Landscaped the front of our house

I haven't worked this hard in a long time. Yesterday Steve and I landscaped the front of our house. It took us about 7 or 8 hours including buying the products. We even put a fountain in. It is sooo nice! We had just left a mudhole for about a year out front and decided it was time to do something about it. Expecially with graduation just a couple of weeks away and we will have a housefull.

I am so tired. I worked another 12 hour day. I worked with the children at school today helping them learn to read. Wow is that a special experience, then I came home and taught 4 hours of piano lessons and then I did a massage for a lady that had a real bad headache. I pretty much keep myself on call 7 days a week for when people might need me. Actually I could use another massage for myself right now.

I have also found someone new to co write songs with. I am so excited about this. I think we will come up with some great stuff together. I will let you know more about this later. Alot of it will be done over the internet. I better get going. There is not much time for sleeping these days.

Sleepin' in the sunshine

Today was kind of fun. This afternoon after I returned from doing chair massage at an event I thought I would catch some sun in the back yard. I was laying out on a big beach towel and Steve came out to join me and just talk. We layed on our stomachs and the next thing I know we are sound asleep in the wonderful sunshine. A perfect 80 degree day. At least we did not get burnt. It was after 3 PM so it was pretty safe. Then we went to Lowes and Menards and picked up landscaping things to do the front of our yard which is long over do. We picked out a real cool water fountain. I will post a pic here as soon as we get this all done. Maybe I should do a before and after picture.

Countdown to American Idol Songwriting Contest

Those of us who entered our songs in the American Idol Songwriting Contest are anxiously awaiting the hear who they have picked for the top 20. It will be a big suprise I am sure. I heard rumors that there were over 25,000 songs sent in. I can't imagine how they could have possibly heard more than a few seconds of each if even that. Mmmmmmmm... any idea's on that? The time span was just too short for when it was announced and when the songs were to be sent in by. They are probably top notch songs. I hope they are good. There have been some out there that I don't think should have been hit songs, but that is where we all differ with our musical tastes.

Well it has been a long, long day again and I am glad tomorrow is Friday. Have a great night all!

Check out DREAMS DO COME TRUE at myspace.com/tammyedwards1

Hi Guys! We still aren't able to get my site going with new stuff yet so if you want to check out my new song that I sent to the American Idol Songwriting Contest called "DREAMS DO COME TRUE" you can log onto myspace.com/tammyedwards.1 to listen to a demo of the song. I haven't gotten it fully produced yet. This song I wrote in one day then I drove to Nashville and recorded it in one day. I was literally still writing it in the studio as we were recording it. I think I can get the kinks worked out when we go back in and finish it.

Happy Birthday Miriah!

Today was nice and mellow. Very uneventful. Had lunch with my folks and we watched a movie featuring Tara Reid. I don't think I have ever really seen her in a movie. It was a thriller type movie. I did a massage for a client this afternoon. Sometimes I will work on a Sunday afternoon. We had a couple of downpours. The rain really came down today. I think we will have plenty of moisture in the ground. Went for a workout at the gym then called it a day. I had to watch my favorite game show DEAL OR NO DEAL. I really wish I could go on that show. It really is a game of luck, but wouldn't it be fun? Today is also my step daughters 14th Birthday. Happy Birthday Miriah! This is her last fall when she was practicing scuba lessons in the pool.

My baby girls last prom tonight!

Kirsty went to prom this evening with her dear friend John Sweeney. He is such a nice, nice guy. There were about 13 couples. They all looked so great I just had to post some pictures. What a great night for the prom. It was 80 degrees tonight. Kirsty is the one in the hot pink dress. The group photo is of all senior guys and gals.

So glad it's the weekend

Everybody glad that it's the weekend? I sure am. What long week it was. We had our friends over tonight to grill hamburgers. Then we played cards. It was such a gorgeous night. We have been waiting for spring to really get here. Looks like it may be here to stay this time.

I am so sorry to hear of the terriable shootings at Virginia Tech. Our thoughts are prayers go out to all the students and families. I feel so bad to see another shooting take place. I just don't understand what would make a person that angry and unhappy to take any human life. Those things we don't always understand. I think God will have a special place for those martered. It just isn't right.

Have a peaceful weekend!

American Idol's Country Night

I enjoyed watching American Idol's country night this evening. I think my two favorite gals did great. Jordin Sparks and Melinda Doolittle were in top form as usual. I did think a couple of the guys did a great job singing country this evening. Phil really should go the country route. It suites him well. I can't wait to see how this thing unfolds.

There was not an announcement at all this evening about how many songs have been entered. I would love to hear. Tonight is the deadline at midnight. Maybe some news will be given out in the next couple of the days about that.

Have a great night!

Concert last night in Shambaugh, Iowa

Steve and I drove to Shambaugh, Iowa yesterday for my concert. It was a nice drive on a beautiful sunday afternoon. My dear friends Scott and Patricia Denham have been pastoring Harvest Fellowship for years. What wonderful people they are! They have a new church building since I was last there. It is so nice. It was great seeing people again that I haven't seen in a few years. That is them in the picture with mutual friends The Springs. The concert went great. It felt so good to be up there singing again and sharing my stories. I also shared my new song I wrote a week ago for the American Idol Songwriting Contest. It is called "Dreams do come true". They seemed to like it. It was my first time singing it in public. I also had an adorable little girl named Erin come up and sing "I'm Reachin" with me during sound check. She is just an angel. What a sweet little girl.

Back from Nashville tonight with a new song!

Hi everyone! I just got in the door from Nashville. I drove back all day so I could get home tonight. I made a quick 3 day trip to Nashville. I wanted to enter the American Idol Songwriting Contest. I didn't find out about it till a few days ago. I wrote my song all day Sunday and Monday. Then I jumped in the car and drove down on Tuesday. I recorded it yesterday (wednesday) Then I came back today. Ugh! I am soooo tired. I am really excited about my song. It is called "DREAMS DO COME TRUE". It isn't an original title that is for sure. But hopefully it is catchy enough to get someones attention. I had a blast working on it. I haven't been in the studio for 2 years. This was so uplifting for me to get back in there and work on something. I really challenged myself to write something under a little pressure with a deadline. The deadline is next Tuesday. If I should be lucky enough to make the top 20 I will let you know for sure. I will definately need your votes! I have prayed alot about this song and entering. Now it is in God's hands.

Nite :)

How was your weekend?

Well Easter came and went. I attended a nice church service this morning at Point of Grace in Ankeny. Had lunch with my parents. Then watched a little of the Masters Golf Tournement. Nice to see a guy from Iowa won. Congrats to him!

I have been working on a song literally all day for the American Idol Songwriting Contest. I just keep rewriting and rewriting. I am so tired and so frustrated with the song. There are only 8 days left to enter. I am not going to do it unless it is just how I like it. To top all that off I am coming down with a sore throat. That is always the beginnings of a cold for me. Steve has had one for a week and I thought I'd escaped it. Apparently not. Bummer! Now I may not be able to record the song. Pray for me. I do have a concert next Sunday. I want to be healthy for that. Thanks!

I am off to bed. Take care all.

Happy Easter everyone!

Hello everyone! Just wanted to wish you a wonderful Easter weekend with your families and friends. I hope whatever you do to celebrate that you will have a blessed and wonderful time! I will be spending Easter Sunday with my folks. The weather is still so cold. We thought we were done for the winter and we have been down to as low as 17 degrees the past few days. It is chilly again tonight and the heater is back on. I am hoping for some real warm weather to head our way.
Take care!

Jamaican blue mountains

I was just looking through the trip pictures from December. I came across some of the ones from Jamaica. I loved it there. We picked up alot of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee to bring back. It is simply delicious. You can get a bag for about 14.00 US there and that same bag would sell for nearly 50.00 US here. As I was looking at the pictures I noticed that the mountains did look blue. Hmmm I wonder if that is where the name came from. The pictures may be a little blurry because we were traveling in a van at the time and we shot them out the window. The first picture at the top is of the coastline. The building with the waterslide is "Jimmy Buffets" Restaurant. It is such a neat place. I jumped in and went for a swim out to the raft. Being in Jamaica just wasn't long enough for me. I would love to go back and actually stay on the island.

My friend Jerry's new grandson

My dear friend Jerry had a new grandson born in February. His name is Nicolas. I just had to post these pictures of each of us taking turns holding him. I think babies are just so precious!

Happy Birthday Danny!! (my firefighter sis)

Tonight we celebrated my younger sisters birthday. For those of you who don't know, she is a Des Moines Firefighter. I am so proud of her. She is in her first year of training and she is working so hard. In the picture she is at a control burn housefire. She will probably not like the fact that it is not one of her dolled up pictures, expecially since she is still on the search for MR RIGHT. haha. But I am proud of her. I certainly could not do the job she is doing.

We had some of her friends over here tonight for a little birthday bash. We grilled out and I made brownies. We had strawberry shortcake too. It was a fun ending to a long day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANNY!

Marriage retreat over the weekend, plus my thoughts on people watching

We went to a marriage retreat in Des Moines over the weekend. It was a nice little get away for us. Overall the material was real good and helpful but quite honestly the seminar was delivered a little boring for me. I think it would have helped if they had some worship or praise music beforehand. It was just a little dry reading out of a manuel and filling in the blanks all weekend. We did however bought some great self help books that will be nice to read.

At one of the sessions they broke the groups into men and women. I was one of the last gals to get into the room towards and there were no seats left. The last 10 of us or so grabbed a place on the floor to sit. I was sitting by the door and for some reason all I could smell was nasty garbage coming from somewhere. It was really getting to me. I noticed two empty seats on the end of the last row right infront of me. They had some paper laying on them so I took it that they were reserved. Then a lady walked in with a bag of books and a big cup of coffee and proceeds to sit down in one of the seats infront of me. Then she plops her books on the other seat. She makes herself all comfortable and sets her coffee on the seat next to her just like it is her little desk. She knows full well that there are a row of us sitting on the floor behind her. She proceeds to leave 2 more times with her coffee cup for some refills and come back. She keeps saying excuse me and could I move my legs so she could get through. I could NOT believe how rude she was just leaving so many times and just making herself all comfortable in 2 chairs. I never did see another lady that may have been with her come and take the other seat. What is it with people? This is a Christian conference so I was expecting even more out of her. Why is it that these things are going on?? I let it bug me so bad that I got up and left. That was it, between the garbage smell and her little office she had going there I just couldn't enjoy the session.

Anyhow, the rest of the day went great. We had some great talks together and went out for a late lunch.