Cuteness...and lots of it.

Staic...I haven't been ignoring you. I received your plea for a new post...I know you're simply dying to know what's going on here in OKC, but I haven't been up to anything interesting lately...so I thought I'd wait to post until something blogworthy came up...and yesterday, it did!

I went to visit my girls...both sets...BF (who was in town for a visit) and Nancy and their little preciouses...Tessa and Maddi.

I've officially dubbed Tessa with a new nickname..."Cabbage"...because she's such a little cabbage patch doll...and though her mom claims she can be a handful...she spent the entire night silently sitting, cooing, and smiling like the little doll she is.

"Cabbage" must have recognized me because she was all smiles and ready to be friends.
But, Maddi wasn't so sure she wanted to be friends with any of the new faces...or the slightly recognizable one
So, Maddi checked out Tessa...
And Tessa checked out Maddi

And then Cabbage and Munchie checked out each other

And decided they were going to be BFF's

And they decided to befriend Shirley Aunty too...

And eventually, I warmed my way into Maddi's heart...

And she decided that even though I left her to come back to OKC, she'd still be my little munchie....

I couldn't post other people's cute kids...without posting my own...

Moussey and her toy ducky

Moussey and her best bud, Andrew

An oldie...

I thought I'd do a re-post today. This is a story I wrote back in 2006, but can still relate to today...and figured maybe some of you could as well.

She leaned over the edge of the platform to see if a train was in sight. Oddly enough, no one else was around except for the transient seeking a warm corner for his weary body. She passed by him just as he stumbled to the ground, leaving the stench of stale flesh in the air.

She couldn’t quite explain what was rising from her chest and settling in her throat. It was as if she had been punched in the gut and the fist was still in position, thwarting her breath. It made her want to cry out. But she feared what people would think of her despite the fact that no one was there to hear.

Suddenly she heard the sound of an approaching train. A sense of relief washed over her, returning the color to her cheeks. With the train now in sight she stepped closer to the edge of the platform again. The train was now close enough to touch and she began to feel at ease.The cars were a blur as they hummed and clattered past her, but there was something recognizable about the shadows within them.

She caught glimpses of images and felt something oddly familiar about them. Were the passengers people she knew? Before she could truly be certain, they disappeared into the haze. The train did not seem to be slowing down. Instead, it picked up momentum and was now simply rolling swiftly past her. She wanted to reach out her hand and stop it, but she knew her strength was not a force this strong.

Her mind began to move quickly as she yearned to join the others on the train. Perhaps she would run as fast as she could and take a leap of faith as she hurled her body toward the train. Her fear held her back from this plan. She then wondered if she should climb back up the subway stairs and find her way through the city barefoot. The dirt would stain the soles of her feet, and she would never find her way.Overcome by frustration, she rested against a concrete pillar, which she sought for strength. She pulled her knees to her chest as a tear streamed down her cheek. Wiping the tear, she felt something foreign under her finger tips. She rifled through her purse quickly and found a compact. She opened it hesitantly and with fear in her eyes, she stared at the image looking back at her.

She barely recognized her own face with wrinkled skin and graying hair. What seemed like a short time became infinity as she waited for that train to stop and let her on board. Minutes were really hours, hours were years, and years were decades. And she realized she had spent her life on the platform of the subway station…thinking, planning, waiting, hoping…but not living.

The search for the perfect jeans....

I hate buying jeans. And, I'm sure many women out there will echo that sentiment. But, lately I've had to come to grips with the fact that it's time for a new pair. I haven't lost a lot of weight, but I've lost enough to make my current pairs of jeans way too big. Even when I wear a belt, I find myself pulling them up every five seconds...and it's most annoying. Not to mention, my old jeans aren't hip. They're not that dark-wash that for some reason makes you look more polished and put together.

So for the past few weeks, I've been keeping my eyes peeled for the perfect pair of jeans. I'm definitely not someone who will spend over $100 for the perfect fitting jean....actually I wouldn't even spend over $25. (Since I'm currently in cheap skate mode due to the plummeting economy...I find myself being majorly concerned with cost.) I don't even like jeans that much...they're hot and confining...I'd wear a skirt instead of jeans any day of the week. But, EVERY girl needs at least one good pair of jeans.

That being said...cost is definitely not my major issue with jeans. I have several...the first being LENGTH. It is so hard for me to find pants that are short enough for me. Even petites are often too long. I always knew I was a shrimp...but when i shop for pants, I feel like a dwarf! I refuse to wear 4 inch heels with my jeans. Sometimes u just want to throw on a pair of jeans and some sneakers....is that too much to ask for?? CCL suggested I buy capris and wear them as regular jeans. She's evil.

But length is not my only problem...In fact there's one that's much worse. Most jeans are made curvy. They give a girl room for hips, butt, and thigh. And I'm sure most girls appreciate that. But there are some of us who have no hips, no butt, and no thighs! Yes, the lucky few that are just all gut and cheeks...and unfortunately, I don't mean butt cheeks. There's nothing more frustrating to me than to try on a pair of jeans and have them fit my waist and length perfectly...only to see a flap of cloth on either side of me...the dumb flap that my hips, butt, and thighs should fill. But these days, I have no choice buy to buy curvy jeans and pants and deal with the flaps by wearing long shirts that cover that area...mostly long sweaters...long black sweaters, to be exact!!

So, if anyone knows where I can buy jeans...on a budget...for petite, curvy girls with curves in the WRONG places...holler.

It's a good thing...

For those of you who are sweet like me...too sweet to eat sugar, that is...Peter Pan has a new sugar free peanut butter with Splenda. It's divine...perfection on an apple for an afternoon snack. Lately I've been eating it for a guilt-free breakfast of peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich too. I'm telling ya...I'm in lowe!

Thank all of you for your well wishes and condolences. My mom is currently in India saying her final goodbye to her brother, while offering her support and comfort to her sister-in-law for the next few weeks. I am currently holding down the fort while she's gone. Normally, this wouldn't be that difficult of a task...check mail, water lawn, start car on occasion...however, this time I've stepped into a bit of a situation. The house is undergoing some changes, which means countertops have to be ordered, people need to be payed, cabinets need to be installed and stained. I have a royal headache...partially caused by the fumes that have chosen to linger throughout the house...and partially because I'm completely congested. As usual, everything has to go wrong at once. So, here I am trying to "hold down the fort" while strung out on DayQuil. But this too shall pass. I'm hoping that by the end of the week, I'll be breathing from both nostrils again! Here's to hopin'!

Grief....

When bad news comes from India that someone has passed away...It's typically a gray-haired person that I vaguely remember....someone I barely knew except for a shared afternoon tea or a passing sniff-kiss. I don't grieve...I can't...I didn't know the person. I do, however, feel sad for my mom who lost yet another relative or someone she was close to at some point in her life.

But last night's news left me shocked, confused, unable to sleep...unable to think about anyone or anything except *him* My uncle Reji was 45 years old...and the youngest of 5...Since my grandmother was past the normal child-bearing years, his birth came as a shock to his older siblings....but it was his death that came as an even bigger shock. I'm sure when he left the house that day...it was just another trip into the city on his motorcycle...no one could have known it would be fatal.

I can't write this post without fighting back tears. I didn't get to see him every year...just a hand full of times in my life. But each time, I left India...I left feeling more attached to him and my aunt. Last night, I found myself on the phone with my cousin sharing my most recent memories of him...Memories I choose to write down in this space so I can look back on them and not forget how much he meant to me.

It was Rejichachen, as I called him, who picked out my engagement outfit. I had selected two and tried both on. I personally was in favor for the teal and gold one because I knew I had matching eyeshadow stashed away in my suitcase! But, after careful consideration...he said the red was prettier on me. I conceded...because suddenly the red became more special...since he picked it.

He knew I wasn't fond of eating duck. We had visited relatives who prepared duck curry for us for dinner one night....we were in a hurry to leave and they were in a hurry to feed us...so the curry was undercooked, rubbery, and disgusting. Since then, I vowed I'd never eat duck again. On my next visit to India, my aunt prepared a curry, which my uncle proceeded to tell me was chicken. I ate it...and wondered why he couldn't keep a straight face. When I got seconds...He asked me if I liked it. When I said, yes...he said "Quack, Quack." It was duck!...I had officially been duped!

In the mornings he'd take his motorcycle off to the city...but always returned in the afternoon with a bag full of goodies for me...as if I was a little kid. In the bag were samosas or our personal favorite...puffs...which we would have together with a cup of tea.

There was never enough electrical current in the house to make my dumb curling iron work for me. So he took my curling iron to the city and walked around to so many stores looking for something comparable, but unfortunately Kottayam doesn't carry Hot Tools!!

My uncle watched after my gramps when he was bedridden for several years. Every day...several hundred times a day...my gramps would call out "Reji"...and if he heard my uncle grabbing his motorcycle keys he would always ask him where he was going. One such day...my uncle was headed to the tailor shop to pick up some of my outfits that were stitched...the shop was called Paris Tailor...so my uncle responded to my gramps...with a tinge of sarcasm..."I'm off to France." I loved his sarcasm!

He was kind... funny.. had a cute lil' smile that usually meant that he was up to something. ;) He made my trips to India fun... always made me feel like he was on my side...was always curious about what I wrote about in my journal...shared my love for dogs...was the only one who could actually carry a tune and carry it well.

I can't believe he's gone..when I think about the fact that I will never be able to see his smiling face and his blue eyes again...that the next time I go to India, he won't be there to greet us or spend time with us...my heart sinks. If only I had known that the last time I said goodbye to him...it was going to be goodbye forever....Heaven celebrates a gain....please pray for us who mourn his loss.

Rejichachen and his lovely wife..."Amama"

All of us enjoying a day in the backwaters

Rejichachen and his grand-nephew, Andrew

Rejichachen and his Amamachi...(my mom)

All of us at the Gateway of India

Pee-Yewh...Part Deux

I guess God didn't like me publicly telling the story about the pee scented gentelman at Walmart. I didn't write about him to make fun of him. I just wrote about him to have something to write about in this very blogless stage of my life. Regardless, He...as in God...taught me a lesson I won't soon forget. The lesson? Don't talk about people or their excretions in a public forum.
So, last night...I was in a bit of a hurry after work. I had made plans with Sheryl to meet at the park for a walk since the weather was so gorgeous. Now, typically when I make plans to meet with Sheryl...some sort of drama or disaster ensues. A little red flag was standing at attention in the back of my head, but I was in a hurry and I didn't have time to pay attention to it. So, I went about my business.

First, I headed to Barnes and Noble to get my niece her birthday present for her upcoming 11th birthday. After carefully thinking about what I could get her...I decided on the Judy Blume book, "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." I loved Judy Blume when I was growing up...and the more recent selections for kids that age leave a little to be desired. So, I thought this would be the perfect book to jump start her reading interest and turn her into a little voracious reader.

After my shopping trip, I was all excited about the book...and once again, ignored the red flag that was standing at attention in the back of my head. I quickly went home, threw on a t-shirt and capris, put Moussey in the car, and headed out to the park. When we arrived, Sheryl was nowhere to be seen. It's a longer drive for her, so I decided to be nice and cut her some slack. Mousse was in a hurry to get the H out of the car and stretch her legs...so I decided to take her to roam around near the parking lot. I didn't want to stray too far away because I didn't want Sheryl to have to look for us.

So there we were, roaming around the field. Moussey was sniffing around, and my eyes were locked on the park entrance. I was keeping an eye out for the "Shrekky-mobile," as I was holding on to the leash...following Moussey. I should have looked where I was going, but I didn't...and therefore, I ran right into Mousse as she was taking care of some very important business!....taking a whiz! That's right...I had dog piss all over my foot.

Just about then, Sheryl drives up. Of course...it's all her fault! If she had showed up on time, I wouldn't have had to keep my eyes on the park entrance! However, she didn't seem to accept the blame! Instead she tried to tell me it was no big deal since it was MY dog's pee. Great logic. I tried to find the easiest solution to the problem...water. But, as my luck would have it...the water pump was broke, the water fountain was broke, and all the bathrooms were locked. Therefore, I had to grin and bear the fact that dog piss would be seeping into my pores until we were done walking our two miles.

Are you there, God? It's me, Sue... I will never talk about one of your children again.

Pee-yewh!

Baby steps...that's what I'm taking...maybe one day, I'll be blogging as regularly as I used to. But, right now, I make no promises.

I went to Walmart last night...I was in desperate need of green tea and some healthy snacks. I've lost ten pounds since I've been back and am hoping to lose just a mere 30 more. (ay yi yi!) Anyhoo, back to my story...While I was at Walmart, I smelled something quite strange and quite gross. The stench took me back....way back to 4th grade. There was a kid in my class named Shane...he had bowl-cut blonde hair and thick rimmed glasses. He usually kep to himself because no one really wanted to socialize with the poor kid. There were two reasons why. 1. He ate his boogars. Yep, I witnessed it a few times. He didn't just pick and pop it in his mouth either. He picked, inspected his fingertip carefully and then popped it in his mouth. 2. He peed in his pants. Would you like to take a wild guess at who the teacher decided to seat next to Shane? I'll help you out. A very adorable, brown-eyed, new girl with pigtails and elastic pants named Susan Varghese!! The stench of Shane's dried pee pants burned in my nostrils day in and day out. But, I uttered not one complaint because I was way too shy to utter complaints back then. It was that same nasty smell that I smelled at Walmart last night. I quickly turned and looked to my right...by force of old habit....but there was no Shane next to me. I proceeded to sniff everything...sniffed in my cart...sniffed in my purse...sniffed my shirt...sniffed my mom...but I couldn't place the stank. It seemed to just be floating through the air...drifting around my nose. I walked a bit further....and smelled it again...I re-sniffed everything I had sniffed the first time...which irritated my mom just a tad and made her a bit insecure at the same time. Finally, we were standing in the check out line. I had just bought my green tea and healthy snacks and was waiting on my mom some-what-patiently as she figured out the automatic credit card swiper thing....and then it pimp-slapped me...the stench. It just stepped up and smacked me straight in the face. I looked at the cashier and my mom and could tell that they had been smacked with it as well. The source was standing in line behind my mother. He was holding a new pair of jeans, which he desperately needed...since his the current pair he was wearing was ripped down the inside of his pant leg...exposing not only his thighs but his family jewels! (not that I was even remotely looking!...but some things you can just figure out) The poor guy had a long, dirty, off-white beard and was carrying on quite the conversation with himself. I'm not sure if he just happened to be everywhere I was in at Walmart...or if the stench just stayed and lingered around even after he had passed. Regardless...I was ready to get the hellz outta there and smell some fresh, clean air!

The past few weeks have been busy....so busy in fact, that it's been slightly dizzying. As I said in a prior post, you never know where the road to life may lead you. Never did I think that mine would lead me straight back to Oklahoma City. I spent years plotting and planning my escape...and when a way out finally presented itself, I jumped at the chance. However, the lesson I've learned over the past nine months is that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence....especially during an economic crisis.

And so here I am...back in the place I tried so hard to escape from. There are definitely things I miss about Florida....the sunshine, lazy Sunday afternoons at my sister's, fiercely competitive UNO matches around BF's dining room table, and of course, Maddicake's smile (when she felt that I deserved one! ;) But, there are also things I've learned to appreciate about Oklahoma....like a great work environment, friends who are happy that I'm back, streets that are familiar, and Taco Bueno! =)

I don't know where the road to life will lead us next. I kind of hope it's nowhere anytime soon. Packing up my belongings and praying they make it back to me with out breaking is not something I enjoy doing. I've greatly enjoyed my days in the sun....but as the saying goes...all good things must come to an end some time.

I think every Indian who tuned in to the Oscars felt some pride last night. When they announced "Slumdog Millionaire" won best movie, I stood and cheered as if I had written the screenplay myself!! I was especially excited to see the kids from the movie there last night....looking adorable and dressed to the nines!

I can't even imagine how excited they were to be there....One day, they were playing around in the slums of Mumbai and the next...they were at the Oscars! Just goes to show that you never know where the road to life will to take you.

Friendship, Love, and Loyalty?

The topic of today’s discussion is “loyalty.” It’s something that’s been on my brain this weekend, and I’m kind of curious how the rest of the blogosphere feels about the subject. The question is how much loyalty can you expect from your friends and love ones before you cross the line?

I have one friend who has spoiled me by her fierce loyalty. It’s the one trait in her that sets her apart from everyone else…and the one that I appreciate beyond measure. When someone has hurt me or offended me, she too takes it personally. In her mind, it doesn’t matter that the person never did anything to her…she takes offense to her friend’s offense.

There have been several million times, when I have witnessed closed friends cozy up to, exchange niceties, and befriend someone who has hurt me…and it merely re-opens the wound and pours acid in it . I try my best not to let it bother me, but for some reason, it gets the best of me every single time.

Sometimes I have to stop and ask myself if I would be the same way? Would I be overtly mean to someone who never wronged me, but wronged someone I care about? I think back to certain cases…I have definitely followed through on my instinct to be loyal…but sometimes I haven’t…I couldn’t bring myself to give the cold shoulder to someone who I didn’t feel really did anything “wrong” in the tiff with my friend. Which brings me back to the question…. how much loyalty can you expect from your friends and love ones before you cross the line?

25 random facts about me...

1. I hate can cake frosting…which is why I learned to make my own and will now never go back to the can!
2. I can’t watch movies that depict cruelty or violence against another human…(like the Pianist – I spent most of that movie sitting in another room)
3. I’m very competitive and at times, a very bad sport...I don't play often, but when I do, I play to win.
4. I am at my best when I’m planning/organizing an event.
5. I never forget a name or a face.
6. I rather feel cold than hot
7. I think doing crafts is therapeutic
8. I never carry cash, so don't bother mugging me.
9. I believe in ghosts...and have had a few ghostly interactions...believe it or not
10. Some people are scared of snakes or rats, I’m scared of prison. I can’t drive past one with out getting the shivers.
11. I have a secret singing voice that is really good, but no one’s heard it.
12. I am a recovering coca cola addict.
13. I have extra bones in both of my feet.
14. I find black head extraction fascinating
15. I have been working on thinking of 25 facts for the past 4 hours and still have 10 more to go!
16. I’m too scared to watch the show “unsolved mysteries” alone.
17. As hard as I try, I can never keep my car clean...and to be honest, I don't try all that hard either
18. I can’t drive at night with out my glasses…and sometimes I can’t even drive with my glasses! 19. My pet peeve is when people don't say they're sorry.
20. I was once interviewed for a PBS show….that I’m quite certain that no one watched…cuz even I didn’t.
21. When I have to speak in public, my lip quivers like Elvis.
22. I am pretty good at understanding conversational Spanish, but not speaking it.
23. I talk to my cousins every day....they are very amusing.
24. I love eye shadow (even though I don’t wear it very often anymore)
25. I would love to be an entrepreneur

For the Love of God....

In the month of February, love of is pretty much in our face at every turn. Whether it’s the sappy commercials for diamonds on television or the glittery hearts dangling from the ceiling of supermarkets…we are constantly reminded of the love we either do or do not possess in our lives. Although some don’t like to admit it, most humans spend a lot of their time seeking love. We yearn for functional love from our often dysfunctional families, brotherly love from our friends and peers, and romantic love from that special someone. Romantic love can sometimes be the most dangerous. We place all our expectations on another to “complete” us, which is not only impossible, but an irrational idea.

Once we find the love that we’ve sought long and hard for, we tend to do whatever it takes to keep it. We bend over backwards, make sacrifices, and sometimes put up with nonsense, although we know in the back of our minds that one mistake, one misunderstanding, one tragic circumstance could end our relationship.

And then there’s the unconditional, eternal love that most of us have grown up hearing and knowing about….the love of God. I can’t remember how many times I’ve recited John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…” And although, most of us have knowledge of this love, we don’t seek it, we don’t understand it, and we don’t accept it.

I’ve seen God change the lives of several people who decided to take a chance and accept His love for them….He turned their lives from dull and lackluster to brilliant and promising…He made impossible situations possible…He replaced hearts filled with doubt and fear into hearts filled with peace and joy…and best of all, He saved their souls and offered eternal life.

As I reflected upon all of this over the weekend, I realized that I am definitely one of those people who knows of God’s love, but I don’t understand the depth of it….and then I heard this song. I typed the lyrics below for all of you…in hopes that it would minister to you as it has to me…in hopes that it would encourage you to open your heart and accept the free gift of love that God has given to you and experience the depth of it…It’s the one love that lasts forever…that knows no limits….the one love worth having.

Oh Lord You’ve searched me,
You know my way;
Even when I fail You,
I know You love me.
Your holy presenceSurrounding me
In every season,
I know You love me;
I know You love me.

Chorus: At the cross I bow my knee,
Where Your blood was shed for me,
There’s no greater love than this.
You have overcome the grave,
Your glory fills the highest place,
What can separate me now?

Verse 2:
You go before me,
You shield my way,
Your hand upholds me;
I know You love me.
And when the earth fades,
Falls from my eyes,
And You stand before me,
I know You love me;
I know You love me.

The 90’s...It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. When I think back to that era, I see myself in my mind’s eyes, driving my cherry, red Mitsubishi Eclipse, windows rolled down, frizzy head bobbin’ as KJ103 blared “Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see? Sometimes your words just hypnotize me.” It was my song…not sure why, but it was. “Hypnotize” was the first song that moved me to the dance floor where I showcased my awkward moves in front of shocked onlookers.

I guess it was memories of the good ol’ days that inspired me to go watch “Notorious”, the movie about the life of rapper, Christopher Wallace. Oddly enough, I went to watch it alone. Matt was working…and even if he wasn’t, I didn’t think it was the type of film that would pique his interest. My nephew, Aaron would have watched it with me, but he is 3 years too young to watch Rated R….and as his aunt, I think it’s safe to say that I’d never want to watch a Rated R movie with him anyway. I went to a Friday night showing…and was a little nervous about getting capped outside on my way into the theater, so I made sure to where my East Cost paraphernalia to play it safe. Guards stood outside the auditorium checking id’s with their semi-automatics nestled safely at their hip. (I’m not sure if the guns were semi-automatics…but I’ve always wanted use that in a sentence). Nevertheless, they were intimidating and it made me a bit more nervous for my safety. Was getting capped worth watching this movie?

When a family of four walked in…with their three year old child and ten year old…I figured I was safe. But wondered if the kids were? Why do parents bring their kids to Rated R movies? Especially one like this?? Hello…Biggie had relations with Lil’ Kim!...You think they weren’t going to depict her raunchiness in aN explicit way? The R moments made me cringe so I can only imagine how the kids felt!

At the very end of the film…an old familiar song came on….”Biggie, Biggie, Biggie…can’t you see? Sometimes your words just hypnotize me…” And as the audience filtered out of the auditorium (passing the cops with their semi-automatics)….we were all singing along with the song…It was like the anthem of the 90’s!!....Afterwards, I found myself driving home, window rolled down, frizzy head bobbin’ as the radio blared my song.

Lotsa updates!

Excuse my absence...I'm still not well, but yesterday was a big day for some special people so congratulations are in order....

First, congratulations to Sunu and Aby...they were married yesterday. I swiped a picture from DM (you can find a few more there as well) of the lovely bride. She is beginning her new life with her hubby in Kuwait now...so no more round table talks or mudslide runs any time soon.

Next...I'm an aunt again!...My cousins Bobby and Neesha had a precious baby boy, Kaleb....which makes Maddicake a big sister now. Aren't they a beautiful family?

Last but not least....Happy birthday Nik! I pray that this new year of your life will be filled with many blessings and lots of joy!

It's official...he's President Obama

Well folks, we have a new president! Being at home sick sucks...but, the good thing that came of it is that I got to see the inauguration festivities! It was amazing to see the crowds in Washington, and touching to hear the stories of the people, and emotional to see the nation's first African-American being sworn in. Although this is a very difficult time for Americans, it's also an exciting time...Hopefully this will be the first of many great changes for this country!

"LISA, YOU'RE AWESOME!"

Big ups to my CCL...she ran in the Houston Marathon this weekend! It was her first marathon...and not only did she live to talk about it, but she said it was a fun and enjoyable experience!

Since she's so shy and modest...she threatened my life if I posted a shout out...but, from past experience, I know that her bark is much worse than her bite! (Thanks for posting pics on FB cousin Alex...cuz I know she wouldn't have sent them to me in a million years!)

Lis, I'm super proud of you! You took our "Toughest Race in Texas" experience and ran with it...(literally) and me and Tee...well...maybe we'll follow suit one of these days.

Survey time!....

Taking the lead from J. Banana...

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
Ehh…nothing I’m proud of…junk mail, a fast food bag, and a spoon (I have no idea how it got there!)

2. What's your favorite curse word?
Asshole. It’s very descriptive, yet to the point.

3. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Sadly, I haven’t yet smiled today.

4. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Contemplating whether I was well enough to go to church today.

5. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Reading one of my writing projects and trying to muster up the strength to finish it.

6. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
Maybe venturing out for some lunch…or ransacking my fridge.

7. Have you ever been to a strip club?
no, thanks…nor do I intend to.

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
”Move it, Mousse.”

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
I’m with Janna on this one…Lime sorbet…there’s nothing better.

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Fat free milk.

12. What was the last thing you ate?
half of a phenomenal sandwich matt ordered from a Venenzuelan resteraunt. It combined steak meat, ripened plantain, potatoe sticks and swiss cheese!

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Yes, I know this is going to be shocking to you guys…a BLACK SWEATER! 6$ Super Target. =)

15. What's the last sporting event you watched?
A very sad college football game between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Florida. Boomer. Sooner.

16. Who is the last person you emailed?
My friend Terrence at BOC

17. Ever go camping?
Ok, I just smiled. So this answers the question to #3…Jana made me smile when I read her answer to this question. My answer is…no I haven’t but, I’d like to go to Disney’s Ft. Wilderness. I figure the wild animals out there are probably wearing costumes.

18. Do you have a tan?
My color well surpasses a tan.

19. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
Not really…I usually drink it from a glass. However, since I’m a recovering addict…I try to go easy on the soda…I only drink it socially.

20. What did your last IM say?
”I drove back to your house last night to check the door…it was locked.”

21. Are you someone's best friend?
I better be after driving 45 minutes to check her already locked front door.

22. What are you doing tomorrow?
either working or making a doctors appointment. =/

23. Where is your mom right now?
At Home….in Oklahoma
-
24. Look to your left, what do you see?
A keyboard. Apparently Matt thought it was a good idea to buy it from my nephew at his garage sale. I guess he had hopes that it would some how inspire his wife to pick up piano playing again. It hasn’t.

25. What color is your watch?
Silver.

26. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?
Jay. Whitney’s boyfriend on the City. He looks a lot like Jesus.

27. Would you consider plastic surgery?
no, but lipo intrigues me

28. What is your birthstone?
opal, I believe….and I would definitely love an opal ring…*cough, cough*

29.How many kids do you want?
Unlike Jana, I don’t think one is the lonliest number. I think it’d be just perfect for me. I can barely maintain a household with one dog and one husband…so how would I handle more than one kid? But, if I had two, I defnitely wouldn’t send one back.

30. Do you have a dog?
Yes, my beautiful girl….Mousse. The other day, a guy was driving down the road and stopped his car in traffic to ask if Mousse was girl. Apparently he had a boy lab and wanted them to “have a lil’ fun.”….because Mousse is beautiful and they’d have great pups. Uh, thanks but no thanks.

31. Last person you talked to on the phone?
my sister…to inform her that I’m not well enough to meet her at church today.

32. Have you met anyone famous?
Yes, Arjun Rampal (a bollywood actor and former model)

33. Any plans today?
I was looking forward to playing Uno with my nephew and sister…but, that was just canceled.

34. How many states have you lived in?
Illinois
Texas
Oklahoma
Florida = 4

35. Ever go to college?
Yep, University of Central Oklahoma

36. Where are you right now?
At home, upstairs, infront of my computer

37. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
I have too many to get into at the moment

38. Last song listened to?
Hypnotize-Biggie

39. Are you allergic to anything?
no known allergies

40. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
I just bought some wedge heel sandals…I think they’re going to become my new favs

41. Are you jealous of anyone?
You know, I would have never thought I would be the jealous type…but here lately…I’ve seen the green-eyed monster in me creep up.

42. What time is it?
10:59 am

43 Do any of your friends have children?
Pretty much all of them...

44. What do you usually do during the day?
oh my days are fascinating…I process timeshare contracts…as I dream of what I’d really like to be doing.

45. Has something upset you lately?
Oh something is always upsetting me….I think I’m becoming easily upsettable

46. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
No, but I use the word “ Yo” every day. =)

47. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
the big three five

48. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Unfortunately…3 times. The first time, my cousin Shaji took me…it was an enjoyable experience because he didn’t force me to get on rollercoasters, which I HATE. The 2nd time, I went with my cousins….they promised me that I could get on the water rides IF I rode the roller coasters with them first…then they threatened to throw my favorite yankees cap off unless I kept my eyes open. So, I did…very hesitantly…and then CONVENIENTLY…the park was closing and it was too late to get on the water rides. The 3rd time…I went with the girls…I got sick and sat out on the coasters…Me and BF decided it was time for lunch and went to a place called Chubbies. The other girls came back from the coasters and began looking for us….saw Chubbies, and said…”oh they’ve got to be in there!” how rude!

Jana, where's 49-53???????????

54. How did you get one of your scars?
forehead scar…my sister was chasing me and I ran into the wall. Boy did she get her ass beat that day! Buahaha

55. What is your best personality trait?
My constant positivity! (haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa)

I’ve noticed something over the past several months. But, every time the thought enters my mind, I quickly sweep it under the rug. I choose to live in denial, I guess…and “I ain’t talkin’ about the river.” However, it’s getting to a point that denial isn’t really working for me anymore. The obvious is staring me in the face these days….

I’m losing it, my creativity, that is. Blogging used to be a daily ritual….my fifteen minutes to stand on my soap box and tell the world what I really thought of it...my one remaining link to the writer that’s buried somewhere within. As my good friend DM pointed out to me last week…I’ve been blogging since 2005. Always the encourager...he’s been this blog’s life support over the past several months. Some days…it was the sheer thought of his disappointment that kept me from calling it quits altogether.

It’s not just blogging…it’s the pictures too. I loved toting my camera with me everywhere I went…it got to a point where it was kind of embarrassing. I couldn’t simply meet up with a friend at Starbucks with out my camera nestled safely in my purse ready to pull out for an “artistic shot” or an “upshot” at any given moment. Very rarely was a special moment missed…I have a hard drive full of captured memories. Now? I have to be reminded to take the camera along…and if it actually lands in my purse, it’s rarely used.

With the price of gas creeping up again…and grocery prices being higher than I ever remember. I feel like buying a canvas is frivolous…and painting is a guilty pleasure, which I no longer partake in. Not to mention, I’ve run out of walls to put paintings on. =/

Yesterday, I was asked to help someone with a bit of wedding planning. As I made a few phone calls for the bride and put my thinking cap on to come up with ideas for centerpieces and favors, a familiar feeling came over me. It was a brief, sneak peak into the person I used to be….The person who literally got a high off when planning a shower.

What is it that they say in recovery programs? Admitting the problem is the first step to recovery? If so, maybe I’m on the long road to finding myself again….to igniting the flame that life somehow blew out. It’s disappointing, to say the least…to feel that doing the things you love to do isn’t practical…and when washing dishes and doing the laundry takes precedence over doing something that brings true satisfaction. *sigh*

It seems like just yesterday that my good friend Scooby Dooby Ruby got married, but nearly two years have passed...and now her and Abu have a new addition to their family! Baby boy David was supposed to be a 2009 baby, but he was bound and determined to make the final few days of 2008...great! Isn't he adorable?

Congrats Ruby and Abu...

Apparently I need to post a blog…I’ve been getting inquiries from far and near. Oddly enough, blogging more was one of my resolutions. Apparently I’m not doing too good with that one. I’m just at a loss for words these days…as shocking as that might be to some of you. I guess I’ll start off with wishing… the few readers I have left…a very Happy Belated New Year.

This year I spent the last few minutes of 2008 at Magic Kingdom. I thought it was a very Orlando-ish thing to do. Mickey and his friends celebrated by a grand firework show in front of Cinderella’s palace….a very enjoyable experience, I must say. Christmas, on the other hand was not quite so festive. Matt was working, so I went to my sister’s for Christmas Brunch. Afterwards, we went to watch 7 Pounds, the new Will Smith movie. It was fabulous…despite the fact that my sister fell asleep for the first half. (I filled her in on what she missed…and some of what she didn’t…I decided to add a few of my own characters and plot for fun…so all was well). Then, I took Matt some Christmas food (a quarter pounder meal) for lunch and sat with him at work until he left. I tried to make a traditional Christmas dinner for the 2 of us…Cornish hens, stuffing, potatoes, and a pie. It was a very low-key, uneventful Christmas. My favorite gift this year was the Dirt Devil Broom Vac my sister bought me. For those of you who have no clue what that is…it’s a broom and a vacuum in one…so you never need a dust pan again! It’s fabulous!

So, I think that’s gotten you all caught up with what’s been going on this with me this holiday season. I think this includes enough information to be a post….so yeah me!!...the first post of 2009…(and hopefully not the last). I will leave you with some pictures for your viewing pleasure...

My neighbors house....Nearly every house on my street was decorated with lights...and then there was my house. It looked like it belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Scrooge. =/

Cinderella's castle on NYE....Madison and her uncle Matt. They were doing a bit of a role reversal that day...He smiled like she normally does...and she didn't...like he normally doesn't. =)
Me, Matt, and Maddicake...she's wearing her home pants...I just love her home pants!

So, the red beans turned out good. But, I don’t think I’ll be making it again. It takes too long to soak, boil, and cook. It’s way too much work for beans. But thank you to those of you who left suggestions and emailed me recipes. It was much appreciated.

In other news, Saturday evening was spent with my friend DM, who was kind enough to take our Christmas pictures. I had such expectations….after seeing his recent shoots with some of my friends. However, I think the Thomas family was his greatest challenge yet. Our four legged, furry child was not cooperating in the least. She wouldn’t stay still for a millisecond and insisted on letting her tongue hang out for the entire photo shoot. Not to mention the fact that Matt and I are not “picture people”…but for some reason, I had a glimmer of hope for my little family to take a good picture. The photography was great…but the subjects need a lil’ help.

Beans, Beans...the magical fruit! The more you eat...the more you....

A few months ago, three large bags of dry beans appeared in my pantry closet. After closely inspecting them with disgust, I discovered the bags consisted of chick peas, lentils, and red beans. Matt had officially decided that we would incorporate beans into our diet….cuz well, they’re apparently chalked full of proteins and necessary nutrients. Bleh.

I put it off for a long time….and ignored his pleas to attempt to try to make something with these beans. He officially got tired of waiting and took it upon himself to try a recipe with the dried chick peas. Much to my surprise, they were actually edible…and quite good. The next day, I went to work and my quad-buddy, told me that she ate beans all the time…cuz well, they’re chalked full of proteins and very good for you.

For some reason, when SHE said it, it sparked my interest. I went around the office asking for recipes for red beans. Since a lot of my co-workers are Hispanic, they had lots of recipes for red beans…since it’s staple food for them. But, most of them suggested re-fried beans with canned beans. No one knew anything about DRIED beans.

So, I decided I was going to take on the challenge and figure out how in the world to make red beans and rice with dried beans. I soaked them for a day and half…and the dumb beans still weren’t tender. I cut up onions, bell pepper, and chunks of ham…threw it all in a crock pot overnight…and they STLL weren’t tender. Matt suggested we boil the whole concoction on the stove for a while…so we did that…for 45 minutes and the beans finally softened. I threw it back in the crockpot and they’ve been cooking with all the rest of the goodies all day long.

I’m anxious to see what it looks like once I get home. And, if it’s any good…I’ll share the recipe in the next blog. Here’s to hopin’ it turns out good cuz if not, I haven’t a clue as to what I’m going to do with the rest of this 3 pound bag of dried red beans!

Encouraging word of the day:
O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8

I decided to change up the word of the day a little bit. In my office we have a memo board hanging in my quad. As of late, the air in the office has been full of negativity and people's spirits have been very low...including mine. So, I took it upon myself to use the memo board to write encouraging quotes. Now, my quad buddies take it upon themselves to find quotes as well and we all use it as a tool to mutually encourage each other in not-so encouraging circumstances. So, I thought I'd try doing the same thing on my blog.

God knows these are HARD times. I'm sure lots of you are dealing with the economic crunch and other personal issues that plague our mind with worry and lives with stress. So, I figured we could all use a little encouragement...a little reminder of where our hope lays.

All that being said...Today is BF's first day back to work after maternity leave. I'm quite sure she'll be too busy answering questions about Madison to check out the blog today...but just in case she tunes in today....I hope you're having a great day, Sonia...and I hope it goes by fast for ya! Rest assured that Maddicake is in good hands...and she'll be squealing in delight when she sees you when you get home! (like she always does!)

The other day I read a blog post by my blogger-buddy, Sibil. In her post, she admitted that she’s in a weird place with her blog. She longs to write the unadulterated truth, but fears how her readers might react to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…so help her God.

I’ve felt the same way many times. I’m not sure my feelings about posting the truth are the same feelings that Sib has about posting the truth.... My feelings are based on one simple question…How much is too much? Often times, I’ve found myself becoming a backsliding blogger just because the things that were going on in my head…and in my life…didn’t consist of blog appropriate material. It seems weird to censor yourself on your own site. Sometimes, you just want to say it like it is. We put ourselves “out there”…but how much is too much?

It’s both nice AND weird to know that there are people out there who tune into my blog that I don’t know on a personal level. On one hand, it’s kinda cool to know that someone thinks my writing is entertaining enough to come back and check me out again. On the other hand, it’s kind of scary to know that just by the things I write on this blog, perfect strangers have opinions about who I am, what I say, and what I do.

I think blogs like “DOOCE” are so hugely popular because professional blogger, Heather Armstrong keeps it real…and her REAL is really entertaining. This is also why reality TV has become so big over the years as well. People like to watch other dysfunctional people because it’s nice to know they’re not the only ones with dysfunction.

I’m not sure I’ll ever come to a point where I will let it all hang out. But, I do promise to continue to write as much as I can about the day in the life of SueVee.

A Week of Thankfulness-Part 3

I'm thankful for...
Thanksgiving dinner leftovers. I won't be cooking for at least a week and a 1/2! Yeehaw! What did we have for dinner?

1 ten pound turkey
Boston Butt...aka pork shoulder
sage sausage stuffing
sweet potatoe casserole
cranberry conserve
corn casserole
green bean casserole
rolls
mac n' cheese
rum cake
apple cinnamon cake
cupcake cupcake birthday cake
candybar brownies

If you're craving any of the above...come on over. I've got more!

A Week of Thankfulness~ Part 2

I'm thankful for....

my BF, who just so happens to be a birthday girl today! Happy 30th Birthday, Sonia! I'm excited to actually be in the same state with you on your birthday and look forward to celebrating with you tomorrow!

A Week of Thankfulness~ Part 1

WOTD:
litany • \LIH-tuh-nee\ • noun
1 : a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the leader with alternate responses by the congregation
2 a : a resonant or repetitive chant
*b : a usually lengthy recitation or enumeration
c : a sizable series or set
Sentence: When I came home, I heard a litany of excuses as to why the dishes were not washed.

I'm thankful....

* that although I'm far from home, I will have a house full of fellow Okies over for Thanksgiving dinner.

*that in this time of economic crisis, I have a job and a roof over my head.

*that after six months at the job, I finally have two friends!!!

*that although I heard some very bad news over the weekend....God is in control over the situation...and with Him there's always hope.

*for the friends I have back home. Over the past six months, I've learned who really values friendship in the same way I do. I am blessed to have friends who don't feel that I'm out of mind because I'm out of sight. They still pick up the phone and call me...they return my calls...and they email to see how I'm doing. I don't have to give shout outs to them...because they know who they are.

*for a husband who never complains about what I feed him....

*for the most beautiful dog in the world!

*for my new TV!

gravid • \GRAV-id\ • adjective
*1 : pregnant
2 : distended with or full of eggs

There seems to be an abundance of gravid women among my circle of friends.

My friend, Fin emailed me the other day...and listed a few of the interesting things on her mind. I thought a random listing of random thoughts might be a good blog post for those days when I have very little going on and even less to say.

So here we go...the thoughts floating around in my brain:
*Remember to wish Julie Tee gone Vee a very happy birthday on Facebook .
*Cherry Coke Zero is a diabetic's best friend.
*There's no reality TV on Thursday nights.
*I need to make my Thanksgiving dinner shopping list and drag myself to the evil walmart.
*The new mommies must be called this weekend to see how they're faring.
*What's up with the word "swagger?" I never heard it before and now Brittney's saying, MIA is saying it, T Pain is saying it, Mario Lopez is saying it! What exactly is it?!?
*Speaking of T Pain, his song "chopped and skrewed" has me convinced that I could seriously have a future as a hip hop singer if only I had a voice box machine.

And finally, Thank the Lord Jehovah it's Friday!

Tessa is here!

I got a call from my friend, Nancy...otherwise known as "NC" yesterday letting me know that her baby girl, Tessa was born yesterday! Is it just me or does this seem to be the year for baby girls?? Nancy told me she couldn't tell who Tessa looks like, but I can already see a bit of her momma in her.

The Ingle family... Baby Tessa...
I could swear I've seen Nancy make this same face when she was 5 years old and didn't get what she wanted.

Pictures Galore!

Suetee's husband conceded....the baby's name is officially Sophia! Baby Sophie and Mommy are both at home and doing just fine. We finally got pictures of her and she's a cutiepie...just like her Momma...I'll let you see for yourself!
Baby Sofie with big brother JP...

This weekend, I went on a very quick trip to New York...for my cousin Benji's engagment. It's still hard to believe the boy is getting married. But, I have ten months to let that thought settle in. I had the opportunity to briefly meet my new cousin-to-be, Rolly. I can see why Benji likes her so much....she's a sweetheart! Pictures of the new couple below....

A blurrier picture of the two...

My mother's side of the fam....

The ladies....

My artistic shot of the day...

My mom and aunt...

Next up...I found some pictures that I never posted from my anniversary trip to West Palm Beach/Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. The thing I love about Florida is that there's a lot of beautiful places here where you can take mini-vacations to.

West Palm Beach

Us...

Matt...

Paw prints in the sand....(not Moussey's)

Matt in Ft. Lauderdale...wishful thinkin'

Me and Matt flying the friendly skies....ha! and if you believe that...You'll believe anything.

Sushi in Miaimi

That's all folks!

HOW RUDE!

I've been getting rude commentary about my blog lately. One person...who shall remain anonymous...told me to either blog or shut it down. Another person said that when I do blog...she wishes I didn't....that my blogs suck. (Such fanfare!...geez, it makes me totally wanna blog on!).

I've decided that I can't shut her down. I'll regret it too much when I finally do snap out of my non-writing funk. I have too much history stored here. In the meantime, I'm sorry that my lackluster life falls short of entertaining you. =/

I want to write about the election. But, somehow it feels like I'm a day late and a dollar short. I will say that I'm excited to see how Obama will impact this nation over the next four years. Apparently Busta Rhymes is excited too because he came up with some rhymes to celebrate the occasion. "Pop champagne for the Barack campaign." Uh, come on Busta!...could you not think of anything a little less cheezy?

In other news...I'm an aunt again! Suetee had her baby girl Sunday night. They named the baby Asha...but I will be calling her Sofie. I like it better. =) I will post pictures of the newest baby in the family as soon as I get one....so stay tuned!

Grocery Store Etiquette 101

There's no such thing as a quick trip to Walmart. There's nothing quick about Walmart. Either you spend hours roaming around looking at/purchasing things you don't really need or you spend all your time dodging carts and people or you spend your time flipping through a magazine or ten while waiting in line.

This is precisely why I try to avoid Walmart at all cost. The other night, I was desperate and didn't feel like driving too far for the french bread I desperately needed. I packed Mousse into the back seat and went to Walmart. I knew it was a bad sign when I couldn't find any parking spaces! So, I said..."to heck with this!"

I opted for Target instead. Yes, I'm the same person who wrote that Target was for yuppies a few years ago. That blog cause a bit of an uproar. Now, I know that Target is for those who can't tolerate Walmart...yuppies or not.

Sadly, my trip to Target wasn't a quick one either. As I stood in line for 30 minutes, I pondered on grocery store etiquette:

1. Do not park your cart in the center of an aisle as you try to decide which kinda of spaghetti sauce you should buy. There are people who actually need to move down the aisle, so scoot it over.

2. If you're checking out and you know that you have 5 people waiting behind you...and there's only two checkers open. Don't argue about a 20 cent coupon. Let it go. Is it really necessary to dig through your cart full of bagged food to dig out the product to prove it to the cashier?? All for 20 cents?!?

3. There's a new invention called the debit card. Try it. It's a lot easier and quicker to use than a check book. Oh, and if you're totally against debit cards...pre-write your check, so the only thing you have to do is write the amount and sign. (I can't count how many times I've been behind someone who is writing a check and asks..."what's the date? Where am I? How much was it again?-get a clue and a debit card, lady!)

4. Control your children. I know it's easy for me to say since I don't have one. But come on...Is it that hard to keep your kids from darting out from underneath the cart or running around the store? They will get run over by a shopping cart intentionally...err, i mean unintentionally.

5. Hang up the cell phone and shop. As you stand in front of the spaghettios having a conversation while you try to figure out if you want the ones with meatballs or without...not only are you holding up traffic...but you're blocking the spaghettios! Move it...or lose it.

For the gang at BOC!

I’ve got some pretty brutal text messages regarding my blog…or more like “lack of a blog.” I won’t even try to think of any lame excuses as to why I have abandoned my blog the past few months. All I can say is sorry. Sorry to the few, faithful readers that I have. Sorry to my sweet friends who relentlessly check the site in order to know what the H is going on with me these days. And sorry to my poor blog, which has been my faithful soapbox over the past several years.

So, for the few inquiring minds who want to know…I decided to post the “goings ons” of the past few months. September and October were very busy birthday months...I celebrated my own at work. (oh so joyous!) My sister had a very special birthday this year. I would tell you, how old she is, but I fear for my life. Let’s just say it rhymes with shorty. ;) She wanted to try something new on this special birthday, so she opted to go to a Greek restaurant she discovered while surfing the web. Full of anticipation, we drove 20 minutes to the place, only to discover it was a hole in the wall. My brother-in-law went inside to scope it out for us. He came back to report that it has the same musky “old” smell that my 70 year old piano teacher’s house had. We then officially decided to go somewhere else. So we went a Lebanese restaurant. My nephew ordered “khebi balls.” He asked the waitress what “khebi” meant…and she said “goat.” I looked at my nephew and he looked at me, and I knew that we were wondering the same thing. Literally goat balls?!?!? When, he got his order, we discovered that they were meat balls made of goat meat, but the resemblance was uncanny!...Needless to say, he didn’t eat much.

Matt has dragged me to all the Disney Parks on the weekend. Thankfully, we have free tickets, so he wanted to experience each park. I never was much for the mouse or his friends….so I wasn’t all that hyped up about going. But, I must admit that it’s actually been kind of fun. This weekend we go to our last park…Magic Kingdom. I’m thinking about dressing Moussey up in a princess costume and taking her with me, so I can be like all the other moms.

Maddicakes has been in Oklahoma for the past month. I’m having new baby smell withdrawals. Her Mommy reports that she is doing just fine! It seems that she’s very much like her mom…very social, a smiler, and a giggler! She’s having her church dedication next weekend with a lil shin’ dig afterwards…Sadly, I’ll be missing out on the festivities. But, just a few more weeks until she’s back home in sunny, Florida…and going over to her house to hold her is definitely on my priority list! ;)

I will be heading off to NYC in just a few short weeks. It’s a quick weekend trip, so there will be no sight seeing this time. My cousin Benjamin is having his official engagement party. I’m looking forward to braving some cold weather for a change. I’ll have to dig out my coat from a box that I have it buried in! This will also be the first time I’ll be wearing Indian garb in five months! I’ll have to dig that out as well. What to wear…what to wear…tis the question!

And now for your viewing pleasure....

Matt took me to see the Blue Man Group as a pre-birthday birthday celebration! It was insanely fun! I sorta think Matt would fit right it in with the Blue Men if he were only blue!

Me and my Moussey...She's all ready for Halloween!

Welp, that’s all for now…maybe more later!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Sometimes...

It’s off-season for vacations, so business has slowed down quite drastically. This is good and bad. It’s bad because the nights are now as slow as molasses and because I’ve lost that sense of job security. But, it’s good because people around me aren’t quite so stressed because there is actually time to breathe and visit with each other.

Today’s topic of discussion in my quad was…….”having an occasional girls night out.” I remember when I was single and my married friends said they didn’t have time to call their friends or go out anymore because most of their time was spent with their spouses. I wondered if I too would become that way with the prescence of a husband in my life. After one year of marriage, I can safely say that I don’t think that I’m too busy to call my friends or hang out with my friends because I’m too busy with my husband. The problem is more about my odd work schedule and my lapsing memory….but definitely not my spouse.

Now, that I’m married…all of my “married friends” are now mommies….which is an entirely different ball game. Even the husband gets thrown to the curb when the babies arrive. Life becomes all about the babies and there is even less time for those friends that were once considered lifelines. I’ve watched enough TLC baby shows and known enough Mommies to know that babies monopolize one’s time. However, as we discussed in my quad today, it’s important to have a little good ol’ fashioned time with the “girlz.” It helps to keep one sane. It keeps you grounded so you don’t lose sight of who you are. Mommies aren’t just care givers who clean spit up, make meals, do laundry and dishes, and shuttle kids around…Mommies are people too!!

My BF is a brand new Mommy…and since she happens to be baby Maddi’s food source, we haven’t gotten to have our “best friends day out” in a few weeks. But, she makes time to call or text me daily. I’d like to think that our conversations are good for both of us…our chance to vent, chat, cry, laugh…etc, etc. CCL and SueTee are also two mommies that I chat with every day. It amazes me how they can juggle the phone, carry on conversations with me AND their kids…all while lil’ ones are hanging on their arms and legs. But, the point is…they make the time.

Basically, our time is what we make of it. It's important to be devoted to your family...to make sure their needs are met and the household runs smoothly. But, it's also important to connect with people, have a good time, laugh, share, and let loose. Suddenly...I feel like watching Sex and the City....I'm sure there's a re-run playing right about now if I hurry!!

I love Reality TV…I find it fascinating even though my spouse tells me that even the most convincing shows are staged. Yes, I do think it’s a strange coincidence that Speidi seems to show up to the very same clubs that LC and crew decide to hang out at on any given night (despite the fact that they live in LA, the epicenter of clubs and lounges). But, that doesn’t really bother me, because I find the drama intoxicating. It reminds me of the drama that ensued in my younger years…but more fabulous.

And although I admit that reality TV is my guilty pleasure…even I have to draw the line somewhere. I didn’t draw that line for the million seasons of the Bachelor/Bachelorette that I invested my time and emotions into, or the Flavor of Love, although I found him repulsive, or I love New York…as annoying as she is, or the plethora of MTV reality shows that I can watch repeatedly. But, I am drawing the line now…Paris Hilton’s search for a new BFF?

Come on!!! Where do they find the idiots to WANT to be her BFF? Why does MTV think America cares? Why do the rich keep getting richer by doing stupid things on television? Every time I see the commercial for this crock of crap, I want to scream!

I must admit, even though I love me some reality television, I miss TV shows…good ol’ sitcoms. The only new show I watch nowadays is “The Office.” But, I miss good, quality humor that shows like “Friends” and “King of Queens” possessed. I’m up for suggestions…so if you’ve seen something funny…let me know!

Word of the Day:
scion \SY-uhn\, noun:1. A detached shoot or twig of a plant used for grafting.2. Hence, a descendant; an heir.
Sentence: Mousse is the scion of a chocolate lab named Hampton and a blonde lab named Harriette.

I’m back from my 4 day get-away…which was much needed and much appreciated. It made me realize that everyone needs to take a breather once in a while…and just treat themselves to a little fun and R&R…or life will definitely get the best of you.

The resort we stayed in had an amazing swimming pool that always seemed to be the perfect temperature…and felt as if you were stepping into a pool of silk. It was very difficult for me to pull Matt out of there on most days. The very first day of our trip, he jumped in and I sat poolside reading some gossip magazines. He kept insisting that I didn’t know what I was missing, but I didn’t have the proper attire to be swimming in a public pool.

Now, in my pool at home I wear shorts and a tee-shirt. But, I felt dumb wearing shorts and a tee when everyone else was bikini clad…even gray-haired woman in their mid sixties. So, Matt took me out swimsuit shopping the very next day. I was dreading the little shopping excursion like the bubonic plague. Me…SueVee-gone-Tee wearing a bathing suit? I’m the girl who wears black sweaters in 90 degree weather!!

I’m happy to report that there are great selections of decent swimwear these days. And, now’s the best time to buy it…since the season is over and swim gear is on sale. I was able to find something that covered me…completely…except for my arms and part of my legs. I was quite pleased to be the most covered girl in the pool! Matt wanted to take a picture of me in my new suit, but I threatened to break his arm off and then slap him with it. So...needless to say, we have no pictures. ;)

Live Blogging from West Palm Beach...

Word of the day: misprize \mis-PRYZ\, transitive verb:1. To hold in contempt.2. To undervalue.
Sentence: Taking off my Oklahoma State tag and replacing it with the Sunshine State tag made me realize that I misprised my hometown...and maybe it ain't so bad, afterall.

Hello Blogosphere. I am alive. (And no, Shelleybelley...Gustav did not carry me away. ;) I wanted to blog all week...but I didn't seem to have the time to make it to the computer write...this is partially because mine and my sister's "secret project" and partially because I've been spending lot of my spare time catching up on watching TV. Oh TV, how I've missed thee!!

Last Monday, September 15th, was my FIRST anniversary!! Time fliesss. Matt and I have survived our first year full of lots and lots of changes!! Unfortunately, I had work...and he was off, so we were unable to celebrate. But luckily...I have an awesome brother-in-law,..who so graciously let us use his time share...so we took a few days off of work to come hang out at Marriott's Ocean Pointe in West Palm Beach!! It's beautiful and relaxing...and so nice to chillax with NOTHING to do for few days. I'm sure curious minds are wondering what we got each other for our first anniversary....

Well, I got him a remote control airplane and helicopter. In fact, I'm hearing the whirring of helicopter blades as I type. And I can't help but crack up because I see him trying to the plane, but it keeps crashing....into the floor and into his face. Too funny.... Ever the romantic...(not) Matt got me....ehh, he's waiting for me to pick out the gift. I've got my eye on Bare Minerals make up these days. =)

Other than all that jazz....I'm liking my job lots better. I finally feel like I somewhat have friends. I mean, maybe I don't go to lunch with anyone...but...I talk to people. And this week...some of the girls actually dubbed me with a nickname....I think that means I'm officially "in" now!!! In case you're wondering...my nickname is Suzie Su....kinda like Lucy Lu...but not. ;)

Welp folks....that's all for today...perhps I will write more tomorrow. Maybe now that I'm stress-free livin' for a few days...I'll be on a roll!!!

I'm ashamed....

It's been an unexcusably long time since I've blogged. I'm actually at my BF's house right now, and Matty locked me in the room and told me that I can't come out until I write a post....so here I am.

Life's been busy...my sister and I have embarked upon a new project which is eating up most of my time. In due time, I'll share it with the rest of blogosphere, but currently it's still under construction. =)

Last week...Sheryl, Sujith, and Elijah came to visit. We had a great time at the beach...Elijah has grown up to be such a delightful, happy little baby boy....and he's quite edible too.

See?? What did I tell ya?? I guess his mom ain't half bad either. ;) It was nice to have friends from home with us after 4 long months! We all went out to Daytona Beach, where Sujith was able to do something he's wanted to do his whole life....jet ski! Speaking of Sujith...he's the newest blogger in the blogosphere...Check him out!