Nips are in the air (Alternate title: Nips have sprung).

I'm not much for spring decorating. Digging out the feather tree from Christmas and decorating it with eggs is usually how far I get, but this year, I thought I'd give it the old college try. I even invested in some new things.



So I picked up a few things from my favorite site in the world, Etsy. The wreath came from here, the letter blocks from here, and the flags from here. Mark made fun of the flags and the blocks because according to him, I could have made these myself. This is probably true, but I find with some things that after you buy all the supplies you need and then put in the time to make them, it ends up costing about equal anyway. Besides, these will bring me years of enjoyment!

Now the letter blocks in particular invite mischief, as I found on Saturday night when my dinner guests thought it would be funny to creatively rearrange the blocks to spell out a different word (or sometimes not). So each time I came back into the dining room, the configuration would change. For example, from this:



To this:



Wiseacres. All of them.

Lastly some people spend their lives searching for the goose that laid the golden egg.



Personally, I prefer the golden bunny that poops Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

***Begin American Idol blabbering***

I'm two weeks behind, so where should I start? Oh, why of course - with Adam! First, wouldn't it figure that after I publicly declare my support, he has to go and throw that screamfest that was "Play That Funky Music." Now if any performance deserved to be called "indulgent" it was that one, because I think that was Adam putting on a show for himself. And even if the judges would have panned him for it, I think he still would have been pleased with it. I admit, however, that I did download it from iTunes anyway, and it does grow on you with repeat plays. Plus, it doesn't hurt that Lauren likes to sing along, "Play that bumpy music my boy!" It's pretty hysterical.

Last week, Adam instantly fell back into my good graces with "Mad World." That's the kind of performance that gives me reason to watch this show. Not the umpteen performance of "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch," or "I Want to Dance With Somebody" or some other uncreative, overly played song. He took a song that I barely knew and made me want to listen to it over and over again. And that's saying something because, boy is that song depressing: "The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had." Yikes.

Next would be my second fav, Kris Allen. Loved, loved "Ain't No Sunshine." I really hope he makes at least top three, but he gave me a scare last week with "All She Wants to Do Is Dance." I love Don Henley, but that was all kinds of awful. I was so worried for him that I voted for the first time this season (Albeit for 15 minutes, but still!). How ridiculous was he standing in a mass of teeny bopper girls gleefully singing, "They're pickin' up the prisoners and puttin'
em in the pen." Talk about not emotionally connecting to a song.

I totally could have predicted Danny singing "Stand By Me" last week, but I do have to say that he looked real sharp. Wardrobe usually dresses him atrociously. And while I thought the impressions that they all did of each other during the Top 9 results show were cute, I couldn't help but feel that Danny was just a little too into making fun of Matt.

Speaking of the Top 9 results show, I didn't think Megan's crazy antics were disrespectful. After all the mind games that they play on these people, I'm surprised that we haven't had more of these moments of "self-awareness."

And speaking of Matt, I mentioned before that I don't really care for him. I pegged him early on as an Elliot Yamin wannabe, and we all know that there can only be one Elliot. However, although it was decidedly panned on performance night his studio recording of "You Found Me" is fantastic. I finally kinda get what they see in him.

Poor Anoop. They really have it in for him. Part of it is his fault because he seems to take himself way too seriously. I thoroughly enjoyed "My Prerogative," but those those "Watch out girls - I'm a playa!" faces he makes every time he sings an up-tempo song are ridiculous! A little smiling would go a long way. It's a shame because his recording voice is great. Like Matt, his "Caught Up" came across much better in the studio than it did on stage because I didn't have to look at his faces.

Lil bores me to tears. Don't have anything to say about her other than they should throw the support that they're giving to her behind Allison because I think she is the best girl in the competition. Maybe they'd realize it if they weren't so distracted by her wardrobe and "lack" of personality.

Scott seemed like he was a total sweetheart with a great sense of humor, but his "The Search Is Over" was uncomfortable to watch. For that, he deserved to leave, but I'll miss his wacky hairdos.

Lastly, it's official. Jason Castro was signed by Atlantic Records and is releasing an album later this year!! Atta boy, Jason - I knew you had it in ya!