our connection to the island

Remember when I mentioned these educational plans for the first day of the teachers strike?


Heading out to the Happiest Place on Earth (which was definitely not our schools that day) turned out to be a brilliant idea.  Disneyland was free of crazy crowds.  We couldn't have had a better day at the park.


We ended up seeing lots of friends from church and school - it seems we weren't the only ones that thought Disneyland was educational.  However the person we were most thrilled to see had a connection to THE island.  Yes, that island...the one with the crazed black smoke running around killing people.  The one with the cool Darhma packaged food.  The island where people say "hey Freckles" and "brutha"


Here is photographic proof of our brush with fame...

Do you recognize him?  If you don't you have some serious issues.  The guy has an action figure even.  Only really famous people have action figures.

We met Dr. Arzt of LOST fame.  So what if  he blows himself up pretty early in the show and we don't see him often.  He does show up in the real world, or is it an alternate reality or is it some spirit world?  I'm too confused.  Whatever world it is he is a teacher at a high school with Benjamin Linus - he helps Ben hack into the school computers.  Now you know who he is.  I knew you'd get it.

Since most of the kids/youth we were with aren't fans of LOST (my girls tried watching it one night but now refuse to even be in the room when we watch it - Megan is creeped out by crazy Claire) they were more impressed when he mentioned he has been on Sunny With a Chance and Wizards of Waverly Place.

just look away derek

So I believe I have mentioned my sordid past before - Greenpeace, love of whales, etc.  Derek tries to ignore my Save the Whales past but I love to bring it up constantly to remind him that he married such a radical (yea, right)

Well, now he gets to hear about it even more often because of my new love...Whale Wars.

The show is about a crew of whale lovin' crazies sailing the Antarctic Ocean in search of Japanese whalers.  Once the whalers are found the Sea Shepherd crew totally messes with the Japanese crews and my Free Willy insides bubble over with giddyness.  Honestly, I love watching the chaos - stink bombs, trash talking, men overboard, and more.  

If you want to have some idea of how crazy some of these folks are look no further then the Captain of the ship.  He is one of the co-founders of Greenpeace but after so many years was voted out with a vote of 10 to 1, his vote being the dissenting vote.  If Greenpeace thinks you are too radical you  must be in the running for the mayor of crazy town.

All craziness aside, I do love that they are saving the whales.  Derek on the other hand...I'm guessing he is indifferent.  His comment to me, "When can we watch a show called Cow Wars?"

whatever, martha

I have to admit - I'm interested in seeing this show.  

we need some serious sleep

because we are so tired from all the late nights of watching the Olympics.  

Loved tonight.....

with Phelps taking his 8th gold medal.  The swimming and gymnastics has been exciting to watch.  I also got into the women's marathon race tonight.  The woman that won was unbelievable - she never looked fazed even at the end of the race.

As much as we are enjoying watching this summer sports fest I am looking forward to the end so that I can go to bed at a reasonable time and not worry that I'm missing something.

my guilty pleasure

It's finally back...Project Runway.  

I love this show!  

I love watching the creative process at work.  Seeing what is created each week is a total thrill for me.  I love a lot of what goes down the runway and hate a bunch of stuff as well.  I can't tell you how many times I have said "what was he/she thinking?" as a terrible outfit has appeared on the runway.

Not sure what I think about the cast just yet.  No one really stands out to me right now. There definitely seems to be a few nut jobs (every season has at least one) and there seems to be some talent but I'm not sure who I am rooting for yet.

I'm just happy to have it back on tv - oh how I have missed you Tim Gunn.  Don't worry Heidi I haven't forgotten you - I patiently wait each week to hear you say "Nina Garcia" in your accented English.  Does anyone else love how she says Nina's name?  The one person missing that could make this season complete for me is Christian - I miss his fierceness.  Please come back you hot mess designer you!

I have to comment...the man is a wizard with the flat iron.  Why can't I get my hair that straight?

Just for posterity's sake the other shows I'm watching are...Next Food Network Star, Design Star, The Baby Borrowers (this show cracks me up), The Mole (so glad this show is back on the air - my guess for the mole is Craig) Wipeout (I am not sure why it is so funny to watch people falling all over the place into mud and water but we laugh every week.  The kids beg Derek each week to try and get on the show - I'd love to see him do it!)  and Ace of Cakes (Janae, you have to go to Charm City Cakes and take a picture for me) 

score

About 3 weeks ago I got an email stating that my name had come up on the wait list for American Idol.  I declined the tickets - it is hard to get out to LA in the middle of the afternoon while trying to make arrangements for all the kids - how will they get home after school, where will they go, etc.

Well last night I happened to get another email - it must be my lucky season...I got 4 tickets to tomorrows Idol Gives Back show.  I'm taking Megan and Emily (we are on Spring Break this week) and my friend/neighbor Rona who is an American Idol fan and it is her birthday today (I thought this would be a fun birthday present) The best part about going to tomorrows show is that the 4 of us will get tickets to a future full dress rehearsal. At the dress rehearsal Ryan does his bit and all the contestants perform.  I'll get to hear some of my favorites...David Cook, Carly, Australian boy (whose name escapes me at the moment), and Brooke.  

Look for us in the audience!

a little wet cement

So here is what we are planning for Monday if I can talk myself into it the drive. I love having LA close enough to go and do things but sometimes, well let's face it, most of the time the drive is long because of traffic. We are also trying to get to San Diego this Thursday to visit Scholastic's Knight Bus so I may be way tired of driving.

Back to LA...for any of you visiting this summer, or anytime for that matter, and looking for things to do while you're here check out these two sites...Audiences Unlimited and On Camera Audiences You can get free tickets to TV show tapings at both of these sites. You have to check back often because they update dates frequently but if you can get tickets going to the shows is a ton of fun. We have gotten tickets to Hannah Montana, Cory in the House, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, America's Got Talent, Disney Channel Games and Are You Smarter Then A Fifth Grader. A few of these we got because we are on a waiting list so some of them we weren't able to go to because of date conflicts. We have been lucky with some of them to be able to pick the dates we wanted to go and had it all work out nicely.

Anyway, if you are looking for an LA type thing to do I recommend going to a taping. Think about it...not much is free anymore but this is and at some of the tapings they feed you - pizza, drinks and candy and entertain you with the show and a warm up comedian person - good deal!

Some pictures from one of our tapings...Disney Channel Games (last year)

Jackson "I said good day" Stewart

"Smokin' Oakin"

"Bop Bop Bop Bop to the top" Ryan - HSMusical 2 coming soon

the cutie himself...Troy/Zac - we are all excited to see Hairspray

"Corey Corey Corey in the House"

i heart blake

No worries for Derek - I don't love Blake like that, I love him in a "I would buy tickets to a concert" kinda way. Did you not love this performance?!?!

a moment of silence please

We will miss you little Sanjaya...

Now let's enjoy the show!

pinch me, i must be dreaming

Can it be? Is it really true? Can we finally say Sanjaya Good bya?!?!?

Once I got over the shock of seeing Blake in the bottom 3 - what's that about? I mumbled under my breath "please be Sanjaya, please be Sanjaya" and the American public heard my cries - yipee! For whatever reason the song Ding Dong the Witch is Dead from The Wizard of Oz has been running through my mind all morning - funny, huh?

I really do have a life despite what my frequent American Idol posts might lead you to believe. I have been busy the last few days sewing a costume for Megan. At the end of the month is the middle school's medieval faire and she was assigned to be a gypsy.

Here is the costume she liked. We couldn't find one pattern that would fit the bill so I have combined a few patterns in order to try and recreate this costume. We have made a few changes but for the most part it looks fairly similar. Megan agreed to wear this for Halloween too so by the end of this week I'll be a 1/4 of the way done with Halloween! Since my machine is out I may start in on the other kids Halloween costumes as well.

Speaking of machines...I got a new one! It has a ton of fun capabilities but since I'm just trying to get this costume done I have not ventured off into the unknown world of digital sewing - I'm sticking to my boring straight stitch at the moment.

do i have to bring this up again?

Really people, what is going on in your minds? Sanjaya is safe and Chris Richardson is in the bottom three? I can't believe Sanjaya is around another week. Please don't think I'm a meanie - he sings ok but he just seems boring. Do we really want him to win?

If anything good happened this week it's that Hailey is gone. I'm glad that Simon commented on her choice of clothing (Lakisha could use some guidance too) Her outfits were too much, especially for a family show.

I'm still a Blake fan. I can't wait to see what he does each week.

Step away from the phone

Who is voting for him?

Denise's Favorite Boys

Of course Derek, Nathan and Luke are my favorite boys but for now we're talking American Idol. Her are my fav boys for this season (in no particular order)...

You have to love that Chris Richardson sang a Jason Mraz song last night and he lists Mraz as one of his favorite singers - Blake Lewis also lists Mraz as a favorite. I really like all 3 of these guys.

We'll see how the girls do tonight. I'm still not sure on who I like for the girls yet. I did think that Lakisha Jones "brought it dawg" last week. She was unbelievable. I am anxious to see how she does tonight.

So there you go...my deep thoughts on my television viewing.