon~I thought it was ok. (Robbie started to get a little argumentative with Simon)..You don't have to get so defensive. I actually thought the vocal was ok.

Contestant five...Danny Noriega...singing "Superstar"...


He too, claimed to have been in a rock band, a punk rock want to be band, when he was in 7th grade or something. Although, he did admit they sucked and it was a lot of screaming noise. Very funny! Glad to see he has improved since 7th grade. Dude should be a woman...he is very pretty, almost feminine in the way he carries himself. Maybe that is just my opinion...but that is what I think. I think he does have a mellow, smooth voice...although, he is not my favorite. I don't know what it is about him, but I don't care for him. He did sound great last night, I give him four out of five stars.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~You are a fun guy! There were some problems with the vocal. You could have sped it up a little more. Seemed to me you were thinking when you were singing. You need to let that go.
Paula~You have amazing vocal skill. Don't overthink it, just perform.
Simon~This was better than the disaster last week. You look great on camera.

My favorite vocal of the night, followed Danny...David Hernandez....singing "Papa was a Rolling Stone"...

This dude was amazing...I thought he did a fabulous job and I totally give him five stars out of five.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~This is the dude we fell in love with. That was hot~how to put it down!
Paula~Your voice is so pure, every note was in the pocket. Amazing~perfect.
Simon~Best vocal of the night. When you are given criticism, you take it as a challenge. I am now a fan.

Seventh...Jason Yeager...singing "Long Train Running"...


I was not impressed...dude is in my bottom two. I give him two stars out of five.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~The 70's was the greatest era ever. The song choice did not do you justice. It was pitchy and a little karaoke.
Paula~It is great to see the fun side of you. But, the song didn't show your vocal range. Pick singer songs.
Simon~It was just ordinary this week. The ending was horrific and corny..just ghastly.

I have to agree with Simon.

Next up...Chikeze Eze....singing "I Believe to My Soul"....


Before he sang, we found out where his unusual name came from...It is Nigerian....His performance was solid, much better than last week. I think he will stick around for a while, if he performs as well as he did last night. I give him four out of five stars.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~Chikeze is back. This is the guy we fell in love with in auditions. That was blazing, that was hot.
Paula~That was clever, to pick a song with a story. It was fun, it was brilliant.
Simon~You look better, you sound better. It was a million times better than last week.

Then the banter started...Chikeze and Simon started talking about the suit he wore last week. Chikeze said he wasn't going to let Simon get to him and Simon called him obnoxious. Uh oh....watch yourself Chikeze.

Ninth contestant of the night...David Cook..singing "All Right Now"...



I have to give the kid props...not only is he one of the youngest contestants, but he has the most amazing voice and he has a lot of nerve...to sing a John Lennon song, Wow~unbelievable. I give him five out of five stars.

Here are the judges thoughts:

Randy~You know what I have said about the young ones this season. That was one of the best vocals I have ever heard on this show. You were born to do this.
Paula~You are ridiculous~I could just dangle you from my rearview mirror. That was the most moving performance I have ever heard. You are destined for super stardom.
Simon~It was risky to do John Lennon, but it worked for you. You are definitley the one to beat in this competition.

Well, that's a wrap....

Here are my top two and my bottom two choices..

Top Two: David Archuletta and David Hernandez

Bottom Two: Luke Menard and Jason Yeager

Who are your favorites? Who do you think are going home? And what do you think about the contestants with previous record labels?

Dixiechick...out!

Work sucks..........

Work is kicking my ass...the boss has been in all day....wet, cold and snowy outside...I have a lot to talk about, but I don't have time to get into it at the moment...stay tuned.

Dixie

Where was I????

Oh, yeah...didn't do any blog hopping Friday night....as I said, I was too busy playing around with my new toys....Saturday, the roads were cleared off enough, that I was able to pick Justin up around noon....got the kids some lunch, did some shopping and later that afternoon...I took the kids to the movies...

We went and seen this...


I will sum it up for you in one word...STUPID!!!!! Seriously, ya'll...save your money...it was ridiculous! I must say, his first one was funnier....Health Inspector...this one was not worth the money spent for the ticket...and if you bought popcorn and a drink, then that was probably better than the movie itself....save your money, rent it when it comes out on DVD....the kids liked it though..because it had that crude humor that boys love...poop talk, lighting farts...gross humor in general..the kind Larry the Cable guy is so well known for. I get enough of that at home, with the hubby and the boys...I don't need to pay to see it.
I wanted to see Fool's Gold, but I know that was probably too much for the younger boys...after the movies, I got the boys Fazoli's and we went home.

Yes, I was good...I stuck to my Nutri-System plan all weekend. I know some of you are probably wondering how the food is...some of it isn't too bad....overall, it is diet food...you can actually taste the "diet" in it when you eat it. The positive side is, my colon is going totally happy with me..I have never had so much fresh fruit and vegetables as I have consumed over the past three and a half days. I love salads...always have...but I love salads with bacon bits, meat, cheese, croutons...and ranch dressing, fattening ranch dressing....but, on this diet, I can't have that...lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and occasionally one ounce of grilled chicken on the top of it, with fat free salad dressing, no more than 2 tablespoons....and with that...I am honestly saladed out!
But, I am determined....I am going to stick to it...it hasn't been easy...for instance...the no popcorn at the theaters just about killed me...but, I was impressed with my will power....I didn't cave...not even one kernel of that buttery, movie theater goodness entered my mouth...
Once we got home...I sat and ate my "salad" and Nutri system entree' while my kids feasted on bread sticks and chicken parmesan....I endured....Yay me!

Oh....and when the kids I went to the movie, hubby stayed home....and slept...since he has worked for the past 12 days straight....and had to work Saturday night....so, it was just the kids and I....now, what I am fixing to show you...is the sick sense of humor that is my husbands....having nothing but guys in the house....bodily parts, bodily functions are always a joke...sometimes, I feel his sense of humor is a little crude for the younger boys....but, his maturity level can sometimes range at the level of a prebuscent teenager....here is what I walked in and found on my kitchen bar counter...with the boys...right behind me...I was annoyed with him at first..but we couldn't help but laugh.....brace yourself...


Funny, isn't he?
Um...yeah...the kids thought it was hilarious...

Sunday....pretty much was spent laying around the house. I did cook a big breakfast for everyone....everyone but me, that is. I wasn't feeling very well....so, nothing got accomplished. Hubby took Justin to meet his Dad...I stayed in my pajamas all day long.
I was pretty much wiped out...between work, and running all the time...I am exhausted.
This upcoming weekend, hubby wanted to go out of town, to Nashville again..but, I put my foot down. I am tired, I just want to get through this week and spend the weekend resting.

Later, yall!

Ok...lets try this again.....Hell, oh hell...Is it Monday already?

I hit publish post...before I intended...and for some reason, here at work, I can't get into my edit post...so, ignore the last half assed post I did.
It must be the lack of food....affecting my brain....

So, how was everyone's weekend? Mine was busy, of course....too much to do and not enough time to do it all.

We had a mini-blizzard here on Friday....after I got off of work Friday, driving was almost impossible, as the roads were hideous. Therefore, I had to post-pone picking up Justin (14 year old) for the weekend. Friday evening, was pretty much holed up in the house with the little kiddos. I didn't get any blogging done, because I was too busy playing with my new IPOD...whoo hooo....I am slowly starting to make it to 2008, electronically speaking. I am so excited to finally have one...I also have a new camera.....for those of you that remember,I had my last digital camera stolen from me, out of my car, in the Hell-Mart parking lot....it took me a while to finally get one...thank God for income tax refunds, huh?
Yeah, Baby....I am pretty practical....I don't have to have the most expensive of gadgets....so, this is the camera I got...

I know..green isn't that "pretty" of a color...but, I liked the camera, I liked the price...and Best Buy had just sold 30 of them, to the police force, right before I got in there....so, green it is. It is awesome though, I still haven't figured out all the things it will do...but, look for lots of pictures of my kids, etc...again.

I have a lot to talk about....but, the boss is in the office, probably will be all freaking day..so, I will post more later.

Hell...Oh, Hell....Is it Monday already?

Ok....I started today...

NO, not my period....isn't that what you think, when someone says, I started? Hahaha..

No, you wierdos....

I started Nutri-system today!


Everyone here at work this morning, pretty much thought I was stupid to start on a Friday, but my first shipment of food came last night, and I figured...why not?
What difference does it make if it's a Monday or a Friday?...I have to start sometime.

I am kind of excited about it. I hope to be down 20 lbs by May...I think I can do it...then Eva Longoria, watch out, with your size 2 self....lol.

It took me an hour to reorganize my pantry to find room for all of it, then to unpack it all.
Here is what my pantry looked like when I got done.


That is my food, for the next 35 days...Yum, freaking yum! I would eat glue though, if it helped me to lose wieght. Actually, you can add fresh salads and fruit, some dairy into the plan..you can still occasionally eat out as well. You just have to be very careful with your choices.

I don't know exactly how much I weigh at the moment. I don't have a scale. But last time I checked, I was 138 lbs and I am 5 ft 2....Losing 20 lbs would put me back down to 118.....which was what I weighed two summers ago.

If it goes well...I will keep you posted. If not, I will not mention it again.

Now, lets all sing "High hopes....Dixie's got High Hopes"...

Later.....

American Idol....Season 7....Now There Are 20....

Well, I totally called it for the girls and completely missed it with the guys.

Voted off last night:


Joanne Borgella...I totally had her picked to go home yesterday and I was right...America, you voted well!


Amy Davis....obviously you can't make it on looks alone. That's ok....you can always be a model...or something.

That still leaves my two fellow hoosiers in the competition.

The two guys to go home...


Garrett Haley....boy, was Simon abrupt with letting him go...called him up, chatted him up, then dropped the bomb, you are going home dude.


Colton Berry....wow, was I shocked with this one. I thought for sure they would send Chickezee home...but, he will be back next week..to impress us with his bad taste in clothing....

So, that is it...the first round of eliminations.

What did you think? Did you think the right people were voted off?

Also, what did you think about Paulas new video? I wished I could link it, but since I am blogging this from work, I can't access You Tube...maybe I will do it later from home.
I thought it was pretty good. Catchy..cool to see Randy on guitar in the video...and for an older chick, trying to make a comeback, Paula looked pretty damn good.
Rock on, Paula!

Dixiechick...out!

American Idol...Season 7...Top 12 girls....

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Night before last...we viewed the top 12 boys....last night, the girls took the stage and they totally kicked it up a few notches, compared to the guys.

Who was your favorite from last night? Do you think they did better than the guys?

Let me recap it for you.....

First up...Kristy Lee Cook....singing "Rescue Me"....


I thought it was a good start, but apparently, Kristy was sick, which according to the judges, affected her performance. The only problem I had with Kristy, was the wierd eye movements she had going on. I thought she was beautiful and I don't think she sounded too bad. She will be around for awhile...hopefully, by next week, she will be feeling better and we can truly hear her shine.

Randys comments: "Wow! That was awesome, totally hot! A little rough around the edges, there were some pitch problems....it wasn't your best performance, but you look great!"
Paula's comments: "For one thing, you are sick and you are the first one to perform for the night. That in itself is a double whammy! It's ok to shine during your performance, but you did a good job."
Simons comments: "The song didn't suit you. The performance was too robotic. I didn't get a lot out of that...there was nothing to grab hold of."

I still give her four stars out of five.

Second up....Joanne Borgella...singing "Say A Little Prayer"...


I guess I was expecting someone of Jennifer Hudsons capabilities...but Joanne did not impress me. Her voice was too shaky, kind of all over the place.

Randys comments: " The beginning wasn't too good, but you got it together towards the end."
Paulas comments: "You've got to pull it together and shine through, but it was okay."
Simons comments: "I didn't like it at all. It was a cabaret version of a cabaret song. You didn't show any confidence and there was nothing in the vocals that would warrant a recording contract."

Now, Simon, she wasn't that bad...I think she was just nervous and if she gets past that, develops more confidence, she will do much better. I give her two stars out of five.

Third...Alaina Whitaker....singing "I Love You More Today Than Yesterday"...

Wow...she is absolutly gorgeous...and through out her performance, I saw similarities to Carrie Underwood. I also thought it was the best performance out of the first three.

Randys commments: "This is the year of the young contestants. The beginning was a little rough, but you sang it with conviction."
Paulas comments: "The ending was the best. You totally nailed it."
Simons comments: "You did very good. I hated the song. It was corny. But it was the first time tonight that we didn't see any nervousness. You are sailing through to the next round."

I have to agree with the judges. She is going to be around for awhile, because she is definitely the total package. I give her five stars out of five, and without a doubt she is my top pick of the night.

Fourth...Amanda Overmeyer....singing "Baby Please Don't Go"...girl can totally rock out, that's for sure!

I am a huge fan of Amanda's, because I think she has great potential as a rocker. I just wasn't too thrilled with her performance last night.

Randys comments: "You had a bluesy, rocker, scatting thing going on and I liked it. I like the trousers too."
Paulas comments: "I love everything that you do. You are authentic, the real deal."
Simons comments: "I really like you. You stand out. You came out and proved to me what a great singer you are. It was not the best performance, did you forget the words half way through?"

Acutally, Amanda did not forget the words..it was the song, which included several rounds of scatting throughout. I gave her four stars out of five..up your game girl.
She is my second choice of the night for the top 3.

Fifth...Amy Davis...singing "Where The Boys Are"....

Ok..as far as Amy goes..the girl looks great...but she is no Patsy Cline. She was very nervous and it showed. She had some pitchy areas and to me, she sounded a little nasally. Maybe she had a cold too.

Randys comments: "There were a lot of pitch problems and at the end, you have to hit that note. It wasn't great."
Paulas comments: "Well, the camera loves you. I feel your nerves got the best of you and it was a little lackluster."
Simons comments: "You look great, but you don't sound great. It was a boring song, very cabaret and dull. Not you at all."

I think Amy will end up in the bottom two. I give her two stars out of five.

Sixth...Brooke White...singing "So Happy Together"...

I thought Brooke had great vocals...I think she is very pretty...in a Sheryl Crow kind of way.

Randys comments: "It started out a little rough, but you got it back in the second half."
Paulas comments: "This competition is about originality and you have your own. You picked the right song, great job."
Simons comments: "You picked the right song, it was definitely you. Just not my cup of tea. I felt like I was watching a "washing up" commercial."

I guess Simon just doesn't like her "pureness"...his reference to a washing up commercial pertains to UK commercials for dishwashing liquid....Ha!

Seventh....Alexandrea' Lushington....singing "Spinning Wheel"....

Girl has got some pipes...she did an awesome job. Definitely in the top 3 for me.
The song choice reminded me of Bo Bice....very eightys/ninetys.....but she definitely got four stars out of five from me.

Randys comments: " You blew the doors off. It was dope, with all the wierd chords. You've got it. It was hot."
Paulas comments: " You took control, from top to bottom. What a dope outfit. You have shown more confidence than anyone, with your entrance."
Simons comments: "I didn't get it. The vocals weren't great. It reminded me of an awful 60's musical. You look good, I'm just not with you on the vocals."

Regardless of what Simon said, she is going to be a force to be reckoned with in this competition.

Eighth....Kady Malloy...singing "Groovy Kind of Love"....

I thought Katie has an amazing sound. The vocals, to me, were great...she is beautiful, the guys of course are digging that. Plus, she does great impressions of other singers...like Brittany Spears for instance.

Randys comments:"It was ok. You seemed a little restrained and controlled to me. You lost your concentration."
Paulas comments:" You look very pretty. I want to see more of your personality."
Simons comments: "That was like the night of the living dead. Instead of eighteen, you sounded eighty. Like a pencil was impersonating you. We want to see more of you...lighten up a little bit. Just be you."

I give Katie four stars out of five....I think she can turn it around, show more of her true colors.

Ninth...Asiah Epperson....singing "Take A Little Piece of My Heart"....


I thought it was an okay performance..kind of fun....she still has some things to work on, if she sticks around.

Randys comments: "I loved it. I loved that you brought your thing to it. I was impressed."
Paulas comments: "You had fun up there. You had some moments."
Simons comments: "You are my favorite of the night. It was fun, likeable."

But, is she likeable enough? I say she is going home...in the bottom two. I give her three stars out of five.

Tenth...Ramielle Malubay...singing "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"...

This tiny little girl has an amazing voice....a force to be reckoned with...she is adorable...and I place her in my top three.

Randys comments: "I loved that you took your time, started slow. Built it up at the end. Very classy, that was hot."
Paulas comments: "You are a force to be reckoned with. You have such a beautiful range to your voice. Right on."
Simons comments: "Tonight, you out sang every person. At first, I didn't like you, but you have soared since coming to Hollywood."

Girl is going places and I gave her five out of five stars.

Eleventh...Syesha Mercado...singing "Tobacco Road"...and it was good, very good.

Man, does she have a great big voice when she sings. It totally surprised me, since I didn't remember her too well from auditions.

Randys comments: "It was a little pitchy, but you can definitely sing. I liked it."
Paulas comments: "It was consistent, joyful, fun...Way to Go."
Simons comments: "Not your best, but it doesn't matter. You are the most talented girl in this competition."

I don't agree with Simon, but she has potential. I give her four out of five stars.

Twelveth....Carly Smithson...singing "Shadow Of Your Smile"...


I don't know what it is about this chick..but, I just don't like her. I don't know why she ever got a recording contract, she is just average at best.

Randys comments: " That is what this show is all about. That was the best vocal of the top 24, blazing hot."
Paulas comments: "You're reliable, like a lucky coin in the pocket. Very tender, beautiful..infectious."
Simons comments: "I didn't get it. There is so much hype about you. The song was old fashioned. It was a let down for me. It wasn't fantastic."

I totally have to agree with Simon. Girl is not all that. I give her three stars out of five.

So, there you have it. The top 12 girls and their first night of competition.
My top three picks, as noted above are...

Alaina Whitaker
Amanda Overmeyer
And it sways between Alexandria Lushington and Ramielle Malubay for third.

Going home...

Amy Davis
Joanne Borgella

I am not 100% on who is going home...because none of them were really really bad.
The girls are giving up some tough competition here.

So what are your thoughts on the girls? Who did you like and who did you hate?

Tune in tonight to see the results show.

Dixiechick...out!

Guess what........

There’s a reason why I’m so euphoric today: the announcement of the official Cullen family cast!





Twilight the Movie
***February 19, 2008*** (Official Press Release)

Summit Entertainment Welcomes the Cullen Family to Twilight. I am almost done with the first book and I am loving it. I found out about this through blonde canary....and I had totally had to steal it and make a post. Thanks chickie!

I did some research of my own, this is what I found out.

Here is the cast.....
(photos courtesy of Stephanie Myers website)




The Cullen family:

Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen
Peter Facinelli as Carlisle
Elizabeth Reaser as Esme
Jackson Rathbone as Jasper
Nikki Reed as Rosalie
Ashley Green as Alice
Kellan Lutz as Emmett



Actor Robert Pattinson joins cast of Twilight for Summit Entertainment as Edward.


Kristen Stewart joins cast as Bella.




Los Angeles, CA December 11, 2007 — Summit Entertainment announced today that Robert Pattinson will star as Edward in the highly anticipated feature film production TWILIGHT opposite Kristen Stewart. The thriller-romance, based on Stephenie Meyer's publishing phenomenon, is slated to begin production in February 2008 with Catherine Hardwicke directing a script by Melissa Rosenberg (STEP UP). Karen Rosenfelt (DEVIL WEARS PRADA) and Greg Mooradian will produce along with Mark Morgan via his Maverick Films banner.

Erik Feig, Summit Entertainment's President of Production, stated, "It is always a challenge to find the right actor for a part that has lived so vividly in the imaginations of readers but we took the responsibility seriously and are confident, with Rob Pattinson, that we have found the perfect Edward for our Bella in TWILIGHT."

Robert Pattinson most recently starred in LITTLE ASHES as the young Salvador Dali. Pattinson is best known for his role as Cedric Diggory in the recent box office successes HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX and HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE.


I am so excited! I will definitely be going to see this, even if I have to go alone.
This is sure to be a huge hit!

American Idol...Season 7....Boys night!

We have finally began the exciting part of American Idol...the actual competition.
The auditions are over...the judges have relinquished control and it is now left in our hands.
Question is...Is this years talent the best yet?
Who will be the next American Idol?
That will be determined based on a variety of different things.
~Originality, song choice and overall personality and talent.

Last night the 12 guys took to the stage and in my opinion..it was a mediocre at best.
But, what do I know?
Their first night of performing, the guys had to pick a song from the sixities to sing. I really didn't have a favorite from last nights performance, but If I had to choose someone...I would have chosen Robbie Carrico....

Now, lets review, shall we?

First up...David Hernandez.....singing "Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett.

My opnion....4 stars...out of 5....he kind of messed up the high note at the end...kind of fell apart.
Randy liked the gospel vibe and told him that the competition was on!
Paula said he had brilliant vocals, lovely perfect vibrato~really cool!
Simon said he did better than he thought he would. He told him to losen up a little. He loved the beginning of the song but stated that there was nothing distinctive in his voice.

Chickezie Eze....singing "I Love You More Today Than Yesterday" by Tom Jones...I think.

I wasn't at all impressed...by the song choice, his voice, his look...nada!

Randy...of course, said it was pretty good. But advised him, that when singing old, you have to make it sound/look new, make it fresh and young.
Paula felt it was a throw back to great R & B; told him it was a nice job.
Simon said it was hideous...the suit he wore was hideous, the wink he did while singing was hideous...I hated the whole performance...it was totally old fashioned and corny.
I have to agree with Simon....2 stars out of 5 from me...dude won't be around long.

Third....David Cook...singing "So Happy Together"..by the Turtles.

I felt he was off key through out the song..very amateurish...kind of like good karaoke...if there is such a thing...professionally, it was bad..dude was too over-confident.

Randys comments-"Weird when you started, but you pulled it off."
Paulas comments-"It was worthy~You rocked it!
Simons comments-"You shouted a little in the middle, it was a wierd song to choose, but you made it almost believable."

I gave him three stars out of five....


Fourth...Jason Yeager...singing Moon River....which he dedicated to his grandmother.



Randys comments-"It was a good job. Tough song...don't lose your concentration, you had a couple of pitch problems."
Paulas comments-"It was a simple song, you made it difficult."
Simons comments-"It came across too old, too cruise ship. It was neither here nor there. Middle of the road, like a dependable old dog-too old fashioned."

I totally agree with Simon...I give him three stars out of five.

Fifth...Robbie Carrico..my pick for the entire night...he sang "One" by Three Dog Night.


This dude was really very good...keep in mind though, at one time, he toured with Brittany Spears...back when she was good and was still sane, ya'll.

Randys comments-"Very nice-nice version. You moved me Baby."
Paulas comments-"You picked the perfect song. It was authentic and the vocals were in the pocket."
Simons comments-The only performance tonight the makes sense. I thought it was a good performance. I am not quite sure if you are a rock singer or a pop singer though."

Dude is definitely not a pop singer. I give him five stars out of five and thus far, he has my vote for the dudes.

Sixth...David Archuletta...singing "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson.

I thought it was just o.k....not bad enough to be sent home...not good enough to remain all the way.

Randys comments-"It was brilliant. Very mature. I loved it dude."
Paulas comments-"It was a brave and bold song choice. It made me forget how old you are. Great job."
Simons comments-"When you've got it, you've got it! Best performance of the night."

I don't know if it was the best performance..but Simon is usually right on..so, we shall see. I give him four stars out of five.

Seventh...Danny Noriega...singing "Jailhouse Rock"...Elvis Presley.


I don't know what it is..but for some reason, this dude reminds me of Sanjaya.....anyone else see this?
This dude kind of pissed me off....I hate to see someone destroy the good artists..like Elvis Presley or The Beatles...some songs and artist..they just need to leave them the hell alone.

Randys comments-"It was kind of hot. You know how to have a good time."
Paulas comments-"It was very warm, safer song. Your voice was almost scalding and I loved all the colors of this song."
Simons comments-"It was verging on grotesque, absolutely hideous. You destroyed that Elvis Presley song."

My thoughts...so long Danny...you will be one of the first to go. I gave him two stars out of five....leave Elvis alone!

Eighth....Luke Menard...the man from my neck of the woods....um, didn't do so hot.
He sang..."Everybody's Talking At Me"...and it sucked.