It's been barely over a week since the American Idol tour got underway, but life on the road is already presenting its shining moments and its tougher aspects for the top ten singers. Two of the Idols, Kristy Lee Cook and Carly Smithson, talked to TVGuide.com about the mixed bag of hitting the road all summer long.

One of the main challenges so far, each confided, is staying connected to their main squeezes. Kristy Lee, who got engaged during Season 7, said she hasn't seen her man at all. "I get to see him on the 10th, but I don't know if he's going to any of the other shows," she lamented, adding, "It's tough. We've had a few 'moments,' because he doesn't understand what's going on, but he's starting to get the picture when I'm like, 'I can't handle this!' But he's getting the picture that he needs to be supportive. He's starting to come around."

Carly also admitted that her grueling tour and rehearsal schedule has been hard for both her and her husband. "The whole [thing of] not being able to hang out with him as much is just awful. For me, [L.A.'s] my last city where I'm going to get to see him," she said. But Smithson also sees the humor in some of the Idols' whirlwind lives. "He's been amazingly understanding. Like 'I can't talk to you right now. I'm putting on an eyelash.' Weird things like that!"

But of course, even with their heavy hearts, these two songstresses love to put on a good show, and they're savoring little perks of the tour " like four whole hours in a hotel bed before it's time to pack up the bus again. Of their stage time, Kristy Lee beamed when she described how grown men cry during her performance of "God Bless the USA," while Carly's eyes got big as she gave her set list run-down, including "Crazy on You" by Heart: " It's my favorite song eeevvver," she said.

By now, these ladies are no strangers to the stressors of stage life, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't savor a day off, too. Now that Kristy's done recording her country album, she said she'd go ride horses " no question " if she had 24 hours to play. And Smithson? "I would go hang out with my husband and take a nap," she said, but added, "Wait, that sounds lame. I'll have to think about something funner than that!" " Anna Dimond

More Idol News:
The Davids on Tour: Who's Feeling More Love?
David Archuleta Still Waiting for First Kiss
David Cook: Idol Tour Won't Detour Love Life

TVGuide Links:

• American Idol
• Carly Smithson
• Kristy Lee Cook