I haven't had a week THIS bad in a very long time. Usually when I'm sick, it's a case of the vomits that usually lasts no more than 24 hours...or sniffles that last 2 days...max. My doctor says it's the flu, but I have my doubts. Whatever it is...it's lasted six days now and has cost me my voice. Yes, I have laryngitis. It was interesting to see how people reacted to hearing my poor, pathetic, failed attempts at speech:

Some scolded me for straining my vocal cords, some were saddened as I feebly strained my voice, and others bubbled up with laughter because something finally shut. me. up. =/ Hopefully, I'll find the voice that I lost soon....

Speaking of Lost....;) How about that season premier, ay? I had forgotten how the show has the ability to leave me completely dumbfounded in an hour flat. I was a bit disappointed that more wasn't revealed. But, I am glad to know Hurly was one of the ones to make it off the island, although...I'm not so sure that's a good thing right about now. I read the message boards and it seems that lots of people think that "Jacob" is Christian Shepherd...Jack's dad. Ya think?? I don't. And what's with that commercial for Oceanic Air? I'm beginning to think this whole thing has something to do with the airline...Could it be?? I guess we'll find out one of these days....

No plans for the weekend...hopefully, I'll just recuperate. Happy weekend all!

I'm sick...

I've been sick since Sunday...

congestion...

cough...

vomit...

body aches...

I was too sick to wish two of my favorite people a happy birthday...

CCL...so sorry I was unable to call you as I usually do. I hope you had a great day and an even better year...

Winzy...when I am better, I'll bake you a birthday cake and make you some crab rangoon...

Come over when my house is disinfected from the germs. =/
That's all for now folks...I'm still feelin a bit under the weather...

Bleh...

When I woke up this morning, I had a sneaky suspicion that today was going to be a bad day. And sure enough, it has been...

It started this morning when I woke up early to make my boss a birthday cake. The box called for 3 eggs, and I only had 2. I made it any way...I mean really...how much difference can one little egg make?? Apparently a lot. I made two layers, and the first layer just crumbled. I tried to glue it together with chocolate frosting but that didn't work. So, I went to Walmart to buy a cake...causing me to be late to work.

I dropped the cake off, and then rushed out the door for my eye doctor appointment. My cornea is wearing away, and I've been putting off surgery, so I wanted to see if the situation was getting any worse. Sure enough...it is...but, the doctor suggested hard, rigid, gas permeable lenses. She said it would protect the cornea and help it from getting thinner at an alarming rate...with out surgery. It's definitely a better option...however, i'm the chick who freaks out when someone puts drops in my eyes. I have no idea how I'm going to stick a hard lens in it. Thankfully, Terrence has offered to put them in my eyes for the first few weeks...I hope I don't spazz out causing me to flail my arms and accidently smack her. =/ All that aside...it was just my luck that insurance doesn't cover contacs...and so 100% comes out of my empty pockets. =(

When I returned to work I was all sad and weepy...I was telling the girls my woes as I was signing my boss's birthday card. Apparently I wasn't paying attention to what I wrote...but he was very quick to point out that I wrote "happy birthday to the greatest boss in the whole WORD." Now he's following me around saying "Wordddd..." like he's the real slim shady. Sheesh...cut me some slack, man.

Tonight I'm going to see either Cloverfield or 27 dresses with the girls...and then tomorrow it's back for some more fun at BOC. It should be prohibited to work on Saturdays. =/ bleh.
Happy weekend to the rest of ya...

Last night, I came home to Christmas! I had a box waiting for me from Crate and Barrel with a steal-of-a-deal white platter for only 7$ and a wine bottle stopper for a buck 95...A special thanks to my friend Terrence, who is always looking out for my needs and the desires of my heart, for pointing out the deals to me. Now, I can occasionally partake in the bottle of sparkling wine that was given to me as a housewarming present.

I guess I worded my last blog post wrong...I got a pretty disturbing text message last night from a disgruntled friend who thought I left him out of the loop of my pregnancy a secret. So, to clarify...I'M NOT PREGNANT. I was merely insinuating that their (Sonia and Dains baby) was mine too! Best friends share. =)

I'm contemplating taking a watercolor class that the Museum of Art is offering next month. It will teach me how to mix and blend colors and lots of other basics. I'm super excited to learn more about painting...I'm trying to broaden my horizons a bit this year...so much so that I'm also considering taking an aerobics class at the gym!!! I'll let you know if I actually get brave enough to try it....

Thank God for Three Day Weekends...

It's been a busy three days...we went to Dallas this weekend so Matt could meet the family. Although we didn't get to see ALL of the family in Dallas, we managed to see most. And best of all...we had a special surprise on Saturday night....Baby Madeline and her parents were flying through Dallas on the way home from their vacation, so we were able to see all of them! It was definitely a treat. She was a bit tired from her traveling, but she still reached out to me, so I would pick her up...which TOTALLY made my day! The next morning, before she left, I took some pictures of her when she was in her playful mood...so here's a few shots of Maddy in motion!! Love those cheeeeeks!
Did I mention that I love her cheeks??
After looking at pictures of her daddy as a baby...it's a unanimous vote that Madeline's Bobby all over again!! Let's hope her behavior/tempermant comes from Neesha!! ;)

I remember Rea and Becky when they were Maddy's age, and now they're teenagers! Time flies and kids grow up way too fast.

Cousin Gegy being a kid at heart!

All the beautiful Andrews' kids....Becky, Elisa, Christie Ann, David, Ruthie, Rea, and lil' Hannah

Elisa and her daddy...

Christie Ann and her daddy, Reggie just got back from a trip to India. Reg went to high school in Madras, so he had organized a class reunion. When he told the family he'd be gone for a few weeks, Christie Ann wasn't very happy...she said, "Daddy, I can't be in this house with out you!" And then she stopped talking for three whole days!! Her teacher urged Reggie to take Christie Ann with him, and so he did. He said she was the best little travel assistant ever.

After all the family visiting we met up with a few friends. This is fotolog's very own...the infamous Slazman...I would have never thought he'd move from Hawaii to my backyard (Dallas).

Bald men unite!

I got to spend the evening catching up with my dear friend, Ruby...

who I've missed terribly. And in case you were wondering...no, neither of us combed our hair in this picture...it was taken too early in the morning. =/ When we got home to OKC, we rusheddddd to the hospital to see Baby Elijah...(Sheryl and Sujith's baby boy!) He was born on Sunday...both Momma and baby are doing great! I think a few of his aunts and his mommy have decide to nickname him "Jaji" to go with Micahji (the nickname I created for Micah)...but, I decided I needed to come up with my own. I'm trying to decide between Eli and EJ...I guess I'll have to figure out which one annoys Sheryl more...and then pick that one!

Me babo-ing Eli/Ej into a medatative trance...

His eyelids were gettin' heavy...very very heavy.

Ok, I borrowed the rest of the pictures from various online sources...but I'm sure no one will mind! These are a few pics from Jess and Ashley's baby shower...The lovely parents-to-be

How cute is she??

the cake...

This one's for you, Nik....opening Aunt Nikki's present.

Heh...heh...I couldn't resist picking these up when I was in NYC. I knew Jess would just love it!

Finally...we haven't seen these cuties in a while. Sai and Sia are now 8 months old!!! Here they are with their daddy...Obviously, cuteness runs in the family. ;)

Sai...with a hat on to contain his adorable curls.

Sia...a future accessories guru and glam queen...just like her mommy

I have carpal tunnel syndrome. I haven't officially been diagnosed yet, but I've been as good as diagnosed by my resident NP, Julie and my resident OT, CCL. Thank God for the smart people in my life. Jul, said I needed to request an ergonomic keyboard , mouse, and mousepad from my boss. Err...she doesn't know my boss. He'll get me one if I really need it...but I'll have to hear about it for the next six million years. Just like I'm hearing about how generous he was to let me off for New Year's to go fulfill a life-long dream of watching the ball drop...and then returning with out watching the ball drop! =/ Now, any time I request off...I have to hear about the NYC NYE incident before he unwillingly says yes.

Speaking of work...I have an ever-growing stack of magazine clippings on the corner of my desk. My friend Terrence goes home at night, flips through her magazine, sees things that remind her of me, and brings it to me to show me the next day. So far, my collection includes :

PAMA the pomegranite liqueur. Ever since I watched Oprah making pomegranite martinis with Rachel Ray, I'm all about it. Matt and I raced to the store to buy all the ingredients. I can't really stomach the taste of alcohol these days after the bridal shower/bachelorette party festivities...but this drink was D to the licious!




OPI (my favorite nail polish ever) has come out with their new India collection!! Colors include: "I'm Indi-a Mood for Love," ElePhantastic Pink," Black Cherry Chutney," Keys to my Karma," "MonSooner or Later," " Moon over Mumbai," " Yoga-ta Get this Blue," "Get me to the Taj on Time," and "Curry Up Don't be Late." The colors are definitely fun and flashy...but I guess I'm more interested in knowing whose job it is to come up with these names??? And...how do I apply for the job??

No explanation needed on this one...Cute jersey sheets from the Company Store. I love me some polka-dots!





Everyday I look forward to see what cool thing she has scoped out for me! It's nice to know that someone knows me and is looking out for my interests. ;)

According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador Retrievers have once again been chosen as the #1 breed of dogs. I certainly didn't agree with this yesterday when Mousse had an unusual explosion of sorts last night while Matt and I were at the gym. I walked into the house after a long, hard day...to an undescribable stench and for the next hour was frantically lighting candles, scrubbing messes, spraying disinfectants, and plugging in air freshners. The joys of dog ownership....I tell ya.

Life has become a bit mundane...or maybe it's always been mundane, and I'm just figuring it out. It dawned on me when Billy and I were exchanging emails about cheese. Yes, cheese...It started off with a discussion about gorgonzola and ended with me discussing how much I enjoyed the tangy, sharp taste of cheese. At one point he said, "wow...this is what has become of us? we're discussing cheese?!?" That's when I realized...I'm boring! The hilight of my week is when I get a movie from Blockbuster in the mail! There's something wrong with this picture. To add some excitement to our lives, Matt and I decided to go to Dallas this weekend since I'm off on Monday. We'll visit family...visit friends...and have a grand ol' time.

In other news...the Mayor of Oklahoma City has put the entire state on a diet. I jumped on board a few weeks ago...and I hope the city sees great results. He'll be on Ellen today...to discuss his attempts to make Oklahomans more fit and healthy for 08!

Congrats to the hubby for getting his driver's license on the very first try!! He's now officially legal AND eligible to work in the States. Soon he'll be singing the 9 to 5 blues...

Oh...and before I forget, Happy Birthday, Nin!

Visitors...

I love having visitors over to the house...especially now that there is actually room to sit, stand and walk around with out them tripping over their own feet!! Last week I was visited by none other than Angelina and Snugglebug and their parents. I was hoping Jul and Derrick were dropping off Snugglebug for a "permanent" visit...but I guess they're not ready for that yet. =/

Angie taking Moussey for a ride... Moussey and Snugglebug having a staring contest...
Sonia, be ashamed...be very very ashamed. How old is Angelina again? Oh yah...3...and she's completely FEARLESS. You'd be crying in a corner if someone asked you to pose for a picture with Moussey!
Last Friday, I had lots of visitors...In fact, it was so loud, I was pretty certain the neighbors would come banging on my door to complain. This is precisely what happens when Wins and Shines join in on a party!!

The guest of honor...Ashley got her wisdom teeth pulled and her face was a bit swollen, so she wasn't posing for pictures....oh also phantoms don't photograph well. HA!

Shines tried to bother me while I was trying to play Taboo, and now he has the scar to prove that I play to win...

Les...always camera ready.

Start Spreadin' the News....

My cousin Ashley is moving to New York to attend NYU for her spring semester...She gets to live in Tribecca for the next 5 months and have full access to all the bubble tea and discount shopping she wants! I think this trip will be an awesome opportunity for her...she will get to experience life in a real city, meet new people, and discover herself.

I'm really proud of her for pursuing this opportunity for herself, and I can't wait to hear everything about it when she comes back in May...IF she comes back, that is. I have a sneaky suspicion that she might just fall in love with it and find a way to stay!! Tonight we're having a little bon voyage party at my place...so pictures will be soon to follow.

I can't help but think about myself at nineteen...and wish that I had made better decisions or that I stepped out of the box a little bit or that I put more effort into shaping my future. But, as they say, there's no use crying over spilled milk...and it's impossible to move forward if you're always looking backwards. The important thing is to use regret to drive me now to make the most of my time...and to whole-heartedly pursue the things I want to pursue. Speaking of...my small-term goal for the week was to write a short story!! I only have 2 more days to come up with something!!

Happy Birthday to my cousin Bobby. Of all the cousins, I could tell the most stories about Bobby. He was quite the interesting character when he was a kid...and he was always, always, always up to no good. ;) But, he's definitely grown up to be a great person, who I'm really proud of! Happy Birthday, Bobby....have a blessed year!

Re-discovering "L"....

It's funny how life comes full circle sometimes....especially how relationships rekindle by chance encounters. I'm not sure that you can call what "L" and I shared a friendship. He was a lot like the jerk on the movie Flatliners. Infact, when I watched the movie, he was the first person I thought of. I know why he chose me as his target in our high school years. I wasn't easily offended and I didn't fight back. In the years since 1992, I never had an ounce of curiosity regarding what ever happened to him. He was a distant memory...a bad memory to be exact.

But then one day, I was surfing through my current favorite time-suck (facebook)...and I saw him. There he was...the very same face I remember seeing in 1992, but a bit more aged. We began messaging each other, and I was delighted to discover that he had definitely grown up and changed. He wasn't the same jerk who would poke jabs at me at any given moment. We began exchanging messages and the more I learned about him, the more I found myself becoming proud of the person he has become...and I could tell he was proud of me too.

The other day I received an email from him...He said that of all the people in the world, he never thought he'd get back in touch with me...but he's glad that he did. And that if he never told me before, he was sorry for being a jerk in H.S...and that it truly reflected his insecurity back then.
I was floored. Even though 15 years have passed, it was nice to hear he was sorry. And it was shocking to hear that he too was insecure back then. I guess it taught me that insecurity isn't just a girl thing....and even the most confident of people can suffer from it. It also taught me that people grow up and change...and deserve second chances sometimes. I'm glad we have the 2nd chance to become friends as adults since we never gave each other a chance at friendship when we were kids.

Happy *Late* Anniversary to one of my favorite couples...Abu and Ruby! It's hard to believe a year has passed by so quickly! I wish you both much happiness in the years to come!!

In other news...my sweet lil' Lola broke her clavicle!!! It's hard for a 2 year old to sit still and wait for her bones to heal...so, she's in lots of pain. So, if you remember...keep this lil' munchkin in your prayers...

NYC, baby...

Matt and I spent most of our time in Yonkers, but on Sunday, we took the train to the city. The map behind us became our close friend and companion for the next 2 days!! Me and Matt on the tour bus. Oh wait...that ain't me. ;)

Here's me. Don't I look excited? *Staicy, STOP laughing!* Apparently, she found it quite amusing to picture me on a tour bus.

Me and Matt on top of the Empire State Building. It took us about 3 hours to get the top...which ate up our day!! But once we got up there...it sure was beautiful!

The lovely city from atop the ESB

Matt was able to reunite with his best friend from childhood's big sister (Susan Aunty), who is now settled in Staten Island. On day 2, she was kind enough to show us a lot of the sites we didn't get to see on the bus...she made a much better tour guide if you ask me...and she was FREE!

Lady Liberty in all her glory....
We learned a lot 9/11...including that this was the root of a tree that survived the blasts.

She also told us the miraculous story about the beams that fell from the building in the shape of a cross...

A look at what's going on at Ground Zero now....the onset of what I'm sure will be an amazing memorial to all those who lost their lives.

A bit of OKC in NYC

St. Patrick's Cathedral...no matter how many times I see it...it's always breathtaking.

Me lighting a candle and saying a prayer on the last day of 2007...for blessings and peace for 2008

The site I've been waiting to see my entire life!!!...The tree in Rockefeller! It's as beautiful as I imagined!

Me and Matt grabbing the Wall Street bull by it's horns...

teeheehee...I couldn't resist this shot!

And I end...with balls of another kind!!!!!!!! =)