American Idol thoughts

I usually don't watch all those auditions before the Top 24, but this year I've actually seen a lot of them. I thought there was a lot of talent this year and was thinking it could be the best year yet...but after this first week I'm not so sure! So, here's my initial thoughts:

GUYS: These 3 were HORRIBLE and FORGETTABLE and I fully expect 2 of them to go home tonight- Jermaine Sellers, John Park, and Todrick Hall. Tyler Grady I just want to jump through the tv and give him a slap across the face, but I think he's definitely safe. Until tonight, I did not see what the hype was on Casey James and didn't like him....but he sang one of my fave songs tonight "Heaven"... so now he has moved into my good list and if he keeps this up, will be here at the end! The only other 2 I think I may like this season are Andrew Garcia and Lee Dewyze. They seem the most likely to do a really cool version of a song and standout.

GIRLS: So, Lilly Scott and Crystal Bowersox are both really talented and I enjoy listening to, but they don't seem to blow me away. I think they'll do good in the competition, but not sure they'll be able to mix it up with different sounds. They both seem like the type of music I'd enjoy listening to out at a bar. Janell Wheeler I also really like cause is cute and like her style, but also doesn't have a very powerful voice and I'm not sure she'll go too far...I always have 1 favorite that doesn't do well and I'm guessing it will be her. I really like Katie Stevens voice, but she did not get so good of reviews tonight...but I think she's cute and has a strong voice, so I hope she does well. Michelle Delamor seemed good too. Out of the rest, I don't really care who goes home, but hopefully it's one of them!

Disney Live

Ok, so I typed up a whole post last night and then the computer screwed up and I lost it....so this will be a short recap! Last weekend we also took Keenan to see a Disney Live show for his xmas gift. He's 3 1/2 years old, so we were hoping he'd be at that perfect age to be captivated by the show...but weren't exactly sure. Anyways, he LOVED it! Never once got bored for a moment! They first had goofy come out, then minnie, then had mickey make a big entrance. When Mickey came out, Keenan just started shaking his entire body he was so excited! He had some binoculors from his grandma, so every time a new character appeared it was automatic that he had to check them out through the binoculors.
At intermission we went to go get a toy souvenier and he picked out a Mickey cell phone.

At the end of the show they had a TON of confetti fall on the floor. We were in the first row of the seats so I had dustin hurry and run out there with him so he could stand in the confetti. He loved that as much as the show and then stayed for like 5 minutes playing with all the other kids in the confetti. He rounded up a big pile of it in his arms and came over and threw it on me! I think this huge smile sums up his feelings!

Another list

Recently I've seen on a lot of blogs people making these lists of 101 things you want to accomplish in the next 1001 days. So now I've seen all sorts of websites dedicated to this and decided, what the heck- I'll give it a try and hopefully be able to stick with it! I actually had a lot of fun making the list and really makes you think about all sorts of different aspects of your life. My list contains some places we want to visit, some items to help me break some bad habits, some items of things I enjoy doing but sometimes find trouble finding the time to do them, etc. Some goals should be easy and others more of a challenge. There are websites available to help you track your goals, but I'm going to plan to use my blog. You are supposed to list the dates you complete the item and cross it off the list. I actually had my list done on Friday, but just now got around to posting it....so my 1001 days end on Friday 11/16/2012. So, without further ado, here is my list:

1. Get a Massage
2. Get a Body Wrap/Spa Treatment
3. Get a Mani & Pedi
4. Get eyebrows waxed
5. Quit biting nails
6. Read a book Sep 2010- Girl With Dragon Tattoo
7. Learn to use camera on manual settings
8. Learn photoshop
9. Take a bath with candles and glass of wine
10. Take a nap
11. Run 1 mile straight
12. Go to gym for 7 straight days for 1 hr min
13. Try new fitness class/video
14. Go to NYC May 2010
15. Go to Vegas
16. Go to Europe Sep 2010
17. Go to illini tailgating/football
18. Go to Four Seasons roof for drinks
19. Take the train to Hermann for day trip
20. Try new MO winery we haven't been to
21. Put our music CDs on the computer
22. Organize all my online pics into 1 place and backup
23. Take a ballroom/couples dance class
24. Go to a pro-sports event not in STL Yankees May 2010
25. Sleep in a tent
26. Volunteer some time
27. Play golf with husband
28. Take a makeup lesson
29. Fix something around the house
30. Frame wedding pics
31. Buy a house...and move into it
32. Have a picnic with husband
33. Organize my recipes into a box or book
34. Send out xmas cards
35. Drink 8 glasses of H2O/day for 1 week
36. Leave a surprise note for husband
37. Send someone a random note
38. Watch a sunrise/sunset with husband
39. Make homemade cookies
40. Make Italian beef
41. Make a turkey
42. Try 3 new vegetables never had before
#1. Watercress June 2010
#2. Garlic Sprouts June 2010
43. Grow a fresh herb plant(s)
44. Try 25 Rachel Ray recipes (or other food network star)
#1. Paula Dean- Mom and Son's Lasagna- Feb 2010
#2. Rachel- Watercress potato salad- Jun 2010
45. Make banana bread Recipe
46. Make peanut butter cornflake squares
47. Play a game of tennis
48. See a dance performance
49. Choose a healthy side over fries at a restaurant
50. Pet a dog (and survive)
51. Go up in the arch
52. Try to sell something I make
53. Complete a scrapbook
54. Have a beer tasting party
55. Do a budget analysis of how we spend money
56. Let husband take me to watch eagles
57. Make a birthday cake for someone
58. Shoot pics around St. Louis for my own alphabet photography to spell OBRIEN Sep/Oct 2010
59. Read magazines/websites on investing money
- Subscribed to Kiplinger's
60. Girls night in- watch movies, eat pizza, hang out in comfy clothes
61. Buy fresh flowers for the house Hot pink roses Aug 2010
62. Research arranging flowers and how to care for them
63. Update my blog header, format, labels, etc.

- Header updated March 2010
64. Have fun at someone else's wedding and appreciate all their efforts in planning! Ryan and Lisa's wedding June 2010
65. Go to Fast Eddie's
66. Go to botanical gardens Sept 26 2010
67. Lay on a beach and soak up the sun
68. Save over $5 by using coupons at the grocery/convenience store-Do this 10 times
69. Use coupons (includes gift certs bought at half price) at restaurants- Do this 10 times (2/10)
70. Go 1 month with either hanging up my clothes or putting in hamper when I'm done wearing
- 7/18 was Day 1 and today is 8/23 and I'm marking it complete. There were a few days missed, but was because we got home late or whatever, but the point of doing this was to break my habit of throwing them on the floor and creating Gus Mountain.
71. Bring husband breakfast in bed
72. Go for walk on nature trail we both have never been to before
73. Go to a castle Sept 2010- Gravensteen
74. Night in with the husband playing drinking games
75. Post my wedding vendor reviews and make at least 10 online posts to give advice to another bride-to-be
76. Go one week at home where I don't use the tv-no movies, video games, or tv shows
77. Go shopping in the loop
78. Go on a house tour 4/24/2010
79. Play frisbee golf 10/1/2010
80. Complete taxes a month early- by 3/15
81. Eat dinner at the table instead of couch- 50 times
82. Apply for a tv show
83. Eat a Mexican sub from Scales! May 2010
84. Visit my parents at least 3 times
Visit 1- May 2010
85. Have a baby
86. Learn to make pickles or pickle vegetables July 2010
87. Make a gingerbread house
88. See Irish/Bluegrass band that husband likes
89. Watch fireworks with husband July 2010
90. Do something 1-on-1 with my sister 10 times (6/10)
91. Buy 2 xmas gifts before thanksgiving (1/2)
92. Clean every day for a week for 15 minutes/day
93. Donate $1 for each goal completed to a charity at the end of this
94. Go to Ted Drewes
95. Eat brunch outside on a nice morning
96. Try a beer starting with each letter of the alphabet (can't count beers tasted prior to this list)
B- Bud Light Lime
D- Duvel
F- Five Day IPA by O'Fallon
Q- Quincus
S- Sam Adam's Summer Ale
W- Westmalle Tripel
V- Vedett
97. Have a game night in with friends
98. Go to Power and Light district in KC
99. Give at least one compliment per day to someone for 1 week straight
100. Beat husband in a game of Scrabble!
101. Complete all items on this list!

Mardi Gras....again

So after much debate over whether to attend the Mardi Gras festivities again, I decided to suck it up and go. I knew I'd probably have a good time, but it's always a pain dealing with the cold weather, port-a-potty lines, and drunk people. I feel like I've been every year since I've moved here, so I've experienced it. But then I also convince myself to just go and have fun because a few years from now when we live out in the suburbs and have kids I'm really not going to be able to do this...so take advantage of it while I can! It ended up being a great time though and we didn't get cold at all. It helps when you go prepared with the warmers, wool socks, long underwear, etc!

We first met up at Flannery's, across the street from us, had a few drinks there and then caught our favorite shuttle over to Mardi Gras. Watched the parade, or what we could see of it through all the people. We finally headed back downtown around dinner time and went to the diner across the street and man, did that food taste awesome! We only had some cold pretzels to eat down there so were all starving! We then came back here and played some wii and goofed off. Maurit and dustin decided they needed MORE food, so then ordered a large pizza and ate the whole thing but one slice! I had to laugh and take a picture when I caught the 2 of them sitting/laying on the couch as such! They looked like such a cute couple...

Happy belated V-day

So, hopefully everyone enjoyed valentine's day this last weekend, no matter how low-key or extravagant it was. And even if you are one of those anti-v-day people cause you don't have a significant other to celebrate it with, just think about the family or friends out there who love you! I really do think it's a silly-ish holiday and we don't exchange gifts and go all out. The valentines day extravaganza stuff lasted for like the first 2 years and then dustin was done with that! We really spent all day Sunday doing what we do best- being lazy! Laid on the couch and watched the illini get killed by ohio state-- not so much fun. We then watched some shows we had tivo'd, including A Charlie Brown Valentine! I was disappointed it ended so sad, but Dustin reminded me that nothing good ever happens to Charlie Brown....so that was just kinda depressing actually...haha. I hardly ever cook meat, so I thought I'd do something Dustin would enjoy and cooked steak...however, I apparently need to read up on how to do it cause it got way too well done in the center for him. I kept refusing for him to take it off cause my new handy dandy meat thermometer said it wasn't ready yet....well it went from undercooked to well-done in seriously 3 minutes! Oh well, he ate 2 steaks so wasn't too bad! We went out to dinner on Friday night to a nice restaurant which was really our valentine's day treat I guess. We went to Mihalis, which is on McCausland just south of 40. I LOVED the atmosphere and the food was good too. And the best part was............you know how I LOVE a good celebrity sighting, which you never get here in St. Louis.......but one of the most famous St. Louis celebreties was at the booth next to us......Ozzie Smith! So that made dinner a little more enjoyable watching him. Funny, cause the dude drinks Lemon-tinis....something you may not know! Very girly drink for a MLB player! Well, that's my update for now!