Get Ready To Party

Join me tonight for the Kicks 104.9 New Year's Eve Bash at Purcell's Lounge inside the Radisson. It's live music with Nashville Pipeline and it's a chance for you to win Martina McBride concert tickets or even a trip for two to Nashville. All the fun starts at 8:30 pm. For more information click here and get ready to ring in the new year!

Merry Christmas!

I can't wait for the holidays! This weekend Aaron and I head home and hopefully get a lot to eat and get a lot of sleep! Plus, at my in-laws house, there's a new puppy and a kitty so that'll be fun. But wherever you're headed this Christmas, I wish you safe travels and an opportunity to be with loved ones! Merry Christmas!

I've Been Elfed!

Check this out!

Oh Christmas Tree!

Tonight Aaron and I finally get to decorate our Christmas tree! We have the ornaments out and all the lights blink and the star is out of the box and ready to go on top. What's even more exciting is that they're calling for snow tonight!

Christmas is our favorite time of the year. We met at Christmas and seven years later we got engaged at Christmas! Whatever you have planned this holiday I hope you to get to spend it with the special people in your life.

The Snow is Coming!

Yeah, the snow is coming! To me, the holidays are always better with snow! The Weather Channel is calling for seven inches by tomorrow night, which means I'll do some Christmas shopping tonight. That way I can sit and enjoy the snow from my window at home tomorrow night.

You Won't Believe Your Ears

Professional singers say the National Anthem is one of the hardest songs to sing. With that said, check out this 7-year-old.

Don't Gain Weight this Thanksgiving

HOW TO ENJOY THANKSGIVING WITHOUT GAINING THE WEIGHT!

3 big tips to follow:

1) fill up on the healthy stuff first

2) eat slow, it takes your brain 15 minutes to register that you're full

3) and a little Cool Whip on pumpkin pie never hurt anybody

Holiday Travel

Like most of you, we'll be traveling a bit this week for the holiday. Our families will be celebrating Thanksgiving in Milwaukee and as much as I'm excited to see all of them and eat a lot of really good food, I'm dreading the driving.

It seems the weather is changing everyday. At first I heard they were calling for snow, then I heard it would be freezing rain and now it looks like it will just be showers with mild temperatures. Either way, I'm selfish and I just want it to be dry and have some clouds to keep the sun out of my eyes.

Wherever you're headed this Thanksgiving just know I'm thankful for you this year because our morning show wouldn't be what it is, if it weren't for wonderful listeners like you!

Reba's Praline Sweet Potato Casserole

Just in time for Thanksgiving, this is Reba's favorite recipe to make and let me tell you it's good!

Reba’s Praline Sweet Potato Casserole.

1 40 oz can of sweet potatoes, drained.
1/3 c. sugar
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
2 eggs


Topping:

¾ c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. chopped pecans
3 T. flour
2 T. butter

Oven to 350. Grease shallow 1 ½ qt casserole. In bowl, mash potatoes, stir in sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and eggs. Spoon into dish and add mixed topping ingredients. Bake 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Wasting Time and Spending Money

Don't you hate those days when you're forced to kill a little time and by doing so, you end up spending way too much money! Over the weekend my family was meeting me in Fond du Lac before heading west to my Grandma's house. They were running late and I decided to "browse" the aisles at Wal-Mart.

Big mistake. An hour and a half later I ended up buying 4 different kinds of Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas cards, 2 CDs, 3 pairs of socks, a necklace and a purse...and I can tell you I didn't need any of it.

What I can say, is that time really flies when you're having fun!

Garth

The wait is over. Today's the day every Garth Brooks fan has been waiting for. The Ultimate Hits Collection is in stores. We talked to Garth this morning on our show and if you missed it, click here to listen.

The most important thing I took away from this interview is that Garth is happier right now than he's ever been before.

Freezin' in the Fox

Well, I lost the Coats for Kids challenge and I will be Freezin' in the Fox this morning. Since Michael collected more Coats for Kids this week he'll be dry and I'll be wet.

At least I can go home and shower before I have to come back to work.

Thanks again to everyone that donated coats and monetary donations, it's for a great cause and it wouldn't be possible without you.

Halloween

I love Halloween!

Aaron and I finally carved our pumpkins last night while we watched 'It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown'. What's even more exciting is that this year I bought Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for the trick or treaters, which means we get to eat the leftover candy.

One of my favorite Halloween memories was the year I dressed up as a hot dog and won $50 in a costume contest. The costume looked goofy, but the cash prize made it well worth it!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

I found this recipe the other night on the Hellman's website and it was amazing. What's even better is that it doesn't take a long time to make.

"PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN"

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 Minute(s)
Cook Time: 20 Minute(s)

1/2 cup Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
5 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In medium bowl, combine mayo and cheese. On baking sheet, arrange chicken. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

California

I'm a little distracted today because I'm thinking of my brother in-law and his wife out in San Diego and how they're dealing with the wild fires. Aaron talked to him yesterday and they're one level below evacuation. Now it's just a waiting game. It's strange to have to think about grabbing a few personal items and leaving the rest behind. Hopefully, they won't get to that point, but it's still a scary thought and I can't stop thinking about them today.

Michael's Over the Hill

Today Michael turns 40! He's pretty embarrassed about it, so feel free to call the station anytime at 444-1049 to harrass him! Whether he's 40 or not, it's the shaved head that makes him look so young! Happy Birthday Buddy!

Carrie's New Man?

Does Carrie Underwood have a new man in her life? Word on the street is that she's been seen kissing 'Gossip Girl' TV star Chace Crawford (pictured). Maybe he'll be her date at this year's CMA Awards? Either way, I hope he's listened to the words of her song "Before He Cheats" otherwise he'll end up with a Louisville Slugger to both headlights.

Annoying co-workers

Since it's a cold, rainy Monday we figured this mornig was the best day to vent about annoying co-workers. One of the phone calls was a woman upset with co-workers who steal items off her desk. Other people can stand it when co-workers jam the printer and don't fix it. And the most common phone call this morning was from people upset about co-workers who don't clean up after themselves in the break room.

We have the same problem here in our break room and we put up a sign that reads "The maid died, clean up after yourself" and it's actually worked.

Favre-alicious

Happy Birthday to #4 Brett Favre! He turns 38 years-old today and in my opinion he's still playing like he's 18 and he's never looked better! Brett has a lot to celebrate today and even though they lost on Sunday I believe the Pack will come back and win this Sunday against the Redskins...at least I hope so, cause I'm going to the game and it's never fun if they lose!

Albino pumpkins

I finally have an Albino pumpkin. I've seen these white pumpkins on other people's porches and I couldn't seem to find them anywhere. But this morning, I came into work and there was a giant white pumpkin sitting there with my name on it! Our friends Joe and Gloria from Algoma were in Green Bay and were nice enough to drop one off.

I'm so excited, except I have to find out where the heck they bought one!

Click for Cans

The Campbell's Chunky soup Click for Cans campaign has started again and the Packers are in the lead, but they need your clicks to stay there. To do your part, click here

The Mom Song

This song is dedicated to all the parents out there. This woman gets it...click here to see it!

Favre

Well, he did it. Brett Favre beat Dan Marino's record for most touchdown passes thrown. I was happy that the Minnesota fans gave him a standing ovation, because if anyone deserves it, it's Brett Favre.

Even after all these years, it's still so much fun watching him play. He's like a little kid out there. And I'll never forgetting interviewing his mom, Bonita, and her telling us that her favorite Brett football moment was the Oakland game after his dad passed away. Brett is a true leader, who's overcome a lot in the last few years and it's refreshing to see him so happy again and I feel so priviledged to be in Green Bay at such an exciting time for the Packers!

Yeah for TV!

Today is when I'm officially unproductive. Why? Because tonight's the return of my favorite shows! Aaron and I are obsessed with 'The Office' and I've been hooked on 'Grey's Anatomy' since it first started. It'll be interesting to see how 'Grey's' will incorporate Meredith's long, lost sister into the show. When last season ended, the sister almost hooked up with Derrick. You gotta love a soap opera on prime time TV.

What it's really about

Like most of you, I have days where nothing seems to go my way. I get frustrated with myself and I feel like I have it so bad and I'll let it ruin my whole day. And then I'll come across a person who may have it 'worse off' than me and they're starring their bad situation straight in the eyes with acceptance and with strength. It's those moments when I'm reminded not to take life too seriously and to be grateful for the many blessings I have. If you need a boost of inspiration today, watch this

My house is a mess!

Tomorrow my sister Rachel and her husband Adam are coming up to go to this Sunday's Packers game and my house is still a mess! I've put it off long enough and have less than 24 hours to get it done. Could I have done it last night instead of watching TV? Sure. But what fun would that have been!? Don't you hate it though when you put something off? My plan was to bake sugar cookies and use my new pumpkin cookie cutter. Now that I think about it, I might just buy the pre-made cookie dough at Festival and be done with it. They'll never know :)

How to become photogenic!

I found this great article in Real Simple magazine that talks about how to look great in every photo. And here's some tips:

Problem: Exaggerated Facial Features
Solution: Turn your head. Most people have asymmetrical features (for example, one eye is larger than the other or the right ear is a bit higher than the left). That way, facial asymmetry is not as obvious. This particular angle also has a slimming effect, as it draws the eye up and down (forehead to chin), not left to right (eye to eye).

Problem: Deer-in-the-Headlights Look
Solution: Don’t look straight into the lens. “Focus your eyes just above the lens instead of staring directly into the camera,” says Patrick McMullen, a celebrity photographer and author. “I usually look past the lens, over the photographer’s shoulder,” says Miss America runner-up Jennifer Dupont. “And show some personality. Sometimes all it takes is the slight raise of an eyebrow.”

Problem: Fake Smile
Solution: Don’t say “cheese,” which usually conjures an artificial smile. Instead, ask the photographer to throw out an unexpected word, like “money.” This will usually elicit a genuine laugh, and your expression won’t look forced.

Kenny Chesney

Did you pick up Kenny Chesney's new CD "Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates"? I did and let me tell you it's awesome. We talked to Kenny this week and he's so pumped for everybody to hear his new music. If you missed the interview, check out our podcast on the "Morning KICKS" page at Kicks1049.com and if you're unsure about buying the CD, click here for a preview.

9/11

As I sit here and type I still can't believe it's been 6 years since our nation was attacked on September 11th, 2001. As many of you, I'll never forget where I was that morning. I was in one of my media classes at UWM. Our professor told us as at the end of class, but I still wasn't sure if she had all of her facts straight. The moment I knew something was wrong was after class. A campus that was always buzzing with students walking, cars and buses flying down the road was completely still. There wasn't a person in sight, it was quiet, and it was uncomfortable. Once I got home, my roommates filled me in and then I saw it, the horrible images on TV that will never leave my mind. But among that image was hope and the feeling that we will do our best to make sure no one comes in here and does that again.

On this day, 6 years later, I'm reminded of how great a country this is and how important it is to support those men and women in uniform and to support each other. Because without each other, we are nothing. But together, we are something.

Do not call list

The deadline is today at 9am to be on Wisconsin's 'Do Not Call' list. If you're interested, just call 1-866-966-2255 or click here

The Wedding

Over the weekend, Aaron's brother Ethan got married. And wow, what a wedding it was. I'm still trying to recover from all the fun. The weather was beautiful and it was a perfect send off for the two of them as they get ready to load up the Hilander and head to California. This picture of the bride and groom is my favorite because Aaron and I bought them their toasting flutes as a wedding present. The funny thing I noticed though after the picture was taken, they didn't have anything in them to toast with...Oops!

Is Faith Hill Mad?

The CMA nominees were announced this morning and don't look for Faith Hill on the list of Female Vocalists. I guess we won't be able to see her reaction if Carrie Underwood wins this year.

The 41st Annual CMA Awards air on November 7th from Nashville.

Here's a quick list of some of the nominees:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Keith Urban

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Fifth Gear - Brad Paisley
It Just Come Natural - George Strait
Long Trip Alone - Dierks Bentley
Love, Pain and the Whole, Crazy Thing - Keith Urban
These Days - Vince Gill

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban
Josh Turner

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Big and Rich
Brooks and Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

2 years later...

This week marks the 2nd anniversary that Hurricane Katrina destroyed parts of the Gulf Coast. And after 2 years, there is still plenty of work that needs to be done. Even though countries all over the world need our help, we can't forget about our family and friends right here in the U.S. that need help too. If you'd like to help victims of Hurricane Katrina or victims of other hurricanes, you can donate at here

Garth

I'm so excited there's new music by Garth Brooks playing on KICKS 104.9! I'm a huge Garth fan and I love his new song, "More Than a Memory". The song will be available on his new album, 'The Ultimate Hits' out November 6th. If you haven't heard it yet, keep listening to KICKS 104.9 and I'm sure you'll love it too!

My favorite Garth memory was back in 2001 when Aaron and I went down to South Padre Island, TX to see him perform for a TV special. The temperatures were near freezing and the rain was pouring sideways. Aaron and I were huddled under the blanket from our hotel room as we pushed our way up to the 3rd row. During "To Make You Feel My Love", Garth pointed right at Aaron and I. It was a moment I'll never forget.

Turtle

Yesterday, Aaron and I had to say good-bye to a friend. Our pet Turtle passed away. We had her for almost 8 years and she was the most spoiled turtle in the state of Wisconsin. Funny thing about our pet turtle was that her name was actually Turtle. Aaron found her as a baby floating in the middle of a lake by Madison and he put her in a gatorade bottle and took her home. For all you pet lovers, you understand how weird it is to walk by where your pet used to be and to not see them there anymore. Whenever I go through a loss of a pet, it reminds me how short of a time we have with them and how much we appreciated their unconditional love all these years.

Global 'Freezing' of the Buns

Over the weekend hundreds of people posed naked on a Swiss glacier in hopes of raising awareness of global warming. Nice idea, but the only thing that comes to my mind when I see this picture is how COLD they must be on that ice!

Name That Bridge

Quick reminder, the deadline to rename the new bridge in De Pere is tomorrow. If you have a suggestion make sure to send those emails to De Pere Mayor Mike Walsh at
mwalsh@mail.de-pere.org

My Mom's Banana Bread

This banana bread is amazing. I made it for the first time tonight and even though I haven't perfected it like my mom, it's still a tasty treat for everyone.

Place in blender:
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
1 and 1/2 tbsp. Milk (feel free to add a little more if the mixture seems dry)
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 large, ripe bananas
Blend till smooth

Sift together in a large bowl:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking poweder
1/2 tsp salt

Pour mixture from blender over the dry ingredients in the bowl. Stir until the flour is dampened. Bake in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

A true piece of art!

There's a big debate going on among most women these days...

Should Matthew McConaughey keep his shirt ON?

The answer is No. A few weeks ago, he and buddy Lance Armstrong never wore shirts and life was good. There was great stuff to look at on the internet and in magazines.

Now he has a new girlfriend and what do you know, he's always wearing his shirt. Come on ladies we need to rally together and put a stop to this "I need to wear a shirt" attitude and change him for the good of all women!

Ladder Golf

So Aaron was nice enough to put together a Ladder Golf game for us. He was determined to have 6 of the golf balls be a different color other than white. After looking all over town for different colored golf balls he decided to spray paint them red.

As I'm sitting in the living room watching this unfold, Aaron proceeds to walk onto our porch and lay down a piece of newspaper. He grabs the golf balls and the spray paint and I suggested to spray the golf balls on the grass so it won't matter if it gets on anything. Aaron laughed it off telling me he "has everything under control".

15 minutes later I hear a 4-letter word come out of my husband's mouth, I walk out to the porch and sure enough there's red spray paint on the plants, the pots, and the ground. Now it looks like we'll have to buy a second floor mat for our porch.

Brussels Blast 2007!!!!!

I can't wait for tomorrow, it's Brussels Blast with Keith Anderson and Jamie O'Neal at Brussels Town Park. It's just a 25 mile drive from Green Bay on Highway 57. Gates open at 1:30pm and the music starts at 2:30pm. If you're still looking for tickets, listen today because it's a KICKS 104.9 Free Ticket Workday dishing out tickets every hour until 5pm. Or you can call Ticket Star at 1-800-895-0071.

And make sure to listen tomorrow morning around 7:40, we'll talk to Keith Anderson and get the inside skinny on tomorrow night's concert at Brussels Blast!

The pacifier

This morning we took calls on what people call a baby's pacifier. Growing up Michael called it a 'duey', I called it a 'nookie' and more than half of our callers said they called it a 'nook' or a 'binky'.

To me, it's just hearing grown adults say the word 'nookie'. What's also funny, is that no one called in and said they called it by it's name... a 'pacifier'. I guess that's because 'binky' and 'nookie' are a lot more fun to say :) Feel free to leave a comment on what you and your family grew up calling a pacifier.

bridge in Minneapolis

After hearing about the horrific bridge collapse that happened yesterday in Minneapolis, I started thinking about Northeast Wisconsin and how the majority of this area is divided by the Fox and how we can't avoid bridges. With that thought I was looking online and found this article at Oprah.com on how to escape a sinking car. It's a scary thought, but unfortunately it can happen.

Article:

"Every year, an estimated 11,000 people accidentally plunge their cars into lakes or rivers. Would you know what to do? Former Marine Charles Ingram has life-saving advice on how you can escape a sinking car. The Fastest MethodIf your car enters the water, it should float for a minute or two. Unhook your seatbelt and lower the window (most electric windows should still work while you're floating). Do not try to open the door, because the water pressure will keep it from budging. If Your Window Won't OpenYou'll have to wait for the interior of the car to fill up with water. At that point, the water pressure inside and outside the car will be equal and you'll be able to open the door to escape. Wait until the water reaches your neck, and do the P.O.G.O. P stands for push; push the button to release your seat belt. O is for open; open your door. Now that the car is flooded, it has the same water pressure as the lake or river. The door should open without much of a fight. Finally, GO is for get out. Push yourself out of the car and swim as fast as you can to the surface."

Keith Urban

Aaron and I went to see Keith Urban last night at the Resch and wow, what a great show!

If you're going tonight, dress to impress. They were filming for an upcoming DVD and were grabbing random people from the crowd and putting them in the front row. If you still don't have tickets and you want to go to the show make sure to stop out at The Bar on Holmgren today at 5:30 for the official KICKS 104.9 Keith Urban Bud Bash for your last chance to win tickets!

I've been Simpsonized!!!!

You can become a real Simpsons character, check it out here

1 year

This Saturday Aaron and I will celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary! Hard to believe how fast time flies by.

We saved the top part of our wedding cake and plan to unfreeze it and eat it. Not sure if it will taste any good, but it'll be fun to see it again! Our cake design was a replica of my grandparent's wedding cake so it meant that much more to us.

Oops, she did it again!

I just hope she shaved her legs for that!

Driving in Northeast Wisconsin

Today I drove on the new roundabout in De Pere for the first time and besides the fact I almost got into an accident with a truck, it wasn't that bad. It'll definently take some getting used to. And if that wasn't exciting enough, I drove on east Mason Street and no more construction cones! YEAH!

Cobras

Aaron and I got back yesterday from our vacation with his family down to Pensacola, FL. We went down there for my brother-in-law, Ethan's, Winging Ceremony. He's an officer for the Marines and now that he has his wings he'll be flying the Cobra helicopters.

Being down on the military base was another reminder of the sacrifices men and women in the military make for our country and for our freedom. We're so proud of him and it was great to witness this special occasion in his life.

The picture on the left is Aaron's family in front of one of the helicopters Ethan trained with (we're on the far left). You can't tell from the picture that it was 91 degrees out!

Help for Stressed Moms!

There's a new website out that's geared specifically towards Moms in northeast Wisconsin. It's Wismoms.com You can use it to share tips and stories, ask questions, brag about how great your kids are, or just vent.

The site even has forums and advice for stepmoms and blended families. Finally, help really is just one click away!

What the...

Here's the latest of Paris in Hawaii...as if she doesn't know cameras are on her?

4th of July events

If you're looking for something to do on the 4th, here's a quick run down of some of the events going on in Northeast Wisconsin:

Green Bay: "Celebrate AmericaFest" downtown and fireworks at dusk
Green Bay: "Celebrate the 4th" at Hazelwood Historic House, family activities from 10a-4p
Allouez: "School of the Soldier" at Heritage Hill State Historical Park from 10a-4:30p
Algoma: "Concerts in the Park" at Heritage Park from 7-9:30p
Manitowoc: "Manitowoc City Picnic" at Silver Creek Park. Acitivites starting at noon, fireworks at dusk
Oconto: Fireworks at Holtwood Park at 10p
Sturgeon Bay: "Sturgeon Bay Celebrates" at Sunset Park. Activities start at 6:30p, fireworks at dusk
Two Rivers: at Walsh Field, activities begin at 6p, fireworks at dusk

Mason Street

Today I turned onto east Mason to find that traffic was backed up for blocks and no one was moving. After 10 minutes cars slowly moved forward and we could see police and ambulance lights. It turns out there was a bad accident and they needed to pick up after it. We all know Mason is already a pain to drive down because of the construction, but it doesn't help when cars are speeding down the road and not giving themselves enough time to brake for someng making a left turn.

A similar situation happened a few weeks ago to my sister and her car was banged up pretty bad. None of us are perfect drivers, but it concerns me to see kids walking on the sidewalk along Mason and construction workers are doing their job in the street and people continue to fly down Mason. We have a long way to go until Mason is done and we might as well just take our time and be nice to each other on the road.

Keith and Nicole

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are celebrating their first wedding anniversary today! Those two have been through a lot in the last year, but frankly, who hasn't. Aaron and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary this July and people have asked what we have planned. The truth...we both have to work and I have a wedding shower the next day. That's the reality of married life huh?!

DMV

Today I had to go to the DMV to get my license plate renewed and as always, it was an ordeal.
First, there was this man who was constantly talking to himself. There was a kid that kept
yelling at his mom, and it seemed that everyone who worked there was in a bad mood. So I
decided to be overly nice to the woman working behind the counter in hopes of putting her
in a better mood. I asked how she was doing and I didn't get an answer. I tried to make
small talk, and I was ignored. When I was done I looked at her and said, "have a great day"
and she smiled back and wished me the same. It took awhile for her to budge, but I hope
a friendly farewell made her day a little bit better.

I wish I'd thought of this

In today's Green Bay Press Gazette's Classified section was an article about the "BraBaby". It's a heavy-duty plastic cage for your bra that goes in your clothes washer. That way our $65 dollar Victoria's Secret bras won't get ruined anymore. Let's face it, hand washing bras takes up time and it barely gets them clean. You can pick up the device at brababy.com or at Linens 'N Things and Bed Bath & Beyond for only $19.95. Happy washing!

For all brides

Here's a great tip we found for brides to save money on their wedding cake. Some cake providers offer a fake wedding cake. There's a little spot for you and your groom to "cut the cake" that's real, but your guests will be served dessert from a sheet cake in the kitchen that the guests never see. For our wedding, we had a smaller wedding cake that served about 100, and we had a sheet cake (with the same filling) that served the remaining 100 guests...it saved us a lot of money!

Bermuda Shorts

This morning we were talking about summer fashion and "bermuda shorts" came up. They're in style this summer and I really want a pair, but they look horrible on me. Because of their length they make my thighs look huge! I bought 3 pairs from Younkers and I ended up returning all of them. Maybe certain fashions are meant to be admired from a distance.

Nasty

Ten minutes ago I took the recycling out and I felt a rain drop on my arm. I looked down and a bird had pooped on me! Has that happened to you? It was nasty. Hopefully you weren't eating while you were reading this.

Does this make any sense?

I went to the East Side Y today and I noticed something odd while I was in the parking lot talking to a friend. There was a blue car that kept driving up and down the aisles trying to find a place to park. Keep in mind the parking lot wasn't full. After 5 minutes the driver waited for a car to pull out of a its space ( it was the 3rd space from the door) and then she pulled in. The driver got out of her car and she looked really in shape and she carried her water bottle into the Y. Now, isn't it odd that she needed a spot close to the door of a facility where she was going to workout?!

Before He Cheats

Just days after tabloids reported NFL quarterback Tony Romo wanted to take a break from Carrie Underwood because the football season is about to start, new reports say Tony invited newly-single Jessica Simpson down to Dallas for a visit and she said 'yes'! If you ask me, when it comes to talent Jessica and Carrie aren't even on the same playing field.

Weekend Plans

With summer around the corner, for me, this weekend is for getting stuff done. I bought flowers last week and some dirt and they need to be potted and my house is a mess. You know those times when you're wishing for rain so you're forced to stay inside and get stuff done? That's the point I'm at.

I really hope my flowers live through the summer. They're in a spot where they get the hot morning sun, but sit in the shade for the rest of the afternoon. If you have a green thumb and wouldn't mind passing along some tips, that'd be greatly appreciated.

I'm so confused

I love these short work weeks, but I get confused! Three times today I thought it was Tuesday and it's throwing me off. Hopefully you were able to get back into the swing of things faster than I could. One thing I do know is that Friday is right around the corner and this weekend it's free to use the Fox River Trail in honor of National Trails Day!

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Hopefully we'll get to see you this weekend at Celebrate De Pere. Don't forget, Buddy Jewell's in concert Saturday night. And Sunday, look for De Pere Mayor Mike Walsh and myself in the De Pere Kiwanis Memorial Day parade on Monday.

Mayor Walsh lost our "Honks for Holly" challenge and he'll be walking the KICKS 104.9 Weiner Dog in the parade with the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile.

I also wanted to send a big "thanks" to all the men and women in uniform. It's easy to get caught up in the fun of the holiday, but I try to never forget what it's really about. See you at Voyager Park!

Signature Side Dish

If you're like Aaron and I, this Memorial Day you'll be popping into a few cookouts. I don't know about you, but I always feel the need to bring something. It used to be the typical pasta salad or dip, but here's a recipe for a dessert that will make your friends go crazy! They're called "Oreo Truffles" and here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 large package regular Oreos
1 8oz. package of cream cheese, softened
approximately 1lb. of Almond bark (white Chocolate)
(toothpicks)

Directions:
1) Crush Oreos as fine as possible
2) Mix cream cheese with Oreos--using your hands
3) Roll into balls, insert toothpicks, place on a cookie sheet
4) Freeze approximately 20 minutes
5) Melt Almond bark
6) Dip the frozen balls in the Almond bark
7) Decorate if desired
8) Enjoy!

Who's Walking the Wiener Dog

Celebrate De Pere is this weekend and Monday is the Memorial Day parade. So this Friday, De Pere Mayor Mike Walsh and myself will be on a corner on Main Street in De Pere part of the "Honk's For Holly" contest. Whoever gets the least amount of car honks will have to walk the KICKS 104.9 wiener dog in Monday's parade behind the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile. So please come out Friday morning from 7:30 - 9 and show some love with your honks.

Britney's new do!

Britney got hair extensions. It looks like her natural hair is already an inch long. You be the judge.

No way are they "just friends"!

I love awards shows! I love seeing what the nominees are wearing, who they're seating with, and how they act when they win. I especially love seeing who they brought as their date! And speaking of dates, did you catch Carrie Underwood and her date Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo making eyes at each other last night at the ACM Awards? Carrie says they're "just friends", but she also KISSED him on the lips when she won ACM Top Female Vocalist! I say, good for you Carrie, he's a hottie!

Searching for a Hometown Hero

Home Depot is looking to award one special "Hometown Hero" with a trip for two to next year's ACM Awards and the chance to help Brooks & Dunn build a playground later this year. Consumers have from now until June 11, click here to nominate individuals they believe to be committed to volunteerism and exemplary community service.

I am a bad person?

Today I was at Target on Lime Kiln trying on a pair of shorts. Turns out I needed another size and that Target didn't have it. I went up to 'Jo' working the fitting rooms and I asked her if she could call Target West.

She went ahead and made the call and was put on hold. After 5 minutes of waiting the line got disconnected and Jo offered to call the store again. This time she was put on ahold for a second time and again she got disconnected. Jo told me it wasn't a big deal and she called them back.

In the meantime, a woman was standing at the fitting room counter waiting to get the number for her fitting room. While Jo continued to call Target west, this woman was shifting her weight while huffing and puffing in frustration.

Still on hold, Jo finally got this woman her room number and as she walks by me she said "That's very rude of you to make her call, why not just drive over their yourself!" and she walked into the fitting rooms.

I didn't even have time to say anything to the woman! Instead I thanked Jo for helping me and I left. It was just another reminder of how hard it must be to work in customer service!

Are you kidding me?

Now that Rosie O'Donnell has announced she's leaving 'The View' the search is on for her replacement. You won't believe some of the names they're throwing around, like Kathi Lee Gifford, Whoopi Goldberg and Joan Rivers. The frontrunner is actually Roseanne Bar! In my opinion, if they cast Roseanne they're only getting a combination of Joy and Rosie mixed into the same body! With such a popular show I have a hard time believing they're that desperate for Rosie's replacement.

I'm Lost

As much as I dissed the guy...I'm a little sad right now because American Idol is going to start in an hour and I already miss Sanjaya. No, I don't miss his singing. I do miss the fact he made Simon squirm. He gave the show something interesting to talk about other than the same old 'who do you think should go home' talk. And in my opinion, he gave me one of the funniest moments in television this year...when he made the little blonde girl cry so hard she almost threw up!

What will the world be like without baby Sanjaya?