Freedom Rocks!

And, Kentucky from the Freedom Bracket has run away with it!!! Claudia, Heather, Katie and I will head to Kentucky in September for a fun-filled day of Highlowahaing. That's a new word. I just made it up. You're coming too! Just think about it- all of our blogging friends in one room! Start thinking about your upcoming birthday parties and celebrations and bring them to Taste of USA. We'll brainstorm the ideas for you. Let me hear you get excited!

We'll start working out dates and exact locations soon. Labor day weekend is out so we'll press on from there. The only thing I know for sure is that once we find the location someone needs to scout out a Starbucks because I'm sure there is going to be lack of sleep and I will need a coffee! Or two or three.

Every Vote Counts!

Today is the finale of Taste of USA!

Where do you want to go?

From the Freedom Bracket:

Kentucky

From the Independence Bracket,

Ohio

And from the Liberty Bracket,

Indiana

Vote over there--->>

Let Freedom Ring!

Today's battle is in the Freedom Bracket and is between our 21st state, Illinois and our 15th state, Kentucky. The Land of Lincoln battles the Bluegrass State. They share the Cardinal as their state bird and they are neighboring states so this should be a good battle. Let's look at the map.

I'm guessing that if Illinois wins the best place to fly in is Chicago but we could fly into St. Louis and drive over to somewhere fun in Illinois. And, we have the same situation with Kentucky. Would we fly into Louisville where we already have a lot of readers or would we fly into Cincinnati and drive to Kentucky?

Can you answer these questions for me? Between these two states, where do you want to go? And, I'm not just talking state... what city, town or farm?

Please don't say camp grounds, please don't say camp grounds! Don't mind me. Go vote!

Over there---->>>>

The quiet before the storm...

Happy Friday everyone. Here's where we stand. There will be no voting today. We will resume our semi-final round next Tuesday with voting for one bracket only.

Tuesday will be the Freedom Bracket:
Kentucky will duke it out with yesterdays winner Illinois.

Wednesday will be the Independence Bracket:
Virginia will battle it out with yesterdays winner Ohio.

Thursday will be the Liberty Bracket:
Indiana- state de la Cassie- goes up against New York.

The winners of the above competitions are our winners of each bracket. Taste of USA will be decided on Friday between those three states! Got it? Good!

Now go have a great Memorial Day weekend with your peeps!

Round 3 and Oopsie!

Today will be a little different in the Independence and Liberty Brackets because of two things. 1) Louisiana and Virginia tied on May 15th and the winner of those two is supposed to go up against Alabama. 2) Because someone (me) wasn't paying attention and typed Tennessee instead of Indiana. You would rather go to Tennessee than West Virginia but they weren't even in the same bracket. Yes, that was a heavy sigh you heard.

So today in both the Independence and Liberty Brackets you will be deciding between three states. Make it count.

Round Three!

Freedom Bracket: Would rather go to Kentucky or California?

Independence Bracket: Choose between Alabama, Louisiana and Virginia.

Liberty Bracket: Will it be Texas, West Virginia or Indiana?

Vote over there---->>>>>

Peggy and Robin actually read the Monday post and entered a poem for a drawing and Peggy you won! I'm off to Hobby Lobby to find my magical item. I hope it's still there but if it's not there's lots of other magic that I can choose.

Ding, Ding, Ding! Round 2

We've made it to Round 2 everyone- wahoo!

------->>>>>VOTE>>>>>

Freedom Bracket:
Pennsylvania or Alabama, where do you want to go? We went to Pennsylvania last year... will Alabama be able to beat them Pennsylvania today?

Independence Bracket:
I wasn't surprised Kentucky won over Maine with all the readers that we have there but I was surprised that Arkansas won over New Mexico. So can Arkansas win over Kentucky?

Liberty Bracket:
Up in the Liberty Bracket is Texas and North Carolina. North Carolina just barely squeaked by Colorado last week. Will they be able to take over the Lone Star State?

VOTE----->>>>>>>>>>>>>>

First day of voting.... where do you want to go?

Voting will be from 7:00 am to 6:00 am (CST) the next day. Unless I oversleep. Or forget. Then it will be later.

So, where do you want to go?
Vote ---------------------------->

Freedom: Pennsylvania vs. Nebraska
How will reigning champ do against the cowboys of Nebraska? Last year we visited a rainy Philadelphia. If Pennsylvania was to win again would we try Pittsburgh? Or, could we be having our meeting collecting wildflowers in an open field of Nebraska while hunting windmills?
Vote ---------------------------->

Independence: Kentucky vs. Maine
We have a lot of readers in Kentucky while I think Maine has very few to none. Will we hit the home state of Heather and Katie or will be dipping into Maine's lobster feast?
Vote ---------------------------->

Liberty: Texas vs. Delaware
The big Lone Star State battles Delaware. Heck, we could probably visit a bunch of state if Delaware wins. If Texas wins we could host in here in our hometown of the DFW metroplex or we could head south to Austin and visit Chaotic. Don't forget about Woodside Farm Creamery that we learned about last year... it's in Delaware and you know how Claudia loves ice cream. I mean... who doesn't?
Vote ---------------------------->

Week 7 Contest day on Thursday

On Monday we went to Kentucky where Katie K. grew up. We're thinking that parts of northern Kentucky should just be annexed into Ohio since Ohio is claiming them as their own anyway.

On Tuesday we stopped in Washington, Oregon and Nebraska. Cassie P. lived in Oregon for a while and though she has a soft spot for Oregon, she wouldn't want to move back there.

On Wednesday we went to Connecticut and I have added Mystic, Connecticut to my vision board list as a place I would like to visit.

Today is Thursday, July 3rd and it's contest day! All residents from the above mentioned states report to your appointed decks and tell us what makes your state the Taste of USA!

I am taking July 4th off. I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday. I will see you on Monday when we visit Delaware. Tuesday we will be in Pennsylvania. Wednesday will be hitting Nevada. And, Thursday we have Louisiana, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Welcome to the Bluegrass State

Kentucky is famous for breeding horses, the Kentucky Derby, tobacco, and bourbon. There are lots of historical people from Kentucky starting with Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, the McCoys from the famous Hatfield & McCoy dispute, Bill Monroe and Loretta Lynn.

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame located in Renfro Valley honors Kentucky music professionals who have made a difference to Kentucky and the world through music whether it's the songwriter, the performer, or the promoter. Members include Dwight Yoakum, the Judds, and Ricky Skaggs just to mention a few.



Let's round up the kids and take them to the Louisville Science Center for hands on, interactive exhibits like The World We Create, The World Within Us, and the World Around Us. We can take on an educational show at the IMAX theaters or learn about the dinosaurs.



We can go the Muhammad Ali Center to learn about the boxing legend himself who was born in Kentucky. Or if baseball is more your style, we can go to the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory to see what has to be the world's largest baseball bat and learn about the history of the baseball bat.



I love quilts. Inside each quilt is a world of history from the woman who made it. So I would love to go to the Museum of American Quilters in Paducah. Quilt designs have come a long way from just being a design in a square. Some are so elaborate they look like paintings but the squares are still my favorite.

Church Hill Downs is where the Kentucky Derby takes place and at Gate 1, you can stop by the Kentucky Derby Museum to learn all about thoroughbred racing. I'm concerned that I might be looking more at the hats than actually watching the races.



Kentucky also has a long list of lakes and parks where we can experience outdoor adventure. Some of the include Red River Gorge, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Lake or Cumberland Falls.

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival sounds like it is only for the brave but it looks like it's a lot of fun for everyone. It's coming up in September and there is a long list of great activities.



So, as you can see, there are lots of great things to do in Kentucky. I've just got you started. What's your favorite part of Kentucky?

Fun facts for Kentucky are: the state flower is the Goldenrod Giant (I thought that was a weed), the state bird is the cardinal and the state butterfly is the Viceroy Butterfly.

All Kentuckians are to report to the Bourbon Deck on THURSDAY, July 3rd to tell us what makes Kentucky the Taste of USA!