All of us gave it all we’ve got, overcame a whole lot just being on the show and learned a lot about ourselves. We’re just normal people trying to do what we love and follow our dreams.

There’s a lot of things that are said on the American Idol message board. I quit reading them because most of the people are very mean.

I can’t believe this is happening to me. The weirdest thing is it was just a dream, and now it’s actually real. It’s hard to believe sometimes.

I’m fighting a losing battle here: I’m trying to lose some weight. I love chocolate; that’s one of my biggest downfalls. I haven’t gotten a whole lot of chocolate, thank goodness, because I’d probably be about 300 pounds.

Throw caution to the wind and just do it.

American Idol transcends age, gender, ethnicity, everything.

We don’t have milk cows. People have so many stereotypes of people from where I come from – Oklahoma. We don’t ride around in covered wagons, either.

Everything’s completely different, and it’s been hard. Fortunately, I have a lot of wonderful people around me, and I think I’m handling things pretty well.

Right afterwards there was a whole, whole lot of press to do, so the week after, all day, every day, was press so I didn’t really get a chance to celebrate.

I wondered how people would take me being a country music singer. I thought about deviating from that and singing other things. But… it doesn’t really make sense for me to try to be something that I’m not.

At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would’ve worked their way up to this position and would’ve gotten a thick skin over a few years’ time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months.

This is the best night of my life. And it’s going to get better.

I’ve never really been anywhere, and now I get to go everywhere. I just have to make sure there’s enough memory on my computer to hold all my pictures.

It’s nice to know you have support. Last night I got a marriage proposal. I just laughed.

Everybody knows what’s going on. Even if they don’t watch it they know what’s happening.

I got to meet some of the best people I’ve ever met, and we all grew as people and as entertainers.

I want people to think of me as a nice person. I really am so blessed. All of this has been a great experience and I thank the American public so much for putting me in this position. I appreciate every second of it.

The only other time I’ve been away from home was when I went to college. And that was just an hour away, so I could always go home if I needed to.

All of us gave it all we’ve got, overcame a whole lot just being on the show and learned a lot about ourselves. We’re just normal people trying to do what we love and follow our dreams.

As far as talent goes, we had pretty much everything, and I think that’s why this year was so successful.

There’s not ever much of anything going on in my head.

I’ve heard all kinds of crazy rumors about myself. I’ve even heard that I’m pregnant! I’ve become real good about laughing things off – I figure I’d better get used to it.

My very first magazine cover was the National Enquirer.

So many people always try to help me carry my luggage and help me do things I can do myself. If I can do it myself, I’m going to do it myself. I’m not going to let other people do it for me, and I think that’s a big part of where I came from. I’m not a real prissy girl.

I want my permanent address to be in Oklahoma. Someday, when I get married and I have kids, that’s where I want to raise my kids.

I’m not worried. I’m just so grateful to be in the position that I’m in. I’m just going with the flow right now, and I think my album will come together quite nicely because I think everybody is on the same page.

Being a part of SKECHERS is exciting. It is such a hip company with a great attitude and image.