Friday Funsies...

I've worked quite a few places since I started working at 16...and I've befriended many-a people these past 22 years (I hope I did my math right)...and actually have maintained a few of those friendships.

In all my jobs...the hilight has always been the people I work with and Paycom is no different.

Below is a pic of me and one of my favorites...Shelley.  She brightens my day every day with her wit and sunny disposition!

  

 Me @ work on Halloween.  My department dressed like animals...and I took the chance to dress up like the world's cutest puppy...Mousse! I was so sad cuz I got no treats!

 The whole gang...the gorilla in the back is actually my boss! 



Way Back Wednesday-Halloween Version

In honor of the holiday...I dug up a picure from Halloween Past.

I know this picture looks like it was taken in the 1970, but neither of these girls were even born at that time. It was Halloween 2002...and these are my BF's...Sonia and Nancy.

Sonia was getting married that year,so we decided to make the most of the entire year before she got hitched in August.  So, we decided to have a "Neewollah" (Halloween backwards) party at her house...70's style.  I remember I took off work that day to decorate...and the party was replete with a strobe light and 70's music.

Good times...great oldies...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

I'm off to finish my tail...I'm dressing up as Mousse for work today.  Although I hardly think I will be as cute as her.  Pics soon to come!

I'm so behind on all my shows...Luckily I have DVR.  But, for some reason, on Sunday nights my DVR is set to record Dateline and it cuts off 20 minutes of it every time.  Last Sunday's episode was especially interesting...It was about an African American woman whose father was a football player.  She was raised affluently and had no real connection with her family or the African American community.  After getting married and having her own family, she realized the importance of understanding her culture.  She took a class in college that required to research her family background...and she discovered that her grandfather was a hero in the civil rights movements.  He worked for a white restaraunt and owned a colored restaraunt.  Apparently he could recite the menu of the white restaraunt by memory and speedily.  So, when a documentary film maker came to the town to interview white Americans on their race views, he was the only black man that they interviewed...simply to hear him recite the menu.  But he not only used his time on tape to recite that...he also told the interviewer his feelings on how poorly he and other blacks were treated...although he knew doing so could lead to his death.  I'd love to tell you the rest of the story, but that's right about when the damn DVR stopped. 

Luckily I ran into my friend Ben..who is also a dead ringer for Jimmy Fallon...at Walmart as we frantically searched for last minute Halloween candy....and he told me about hulu.com.  Not only can I watch my chopped up episodes of dateline...But Hello again Kardashians, Joisey Shore huligans, and the rest of my  reality shows.  Should I? Shouldn't I?  Life has been pretty peaceful with just watching prime time and House Hunters and Pioneer Woman.  Maybe I should just keep this new leaf turned.

Ghoul's night!

 

The weekend was so crazy busy! Saturday was my ghouls night out accessory swap! I actually had a pretty good turnout! I didn't expect so many ghouls or so many fabulous accessories! A fun time was had by all...

Some of the decorations...

I made bats from egg cartons and ghosts from an old white t-shirt.



The swap goody bags...

 

My co-workers/friends...My boss doesn't really dress like that...she's dressed up as a doll!

 

Popcorn balls!  First time I've made them...but they were a huge hit!

A fun way to dress up water bottles...

Some of the beautiful accessories I scored!

 

Boot Scootin

Live blogging from my desk. I am a little early and a little behind with my posting so I thought I'd use the time. Its freezing this morning...woke up to a cool 67 degrees in my house.

I've seen so many people wearing boots today.. as in cowboy boots...makes me want a pair. An Indian girl in cowboy boots? Odd?

I leave you with a how to video for a little Halloween crafting.

25 Ways to Tie a Scarf...

 I don't know about you, but I love scarves.  It's one of my favorite accessories to wear in the fall and winter.  My friend Sue has an adorable pink polka dot scarf that she is about to try to swap at her "Accessories Swap" this weekend...and I'm hoping that I can nab it before anyone else does.  She told me she was ready to swap it out because she had no idea how to wear it...so, that gave me the inspiration for this week's blog! 

Above are two examples of how I used a scarf to amp up a simple outfit.  I thought it would be easier to SEE how to tie a scarf instead of  READING about it, so I found a great video with 25 examples.  It's very simple and easy to follow.  I hope this helps all of you who face the dilemma of how to wear your scarf and inspires you to wear a few to accessorize this Fall. Until next week!

When Somebody says how-do-you-do? Say you didn't.-Eeyore

Way back Wednesdays photo of the day:  Little me (circa 1985) and Eeyore at Disney World.

There's quite a bit of irony in this picture.  Most little kids go to Disney World and beg, cry, and plead to take pictures with Mickey and Minnie or the Disney princesses.  Not me...my heart skipped a beat when I saw Eeyore.  I'm not really sure why.  I hate Winnie the Pooh.  Any bear who wears a shirt, but no pants...is no friend of mine.  But I loved and still love Eeyore.  I think it was because my sister had this Eeyore stuffed animal that she wouldn't let me near.  So,it was possibly a case of wanting something I couldn't have.

 

The funny thing about this is...my co-workers now call me Eeyore.  They say I talk exactly like the manic depressive donkey.  That doesn't bode well for what they think of my personality. 

I showed them this picture, and they all had a good laugh...saying it explains alot. 

Poor me...and poor Eeyore...we're so misunderstood.

Stranger than Fiction...

Sometimes the things that happen to me are simply stranger than fiction...I admit that I have a pretty great imagination...but there is no way that I can make up some of the things that happen in the day in the life of Suevee.

That being said, a few weeks ago...I had gone to sleep a little early before Matt got home.  Before I went to bed, I was looking at Instagram...which is pretty much my nightly routine.  A thought came to mind..."You always have time to look at Instagram, but you don't find the time to read the Bible."  I felt a tinge of guilt, but I was so exhausted despite the fact that it was only 8 o'clock and I had plenty of time to spend time with God, but instead, I said a quick prayer, tried to justify to myself and God why I'd read the Bible later... and went to bed.

About an hour later...and I was awoken by a strange sound.  Initially I thought it was my alarm clock...like maybe it was set to a static station.  But, it wasn't.  So then I thought maybe Matt came in and set off the alarm...but that wasn't the case either...I got up to follow the sound and it was coming from my bathroom. 

I stood in front of my sink for a few seconds in complete bewilderment.  My hairdryer was on full blast. Somehow the switch had flipped to high speed.  The odd thing about that was that my hairdryer hadn't been turned on in four days, and there was nothing near that switch that could have possibly flipped it.  I quickly turned off the hair dryer and thought the whole thing to be strange.  I mean...seriously...how does a hairdryer turn on by itself?

Typically when I'm jolted from my sleep, I feel like God is reminding me to pray for someone.  But, I hadn't seen a dream, and I didn't know who God wanted me to pray for.  My initial thought was to call Matt to tell him what happened...so I unlocked my phone and a reminder popped up.  It was a reminder I had never seen before...It said, "People who read the Bible for 5 minutes every day have blessed lives." 

I sort of sat there for a minute...like "what. the."  ...and then I snapped out of it and quickly read a few chapters in my Bible and prayed for every single person I could possible think of. 

Now, I'm quite sure that practical people who read this post are thinking that there is some sort of explanation for everything.  And trust me, I consider myself practical person...But there is absolutely no explanation I can give you as to why my hairdryer turned on by itself because I've had it for several years, and it has never done that before...and I've had the Bible app on my phone since the first day I bought my phone a year ago...and never had I ever received a reminder from it before...nor have I since.

I often think that God doesn't talk to me because I don't hear an audible voice.  But it was God who reminded me that I made time for Instagram, but not his word...however, I just decided to blow His reminder off...because I didn't recognize His voice.  So, like he had to turn the heat up on Moses with the burning bush to get his attention...He had to turn the heat up on me as well...by turning on my hairdryer and leaving me a little reminder on my cell phone.  All I know is that I'm so glad that He sees me worthy to remind me of things that He's reminded me of over and over and over again. 

I think it's important to share these little tidbits of wisdom that God shares with me...so, let me leave you with the imporant message that He was so gracious to remind me  of...."PEOPLE WHO READ THE BIBLE FOR 5 MINUTES EVERY DAY HAVE BLESSED LIVES!!!"

Weekend in Review...Adventures in Babysitting

I spent Saturday watching my friend, Mo's daughter, Brailey. I'm sure most of you have never heard that name before...and that's because her mom made it up.  She couldn't decide between Bailey and Riley...and decided to combine them! This was the first time I've ever baby sat her...or any other non-family kiddo by myself.  I was a little nervous.  She's almost 4, so I was thrilled that she had the whole potty training thing down...but, I was afraid that I'd bore her to tears and that she might have a melt down and want her mom back.

But, we watched Rio about 615 times and watched Doodlebops 916 times, made some Halloween crafts, and drew outside with chalk...and that pretty much kept her entertained.

 She also brought her doll to play with...This doll is the biggest most frightening doll I've ever seen in my life.  I kept one eye on her at all times to make sure I didn't catch its' head spinning 360 degrees.  Brailey calls her doll "Hailey"...but I call her Big Bertha.

 Last but not least...I've decided to make a few soups this week...

Sunday night I made chicken enchilada soup.  It was super spicy and pretty delish...as Hrithik Roshan would say...I give it three thumbs up!

Next Saturday is my Ghoul's night...I was hoping I'd get some more RSVPs this weekend...but as my luck would have it...someone who did RSVP reneged.  At this point...I hope it's not  just me and mousse sitting here staring at my halloween decorations and sipping chocolatinis.

 



I painted my first pumpkin this week.  I wanted to put it by my front door, but I'm so protective of it now that it's done...so I found a nice, safe, dry, home for it on my fireplace! 

I thought it would make a nice decoration for my Ghoul's night...

Now I just gotta find some ghouls who actually wanna hang out with me.  =/

Happy Friday, Blogosphere!  Until Monday...

Nail "tips"

These days nails aren't just polished ...they are like a blank canvas. People are becoming quite artistic and creative with their nails. Today I am doing a basic yet creative look with mine...I am going to give you a few tips on how to paint tips!

First, I use a base coat, of course.  This helps the polish go on smoothly and it helps it stay on longer. 

Next, I chose t his pretty shade of pale pink to paint my entire nail.  Once it was  completely dry, I was ready to paint the tips.  You can get pre-cut tape in the nail section of Walmart or any drug or beauty store.  But, if you want save a few extra dollars, you can use any tape that will stick to your nail with out removing your polish.

Once you've cut your tape into manageable strips, place them on your fingers.  Try to maintain a uniform with of the tips for all of your fingers.  And then paint!  Once your tips are totally dry, peel tape and paint a clear top coat to seal and protect your work of art!

Until next week, folks!



Way Back Wednesday...

 OMG...I'm quite sure EVERY single person in this picture would royally pummel me if they knew that I posted this.   But, I can not control the luck (or bad luck) of the draw from my picture basket. Luckily, I'm pretty positive that none of these folks follow my blog, so I might just escape their wrath.

From taking a gander at myself and my awesomely amazing outfit...I would say that this might have been the summer of 1993... How I wish there were straight irons back then.  Or that I knew how to shape my eyebrows!  Yikes!!  The group of hooligans were sitting on my "ride"...a white Mitsubishi Mirage and that red Buick belonged to none other than JM (who was the photographer in this shot) It was rumored back then that I had a minor crush on him, but I vehemently deny that rumor.

That summer, we all hung out at each others houses every day, but this particular shot was taken in the parking lot of a movie theater...we watched Sliver, which was way too raunch to watch with a group of kids who went to my church.  The girl I'm leaning on is my good friend NC...who is not even recognizable in this pic!  Other than Nance, I haven't seen or talked to most of these folks in years.

However, there are some relationships...where things just don't seem to change regardless of how many years have passed.  The guy in the purple shirt (oddly matching the girl in the purple shirt...Conincidence?!?) is my buddy Stan.  He's pretty much the little brother I've never wanted.  Our relationship has always been and always will be a love hate relationship.  We absolutely love to hate on each other.  And although I haven't talked to him in a few years...I can bank on the fact that when we do see each other again...He'll bring up my car engine laugh, and I'll ask him to let me put my lipstick on in the glare of his forehead!

Aaahhhh...good friends!  This picture was a great stroll down memory lane for me! 

 Way Back Wednesdays are embarrassing but fun!

 

TV Tuesday...Pissed Off Edition...

How could he?  How could my main man, Adam Levine not pick Benji?!?  I was slightly floored because all three other judges unanimously said that Benji had the better performance!  And, although I'm not much of a fan of the "scream-o" genre...I thought he did a lot better than his contender too....and I swear, I'm not being brown bias.

I don't know Benji personally, but I'm hoping he won't quit his dream of being a musician.  I know he's invested a lot of years into it, and sometimes it seems like you've only got one shot to make it happen. But, I don't really believe that...I think that he has a talent that no one can take from him...and I'd like to think he would keep trying...

Most Indian kids...especially Malayalee kids...don't pursue "out-of-the-box" careers...They don't typically have a lot of guidance or a lot of people rooting them on.  I have a soft spot for kids like that because I was a kid like that.  I will never forget when I sent the first chapter of my book to an agent, who just so happened to be half Indian.  She sent a letter back, and ripped me to shreds.  She basically told me I was just like every other Indian writer who wrote the "Indian immigrant" story and that I needed to take writing classes...I think it was even more devastating because she was Indian.  I wanted to send her a copy of my book after it published...but I decided she was entitled to her opinion, and I was just glad that not everyone agreed with her.

If I could give Benji a piece of advice...or any other person trying to pursue an "out-of-the-box" career...I would say never give up on yourself or your talent.  My novel writing professor once told me, "Anyone can write a book, but it takes persistence to publish."  It takes persistence to make any dream a reality.  Life is full of opportunities...it never comes down to just one shot.

As for Adam, *sigh* I'm sorely disappointed in your lack of good judgement, BUTTTTTT  hey, I still love ya, Adam Levine!

Character Profile...Birthday Edition

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while know what a character profile is...and those of you who have stumbled upon my post today are in for a real treat...because today you get the priveledge of having some insight into a woman of great mystery...my sister! 

Name: Annie
Indian Name: Beena
Nick Name: Bueno

Birthday: OCTOBER 15TH!!!  I would tell you how old she is, but I'm going to get into enough trouble for writing this post...why make things even worse?  I will say...my sister is like a fine wine...she simply gets better with age! 

Guilty Pleasure:  Days of Our Lives.  We started watching the show together years ago.  Believe it or not, our Dad got us hooked on it.  I quickly kicked the habit when Marlena came back from the dead for the 6th time.  But, my sister can't seem to get enough of Bo & Hope and the whole Salem crew.

Favorite Drink:  Cherry Seven Up.  Her first job was a locally owned drug store called Hyde Drug.  In fact, it was my first job too...and the absolute only reason I got the job was because I was Annie's little sister.  I digress..She used to bring home a 2 liter of Cherry Seven Up ration it out to me and CCL. 

Quirks: She always asks my nephew if he's washed his hands.  Now, I understand...sometimes kids need to be reminded of these things.  But, the kid is 18...and if he hasn't learned to wash his hands yet...he's never going to.  But, I will  let that quirk slide because she is a mother and these are the kind of annoying questions a mother asks. However, the one habit I do find challenging to deal with is when we have a conversation about someone or something...and 48 hours later, she picks that conversation back up, yet doesn't clue me in on the fact that she has done so and will say a sentence chalked full of pronouns and no proper nouns to clue me into what the heck we're talking about.  For instance...if we're talking about "Hope" on Days of Our Lives on Tuesday...Thursday afternoon she will says something like..."Her eyebrows are shaped so well."  And I'm looking around the room for "her" and will ask her who she's talking about...and she'll say "Hope!" Like I should know that our conversation from 48 hours ago never ended.

Talents:  Now, my sister seems to think she isn't very talented...See her husband is quite a talented guy...He can sing...he can dance...he can sew.  (Yes, I said sew...real men can sew in case you didn't know!)  And then...I'm the crafty one in the family...so her talents get overlooked.  My sister is an amazing cook!  Now, I used to think this back in the day when she made things like tater tot casseroles and apple crisp.  But now...she scoffs at those simplistic recipes!  Eating at her house is like fine dining at a restaraunt.  And she doesn't realize it...but it is truly her talent.

Funniest Memory:  When she washed all of my uncle's white shirts with a red sock!

Something that most folks don't know:  My sister and I are totally different people...she is very private.  She would never talk about her daily life in a blog like I do.  But, if she did...you would know that although she is tiny she's as tough as nails...and she has no comprehension of her own strength and resiliance.

So, today...I'm wishing my favorite...and only...big (little) sister a very Happy Birthday!
 

What Would You Do?

On Friday night...it's routine for Matt and I to lounge on our comfy red couch and watch Dateline.  Typically right before it airs...there's a show on called "What Would You Do" with John Quinones (Yes, I did look up how to spell his last name).  We rarely watch it...but I thought about the show this week when I was faced with a "What Would You Do" situation...and thought it would be perfect for my Friday post!

It was 5:15...quitting time....my friend Mo and I were in the elevator and deep in conversation when the door opened on the next floor and a girl walked in.  I'm not the most observant person in the world...so, I kept chattering.  When we finally got to the ground floor...our elevator companion got off first, and Mo and I followed her.  Mo pointed to her as she walked away...and that's when I saw it....

The rip in the girls back pocket...and the blue and white undies and bare flesh that hung out of it.  My eyes widened in disbelief!  It wasn't like it was a tiny hole that no one would've seen...it was a cheek hanging out...a butt cheek, that is!  We both wondered how the girl went through the day with out NO ONE telling her!  And it was quite obvious that she had no freaking clue that her posterior end had come out to say Hello!  We wondered how in the world she failed to feel the breeze! 

And then we began to ask each other if we handled the situation right.  Should we have kindly told her and watched her shrink from shame in front of our eyes?  Or did we do the right thing by letting her continue in her own oblivion and let her discover it herself when she inevitably  took her pants off and discovered the hole and a "HOLE" lot more!

Neither of us new the girl...so we decided it was best to let her figure out her own shame.  But I made Mo vow that if she ever discovered my buttocks hanging out of my pant...or skirt (since that has happened before.  Just don't ask.)....that she would tell me and not let me make a fool out of myself.   She promised me she would.  I'm not sure if I believe her because one day my barette was in my hair in a very jacked up sorta way and my hair had been sticking up all day...I went to the bathroom late afternoon and saw my hair and was mortified.  When I questioned her on why she didn't tell me...she said, "I thought you wanted it to look that way"  Surely...she wouldn't think that about my butt.

So, anyway, that's how we handled it....What would you do?!?

The "Eyes" Have It...

So, as you might have noticed...I had no Thursday Hersday post last week.  That's because I sort of had to break it to my contributor, Girly Merly that I had already announced her contributions on the blog and she sort of wasn't ready for it considering she has this short little paper called a dissertation to work on.  But after a little cajoling, I got her to agree...

 

So here's what you've been waiting for....My very first post from my very first contributor...
And this one's all about the eyes...

For the blue look: This look would be great for a night out or when you want to play up the eyes for an uber fancy outfit...like a sari, perhaps or if you're just looking for a pop of color.  Use a bright blue eyeshadow as a liner to line the bottom water line. For some extra drama extend the blue beyond the eye to create a cat eye effect. Also line a little bit of the blue on the top inside corner of the upper eyelid. Then find a shade of baby blue, pastel blue, any kind of light blue to shade the entire upper lid being careful not to blend out the bright blue on the inner corner of the upper lid. Then draw in a dramatic cat eye with a dark black gel or liquid eyeliner. Be sure that when you draw the black line you don't go over the bright blue you just want to start where the bright blue ends. You want to extend the line to the outer part of eye to where you drew out the blue, just staying on top of the bright blue line. Then curl your lashes if you like to and apply mascara. There can be a ton of variations where you use different shades of pink, green, red or you could mix and match for a fun look as well. I used a mix of Too Faces shadows, Naked palette, and a sephora eyeshadow palette. Rimmel London mascara. Inspiration from Pinterest of course : )

 

For the neutral look:  This is a great look for fall or winter, it can also be made more dramatic by using darker shades than what was used here. First use a shadow that is a creamy or light brown color all over the lid and on the bottom of the lower lid but only in the inner portion maybe about 1/4 (why am i even putting fractions in here this is just my estimate of what i imagine would be if the eye was the size of a cup!) of the way out. Then take a matte purple/magenta mix and pat this on the center of the eye. You will use this purplish shade on the middle part of the lower lid. Then take a dark brown color and create the 'V' at the outer portion of the top lid, I also added a touch of black at the very tip of the V to make it darker. You will put the darker shade on the outer portion of the lower lid as well. Then take a blender brush and blend any harsh lines, if you notice any color fading then just pat on touch more. Add a dramatic cat eye to look with a dark liner, I used a gel liner here. Be sure that your liner goes right under the V of the shadow so that your eye liner is basically underlining it. Then curl lashes if you wish and finally mascara it up! I used the Naked palette and a sephora palette and rimmel mascara here. Inspiration is just from staring at my palette!

 

Stay tuned for more Thursday Hersday tips from Merly!  She'll be posting pictures, videos, and how to's!

Way Back Wednesday...

So, I have this massive basket of pictures sitting in a closet.  I've been telling myself for years that I need to organize them and put them in albums...but, that might take the rest of my lifetime.  And although I've decided that will be my project once I reach retirement...I do believe that pictures are meant to be shared.  So, I decided that every Wednesday, I will reach into the basket and pick a picture at random to post for the blogosphere to see. 

So, with no further ado...today's picture!

****Drum roll***

My Family!

I think I was approximately 3-ish...Terribly frightened of the camera (I think I got cameras and glocks confused back then) so I was gripping on to my dad and mom for dear life.  Anyway, I was wearing the very popular red velvet dress that every Malayalee kid in the 70's had.  The other two are my siblings...My brother's smile can only mean one thing...He was up to something.  And there's my sister...I wanted her dress...I think Marsha Brady had something similar...and back then I was Brady obsessed...I was convinced that Mrs. Brady was my real Mom (which my real real mom is still upset about today) and that I was reall Cindy Brady!...clearly we see my crazy imagination began at an early age!

Live blogging from my cellphone

Wow this means I can blog live from anywhere...including the toilet! But don't worry...I like to keep some things private...

So last weekend I had a  little situation with my neck. I was minding my own business straightening my hair when I heard three cracks. After that I couldn't turn my head to the right for a week...

Yesterday at work I realized that when I took a bite of breakfast it hurt. Then I realized my left jaw was locked! Now if my lips were locked I would assume it was God's way of helping me have a successful diet...but just one jaw makes life just annoying.

Luckily I was able to get some dental advice from Dr G in MIami...she suggested I massage my jaw, refrain from yawning and not open my mouth too wide to yell or take big bites and stuff.

Soo I treated myself to a relaxing jaw massage (ha!) And I am praying that this will be the key to unlock my jaw! (No pun intended)

I am not sure what is up with these strange ailments. Is this what happens when you get older? Whatever happened to older and wiser? No one ever said older and discombobulated joints!

Weekend in Review...

Yes, this is my 98 lb. lab...snuggled up on my couch with her head on a pillow.  No, she's not spoiled...why on earth would you think that??  She's awfully tired today maybe because we had way too much birthday fun and excitement over the weekend.

Saturday, yours truly became another year older and wiser. ;)  Matt and I went out for lunch and watched Taken 2...as Hrithik Roshan would say...I give it 3 thumbs up!  We spent the rest of the evening  enjoying birthday cake and the special delivery of cupcakes and chocolate chip banana nut bread that my friend Sheb sent me.  Overall it was a great day...I received a lot of love and I scored some fabulous gifts!

I wrapped up the night in the most perfect way...snuggled up with my puppy on our favorite spot...the couch!
 

Frightening Friday...

I was blogging in my office/craft room when I saw this apparition appear on my desk!! 

Just kidding...

Last week I promised to show you some of my creations for my Halloween themed Ghoul's Night Out...This little ghostie is the center piece I made!!  A little cheeseclothe, a little starch...and voila!  The decorations and party planning are coming along nicely...now I just need some RSVPs!

Way back Wednesday...Birthday Edition!

Andrew was two years old when I took this picture.  I thought back to when he was a little guy...and I honestly don't ever remember him having a case of the terrible two's.  He was always a sweet baby, who loved to cuddle and he's pretty much the same way now.  He's always the first to run into my house, say that he's changing into his "comfy cozy clothes" and snuggle up on the couch with me to watch TV or movies. 

He was always an easy baby to entertain and he's an easy kid to entertain too...Of course, he loves when I take him somewhere fun, but just playing Lego Batman with him on the Wii is just as good.

My boy is now 10 today...double digits!  Where has the time gone?  In my eyes, he'll always be this big-eyed, long lashed, snugglebug.

Happy Birthday, Andrewji!



TV Tuesday...Saturday Edition...Confused?

So, it was Saturday night…I happened to be home alone that evening…and so I was completely restless. I had been watching several back to back episodes of House Hunters hoping to fall asleep on the couch. Unfortunately, I was wide awake, but Mousse, on the other hand had completely passed out next to me.

Suddenly, I heard the house alarm. You know…the sound that goes off when a door or window opens. My heart stopped…I looked at Mousse and was amazed that her supersonic ears didn’t hear the sound and she didn’t jolt awake. I pre-dialed 911 on my phone as I started monitoring the garage door, back door, front door…everything was locked and shut. Then I stood in front of my two spares rooms…and like gang busters, I burst into each door. (You know, because me busting into the room to face a burglar face to face would somehow help my situation). Luckily…both rooms were empty. I was bewildered. The only door left was my side door to the garage. This would mean I’d have to burst into the garage…and somehow the thought of that was way scarier than bursting into the spare rooms.

 I called Matt…who was out of town at the moment…He assured me that the house and every entry  was as secured as Ft. Knox…and that if by chance there was an intruder, Mousse would have gone into attack mode by now. In my head I knew he was right…I looked at Mousse who was then awake and following me with a puzzled look on her face. A part of me wanted to be certain and call my neighbors the Mathews to come over and double check the premises for me. But who was I kidding? If we did find someone…I would jump into Merly’s arms and Shines would jump into mine! And it was 2 a.m….they would kill me if the intruder didn’t kill me first. So, I hung up with Matt and sat on the couch and logically thought about the situation.

By now 20 minutes had passed…if someone was in the house, we would have surely bumped into each other by now. Andd…Matt was right…the house is as secure as Ft. Knox. And suddenly a thought came to me…. I rewinded the episode of House Hunters I had been watching. And sure enough…the alarm sound was on the TV!  Ooopsie.  Needless to say, I fell right to sleep after that!

Today is your birthday...Happy Birthday to Ya!

No weekend review today…I spent my weekend doing more laundry than I care to talk about.

So instead …I have a birthday shout out…

Happy 40^th birthday to Sheba, one of my oldest and dearest friends. When my parents moved us to Oklahoma…I never even heard of the state…and I wasn’t too thrilled about leaving Texas and my cousins and moving to this unknown territory where I knew no one. A few days after we got here, my parents took us to a church picnic…We pulled up to the park and I saw an older girl pushing a younger girl on the swing. Little did I know that the friendship I would forge with both of those girls would last a lifetime! The older girl was Sheb, and the little girl was my friend NC. Sheb and her family have seen me through some of the most difficult times of my life… and I will never forget their support and kindness. Though distance has separated us as we’ve grown up…it really hasn't phased us. She’s one of those people I don’t have to see every day or every year even…our friendship always remains the same... 

So, Sheb…thank you for being my friend for the past 28 years...  I hope your birthday is a special one…because you are!

Took Mousse out for a walk this morning...and this is what I got in return for the favor...a muddy, paw-printed floor.  Sure wish my dog had a pair of running shoes!  I think I know how I'll be spending the rest of the afternoon...bleh.

Friday Free for All...

TGIF, folks!  I couldn't be giddier that it's Friday!!  I had a rough night last night at Zumba.  I've become painfully aware that my hips DO lie and I have two left feet.  I've got no rhythm...which sucks because I have a few cousins who can bust a move and break it down...but obviously, that talent does not run in the family. 

Even better was when I was driving Girly Merly home from Zumba last night...exhausted and sweating like a pig...my window was rolled down...and suddenly a massive beetle decided to fly in and join us on the ride home.  Girly Merly was in the middle of a very serious conversation...(aka psycho-babble), and I was doing everything in my power to get the beetle out of my car!!  "Everything in my power" included making strange noises to scare it out.  Do beetles have ears?  Can they hear?  Girly Merly heard the strange noises, stopped her psycho babble, and began looking for the sheep that apparently was on the loose.  According to her...my noises to scare the beetle sounded like a sheep "bahhhing."  Finally she realized I was trying to get the little hitch hiker out of the car and advised me to stop the car instead of doing all these shenaningans whilst driving the car!  Finally the beetle flew out!

The funny thing is...I'm not scared of bugs.  But beetles are big sons of guns.  And it was only a week or two ago when my work was having a dance off outside.  (  and no, I can't explain why a corporation where grown adults are employed has a dance off outside).  Anyway...I was sitting on the grass...and I felt something crawling on my leg.  I reached into my jeans and pulled out the biggest beetle I've ever seen in my entire life.  It was just instinct for me to throw it...Hey when instinct jumps in...you don't stop to think about the poor girl sitting next to you that you're throwing the bug at who happens to be petrified of bugs.  Needless to say...she let out a blood curdling scream...Was it coincidence that one of the girls in the dance off who was doing a cart wheel across the parking lot fell on her face?  Perhaps...

Damn beetles!

 

Hersdays...

So, I decided to make Thursdays...Hersdays...inspired by my friend Girly Merly...who is a true fashionista! I've been trying to get her to commit to writing her own blog about all her knowledge about hair, make-up, fashion, and nails...but, she's just a tad busy with a little thing called a dissertation.  That's right, folks...she's got beauty and brains.  So until she's up and running with her own blog, I've dedicated Thursdays on my blog to her!  So I can share the knowledge she shares with me with you!  And by the way, she has no clue I'm doing this...yet!  So, until I break it to her that she will be my Hersday contributor...let me share one of her passions...NAILS.

On any given day, when I go to her house and she's trying to relax, I see her painting her nails.  This is mind boggling to me because this is not my definition of relaxing unless someone's doing it for me.  But, by the time Girly Merly's done...it looks like her nails were professionally "did."...And we're talking complex patterns and true artistry folks...not just some plain ol' red polish.  I snuck on Pinterest to show you some nails that inspire her!

Next week, folks...it will be the real deal herself with a fun and funky post all about fashion...(I hope) so stayed tuned!

Way Back Wednesday...

It worked out perfectly that September 26th fell on "Way Back Wednesday"...because I had these great picture to share of my dad...and it just so happens that today would have been his 70th birthday. My dad only had 44 birthdays in this world before he went to be with Jesus in Heaven. A part of me feels jipped....for him and myself. Jipped for him...because he struggled his whole life, and it was cut short just when he thought the struggle was over. Jipped for me because I was only allowed to have this amazing person in my life for twelve years. Sometimes it hurts too much to imagine what life would be like if he were still here. I try to stop myself when I start wondering. But today...I can't help it. I find myself thinking about the amazing party I would have thrown for him...wondering how he would have looked with gray hair....and remembering the joy he brought to our family...

 

My dad and sister in 1971 ( I think)  

 Me and my dad in 1980. 

 



TV Tuesday

Those of you who know me know that I loveeee reality TV.  A few months ago, I moved into my new house, and  I decided it would be financially wise to cut a few of my cable channels...so, no more Kardashians, Joisey Shore, Mob Wives or any of the other craziness that I used to obsess over.  Thankfully the Bachelor/Bachelorette is on primetime TV, so it hasn't been ripped out of my life! 

So now that smut TV is gone, I've been forced to watch a lot of prime time TV, the cooking channels, NatGeo, and HGTV. 

Currently, I'm obsessed with:

The Voice...Hellllooo Adam Levine!!  Adam's not the only reason I watch...I am a sucker for watching people lay it all out to make their dreams come true. For some reason, I find myself crying every time I watch it!!  There are tons of talented people this season, but of course, I'm rooting for Benjy Kuriakose!  Gotta support my fellow Malayalee!

Go On...I've always loved Mathew Perry on Friends.  I think he's done other shows since, but I never got into them.  I half-heartedly watched this show, but fell in love with it.  If you haven't watched it...give it a try...the story line is really interesting.  It's about a recent widower who is also a radio personality...His boss makes him join a grief group and he hates every minute of it...until he forges relationships with the people in the group!

That's it for now folks....my oven's beeping...which means my baked chicken and seasoned cauliflower is ready for eatin!  Until next time...

 

Weekend in Review...

This weekend wasn't a particularly exciting one...I did the usual cleaning and laundry, caught up on phone calls with the seester, mom came over for a visit, church on Sunday and I watched a lot of TV. I know it doesn't sound very productive...However I did take some time to do a little baking...

First I made a chocolate cake topped with chocolate chips for my friend Merly since she is forever complaining about me not making her enough sweet treats (apparently she thinks she's pretty special and deserves them or something)





 

And then I made a strawberry cake for one of my co-workers, Shelley.  It was her birthday and since I think she's pretty awesome...I agreed to bake her a cake.

I also started planning a party! Now usually when I plan parties...it's for someone else.  But, this time I'm hosting one at my house.  It's a little Halloween inspired "Ghoul's Night Out!"  I'm a excited about it and will share my favorite ideas for decorations and food as the party progresses!  

Birthday Shout Out to my Munchkin!

I can't believe it's been 4 years since I pulled an all nighter at the hospital waiting for you to be born.  God works in mysterious ways...NEVER did I think that I would ever move to Florida...especially in time to be with my BF on the most important day of her life...the day she became a Mom. 

Initially, we got off to a rough start...Like your cousins, you didn't like me a whole lot in the beginning.  You always had this confused look on your little face...like "Who are you?  And why are you always around?"  But, as you got older things got better...I'm not sure if it's because your mom pretty much gives you no other alternative but to love me...or because I've grown on you.

One things for sure...you have grown on me!  I think you have this natural way of capturing people's hearts...Kind of like your mom...and making me people laugh!!...kind of like your dad.  You're a perfect little mixture of the both of them...and since they are two of my most favorite people in the world...it's no wonder that you are too!  You're my little ray of sunshine...

I pray that God continues to do a great work in you.. and that you keep being the wonderful little you that you are!  Happy 4th birthday, Munchkin!

So Long Summer...

I noticed today that it's starting to get darker outside just a wee bit earlier...and the 109 degree weather has cooled off to a chilly 99....and my front yard is completed carpeted in dry leaves...all signs that the carefree days of summer are coming to an end.  Although it's been an unbearably hot one, and my AC's broken down a few times (welcome to home ownership!), this summer has been a good one, and I'm sad to see it go. 

I have absolutely no recollection of May...it was a blur because I was so busy with a wedding where I had to successfully assign 400 people to their seats for the first time in my wedding planner career!  And although I freaked out about it for weeks...everyone had a seat and the wedding (especially the bride) was quite beautiful.

After the wedding, my summer officially began!  The next day I was flying the friendly skies to sunny Florida...except it wasn't so sunny. It rained pretty much every day...but, it was ok because I got some much needed R&R...and I got to join in on the graduation festivities of my nephew, Aaron.  This weekend...he'll be off to the University of Florida...and I'm officially trading in my OU gear for Gator gear!  So proud of this kid!

Aaron wasn't the only nephew I hung out with this summer...my nephew Andrew and my niece, Marissa were in town to hang out as well!  I know OKC isn't the most thrilling place to spend your summer vacay, but I tried my best to keep them entertained.  Andrew's one lucky kid...he starts school two weeks after his sister...so although she had to take an earlier flight home...he's still chillin' at his granny's with his cousin Mousse...And I discovered that we both love boba smoothies, so I'm sure we'll be spending the remainder of the summer sippin' on those.

When Andrew and Marissa were bored...the one person that could bring some excitement to their lives (other than me) was my little munchkin, Madison.  She and her Momma were here visiting from Florida and we had way too much fun planning her 4th birthday party. They were here for a month...but the time went by way toooooooo fast! 

One by one...the visitors are all leaving and no more vacations are on the calendar...and I've become painfully aware that soon it will be time to brush off the dust on my cardigans.  (wait...they're not dusty...i've been wearing them in 109 degree weather!) ...Fall is on its way! 

There are things to look forward to...the state fair, caramel apples, halloween, raking leaves (anyone want to help?), thanksgiving (my first time hosting in my own house!), etc, etc.  But...parting from summer fun is always such sweet sorrow!

Speaking of...

Speaking of going to the Thunder Play Off games...Here's me and the Duer living it up in our club level seats...enjoying the buffet and drizanks...

Thunder Up!

So proud of the Thunder boys for winning game 2 against the Lakers...I gotta say...this is getting pretty exciting! I was able to go to a play off game against the Mavs...and there's nothing like sitting in the stadium.  The energy is like none other.  I'm so glad that OKC has an NBA team now...it has given us something to get excited over and be proud of....and finally put us on the map for something positive. Thunder up!  

A star is born...

So I "borrowed" these pictures of Tessa from her Momma's (NC's) facebook...She had her very first ballet recital the other night, and I'm sure you'll agree that she was absolutely adorable!  I didn't get to go to the recital, but she's showed me how masterfully she can point her toes as she practiced in my living room...so I'm quite sure she was a superstar that night!...as always!

all this beautiful long hair is AFTER a hair cut!

Me and my all time favorite person...

25 years have passed...and you've been missed and remembered every single day.

I think I've managed to swipe all the family photos from my mom's house...I had great intentions when I did this...I thought I would put them in nice, new albums...but somehow that task became overwhelming since there are approximately a jabillion pictures.  Instead, they've managed to sit in a huge bin for a few years now.  I do look through them on the occasion...and keep telling myself that I need to buy some albums and sort through the pics when I'm not busy...but, I'm not sure when I'll be "not busy" in this lifetime.

So, I decided that maybe I'd post one every once in a while...Here's the one that made me smile today.

Me and my sister, circa 1977-ish.  It's funny how you can remember certain things about your childhood...I remember that bed sheet we're sitting on...I used to think it was so pretty...now, I realize it's pretty hideous.  I also remember the necklace I was wearing...it had a white butterfly pendant on it, but my sister's hand is blocking it so you can take my word for it.  I also remember loving to wear tights and dresses around the house...which is pretty hilarious because I still love wearing tights!!

Shout Outs...

First and foremost, Happy Mother's Day to my Mom. I've learned over the years, that people walk in and out of your life...very few stick around to celebrate with you through the good, wipe your tears through the bad, and help you stand when you don't have the strength during the ugly.  And that's why I'm so thankful for my Mom.  She loves me...with out a doubt...more than anyone else on this planet does.

Annnddd, Happy Birthday to my buddy my pal...Merly Mathew.  I'm thankful for Merly because she keeps me awake every day at work with her emails...she makes me strive to improve my sense of fashion with her oh-so-funny jokes about my cardigans, and she's just an all around good advice giver and great conversationalist.  My life has been pretty boring and empty since last summer when she decided to leave me for a year and move to Utah.  Merly...I can't wait till you're back so life can resume back to normal! 

Home Sweet Home

It's sad to say that I haven't posted on my blog in SO long that I forgot the password and had to do a reset.  I could give you a 1,000 excuses as to why I've been MIA, but I really don't have any.  Every day seems busier than the next, yet, I still can't come up with anything interesting to write about!  I did however make a little purchase since I last posted....no, not new junk jewlery...

This is what I've been up to for the past few months...house hunting, purchasing, moving, and decorating...and now, Casa del Sue is finally complete.  After too many years of apartment living...I've got to say I know why they came up with that phrase "home sweet home!"

Tired of staring at my pudgy hand?  Well, I was...I got into this phase where every Sunday I would paint my nails a different color and polka dot them.  I started becoming quite good at it and was totally helping with my nail biting problem.  But then some time around Valentine's Day, I started getting very nervous about being in a time crunch!  I had a party due, and had lost my thunder along the way...so cutting and gluing was the last thing I really wanted to do.  I was so nervous about not finishing the party in time...and the next thing I knew...my nicely manicured and polka dotted finger nails were all gone.  And there you have it!

I haven't been up to much lately...I'm currently breathing through half of one nostril.  I've got an annoying head cold that's got me stuffed up.  I suppose I should be grateful that I can't really smell because about three weeks ago, I woke up in the wee hours of the morning with the case of the throw ups.  Now, since I started the Daniel Fast in January...I have completely altered my diet.  I only eat veggies, fruits, skim milk, and fish...and read all labels to be sure that I'm not sneaking in any sugar.  So, I was under the impression that eating good, healthy food would prevent such fits from occuring in the wee hours of the morning.  Apparently not.  Anyway, little did I know it, but I was lying on my couch (the most comfortable spot in my house) throwing up in a plastic bag that had a hole in it.  I didn't discover that until I was feeling better.

Although I cleaned it immediately, I can't get the stench out of my couch...and it seems to be wafting through the air around here.  I feel like I've got plugins in every socket.  I've tried everything to clean the couch...baking soda, vinegar, carpet fresh, resolve, resolve foam cleaner, Boric Acid...Seriously, I probably should have just burned it and bought a new couch with all the time and money I've spent trying to clean it.  But, it's so comfy and I just can't give it up.  I peeled of the fabric and soaked it and Boric Acid and left it out on the patio to dry.  I think it smells better...of course, my nose isn't working quite properly though.  So tonight I put the cushion out on the patio and poured Baking Soda, water, and detergent on it and i'm letting it soak over night and dry tomorrow.  Cross your fingers...because if this doesn't work...I'm having a bonfire tomorrow night!

Dots!

I couldn't sleep last night so I got creative with my nails! Ya'll know I love me some polka dots!

Beef...that's what's NOT for dinner

So, ever year...at the beginning of the year...my church does the Daniel Fast.  Basically put, you partake in a vegan lifestlye for 21 days as you draw closer to Christ.  I thought this was a good option for me...Growing up in the Indian church, they always did "no food" fasts...and I never had the will power in to partake in that.  This seemed like a happy medium...even for a carnivore like me!

I have survived my first week.  I thought food would be the big challenge...but it's not.  Things like vegetable curries & veggie burgers have been my saving grace.  But even more difficult than dealing with the lack of meat and dairy...has been the new conviction that God has given me to stop watching REALITY TV!!  If you know me, you know that it is my guilty pleasure...and i'm a junkie.  But in this week, God has shown me that it's a waste of time, and spending time with him is more important and beneficial than spending time lounging on my couch watching TV.  This is especially difficult since my boy Pauly D is on a new season of Jersey shore!!

If you happen to know any great vegan recipes...please let me know!!  Oh, and I'm up to read some good books now too...since I've got some time!

My new bling...

Some girls are obsessed with shoes, purses, diamonds, rubies...and I'm obsessed with junk jewlery.  Please note the fabulous ring on my finger in the picture below (although I know my super cute mouse pad is probably distracting you.)  My mom told me the other day that I wear the ugliest rings...and I told her "Thank you." If my mom thinks something is ugly...it's almost guaranteed that it's actually pretty cute!  I like unusual rings...and I found this one at one of my all time favorite accessory shopping stores...Forever 21. Now..if I could only grow my finger nails so my hand wouldn't look like a little Indian boy who has a bow ring on his finger!

Sometimes I think this dogs of mine knows things.  She didn't sleep all night last night because she knew something was up...Marissa & Andrew were packing their suitcases last night to go home this morning.  They had to catch an early flight back...and Mousse was restless all night.  Her lack of sleep last night made me lose sleep...so although it's only 8 pm, we're both ready for some zzzz's!

It's been so nice to have an extra day off from work today... My shoulders and neck have been so tense lately that I find myself getting migraines a lot.  While my nephew has been in town, I've been having him walk on my back.  But, it hasn't been doing the trick...so I went to the mall today for a massage by one of the Asian guys who stand in the middle of the mall and do chair massages.  The dude beat the living shiz out of my shoulders and back...but it felt uh-mazing!  It was the best twenty bucks I've spent in a long time.  (even though I have a bruise on my back from the dude's elbow!)  Afterwards...I went to the bookstore...I've been looking for a good Christian book to dive into...I chose Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  So far...it's pretty excellent.  I'll review it more once I'm finished...so stay tuned!

Happy 2012!

I spent the last night of 2011 getting pummeled by my nephew, Andrew while playing the Wii game...Just Dance.  Who was I kidding to think I could dance, anyway?  After getting slaughtered, we all watched the ball rise in OKC (yah, I know...most balls drop.  We do everything backwards!)  and popped poppers to ring in the new year! 

And now here we are...2012!  I refuse to use the word "resolution"...because I feel like resolutions are made to be broken.  However, I do have several goals that I've set for myself year.  They are quite lofty...and as I work on them...I'll talk about it here.

Yes, here...I plan to use this space more often than I did in 2011. It may not always be interesting...but there will be something here for those of you who have stuck with me since 05!  Happy New Year, Blogosphere!

I always new that my munchkin, Madison was born to be a SUPERSTAR...

and apparently the producers of the daytime talk show, The Doctors agree.  Her video of her cochlear activation was discovered by them on youtube, and they thought it was just as special as we did!  So they decided to air a clip from it on their show on Monday, November 14th!  Check your local listing...to check out the little Superstar in her first debut!



All Shook Up...Literally!

I was just sitting down to write this post when I heard a rumble outside...not uncommon during a thunderstorm.  But then I felt the rumble under my feet, I knew it was happening again...another earthquake.  I've spent the majority of my life in Oklahoma City...which means I'm used to things like tornados, ice storms, and in recent years...blizzards.  I never in a zillion years would think I'd need to worry about earthquakes! 
But Friday night...I woke up to one.  I thought it was Moussey scratching her neck while she lay in bed...but Moussey wasn't in bed.  She was standing near my bed staring at me...if she could talk, I'm most positive that she'd be saying, "WTF?!"  My vision was wobbly for a good two minutes...as my head wobbled...but, I was half asleep and told myself that I'd check on line in the morning to see if OKC had an earthquake.  The next morning I checked facebook..and sure enough it was confirmed. 4.7

The next night...round two.  This time, it was only 11 pm.  People were awake...in fact they were running out of their apartments yelling.  Me and Moussey stared at each other...and again...her face had it written all over it..."WTF?!"  I gotta admit...that one really shoook me up...no pun intended.  It scared the beejeeezus out of me.  And the neighbors running around outside didn't calm my nerves a bit.  This one was bigger...5.6.

So here we are...Monday night.  I thought the earthquakes were now a thing of the past...on to the next set of worries...tornado warnings all over the state.  I sat down to write about my earth quake experience...and whaddaya know!...round three.  This time, I'm certain this building swayed.

I think I'm finished freaking out about this...I'm going to go to bed...but not before a prayer....
Now I lay me down to sleep...
I pray the Lord my soul to keep...
If I should die before I wake...
I pray the Lord my soul to take...