Remember when I said this? It didn’t work out quite like that, but it was fun. I enjoyed zoning out in the kitchen for a couple of hours…getting everything cooked, chopping the salad stuff, putting out the food…mindless, relaxing stuff. Funny how it’s so much more relaxing when I’m not in my own house.

Anyway, I got home around 8:00, just in time to sit in the floor with A. for a bit while he screamed the names of the planets. We also wrapped a present for a birthday party tomorrow morning. Alex has been talking about Charlie’s “happy birthday party” all week long, and tonight when I was wrapping he yelled several variations of “OH MAMA I’M SO EXCITED,” and I realized that I may have to get over my dislike of children’s birthday parties because the children, apparently, enjoy them.

Drat it.

We like all kinds of music in our house – alternative, country, pop – basically anything except for rap, although if Elise’s rendition of “Gold Digger” is any indication, we are way behind the cultural curve in that regard.

I pretty much quit listening to radio at all when Alex was born (a screaming child combined with a loud DJ combined with 280 traffic is the perfect recipe for road rage). Every once in awhile I’ll listen to Rick and Bubba…Bubba goes to our church, and Speedy went to State with a lot of us. David still listens to talk radio and our local Christian station. But for the most part, we’re tuned in to CD’s. Well, I’m tuned in to CD’s – David has some thingamajig that enables him to listen to his iPod in his truck.

If Alex is in the car, odds are that Veggie Tales will be the order of the day. But when I’m alone in the car, or when Alex is preoccupied with a book, I usually reach for “Mama’s music” – a contemporary Christian CD. For me, it’s a great way to have some “quiet time” in the middle of the day. The biggest bonus is that it calms me down – my OCD personality can start spinning in overdrive pretty easily, and Christian music usually helps me to put things in perspective. As David has said, it’s hard to give someone an ugly look in traffic or lay on your horn when you have “Jesus music” coming out of your speakers.

So, I thought y’all might enjoy some links to artists that we enjoy…and I’m also including some Amazon links to specific CD’s (Amazon usually has samples of each song – makes it easier to determine what you might like and what you won’t like). Since most of us grew up with Sandi Patty and Amy Grant (I still love me some Amy Grant, by the way), it’s interesting to see how much Christian music has changed…and how much more diverse it is in terms of style.

Chris Tomlin – I think Arriving may be my favorite Christian CD ever, and not because I cooked for him last week. :-) A friend of mine gave me a copy of this CD about a year ago, and it has been in rotation on my computer and in my car ever since. Favorite song: “God Is On Our Side” – I dare you to listen to it and not tap your toes or clap your hands. You can’t do it!

Jeremy Camp – Apparently a favorite of “the kids,” he’s a little bit more rock-n-roll than CT. His latest, which has been out for about a year, is Restored. It’s been a big success, but I’m actually partial to his previous CD, Stay. Favorite song: “I Still Believe,” from Stay.

Chris Rice – He writes some of my favorite lyrics; I think “Come To Jesus” from this CD is one of the most beautiful, simple songs I’ve ever heard. It gets “favorite song” status. I don’t have his latest CD, Amusing, but you can check it out at the link. He’s also done some stuff for Veggie Tales, which we have enjoyed over. And over. And over. And over.

Selah – Selah is without a doubt our favorite Christian group. Their stuff is pretty traditional – lots of hymns, both old and new – and their harmonies are beautiful. The sister actually left the group about a year ago, so I don’t know what’s next for them…but whatever it is, we will buy it. My favorite CD of theirs is Press On, but Hiding Place is also excellent. Favorite song: “Deep (Way Down)” – mainly because it was one of the first songs Alex ever knew the words to. He still loves it.

Mark Schultz – His current single is all over Christian radio right now; it’s called “I Am,” and it is great. If you clicked on the link to his website, you heard it. His latest CD is here (I’m using the link off of his site because Amazon doesn’t have samples of the songs). Make sure to listen to “Letters From War” – everytime I hear it, I cry. In terms of a favorite song, it’s a toss-up between the two I’ve mentioned.

Nichole Nordeman – I would give anything to be able to write like she does. Okay, not anything – but I’d be mighty happy. Gosh I love her music. And her voice. This CD is about six years old, and it was a catalyst for lots-o-change in my life. You know when music hits you right where you’re living? That’s what This Mystery did for me back in 2000. I still love it. And if you’re looking for a song that captures the spirit of the Easter season, listen to “Why.” Some people think Woven & Spun is her best CD so far, but I really like all of her albums for different reasons. “Brave,” from the CD of the same name, is a neat take on what it’s like to be a child’s mother and a child of God all at the same time. Favorite song: “Every Season.”

That ought to be enough to get y’all started on a little contemporary Christian music field trip.

Happy weekend, everybody.

Gosh, I’ve done really well with staying away from the computer, haven’t I? And by the way: Merritt, I think you might be right about the whole nap thing: it was refreshing.

I thought I would make a couple of remarks about AI before I go to bed, fall asleep and then wake up throughout the night because of loud screaming.

Looks like I was dead wrong about Bucky leaving…but Daph, I know you’re mighty excited to see David Radford go bye-bye. I was surprised by Jose “Sway” Penala being eliminated – simply because I thought there was probably a pretty large chunk of the audience who liked the kind of music he seemd to favor. I guess not. And I’m relieved that I don’t have to type the word “Sway” ever again.

I was surprised to see that my two female “should go”s actually did go. I don’t think anyone will miss Brenna Gethers, and Heather Cox was cute and all – but in a she-should-be-Sandy-in-Grease kind of way.

Thoughts?

Yeah, rest, whatever. I took a nap, and Alex is still napping, so I’m catching up on Tuesday night’s episode of TAR. But after this I am DONE with you people for the day, do you hear me? :-)

Here’s the order of placement for our first round of “a race around the world” (just thinking about it sends my heart a-twitter), with my first impression immediately following their names:

Eric & Jeremy – they love themselves. Surprisingly, they finished first and weren’t nearly as obnoxious as I anticipated. How long do we think it’ll be before they officially put the moves on Team Pink?
BJ & Tyler – Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, dude. I think they’re fun…and will no doubt provide much-needed comic relief.
Wanda & Desiree– sassy hot tamales…well, not really my first impression, but that’s what Desiree said she thought people’s first impression of them would be. I like that they’re a mother / daughter team that gets along and actually seems to enjoy each other’s company – that’s a rarity on the Race.
David & Lori – I adore a nerd couple. They were extraordinarily kind to each other through every task…and truthfully, they seem happy just to be traveling. The fact that there’s a prize is gravy.
Lake & Michelle – the video of them working out together is cheesy. He’s a little hyper-competitive for me. I think I could last on a team with him for maybe 5 minutes, at which point I’d set down my bag, shake my head, and walk away. Even though the ticketing fiasco was clearly his mistake, he wouldn’t take responsibility, only admitting that it was “partially [his] fault.” Just for the record, I don’t like the way he talks to his wife. And I don’t like the fact that she takes it.
Joseph & Monica – pretty people – at least they didn’t describe themselves as actors / models. No doubt they’re the Ken & Barbie of the group, but they seem good-natured and athletic.
Ray & Yolanda – she could crush pecans with her thighs – GOOD GRIEF she is ripped. I like the way they interact with each other – calm, respectful, loving – and I don’t know how he kept his cool when all those Brazilian men were ogling his girlfriend.
Fran & Barry – sweet…your obligatory TAR retirement-age couple. I thought they were adorable on the helicopter ride, and they recovered well from their misguided attempts to do the motorcycle task.
Danielle & Dani – we’re going to be seeing a LOT of low-cut tanktops from these girls. They would have finished earlier in the pack if traffic hadn’t been such a nightmare for them. I’ll save other comments for next week after I see what they’re wearing.
Lisa & Joni – never, ever use the word “Glamazon” again. Ever. They scream. A LOT. The other teams have dubbed them “The Frosties” because of their hair-coloring techniques. They never gave up, and hopefully they’ll get more comfortable in front of the camera (hint: less shrieking) as the race moves along.
John & Scott – if I were competing against them, we would immediately bond and talk about skin care products. When John did his genie move in the taxi, all I could think of was Paul Lynde on Bewitched saying “Oh, Sa-MAN-tha!” I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone have to confront so many flying fears so quickly. In the end, the traffic gods were not on their side. First team to go.

Confession: I am sleep deprived. It’s a combination of keeping up with a toddler, being a night owl, liking television way too much, volunteering to cook for large crowds of people, plus, of course, blogging. Lots of blogging. Not to mention working.

Last night I actually decided to forego Project Runway and get in the bed. I made it about halfway through an article in Vanity Fair and I was out. Dead to the world.

You can imagine my delight when, around 12:30, I was awakened by loud, high-pitched screaming coming from the baby monitor. Not crying, not whimpering, not whining – SCREAMING. I ran upstairs to check on the little man, and he was sitting up in bed, obviously recovering from a bad dream. And seriously (I actually asked Bubba this question when we were on the phone this AM), what do toddlers dream about? What would terrify A. to the point of screaming? That Blue from Blue’s Clues suddenly turns red? That someone throws a Veggie Tale character into hot water? That the Cheetos decide to bite back? What’s running through that little mind of his?

I climbed in bed with Alex for either 2 minutes or 2 hours – I have no idea what time it was when I finally stumbled back downstairs. What I do know is that it was exactly 3:47 in the AM when the screaming started again. And once more I would like to clarify that it was not crying, whimpering, or whining, all of which I can ignore – it was an OH SWEET MERCY, THE MONSTERS, THEY ARE AFTER ME screaming extravaganza.

Back upstairs I went. Did I mention that it was 3:47 in the AM? Did I mention that I had very mean, angry thoughts, and that none of those thoughts involved, “Oh, I hope Alex is okay”? Because there is a point in my sleeping cycle where I am ALL ABOUT THE SLEEP, and 3:47 in the AM seems to be a critical time in the ALL ABOUT THE SLEEP spectrum. I was not happy.

For the second screaming go-round, I took Alex out of his bed, walked down the hall into another bedroom, plopped gently laid him in the center of the bed and climbed under the covers with him. After he had the nerve to request a BOOK that he had carried to bed with him earlier (this one, just for the record), he went straight back to sleep. I, however, did not.

I tossed…and turned…and tossed…and turned…then I decided that maybe God wanted me awake so I could pray, so I prayed…and pondered…then contemplated just getting up and starting the day at 4:30…then thought better of it…then I rehashed a conversation I had with a friend yesterday…then I thought about all the chicken in my freezer that I have to cook tonight (21 pounds, to be exact)…but the sleep, it did elude me.

So I am, as we like to say in our family, knocked. Tuckered. Tired. There is a nap in my near future, and I am deliberately ignoring the computer for the rest of the day because unless I turn it off altogether, the glow of the little white apple will beckon me and bid me to sit down and blog for awhile. But Mama here needs some sleep. And some Boo time. And I gots LOTS of cooking to do.

See y’all tomorrow.

Straight to it:

Taylor Hicks – “Easy Like Sunday Morning” – I liked this song for him. I would download this off of iTunes in a heartbeat. He didn’t do a lot of the Elaine dancing this week :-) – and he also did a great job of making this song his own. He was a little off at the end and did lots of “WHOOs” – but I bet after he processes what the judges said, he’ll come back stronger next week. It bothers me a little that he’s going first – I will be voting often.
Elliott Yamin – “Moody’s Mood For Love” – Oddly enough, I love this song. And oh my gosh – what a neat arrangement…David and I are sitting here “OH MY WORD”ing like crazy. WHERE DID HE COME FROM? He may be the most talented guy there. This performance is right up there with Fantasia’s “Summertime” for me. Flawless. Awesome.
Ace Young – “If I’m Not Made For You” – Boring. Boring. Boring. Not to mention that he doesn’t sound all that great to me. And I’ve got to tell you – I’m getting a different vibe from Ace than I did the first few times I saw him. Anybody else feel that way?
Gedeon McKinney – Some old song. Okay, y’all – let’s be honest. He’s talented. But it’s like watching a drag queen who forgot her dress and wig but decides the show must go on. In other words, he’s a black Clay Aiken (“Blaiken”). He sounded great – and I like him.
Kevin Covais – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – I should tell you that I never need to hear this song again. It could disappear off the face of the planet and I would not care. Now EK, I know you like him, but his performances are like a John Hughes movie where the class geek gets up in front of the student body and sings a song and everyone cheers for him because he’s such a likeable geek. But you know what the geek can’t do? Sell CD’s.
Jose “Sway” Penala – “Overjoyed” – I am trying not to hold last week’s performance against him – because I did not get last week’s performance at all. But you know what? I just don’t get him. Maybe it’s his singing style…too much vibrato, too many runs – it’s like he takes a lovely, simple melody and makes it over-complicated. Not for me.
Will Makar – “Lady” – I’ll go ahead and say it: this has train wreck written all over it. No 17 year old has any business singing a Kenny Rogers ballad. By the way, David and I are CRACKING UP over how excited he was to meet Justin Guarini, who looks in their picture like the cat who just ate the canary. Anyway, this sounds like the Powerful Ballad at a Critical Plot Point in a Major Musical. An all-around odd performance. But I appreciated, for purely comical reasons, the “Oh-oh, lay-ay-dee” at the end of it.
Bucky Covington – “Thunder Rolls” – Um, at least he’s making Southerners look really intelligent. Not. As for the song, not very impressive. Bucky is not an entertainer. I feel like he’s the guy who tops out headlining at HoJo’s. But now I do love him forever for saying he wants some sweet tea (when David and I were in LA, I nearly lost my mind with all the fruit-flavored tea, so I feel Bucky’s pain).
David Radford – “The Way You Look Tonight” – He is, as hubby just said, a one-trick pony. I get the idea that Mr. Radford’s idea of a wacky time is loosening the tops of the salt and pepper shakers at the country club. I think we’ll be saying good-bye to David tomorrow.
Chris Daughtry – “Hemorrhage” – Can I just say that I love his speaking voice? Okay, the song. I think it’s a great song – and he nailed it. This guy is the real deal. He’s way talented, and I’d buy his CD tomorrow. I think he’s the person to beat, male or female. In fact, David and I would like to predict it: Chris Daughtry is the next American Idol. Just for the record.

On the whole, MUCH better across the board than the girls were last night.

Should go: Bucky Covington and David Radford
Will go: Bucky Covington and David Radford
Tomorrow night: the results!