Pictures Galore...

I just finished watching a very disturbing episode of the Bachelorette. You know, the episode where she doesn't pick the person I wanted her to!!!!!! I don't know why in the world I waste my time watching this show and getting all emotionally invested in their decisions. This is the last time...I swear!!!

Anyhoo...afterwards I decided it was high time to post a few pictures that I've taken over the past few weeks.

July 4th...Matt and I went to watch fireworks with my sister and fam. We sat outside Universal Studios. It took a while for them to start crackin' but when they did...it was pretty spectacular. Here's a few of my favorite shot...excuse the telephone wire. =/

The grand finale....
A random picture of the most beautiful little girl I know....
A picture from my mom and bro's visit. My mom floatin' around in the pool. Yes, in her pants. I tried to give her shorts, but she refused. =/

My brother floatin around in the pool. I could sit and watch this guy in the pool for hours. It might not look so comical right now. But at the time...it was crackin me up that he was in a floaty...yet acting like a seasoned olympic swimmer.

The Floridians with my mom...

I saw this picture on Facebook the other day...and I just had to share it! Baby Neela is getting cuter by the day...and I hate that I'm not there to kiss her squishy little cheeks. (Jess, I miss you guys!)

Now it's time to do a baby update...the cousins got together this weekend and CCL sent me a few pics of all the babies! They're all so precious and getting too big too fast!

Maddy...cute as ever!

Sweetness...Maddy and Lola (Lauren)
Ethan...ever the little model and JP (Joshua)...reminds me of how Mikey used to look up to Bobby! Ha!!! I love JP's face in this one!

All the lil girls...Lola, Princess Leah, and Maddy

All the lil' munchkins. Looks like I definitely missed out!

Speaking of cute babies! Check out the newest cutie on the blog scene!

BUSY!!!!

The other day, Matt asked me if I'm done with my blog. I looked at him blankly. So, he asked again..."Are you done? Is it over? You aren't writing anymore?" That was a sad thought to me...after all these years!!...I quickly said no!

Life's been really busy lately. I have no time to write at work. Often, I start working in the morning and then by the time I look at the clock, it's 3 pm....and I haven't had lunch! I've never been so busy at a job before, but I enjoy it. It's nice to not watch the time drift by slowly. My mom has been visiting for two weeks, so everyday after work, I'd run her around...out and about...since she was cooped up at the house all day long. So, no time to blog after work either.

But now, she's back in Oklahoma, so I'll have a little bit more free time in the evenings. I have lots of pictures to post of birthdays, baptisms, maternal unit's visit...etc....so stay tuned!!

Getting ready for baby Madison...

The gang here in Florida is totally anticipating the arrival of baby Madison in just 9 short weeks. I can hardly wait to have another "Maddycakes" to adore! I know that between the 7 of us, we'll be fighting over who gets to hold her and put her to sleep...but we'll let Dains/Matty do all the diaper changing!;)

We've been spending some of our weekends getting her room ready for her....Her momma sent me some pictures of it...and it's absolutely too cute not to share....so here ya go!

Maddy's Daddy spending his 30th birthday painting his baby girl's room...

A messy me...painting letters for her name to hang on the nursery wall...

The finished product of our work last Saturday...

These curtains are proof that Maddy's loved so much...even before she's gotten here. Her mom, Dad, Sue Aunty, Beena Aunty, Sheppy Uncle, and Aaron chachen all helped to make this for her...(Uncle Matt missed out...he had work!)
I'm almost sad that the nursery project is over! Now there's nothing left to do but wait for the baby!!!!!!!!

per the request of my pesky little friend....

i'm updating my blog. i know it's been a while. it's just been kinda busy and not much to report as of late...

the other night, bf and i went to watch the sex and the city movie. i figured the theater would be dead on a tuesday night. wrong. it was pretty much packed. there were a lot of women in line to watch the movie...basically groups of 4's. i was glad that bf agreed to watch it with me...although she never followed the show. i had to explain a few things to her....but overall she did a very good job in keeping up. when the theme music began...i got a lil' giddy and smiley. and then i saw the girls!!!!!!!!

it was so good to see carrie, miranda, charlotte and samantha again! it was like reuniting with four of my long lost friends! the movie was good...but i thought the ending was kinda cheesy. overall, i was pleased though. it was a much better ending than the series finale. i was left feeling satisfied!

in other news....matty and i finished painting madison's room. (more so matty than me). it looks awesome! it's a perfect shade of sage green and a butterfly/polka-dot theme....peaceful, yet cheery. i love it. sonia and i decorated letters to spell the baby's name and they put it up on the newly painted wall and hung her butterfly mobile. it looks quite cute. i'll post pictures as soon as she sends me some.

last night was a night of firsts! when i arrived home, i smelled indian food. my nose lead me to the kitchen, where i saw matt standing over a pot of chicken curry. i thought i entered the wrong house initially...but moussey was there...frantic for my attention...so i knew it was truly my house. i was astonished to find matt cooking...since the closest thing to food he usually makes is hard boiled eggs. the curry was the bomb dot com....finger lickin' good. i was proud of him!!! miracles never cease...i tell ya! after dinner we jumped in the pool. and....for the very first time...i went to the deep end. ok, so maybe i still had my float on and was clinging to the side walls...but still...i went...and that's a first!

anyway, is it friday yet?!? i didn't think so....it can't come any sooner...i tell ya. if i don't get computer access next week...i might just lose my mind. (what's left that is)

BIRTHDAY BOYS...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MATT AND MATTY! Yesterday was Matt's birthday. I thought it was today. I made plans to go to dinner and celebrate...and then when I was writing the date at work yesterday, I realized that the 5th was not on Friday. Not. Good. So, in a last minute attempt to right my wrong. I stopped by Walmart after work, picked up a few cards, a balloon, and a few ingredients to make birthday cakes.

For Matt, I made a chocolate cake...his favorite! I am not a big fan of icing in a can, so I decided to try to make my own. I made cream cheese icing and it was pretty good, I must say. For Matty...I made strawberry cake. Sonia gave me a heads up that he likes fruity cakes....(sheryl, resist making a joke right now...it's his birthday. be nice.) So, I made strawberry cream cheese icing for it. Back in OKC, the BOC crew and I used to go to lunch at a lil' place called Shirley's. She made the BEST strawberry cake and icing ever. I think I might have actually figured out how to duplicate it!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm thanking God that it's Friday...I've survived week two with no computer access. It's been frustrating...but I can handle one more day. Matt brought home some free movie tickets...so BF and I will be going to watch Sex and the City...and I can hardly wait!!!!!!!! I hope it's as good as the shows were. And...Matty and I will be painting the baby's room. I can hardly wait!!!!!!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Surviving the HEAT...

It was 90 degrees out yesterday, and in the land of the scantily clad, I wore a sweater over my shirt. Yes, I'm aware of the fact that most people prolly think i'm LOCO. But, I can't seem to give em' up. I rather sweat to death. Matt says I'm getting darker by the day. Now, if I was pasty white, this news may excite me, but I'm far from that...so I figure I could use some covering to help me block out that Florida sun a lil bit.

When I came home from work yesterday, I had a watermelon waiting at my door. It was attached to a note t hat said "welcome to the neighborhood." I thought it was a rather kind gesture from our neighbors. Now, I don't know what the proper protocol is. Do I just cut the watermelon and think fondly of them as I eat it? Or, do Matt and I go over there and introduce ourselves and thank them? I haven't experienced this kind of niceness before. Any suggestions?

Well, I have already discovered my two most favored spots in FL so far. (both introduced to me by BF) 1. Pollo Tropical. It's a fast food joint that has a chicken n' rice dish that's very comparable to NYC's own. 2. Shoe Land. When you walk in it's like you've died and gone to cheap shoe heaven. Not only are they cheap, but they are oh-so-cute and stylish. The only downfall is that they smell like fake leather. In case you don't know what that smells like....it stanks.

Well, blogosphere....enjoy your weekend. I survived my first work week here! yee. haw. Matt and I will be trying to hit up Universal Studios tonight when I get off. Other than that...I got some much needed cleaning to do this weekend.....

On the job...

It's my 3rd day of work. On my 2nd day I was 30 minutes late...A huge accident had traffic backed up. Luckily, my boss and half of my co-workers were stuck in it too. Other than that...the drive to work is pretty simple. I've managed to get there and back with out "Gina."

My boss reminds me a lot of my first boss at AF. She looks and talks just like her. She manages the eastern region...just like my AF boss did. coinky dink. No friends as of yet. Something tells me I might be to busy to be making new friends. We shall see....

Matt had the past two nights off, which was nice for a change. We went to Downtown Disney and walked around a bit...and got some stuff taken care of around the house...and hung out in the pool a little bit. So, I don't really like the new raft. I decided it's too big and I'm gonna revert back to using the little donut floaty instead.

Summer's about to start...anyone coming down for a visit?

I'm officially up and running...

Hopefully I will be blogging more regularly now. We're officially proud owners of internet connection, so I have no excuses. Tomorrow is my first day of work!!!!!!!!! YIKES! I'm really nervous about this for some reason. It's the same feeling I had when I started a new school as a kid. I'm sure it will be fine...I've started new jobs several times before...but for now, I'm really nervous.

Anyway, this weekend was BF's baby shower...in Okc. Yep, I missed it. However, I did get to do a little planning for it before I left. Sheryl did a great job of keeping me in the loop and making me feel like I was part of the last minute mayhem. Overall, I heard it was a great success. The baby has enough clothes to last a long while, and mom and dad have all the baby equipment that they'll need. Here's a few pictures from the shower...

Our cute lil' mom-to-be opening her presents....

I totally recognize the look of delight on her face....She's cutting herself a piece of chocolate filled chocolate cake....

Memorial Day was spent at my sister's. The B-I-L grilled us up some fabulous burgers with yuca fries! D-to the-licious! Matt had to work, but before he left this afternoon, we bought a few floaty devices for the pool. I wasn't having much luck with the donut floaty that we had already. This time we bought a raft...which I'm greatly looking forward to lounging on!

Stay tuned tomorrow....new job updates soon to come!

Sunny, Florida...

Sunny, Florida hasn't exactly been sunny the past few days....more like rainy, humid and cloudy...but I'm not complaining. We've been in the house four days...no fridge, no clothes, no furniture...but the movers will be arriving with our stuff early tomorrow morning. So far, I pretty much feel like I'm on vacation...staying in someone else's house...floating around in their pool...visiting my sister and BF. But that feeling should change soon enough....work starts TUESDAY.

I'd like to say that I'll be blogging a lot more frequently, but my computer isn't set up yet. I'm staying the night with BF tonight, and she urged me to blog before I hit the sack. (ever the best friend...she checks it daily...even when she knows I have no updates)

For once in my life...I must admit that I don't know what I'd do with out Gina (our navigation system)...she is my confidant these days. ;) So blogosphere...life continues on...it's new...it's exciting...it's stressful...and it's humid. I've learned to appreciate where I've come from (good ol' OKC) and be thankful for where God has brought me.

That's all for now....

I've been MIA. Most of my time is spent packing these days. Our first move went so much quicker and easier since it was a combined effort. This one has been a real pain. But, I can finally see the light...the movers will be here by the end of the week, the utilities will canceled, the house key will be returned to the landlord, the car will be back from the mechanics and ready for the trip, the old furniture will be hauled off, and final goodbyes will all be said. *sigh*

I'll be taking lots of pictures for the next few days...so hopefully I can post until it's time to box up the computer.

Sunuset in OKC...

Sheryl and Elijah...she hosted a little going away fondue night at her new home...it was a good time to chillax after a weekend of packing. =/
The girls...
Micah being as cute as ever...

And before I forget....Happy FIRST birthday

to Maddy!!...she's our lil' Cinco De Mayo Baby!

Big bucks and pick up trucks...

So, it's 7 pm, Saturday night...and it feels really GREAT to have nothing to do. I spent the past 2 hours lounging on the sofa watching my Netflix order of the week. Ok, Ok...I'll tell you what I watched...Laguna Beach Season 1. Before you scoff, let me explain...I'm an addict of the Hills...and I never saw LB, so I was kinda curious to see how LC first started off in the wonderful world of reality TV. Ok, now scoff. =/ I'm a reality tv junkie and I admit it.

I spent most of yesterday and all of this morning and afternoon helping my mother with a garage sale. My niece, Marissa kept track of our patrons...I think her final count was around 85...not bad. And the money we made?? Not bad at all. I actually made enough money selling my miscellaneous junk to fill my car with gas...halfway, at least. I was happy.People brought their pick up trucks and hauled away some old furniture that my mom was most happy to get rid of. That's when I realized that I want a truck too. Although, I don't particularly enjoy the "cowboyishness" that pick ups tend to represent...I think they are pretty practical vehicles...I can almost picture Moussey sitting in the back with her ears flapping in the wind. It would be especially nice for our drive back to Florida....but alas, I'm stuck with "ol Faithful"...my CRV.

Don't Give Up On Me...

I'm still here...alive and well...but for some reason, I just can't bring myself to blog these days. But, I refuse to pull the plug on my blog...because I know that one of these days, I'll snap back into my former self and muster up the energy and drive to be a devoted daily blogger again.

Until then, I'll fill you in my trip to Austin this past weekend. It was so nice to have a 1 day getaway with the girls...We talked and laughed and over-exerted ourselves...(or maybe that part was just me!) A few months ago we decided that a family that runs together stays healthy together...Lisa was in charge of picking a 5k for us to run in. She warned us that it might be intense...hence the name..."the toughest race in texas." I blatantly ignored her, since she tends to be a bit of an exaggerator.

What I discovered is...no, I'm not tough enough. I can't run through the wilderness. I trip over things...like holes and rocks and tree limbs. I can't skip over hills effortlessly...I have to climb over them in excruciating pain. So, although my cousins discovered they enjoy runs...and would like to do it again next year...i discovered that, i'm much better running on a treadmill, in a park, on flat surface...at my own pace...not competing against anyone...Last place is not a fun place to be. =/

After the run, we did something more my speed...shopped in San Marcos. CCL was ready to shop till we dropped...and eventually Suetee and I did drop. I could hardly limp and hobble behind her anymore... But, we were both very proud of her for not purchasing anything cacky! Way to go CCL...now just wear the clothes you bought!

Afterwards we enjoyed some down home Texas Barbecue at Salt Lick! Over all it was a delightful weekend. A good last hoorah before I move away to Sunny Florida....

I need a....

I need a break. It's been difficult job and apartment hunting in Florida whilst living in Oklahoma. I'm ready to pack up my things and my dog and head South East. But, I still have a while before I can do so successfully...and in the interim, I need a break. A span of 24 hours with out thinking about the future, jobs, apartments, moving trucks, and money will suffice.

I'm grateful to be getting just that....this weekend, I'll be heading to Austin, Tx to have a girls day out with CCL and SueTee. I know they're both excited to have 24 hours to step away from their responsibilities as "mommy" and "wifey" as well. We have things planned...a 5k that I'm not so sure any of us are prepared for...and shopping and eating barbecue...things that come more naturally to us. I think it will be a delightful little getaway...and my last hoorah with them for a while since I'm moving even further away.

Blue bonnetts...barbecue...bears...broads in cacky pants....here i come!

TGIF, I guess...

It's Friday. The weather website predicted sunshine and 70 degrees, but it's noon, and neither prediction has come true. I'm feeling rather blah. My hair's curly, no make up, and I'm wearing a Yaga T-shirt from the 90's. Actually, I haven't seen the t-shirt since the 90's either. Somehow it was left at a cousin's house and then floated through one grubby cousin's hand to the next for the past 10 years. I just got back last October and now I love to wear it when I'm in need of comfort and TLC.

Job hunting is getting the best of me. I had forgotten what this kind of disappointment and self-doubt felt like. Oh...how quickly we forget. I'm trying really hard to remain positive and focused...and think not on the "what if I never..." but on the..."surely I will..." Make sense? Probably not.

The weekend plans are low-key. The furball will be keeping me company this evening. I'm sure we'll do a lot of nothin. I'm going to make us stuffed tortellini with chicken breast and spinach parmesan alfredo sauce. I'm sure consuming it will be the highlight of our evening.

The rest of the weekend will be spent packing...one room at a time...for the next 3 weeks.

Old and Neglected....

That's how my ol' blog feels. I haven't updated in days...which is totally unlike me. I'm finding myself in a bit of a funk these days. When you uproot your life and strive to make changes for the future, things can get a bit stressful. I've been zapped of all my creativity...apparently my stress is eating it for lunch. So please bear with me...

I'm sure in due time I'll be once again talking about nothing and posting pictures of sweet babies...and things of that nature.

Until then, keep me in your prayers as iron out a few kinks in my "master plan."

Polka dot tights...aren't they cute? They'll look even cuter on my BF's baby girl when she arrives in August. Yep, that's right...BF and Matty are having a baby GIRL!! I'm so excited!!...now there will be little toe nails to paint to pink perfection and pig tails to tie up in polka dot ribbons! I'm sure she won't be spoiled or anything. ;)

Meanwhile...here are some little lovelies in my life in their Easter best....

Baby Leah...lookin like a big girl in first Easter dress...
Ethan and Lola (no one told them to hold hands)

Today's Matt's first day of work, and I'm anxiously awaiting news of how it went. I'm sure it was fine...since it was just Day 1 of training. He thoroughly enjoyed our first weekend apart. While I attended Easter service alone, went to lunch with the maternal unit, and came home to clean...He went to visit one of his childhood friend's in Tampa. The friend just so happens to be in flight school. So, Matt got to fly with the friend to Daytona Beach. Sounds like he's having a rough time without me, eh?? He called me from the beach...and I could hear the wind whipping through his hair...err...I mean, I could hear the wind whipping. =)

Matt and DJ (not his real name, but I can't try to pronounce it. ;)

The coast...

The itty bitty plane....

He also sent me a few pictures of our trip to Florida...

My uncle, Cousin Ansley, and Aunt....we stopped in to pay visit when we drove through Houston

Sunrise in Beaumont, Tx

The lovely city of New OrleansI went along on the trip to help Matt drive. But, instead, I slept...waking up only long enough to take pictures of the states we were crossing..and then falling back asleep again.

Happy Easter....

To me, Easter is about more than grass-filled baskets, colored eggs, and half-eaten chocolate bunnies. I think that the cross symbolizes different things in the hearts of different people. To me, it symbolizes "Grace," and that is what I reflect upon on Easter.

My life has been touched by God's grace...for many reasons. When I led a faithless life, He was always more than faithful to me. There have been countless times when I've ignored him, denied him, and doubted him, but He still stood with me. And then, beyond all of that...there is the cross. The shame Jesus bore, the pain that was inflicted, the abuse He took....for me and you.

My prayer for all you this Easter is that you would take a minute to reflect on the cross and that you too would be touched by His grace. Our minds can't comprehend how much love the Lord has for us...the only thing we have to do in order to receive this love...this grace...is to believe. Sometimes the easiest things are the hardest to do.

I'm finally back from my hellacious road trip to Florida. Matt and I left OKC Friday night, stopped in Houston on Saturday, and were back on the road to Florida early Sunday morning. We had very little sleep, but lots of caffeine to keep us going. I have lots of pictures that I took of the various states we drove through, but alas...they're in Matt's camera, and he's no longer with me in OKC. I'll post them just as soon as he emails them to me.

Life without Matt is very quiet. The house is very empty and Moussey keeps waiting by the door for Daddy to come home. We will all have to be strong for a few months until I make the transition over...it's one that I know I can get used to. The weather in Florida is just glorious and since I'm solar-powered, that works out well. ;) Plus being around my sister and fam and BF and Matty has its perks. ;) And, I simply can't wait until the new baby is finally here...It will be lots of fun to live close enough to hold and spoil him/her.

Anyway, I hadn't posted in a long while because I was falling behind in keeping up with my ever-changing life. But, I think I've finally gotten to a place where things have slowed down enough to catch my breath and post a blog. ;)

The Last Supper...

The last supper at Buffalo Wild Wings on I-40 and Rockwell, that is. Tuesday night is our favorite night of the week because it's "Wing Tuesday." So, Matt and I decided it was a great night for a celebratory dinner.

What are we celebrating? That's a great question...Well, for one, we've survived our first six months of marriage. Time definitely flies. I can't believe it's been half a year!!! This six months has brought about a lot of changes for us. It's funny how life works. There was a time when my life was so monotonous...and I craved change. And now, I've been dealing with one change after another.

Which brings me to our 2nd reason for celebrating....Matt got a job!...In Orlando, Florida. It's a great opportunity for him...and I am quite sure he's going to do great in the new position. So, after 23 years, I'm moving out of Oklahoma City.

It's bittersweet really. There's a lot of people and things that I will miss. I'm excited about all the opportunites we'll have in Florida...but also a little nervous. But then I think about my parents, who moved to another country! ...and I know that we can handle this.

I'll be in OKC for a few months...until Matt gets acclamated to his new career and environment. But, by the time the summer rolls around...I'll be in sunny, Florida...and not just on vacation.

Where's the Beef??

They ate the meat...and left me with nothin but the bone. =/

Baby Updates...

On Sunday, I went to go see the babies...the eej and baby Neela....Elijah has grown up a lot. I think most of his weight is contained in his cheeks. He had just had a bath and was a wittle bit cwanky...so I sang to him "It's ok, it's Ok, it's gonna be okay. It's ok, it's ok, it's oooooooo kaaaaaaay." I thought it was a pretty snazzy tune...and the eej did too. It calmed him down and he closed his eyes. I kept singing, assuming that he was enjoying the tune....but then very slowly....his little hand made its way to his ear...and his pointer finger slipped dow inside....HE WAS PLUGGING HIS EAR!!!...One month old, and he's already a smart alec like his mother!

Neela is a beautiful little girl. She has the most beautiful eyes and eyelashes. She's just a little doll...

Last but not least, baby Leah is growing so fast. She was recently visited by her cousin JP, who looks like quite the giant next to her. I'm sure he was giving her all sorts of great advice...like what chips taste the best. ;)

A Retrospective Weekend...

Last week, a man from my church died, and this weekend was his funeral. Although I didn't know him and never spoke to him, he was the husband, father, grandfather, and uncle to people that I do know...and it was difficult to see them grieving. As I sat in the service on Saturday, it was inevitable that my mind reeled back in time to remember another funeral 21 years ago.

With the memories of my father's funeral fresh in my mind, I asked my mom if I could take home the photo album of pictures from his funeral...it was something I wanted Matt to see. Although, I've only seen it a handful of times, I was sure that I was immune to the sadness that it might cause....I was wrong.

21 years later, many of the faces in the album have changed, and many of the people who attended that funeral are now with my father in heaven...It was hard to hold back tears when I saw my sullen-faced uncles and aunts...20 years younger, with slimmer wastelines, and darker hair....and the tear-stained faces of my cousins...then in their early twenties, others not yet teens, and others just babies...but all sad and confused. And then, there was the four of us...the grieving images of my mom, brother, sister, and me...I remembered my thoughts at that time and I'm sure their thoughts were the same. I wondered then how we could ever go on with out him....how life would be without his presence...
I realized that my grief now is not the same as my grief then...I grieve now about what he's missed...the grandchildren he's never held...giving away his daughters...retiring with his wife. And I grieve thinking about the 4 of us...and how much we had to get through...alone...with out him...and how very difficult it has been.

People say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn't. Time pushes you forward and forces you to keep going. And God gives you the strength you need to do so. But the wounds are always there...and although the pain doesn't sting as much as it does as the day you lost your loved one...it's still there...a dull, sharp pain that never goes away.

"the eej"

I have self-appointed myself as the official baby nickname setter and I hereby proclaim that henceforth Elijah shall be known as "the eej." I'm not sure how his parents feel about it...but, hey...I don't care. ;) He's growing and changing quite quickly...here are a few pics of the big boy who turned one month last week!

Here's the eej with his mommy...u see a resemblence??

the eej chillin with his daddy....

Syndromes and Complexes...

Today, I'd like to discuss a few syndromes that medical science has yet to prove, study, define, or find a cure for. Yet, we all know they exist, they torture the lives of some of our nearest and dearest, and there is no proven cure. Thankfully, they are not deadly or contagious, however they're annoying...not to the victim of the disease...but to those around them.

Let's start with MCS, or the Middle Child Syndrome. This Syndrome affects the kids wedged in the middle of their siblings in birth order. The kid often feels neglected and forgotten...and these feelings are inbedded within them and feelings of insecurity and akwardness follow them through out their lives.

Equally harmful is OCS, or only child syndrome. This is the kid who is the shining star of the family. Placed on a pedastal through out his/her life...they forget in adulthood that other people DO matter. That their parents worlds' orbit around them...but not everyone else's.

UDS, ugly duckling syndrome is not as prevelant as the other syndromes, but there are a few cases in America and through out the world. This is when an unattractive kid, blossoms later in life and begins to make up for the time that was lost being ugly....by vying for attention from the opposite sex.

In the same category is PGS, or pretty girl syndrome. These are basically girls who never went through an ugly duckling phase, and were always recognized for their beauty...nothing else. These girls grow up thinking they have nothing more to offer the world except their ravaging good looks. They grow up to pursue other things in life, but nothing brings them as much satisfaction than a compliment about their looks...even if they have to milk a compliment from the lowest of low lives.

SMC, or short man's complex is something that affects the vertically challenged. They walk around trying to prove to the world that their stature has nothing to do with who they are inside. And although they're right, for the most part, their need to prove themselves often come off as insecurity.

Last but not least, is the PKS, or the preacher's kids syndrome. These are the kids who grew up under the roof of a preacher's home. Being sheltered from sin their whole lives, they go a lil buck wild when they taste their first taste of freedom.

Now, I'm not saying that every middle child, only child, former-ugly duckling, pretty girl, pastor's kids and short man suffers from these diseases...In fact, my nephew Aaron is an only child, and he's the most amazing, well-rounded, sensible, remarkable child I've ever met in my whole life...and I swear I'm not bias. That being said, his mother, my sister is a middle child...she doesn't have MCS...she's anal retentive, yes...overly competivie when playing board games, yes...but she doesn't have MCS. And my good friend, Billy is vertically challenged...and mentally challenged, and a preacher's kid, but he doesn't have SMS or PKS (anymore) ;)...and I know lots of beautiful girls and former ugly ducklings that are very normal individuals who know there is more to life than convincing everyone that they are beautiful...

However, there are a few out there roaming the world that suffer from the syndromes/complexes, so when you come across them...handle them with care and understanding....and most of all, patience.

Day two....I've made a conscious effort to look better. I'm hoping that looking better will in turn help me feel better...eliminating that sluggish feeling I have every day. Although CCL assures me that the only thing that will help me feel energized is 7 pounds of raw vegetables a day. *rolling eyes*

I had gotten to a point where I straightened my hair once a month...if that. Make up was eliminated from my daily regimin. In fact, I think the last time I wore make-up to work was my first day...June 21st!!! My poor eyebrows were beginning to look more like wild caterpillars. Last Friday, I looked in the mirror and decided this has got to stop. I used to be the girl who never left the house with out her concealer...and accessories!

So Monday, I made a conscious effort to change my lazzzzzzzzzzzy Susan ways. So far, I'm on day two of making myself look presentable, and I must admit, I have a little bit more pep in my step...despite the fact that Matt has been running me ragged at the gym.

I'm actually quite surprised that I can walk today...considering he had me pushing 100 pounds with my legs yesterday. But, again, I have to admit, the pain feels good. Sunday, I gave Matt a hug and realized we were gut to gut....and suddenly it dawned on me that I've taken Matt over to the fat side! Before we got married, he was Mr. Physical Fitness...he would constantly preach to me about organic food and excercise. I knew that after we got married, I'd either become health conscious like him, or he'd come over to the fat side with me. =/ I guess I'm more powerful than I thought. Luckily, Matt still holds on to his values and loves working out and eating right deep down inside...I've just managed to convince that laziness and processed cheese is awesome too. =)

CCL, SueTee and I are "in training" for a 5k that we're running together in Austin this April. Well, basically I'm the only one training, SueTee has the running thing down...especially at my pace...it will breeze for her. Even if I run as fast as I can, it will be a brisk walk for Lisa..aka Lady Long Legs. But, I'm definitely training in order to prevent myself from fainting and/or embarrassing my cousins. =/

Well, wish me luck with my changes...I figure if I can maintain for a week or two...it should all become habit again!!

Last night, Matt brought a little surprise home...My nephew Andrew. He didn't have anything pressing to do this morning, so he decided to come home with Uncle Matt and spend the night with us last night.
His visit taught me that Matt and I have a few things to change around the Thomas household when we have our own kid running around:
1. No eating while watching TV. It's become a habit of ours now...a bad one at that...but there's just too many good shows on TV right now...Like American Idol, Super Nanny, One Tree Hill, and Lost...to name a few. Last night, Andrew took his plate to the table to sit down and eat, and Matt and I were both like "no, no, no...you can sit in the living room."...neither of us wanted to give up watching LOST!!!
2. We both need to figure out how to keep children entertained. Matt was going to pop in our Netflix movie of the week...which happened to be "Super Bad." Considering the title, I'm assuming that the movie wouldn't be appropriate for a five year old. Despite the title and the R rating Matt insisted that it'd be fine, but I assured him that it wouldn't be. I...very brilliantly...let him play with our dry erase board and a blue marker. Harmless, right? Not so much...I had him sitting on a very light tan chair....which now has blue ink splotches on its arm. =/
3. We need to remember that a kid comes first. I sat in front of the computer watching the antics at Dunder Mifflin and Matt was trying to figure out a tech gadget on the couch...and poor Andrew had put himself to sleep on the couch. Meanwhile, Moussey was showering him with kisses.
I think Matt and I probably need some more practice...but Moussey has the big sister thing down pat.

Andrew watching TV...and Moussey watching Andrew...
Holding hands....(close, anyways)

Babies, Babies, Babies...

Welcome to the world Baby Leah.... Congratulations to my cousins Mikey and Jessy on their beautiful baby girl!! Just like baby Madeline...I'm sure baby Leah will be the object of my affection...and you'll all be seeing lots more of her in time.

That's it for the baby boom for a while. The next batch of babies should be arriving this summer...I can hardly wait!

She's here....

Welcome to the world Baby Neela...and Congratulations to Ashley and Jessy on their beautiful baby girl! One more baby picture to come....Cousin Jessy is in the hospital right now too...about to deliver her baby girl as well!...So, stay tuned!

"It's not like there was Lone Ranger, Tonto, and Bonto..." Dwight Schrute

Everyone's been telling me how hilarious "The Office" is....Scorpsy, Suja K, Sheryl....I didn't listen. Until boredome on a sleepless night pushed me to watching it on the net. OMG. It's HILARIOUS! It took a while, but I'm officially hooked. Who's my favorite character? Dwight...hands down.

It's supposed to be a long weekend since today's president's day. But this weekend has been long for me for entirely different reasons. I've worked every day since we moved from our office in the ghetto to pretty snazzy place uptown. So although my back, neck, and arms hurt...it's definitely worth it to not have to walk into an office that also serves as the breakroom. It's very weird to not have to share space with a fridge and not have my co-workers use the edge of my desk to get their lunch ready.

In other news...I saw a very disturbing 20/20 on Friday night about the "Body Exhibit." Matt and I went with the Furball to see it a few months ago. The entire time Matt kept asking me where the bodies came from. I kept telling him they were Chinese people who donated their bodies to science. I had a nagging suspicion in my head...but I convinced myself that they were probably poor people that donated their bodies because their families couldn't afford a proper burial. But according to 20/20, they were prisoners, who had been executed and their bodies mutilated for a money making business...not so much science. The creator of the exhibit vehemently denies it....but, I'm not so sure anymore. I found the exhibit to be fascinating, but I don't feel so good about going anymore...It doesn't sit well with me to know that these people had no idea that their skin would be peeled off and their bodies would be chopped up...It's totally disrespct of the dead.

Happy Valentine's Day...

I thought I'd get a little help from the lil 'sweethearts in my life to make this Valentine's Day Blog extra cute!! ;) Happy Valentine's Day to you all....enjoy your day with the precious ones in your life!!

My pwecious Maddycakes in her Valentine's outfit that I got her. (Thanks for sending me the pictures, Neesh!)

Micah and Landon are growing at alarming rates....and quite frankly, I don't like it. I want them to stay this size and be adorably cute and sweet foreverrrrrrrrr!!Landy and his Momma, Val

CHARACTER PROFILE~BIRTHDAY EDITION

Name: Terry

Nicknames:Terrence, Detective Terry, Princess, TDub, TerrBear (I just made that one up.)

Best Known For: Her amazing ability to solve office mysteries and keen sense of knowing how to find things I love.

Vices: The Stupid and the Ugly ;)

My birthday wish for her: Terrence, may your day be filled with happy things (like blue ribbon cake and some mo samoas) and may this new year be filled with all that your little heart desires!

Ahhh Friday....

I have to talk about last night's new episode of LOST. I thought it was even better than the season premier!...very informative. After cussing and discussing with my fellow LOST fans, I have a few theories to share about the show. If you're not a fan, just skip this paragraph. =) I think that John Locke is one of the Oceanic 6. In fact, I think he is the one in the coffin, that Jack goes to see the season finale. The reason I think this is because he is the only one that would have no friends or family that would attend his funeral. Also, Kate was very indifferent when Jack asked her why she didn't come to the funeral. I don't see Kate acting that way about anyone else. It's clear that she's not a big fan of Locke. Also, could it be that Ben's "man" on the freighter is Michael??????? Just my theories...what do YOU think?

Once again, I have no plans for the weekend. I have a house that has been neglected for the past few weeks since I've been sick, so it's definitely time to catch up on some much needed house work. OKC will be having the annual Affair of the Heart this weekend. It's a huge craft fair with all the hand-made goodies you can think of. I'm thinking this isn't the type of thing that Matt would enjoy going to, so I might just have to go alone. =/

Have a great weekend all!

Me vs. Myself...

Believe it or not, I'm a very competitive person. In college, there was a brilliantly creative guy in most of my writing classes named Craig. Outwardly, we were two creative writers, who happened to have a few classes together, and enjoyed each others work. We sat next to each other, cheered each other on, but inwardly, we were staunch competitors vying for our professor's approval.

The other day, I was talking to my friend at work about my frustration with my weight. She asked me why I thought I was successful with losing my weight before and why I can't seem to do it now. After thinking about it, I told her it was the thrill of competition that fueled my drive to weight loss. I was in WW at work, and although there wasn't a competition, I was competing to be the one who lead in weight loss...and I was for a while. Then when the newbies joined in the next session, and started having big numbers...while I hit plateau, I started to get disheartened. Instead of plowing through...I accepted defeat.

After listening to my sob story, my friend suggested that I take up the challenge again...but this time, compete with myself. What a novel idea! I know that I can do better than what I'm doing now...I can put a lot more focus and effort into weight loss, but I've just been too LAZY to do it! I have lots of goals to work toward...like fitting into the clothes in my closet just in time for summer!! So....the competition starts now....

My drives home....

My drive home from work just hasn't been the same since my vocal chords have been on the fritz. Since I typically can't seem to stay awake while I drive, I use my drive time to dial up one of the members of "My Circle," or the ten phone numbers that my cell phone carrier lets me call free at any time of the day.

My driving time is when I catch up with my good friend Billy, who is undoubtbly celebrating Ash Wednesday today. We are no longer able to barrage each other with email all the the live-long day since he's busy in court these days. So while he's driving to pick up Landy and I'm driving home to relieve Mousse of her "dooties," we catch up about the latest goings on.

At least two times a week, I check in on cousins CCL and SueTee. CCL gives me brilliant ideas on healthy dinner options and ways to trick my future children to eat vegetables. (Jessica Seinfeld's got nothing on her!) We discuss a variety of hot topics and before I know it, I'm already home! She makes my 25 minute drive fly! SueTee and I have equally interesting conversations about Lost and Oprah...which always leads to more interesting topics. We're often interrupted by the raspy little voice of her baby boy, JP, who is usually begging her for 1 of 4 things...CHIPS, VEGGIETALES, SHORTS, or CHAPALS (flip flops). Mark my words...that boy will grow up to be the governor of Hawaii some day...I see warm weather in his future. ;)

I also use this time to "Check In." ...I check in with the Maternal Unit to let her know that I'm alive and well. If not, I'm sure to receive a call when I get home asking why I didn't call her. Clearly, the umbilical cord has never been severed. =/ I also check in with Matt to see if our evening schedule includes meeting at the gym. Most days...it does. =/

When the weather is extra blistery cold...I often call BF or Beena to see just how sunny Sunny Florida is. =/ BF and I catch up the latest interesting tidbits she's learned from FACEBOOK and FRIENDSTER...(although she doesn't have an account on either!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and Beena usually listens to me vent about how much I hate Choklahoma City and whatever else I choose to vent about that day.

And when I'm missing hanging out with the girls....I place a few phone calls south of the border...to Ruby or Sunu...and typically whine about the fact they both totally abandoned me for Dirty Dallas.

Hopefully my phone calls will resume by the end of the week....until then...THANK GOD FOR EMAIL!!!

Monday Moussey Madness

Bet you didn't know Mousse is an avid reader of the "New Yorker" Mousse spends Sunday evenings looking through sales adds and cuting coupons...and she hates being interrupted!

In other news, I spent an entire weekend doing NOTHING. Thankfully my friend, the Furball brought over lunch, movies and a variety of other goodies to get me through the weekend. However, even with all that R & R I'm still not better...still no voice. =(