I Should Be Folding Laundry

Idol Chat with Adam and Beth | Final Four

May 9th, 2012

So, I want to take quick moment to apologize for no Idol Chat last week. I promise we had good excuses. Brian and I were on a much needed vacation AWAY FROM ALL CHILDREN, we had 28 hours of peace. We were desperate, the only day we could get it to work fell on a Wednesday.

Now, Adam, he had an even better excuse, he was off getting ready for his baby girl to be born! She was born last Thursday. Meet Maya!

And speaking of birthdays – today is Adam’s birthday. He’s such a great co-host, don’t you guys think? We’re like Regis and Kelly but without the money and the, well, money. And we’re not a TV show, either. (oh and Adam’s not 75 and I’m not a size zero) BUT WHATEVER.

On with the Final Four! Adam … did you hear the news? Reba McIntyre was booted from the show last week. Wait. No. Not Reba. Skylar. I’m not going to lie to you, I’m surprised but I’m certain had we watched the show last week, I totally would have predicted it. *cough*

Adam: I heard, and I wasn’t entirely shocked. Mostly because I’m much, much too tired to be shocked. Are we really down to four finalists? I feel like that should shock me too. But, you know. Baby coma.

Philip Phillips is starting us off with Have You Ever Seen the Rain? And wow, I was totally and completely bored throughout the performance. At one point, I found myself just staring at my boring beige wall and when I realized Philip was still on stage I was annoyed that he interrupted me from staring at the boring wall. But shockingly enough, Steven the Bride, J-Lo the 13-year-old skater and Randy the Easter Egg liked it!

Adam: I think Randy’s lapel pin said it best: Yo. I mean, Phil? Yo, Phil. Yo. I just have to thank you for that performance. Because I’m looking to put Maya to sleep using any means possible. Thank God for you and my DVR.

Adam: Hollie stayed with the Help Maya Sleep Through the Night theme. This is my favorite show ever! In all seriousness, last week was great for Hollie. But that was boring and bad and awful and not good. Old Lady Hollie just made me age three years. I totally did not expect to turn 40 today.

Hollie was pitchy in so much of the song that it nearly distracted me from the windstorm and the cloud cover. Wait. Is she really still in the show or is this like an April Fool’s Joke?

Joshua is singing Josh Groban’s You Raise Me Up. This is an interesting test for me because well, I despise Josh Groban but I like Josh Ledet, so we’ll see how this works out. Okay, so I didn’t hate it but I certainly did not love it. It fell short for me. A bit flat. Tonight is boring so far which is bad for me and my eyelids but good for Maya, so that’s good.

Adam: Joshua should probably not sing Josh Groban songs. It just didn’t work. It was like gravy on cantaloupe. The song was just not written to be that saucy. I’m sorry that I witnessed that.

Adam: Jessica sang Etta James, and while I assumed the same tragedy would befall her performance that plagued Joshua’s (pure, simple melody slogged up by overdone runs and needless embellishments) I liked the growl. Jessica had the growl going. The growl worked. For me. I don’t know that the song was all that great to listen to, but Jessica had a few moments in that song. Growly wow moments. We could all benefit from a few growly wow moments in our lives.

I actually enjoyed Jessica’s performance tonight. She had a ton of soul and the fact that she’s 16, Adam? holy. crap. I finally enjoyed a song tonight.

Okay, whoa, whoa, whoa. whoa, Philip is singing Volcano by Damien Rice, THIS is amazing. I love this song. And Philip did NOT disappoint. By far my favorite performance this season. So calm and sexy. Goodness. I FREAKING LOVED IT. Yo! Philip is IN IT TO WIN IT. (I said that while pointing with a Yo! pin on my lapel, by the way.)

Adam: Yeah, that was good. There’s still a tone (or a monotone) to Phil that bores me, but that was much better than any of his performances I can remember. His style was much more suited to that song because it already had the dark beautiful quality Phillip seems to be searching for in all his performances. I dug it.

Adam: Before I get to Hollie’s performance, I just want to complain that my thumb is sore from pressing the “skip” button so many times on this show. Why isn’t this a half-hour episode? Holy fluff! Okay. On to Hollie. Um . . . that was very . . . dentist officey. Also, J-Lo’s earrings are too small tonight. Okay, so . . . Hollie’s in the final four. Someone needs to explain that to me.

Oh, Hollie. So. Boring. Like Broomstick in the eye boring. Please go home. (also boring: 3 non-essential Idol performances)

Joshua is singing James Brown. Loved it. Now, I’m not sure where he or this performance would fit into music today but that performance was AWESOME. I enjoyed every second of it.

Adam: Joshua’s voice has this rich, textured, aged quality to it. Man sounds like he’s gotta be at least 50. But when he smiles, he looks like a 16-year-old kid. I think that’s what makes it difficult to place him into music today, but I think, I think, that’s the type of performance that could create its own niche. That could set a trend. That could spawn disciples. Joshua let his soul out in that song, and that wins. Soul wins.

Adam: Jessica sang “I’m telling you I’m not going, etc., etc.” Beth, did you ever watch Star Search? You know how they’d have cute little dimpled first graders stand up and sing big people songs, and it was so precious and cute and adorable? Well, Jessica’s too old for Star Search, but too young to pull that song off. I mean, she sang it great. Great. But I didn’t believe it for a second. And it wasn’t cute, either. Meh.

Jessica, wow. I’m a bit speechless right now. I totally enjoyed it. Now, I did think “how in the world could this little 16 year old sing this song with such power and emotion and seriously ONLY BE 16?” I don’t know. But she did it.

Who is going home?

Beth: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, HOLLIE.

Adam: Hollie

What do you guys think?

Comments (8)

Beyond Snapshots

May 8th, 2012

Last week I received a copy of Beyond Snapshots by Rachel Devine and Peta Mazey.

Beyond Snapshots is a super cute book for anyone wanting to take better photos. It contains great images with simple tips on how to shoot in manual, I highly recommend the book, even to those who can shoot in manual, simply because the images themselves will inspire you.

This Thursday, Clickin’ Moms will be teaming up with Jill Krause, the CM Ambassadors and the authors of Beyond Snapshots on Twitter for a twitter party to celebrate the release of the book.

(I won’t be at the party because of Listen to Your Mother, otherwise, I’d be there!)

(any level photographer is encouraged to attend, you do not need a fancy camera, just the passion to learn!)

(okay, enough parenthesis.)

Join the party to learn how to improve your photography and to win AMAZING prizes. You can visit Jill’s blog to RSVP for the twitter and learn who exactly to follow and to see a complete listing of the prizes that are being given away. (you must RSVP at Jill’s blog in order to enter to win prizes. Super easy to do!)

So, go, HAVE FUN!

Comments (1)

You Capture | simplicity

May 7th, 2012

I don’t know if you guys noticed but my blog was broken last week. Again. And then Brian and I were out of town and then we had our walk and so much stuff was going on that I was totally unable to write here.

So, this week’s theme of simplicity? Really did not exist in our lives at all. So, I had to seek it. (and it was tricky to find.)

There’s my simplicity!

Now, it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post. (please do this! don’t link up to promote your blog or even to promote your own photo challenge, k?!)
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Lines

Happy Capturing!

Comments (4)

delays

May 7th, 2012

Hi everyone,

You Capture WILL be up this evening, once the kids get to bed. Today has been so busy (which included a very, very, very long orthodontist appointment. FOR ME. GAH.) So, please forgive me. I’ll be back tonight, friends.

Here’s a photo of Trey and Eli to hold you guys over! They’re growing up so quickly!

Comments (1)

You Capture | Spring

April 30th, 2012

Where I live, spring came before spring.

While it was here, it was so nice to get outside and play with sidewalk chalk and go for walks, it felt so good to open windows and feel that outdoor breeze that we had missed for so many months.

The warmth sparked an interest in the plants that had laid dormant, they began to grow towards the sun. We had splashes of green long before we normally do, the yellow forsythia appeared and the scent of the lilacs lingered in the air.

but it was just too soon.

That warmth went away and soon the colder, more abrasive weather appeared and our blooms that were just appearing … went away.

Typically, on Mother’s Day, is when the lilacs are in full bloom here in Chicagoland. But not this year. In fact, when I went out to take photos yesterday, in search of spring, it was difficult. How frustrating.

but I found

a memory

and a fighter

and a new beginning

It was such a reminder to me that you can plan, you can be in the habit, you can wake up in the morning and expect, but that someday … it could all change. And even though it’s not what you knew … it’s crazy beautiful. And most importantly, you’ll be more than okay.