Dish of the Week: Garden Orzo Salad with Herb Dressing

In light of the unseasonably warm summer like weather I took the boys to my parents house for a family cookout. We did Shish Kabobs on the grill and for the side dish I found this weeks recipe, Garden Orzo Salad with Herb Dressing. It's from a show called Rescue Chef with Danny Boome and the premise is he assists someone with a cooking problem. This show was about a girl who was looking for an inexpensive way to entertain a large group of people!

Ingredients:
For the herb dressing:
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1 cup cider vinegar
2 cups fresh parsley leaves
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:
4 cups orzo
Salt, for water
5 ears corn, kernels removed
5 stalks celery, diced
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
2 pints cherry tomatoes

Directions:

In a food processor add lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, cider vinegar, parsley, basil. Turn on the processor and slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is blended together. Process until smooth and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Cook orzo in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To a large mixing bowl add the raw corn kernels, diced celery, seeded and diced cucumber and whole cherry tomatoes.

Once orzo is cooked, drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Add cooled orzo to bowl and toss. Add dressing to salad and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve.

The Verdict:
This is the perfect dish for a potluck cookout - with some minor modifications I will definitely make this dish again. Most of us thought it was really good rating from 3-4.5 starts. Those who didn't like it (like my sister who gave it a ZERO), thought it tasted too much like a pine tree.

First off, it wasn't as cold as it probably should have been. This would be a great make ahead dish that you would serve later in the day or even the next day. My dad's criticism was that he would omit the celery as he didn't like the crunch. I agree that it didn't really fit well with the other ingredients. Krystal (who gave it the highest rating of 4.5) loved that it was tangy with a slight sweetness to it. She took the leftovers home with her! I on the other hand agreed with Kim and Jesse who said it that they liked it but that it was a little heavy on the basil. Next time I make this I most likely use about 1 1/2 cups of basil and parsley.

Next time the weather spikes over 85 degrees give this one a try!

Meeting Maddox!

Yesterday the boys and I finally met baby Maddox! He is so tiny, so sweet and in the two hours we were there he never once cried. I told Shaun to take notes!

Taking a quick snooze!


Me and the boys!

American Idol: Rat Pack

So overall a pretty boring night if you were not born in the 1950's but with a top 5 as good as this one...it wasn't unbearable to sit through!

Here is my recap in no particular order:

1. Adam Lambert: He is such an amazing performer. I wasn't nuts about the song...but he gets an A+ for the vibe/performance!

2. Alison Iraheta: Her voice is unreal for 16. I really liked this performance from her. It was probably one of my favorites she has done. It was nice to see the *softer* side of Alison.

3. Danny Gokey: BY FAR THE BEST OF THE NIGHT!! I loved the end of this song. It was just AWESOME!! Love him. I love how he took Simon's criticism to heart last week and showed everyone that he CAN be a great performer!

4. Kris Allen: I liked it so much better when I closed my eyes but he still doesn't really do it for me. Perhaps it's the fact that he still looks skeevy and makes funny faces. But for me it was probably the worst of the night. But he's never been one of my favorites as you have probably noticed.

5. Matt Giraud: On a technical level - I thought it was GREAT. He sang one of the toughest songs and I thought he did a great job. I just love the soulfulness when he sings. I think it could have been better had he been the one playing the piano though!

So at this stage it's any ones game, and I say this because most people at this point have their favorites and everyone was really great (even Kris). My vote to go home would be Kris, but that is because he is MY least favorite contestant left. However, I am only one person voting and so I wouldn't be surprised to see Matt go home this week. I get the impression that more people like Kris than Matt.

April Baby Boom!

In less than a week two little baby boys were welcomed, with lots of love, into the world!

First on Saturday April 18, 2009 Steph and Nick welcomed their first little bundle of joy, Maddox David. I am looking forward to meeting this little guy in person next week!!


Maddox David
April 18, 2009 ~ 8:14pm
7lbs 9oz ~ 20 inches long

Then on Thursday April 23, 2009 Ben & Robyn welcomed baby #3, Cole Richard, to their happy family! And just two days after Maddie's third birthday! Amazingly, they made it just in time to the hospital, because he was born 13 minutes later (and delivered by his Daddy)!


Cole Richard (with Mom, Dad, Big Sister Maddie and Big Brother Owen)
April 23, 2009 ~ 5:43am
9lbs 6oz

Congrats to both families! We're so excited for all of you!

Downward Facing Dog

Yesterday after the boys woke up from their naps I opened up the screen door to the balcony off the side of our living room. Shaun took the nice fresh air coming into the house as an opportunity to practice his *yoga* moves.

Check out his (less than graceful) downward facing dog.



Technically he was trying to stand up so that he could go play outside with David, he just doesn't quite have the balance yet for that. He never gave up though. I wonder if we'll se him walking before David, just so he can catch up with him better!

Dish of the Week: Mexican Meat-zza (Deep Dish Pan Pizza)

This weeks dish, Mexican Meat-zza, I found by accident on the Food Network's website. I was trying to decide what to make for dinner and found some ground beef in my freezer that needed to be used. I typed "ground beef" into the search engine and clicked on Rachael Ray, to narrow my search down. This was the first one on the list and since we love Mexican here, I decided to try it out.

Ingredients:
2 boxes corn muffin mix, 8 1/2 ounces each (recommended: Jiffy)
2 eggs
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup frozen corn kernels
Extra-virgin olive oil or, vegetable oil, for drizzling

Topping:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne sauce
Salt
2 1/2 cups (10-ounce sack from dairy aisle) shredded Cheddar or jack cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small can, 2 1/4 ounces sliced chillies or jalapenos, drained
2 scallions, chopped
2 small vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons drained sliced green olives (salad olives)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, optional garnish
Mild to medium taco sauce to pass at table, 1 cup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix together 2 packages muffin mix with 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons melted butter (melt in microwave 30 seconds), 1 1/2 cups milk and frozen corn kernels. Wipe a nonstick skillet with a little extra or vegetable oil and pour in the muffin mix. Use a large skillet, 10 to 12 inch. Choose a pan with oven safe handle or, double-wrap handle with foil to protect it in the oven. Place pan in oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes in center of the oven until light golden in color.

Brown the meat over medium high heat in a second skillet in extra or vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add onions and spices and cook meat 5 minutes more.

Remove cornbread from oven and top with meat, cheese, and veggies. Add pan back to oven and cook 5 minutes more to melt cheese. Garnish with cilantro, optional. Cut into 8 wedges and serve the deep dish pan pizza from the skillet. Pass taco sauce at the table to sprinkle on top.

The Verdict:
This dish was a winner! I say this because I watched David gobble up his dinner, which he never does! The Doc enjoyed it too, except for the olives. Next time I'll omit them, since even though I like them, I didn't fell like they added anything to this dish. He also thought the cornbread crust was too thick. I used my Pampered Chef deep dish stoneware baker and the two packages of cornbread pretty much filled it to the top. There was not much room left for the toppings, so next time I will use one package of corn bread mix.

Give this one a try because it's a really easy dish to make and it's really, really yummy!

Field Trip to the Franklin Park Zoo!

Today, the boys and I headed to the Franklin Park Zoo with some of our playgroup friends. Our playgroup was closed due to school vacation, so we decided it would be a nice day for a field trip!

Posing on the wooden cow:


David checking out the roosters:


The kids trying to wake up the sleeping lion:


David and his lady friends:


Shaun enjoying the sights:

American Idol: Top 7 (again)

The judges used the save last week and saved Matt from going home. We were supposed to think it was all dramatic, but what people may have forgotten was that it was only available until the top 5. So, it is my opinion that they were going to use it no matter who was in the bottom. I can't say I was disappointed they used it though, because I LOVE Matt and would have been sad to see him gone.

OK Disco week, blah! It wasn't my favorite week I have to say. I think that the contestants left are some of the best the show has seen but overall the show was a little boring. So in no particular order, here is my weekly recap:

1. Adam Lambert: He is seriously the BEST performer that Idol has EVER seen. No doubt in my mind.

2. Alison Iraheta: Original, yes. Outstanding vocal, yes. Weird arrangement, most definitely.

3. Anoop Desai: He's just a nice guy who can sing nice songs, and it was a nice performance, but that is all. He can't compete with the other guys. He is just not on the same level. He is by far the weakest male contestant and should be one of the two going home.

4. Danny Gokey: I LOVE his voice, LOVE his passion and LOVE him! He has to be my favorite vocally. Performance wise though, I agree with Simon. When you compare him to Adam, he has no real presence when he's on stage. There is no question, however, that he's passionate about what he's singing and that is what I love most about him and why he is my favorite contestant.

5. Kris Allen: This was a cool performance, I got the Santana vibe the judges were talking about, but I still don't LOVE him. I think that Matt is more talented vocally, but Kris is doing a better job in the song choice department. Oh and his stylist needs to be fired. I can't believe that no one has told him to shave so he can stop going out every week looking like a tool.

6. Lil Rounds: So over her, and have been for a while now. How Matt was the one on the chopping block last week is beyond me. She had the WORST performance of the night. I totally agree with the judges, she brings nothing new to the table each week and has basically shown America that she's a Beyonce, Whitney and Chaka wannabe.

7. Matt Giraud: Simon is a tool! That performance had me getting my grove on! It was fun, and it was a great vocal. I love him!! I thought the arrangement was just fine. He reminds me of Elliott Yamin from season 5.

My picks to go home this week would be Anoop and Lil. They were by far the weakest performers tonight and overall. I really don't know why people don't like Matt. He has struggled a little with his song choice but he has such a cool vibe and great vocals. He is by far more versatile as an artist than Anoop or Lil. But we shall see.

Sleepover!

Scottie, David, Shaun & Cohen had their first sleepover together! I am sure this is the first of many to come, thanks to the insanity of Auntie Robyn!!

Dish of the Week: Almond Crusted Chicken with Cheesy Orzo

This dish of the week is Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Scallion Beurre Blanc, Cheesy Orzo and roasted asparagus. This is the dinner menu I made at the Stack's last Saturday. Since we were in Florida, we were unable to make it to his 30th birthday extravaganza, so I offered to make him a birthday dinner. Normally I would make a cous cous to serve along side the chicken but we went with the cheesy orzo for the kids and called it "mac and cheese"!

Almond Crusted Chicken:
Ingredients
2 scallions, whites and greens, very finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine - eyeball it
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
8 pieces chicken breast cutlets, 1 1/4 pounds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup light extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil, 4 turns of the pan
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Combine the scallions, white wine and 2 tablespoons cream in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce to 1/4 cup liquid, 5 to 6 minutes.

While the sauce is working, beat egg and set chicken into it. Combine almonds, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste, in a food processor and grind to combine. Cover a plate with plastic wrap to make for easy clean up after breading and pour almond and bread crumb mixture onto it. Remove chicken from the egg and coat in the bread crumb mixture.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons, 3 turns of the pan, oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add cutlets and cook 3 minutes on each side, transfer to a plate and cover with foil and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Whisk 2 tablespoons cream into the sauce, a splash. Lower the heat on the sauce and whisk the butter into pot until it has incorporated. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Place 2 cutlets on each dinner plate and spoon a little beurre blanc sauce down over top of the cutlets.

Cheesy Orzo:
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth or stock
2 cups orzo pasta (enriched rice may be substituted)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat a 8 inch pot with a tight fitting cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. You favorite fresh herbs may also be stirred into the orzo or rice to strengthen the flavor even more.


Roasted Asparagus:
To make the roasted asparagus. Preheat your oven to 420 degrees F. Cut the ends off the asparagus and lay them out of a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with some EVOO and season with salt to taste. Throw them into the oven for about 5-8 minutes.


The Verdict:
This has become my go to chicken dish and has gotten rave reviews by all who have had the chance to try it. The kids even loved the "mac & cheese" even though it was a little different from normal. This is one of our favorites. When I tell people I have a great chicken dish, this is what I make. I needed to do a better job grinding the almonds but we had slivered almonds instead of sliced so keep that in mind when you purchase your ingredients. Thankfully though, it didn't ruin the flavor of the chicken.

Easter 2009

Spring is in the air, however, it did NOT feel like spring on Easter Sunday. In fact it felt more like November than April. But it was still a great day and we were happy to be able to spend it this year with our family.

On Saturday David and Shaun had their Easter Party at the Rec Center. It was so much fun and David even got to meet the Easter Bunny. He was so excited when it was his turn that he ran up the the Bunny and gave him a HUGE hug!

David on the slide:


Shaun playing by the indoor house:


David and the Easter Bunny (Shaun was sound asleep so he missed out)


After the party we headed north to stay at IL's for the night. We made sure to call the Easter Bunny so he would know where to deliver the boy's baskets! Once we arrived we boiled some eggs so that David could paint them. I think next year I will stick with the dye tablets, but it was still fun.

Shaun didn't really color eggs but it's for the scrapbook!


David painting eggs


That night we made dinner at the Stacks to celebrate Brian's 30th birthday that we missed due to being in Florida. The boys had fun playing and the dinner was yummy. We left to bring the boys back to the IL's for the night so that we could go back to watch the NCAA National Championship Hockey game, BU v. Miami of Ohio. It was an amazing game that ended with BU taking the title in OT!!!

After the game we headed back to the IL's and went to bed. In the morning we went downstairs and the boys got to see their baskets. David, the stinker, snuck downstairs before we were up and found his basket and even ate some candy. The Easter Bunny left some eggs for David to find and he was so excited when he found all of them.

The boys Easter Baskets:


Shaun taking a closer look:



David finding the last egg:


We got ready to head to church with MIL and then we headed over to my parents house for dinner and another egg hunt. This one was outside in the COLD! It was still fun though, watching the kids find the eggs and their prize eggs!

Outside the church:


David finding all the eggs:

American Idol: Quentin Tarantino

aAnother solid night for American Idol. I have to say that this is probably the first year that I have liked almost all the people left and look forward to hearing them all perform. My overall favorite of the night was Danny, though I only chose him over Adam because I just loved the emotion behind the song. They were both great, though.

Here is my recap in no particular order:

1. Adam Lambert: He is an amazing artist. I love watching him week to week. The only issue for me is, that it's not the kind of music I would generally listen to, and so I am in agreement with Simon that last week was WAY better. But man what a vocal!

2. Alison Iraheta: Solid, but for me it was probably my least favorite by her. I disagreed with Paula and Simon. I actually thought it sounded off in some places, but the end made up for it.

3. Anoop Desai: I just love to watch this guy sing. He's like the underdog you want to route for even though he really has no chance to win. That was another really great vocal.

4. Danny Gokey: He was my favorite of the night. I would go as far as even saying his BEST performance yet. However, I do get what Simon was saying though about it being very generic, but I don't care it was so real and filled with raw emotion that brought tears to my eyes. That is why I like him so much, because you know he loves what he is doing up there.

5. Kris Allen: I don't know what to say about this guy. I can't get past his facial expressions and skeevy porn stash. I don't know what Kara was listening to because it's not the same song I heard. He was pitchy and I think the song was too low for him. It was really rough in the beginning and then it was solid by the end but like Randy said it was hard to catch on to it.

6. Lil Rounds: She gets my vote for worst of the night, but with that being said she still had an amazing vocal so that says a lot for this years contestants. I just am not blown away by her, it was just OK for me.

7. Matt Giraud: He just has this cool vibe about him. I think the judges were too hard on him. He has an amazing gift with his soul and rockin' falsetto! I HATE that song with a passion and he made me like it! I thought it was beautifully done!

So really great night with solid performances by all but someone has to go and I think that needs to be Lil. Vocally Anoop is weaker but he has been growing week to week and Lil isn't even close to what her potential could be. She is not picking great songs to show off her talent while Anoop is. I wouldn't be sad to see Kris go home but that is based more on my dislike of him than his talent as a contestant, and I am big enough to admit that.

Dish of the Week: Sunset Orzo with Spanish Shrimp

This weeks second dish of the week is Sunset Orzo with Spanish Shrimp. It is from the April issue of my Everyday with Racheal Ray magazine. If you like shrimp and you want to try something with a little spanish flare then make this dish!

Ingrediants:
Salt
½ lb orzo pasta
2 pinches saffron threads
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/3 pound Spanish chorizo, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/3 cup green peas
1 lb medium shelled and deveined shrimp
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Juice of ½ lemon

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the orzo and cook until just al dente. Drain and cover.

2. While the pasta is working, in a small saucepan, steep the saffron in the chicken broth over low heat.

3. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until browned, 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and turmeric and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas.

4. In another medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, paprika and lemon juice; season with salt. Remove from the heat.

5. Pour the saffron broth over the chorizo and vegetables. Add the orzo and toss for 2 minutes. To serve, top the orzo with the shrimp.

The Verdict:
I LOVED this dish, but I am a HUGE fan of chorizo! I also LOVE shrimp and the flavors work very well together. The Doc gave this a 3.5, he liked, but didn't LOVE it, and he would certainly eat it again! He is not a fan of chorizo, plus he still sometimes breaks out into hives when he eats shrimp, so I try not to make it very often.

I actually cooked the shrimp with just the paprika (because I forgot the lemon) and then just mixed the shrimp in with the orzo at the end instead of serving it over the orzo.

Milestone Overload!

In the span of two weeks Shaun has managed to master three milestones. It's funny, because David mastered each milestone in steps and Shaun did them all at once.

Shaun went from having zero teeth to cutting THREE teeth all at once! While I am sure it was painful for him, he was lucky in that he only had to go through it one time where as David had to do it three times!



The Tuesday before we left for Disney I was at my parents house and he surprised us with sitting up all by himself. The first two times he did it, I missed it. My Dad saw the first time, and my mom the second. I only knew he had done it because he was laying down when I turned away. He's a seasoned pro now!

The morning before we left for our Disney trip, he woke up very early. I was all set to walk into his room super annoyed at him, but when I opened the door, I found him standing up and holding onto the railing. I couldn't help but smile at him. I was so proud, he had been trying to do this for a couple weeks and he had finally succeeded, I just wish it wasn't a 5:45am.

He's also on the move. When we got back from our Disney trip, the first thing we had to do was go out and buy a gate for the stairs. Before, he would slowly roll from place to place and so he couldn't get far fast. Now, you turn around for two seconds and he is no where near where you left him.

Check out his progression from sitting up, to rolling to crawling in this fun music filled video clip! I have felt pretty bad about not having as many video's as I did with David. So I wanted to make sure to capture these new milestones for everyone to see!

Dish of the Week: Roasted Garlic-and-Spinach White Pizza

Since we were on vacation last week I didn't have a chance to post a dish of the week. So this week I am going to try and post two. This dish is another pizza for my garlic lovin' friends. I got this recipe from my March issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine.

Ingredients:

12 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
4 tsp EVOO
1 tbsp cornmeal
12 oz refrigerated pizza dough
2 slices bacon, cut into 1” pieces
1 10oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
1 cup ricotta cheese
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Place the garlic on a sheet of foil; drizzle with 1 teaspoon EVOO and 1 tablespoon of water. Seal and bake until soft, about 30 minutes; let cool slightly. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a small bowl; add 2 teaspoons EVOO and mash into a paste.

2. Meanwhile, grease a baking sheet with the remaining 1 teaspoon EVOO; dust with cornmeal. Stretch the pizza dough into a large rectangle and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes; stretch again to almost fill the pan.

3. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425°. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes; drain and transfer to a plate. Add the spinach to the skillet and cook over low heat until warmed through; season with salt and pepper.

4. Brush the pizza dough with the garlic paste. Top with the spinach and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with bacon and mozzarella. Bake for 15 minutes, lower temp to 400° and bake until the cheese is brown and bubbling, about 10 minutes.

The Verdict:
This is a great pizza. I love that the garlic paste is the sauce. I would even recommend adding a little extra drizzle of olive oil before adding the other ingredients to the pizza. This was the second time I made this pizza and it came out better the second time because I only used a half cup of ricotta cheese. Next time I'll probably just omit it all together because we're not huge fans of ricotta cheese here. This is the Doc's favorite pizza I have made that isn't plain bacon & cheese! I have also made a chicken parm pizza that was really good but I need to make some modifications to that one as well.

Another deviation from the recipe is that I use a pizza stone when I make my pizza's. I am sure I have mentioned this before but if you don't have a pizza stone then you need to go out and get one. Not only does it make the best pizza, it is also fantastic for baking chocolate chip cookies.

American Idol: Top 8

Overall a very solid show. Love most of the performances. Adam again takes the cake tonight. I just love that song and it was, to use the words of Simon Cowell, BRILLIANT!

Here's my recap in no particular order:

1. Adam Lambert: DAMN! That was unreal! Amazing, amazing, amazing.

2. Alison Iraheta: Solid. I didn't really think she did much to make the song her own though. I think her unique voice is what made it sound different than the original but that was it. I did like that she did a slow song.

3. Anoop Desai: Another solid performance. He can certainly sing, but he's just along for the ride because he isn't the worst but isn't the best.

4. Danny Gokey: I loved the end of his song. He has mad vocals. I did agree with the judges about the weirdness of the arrangement but who cares he can SING!

5. Kris Allen: Seriously, SHAVE THE DAMN PORN STASH. He looks like a big fat tool. I really do not get what my lady friends see in this guy, he gives off a serious creep vibe. But I digress, performance wise, it was BAD. He went from being outstanding last week to mediocre. Huge let down in comparison. Simon said it best when he said forgettable.

6. Lil Rounds: She is going to be in trouble. She can sing but at this stage that isn't enough anymore. She needs to step it up big time to stay in this thing.

7. Matt Giraud: Hello, Matt! Welcome back. I knew he wouldn't let me down two weeks in a row! That was FANTASTIC! Loved it. Hells yeah!

8. Scott MacIntyre: That has to be one of the corniest, cheesiest, lamest performances in AI history. There was a 16 year old crooner one year that was worse but that is it. If he doesn't go home this week then, I just don't know what the hell America is thinking.

Bottom three would have to be Scott, Lil and Kris. With Scott being the worst by a MILE! He really needs to go home, really.

The Parks: Hollywood Studios

Yesterday we went to Hollywood Studios (what used to be known as MGM). This park is designed more for older kids and adults, but we were able to find some fun things for David to enjoy. We got to meet all of the Playhouse Disney Friends, see Kermit in 3D, met Sully & Mike Wazowski, and watched David shrink in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground.

Here are some pictures from the day.

David outside the Playhouse Disney show:


David with the Monsters, Inc. Crew:


The family with James P. Sullivan


David on the big roll of film slide:


Charlie in front of Mickey's Fantasia Hat:

The Parks: Epcot

Yesterday we spent the morning at Epcot, came back for naps in the afternoon, and then went back for dinner and the light and fireworks show. David had a good time and seemed to enjoy himself. He didn't really like the loud bangs from the fireworks, so he just covered his ears and continued to watch!

We rode on Spaceship Earth (or the BIG Globe, as David called it), helped find Nemo, used our Imaginations with Figment and learned about new ways thatplants and veggies can grow. But the best part of all was getting to meet Mickey Mouse and the Gang!!

Here are some pictures from our day at Epcot:

David at Epcot!


The gang in front of the waterfall that goes up!


Mommy & Shaun


Mickey Mouse & David


Us with Goofy!


Us with Mickey Mouse!


Spaceship Earth:


Getting Ready for the Fireworks:


Today we went to Hollywood Studios. David really enjoyed some of the attractions there like the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground. Tomorrow is our last day to enjoy the parks and the pool before flying home on Saturday.

The Parks: Animal Kingdom & Magic Kingdom

I am finally getting a chance to upload some pictures from our trip. It's been so much fun and I really haven't had a chance to get on the computer. Not to mention the time it has taken for me to organize and edit my pictures. Perhaps if I were not such a perfectionist when it comes to my photos, then I would have had some posted earlier! At some point I will create a slide show of all the pictures but this one is just an overview!

On Monday we went to Animal Kingdom. We took a ride on the Kilimanjaro Safari and the the Wildlife Express Train, saw a live performance of the Lion King and got to pet the goats and sheep at the Conservation Station. Here are some pictures from our day at Animal Kingdom.

David's new friend:


The Safari:


Mommy & David checking out Mickey Fishing:


Mommy, David & Shaun checking out the Flamingos:


David wanted to take his own pictures but posed for Auntie Kristin:



On Tuesday we spent the day at the Magic Kingdom. We went on Small World, took a Jungle Cruise, saw Pirates, had fun in Mickey's Town and the *big* kids got soaked on Splash Mountain. David even rode on his first roller coaster! We plan on going back on tomorrow since there was so much more we would like to see but did not have the time.

Here are some pictures of us at the Magic Kingdom:

For some reason, David started calling Cinderella's Castle the *Sand* Castle, so here is his picture in front of the Sand Castle.


David on the Jungle Cruise boat ride:


David's first Roller Coaster:


On the Merry-Go-Round with Mommy:


Shaun on the tram, time to go home!


Later I will work on our pictures from Epcot. That is where David got to meet Mickey and the gang. Thanks to a tip from the Stacks we only waited in line one time to meet all five characters!