I have very few "favorite" people in the world...but this is girl is definitely one of them. Suetee,

my most favorite double cousin. My cousins and I don't get to see each other very much...once a year if we're lucky or at family weddings...which seem to be few and far between lately. But, it doesn't really matter because we talk on the phone incessantly (thus my unlimited minutes on my cell phone).,,,and we just have this special bond. I know if either of them are reading this they're probably gagging or rolling their eyes...or just feeling plum embarrassed because I'm "over emotional"...which is the kinder/more politically correct word than what they would use. But it's true...we do have a special bond. I sometimes wondered if we'd be friends if we weren't cousins...and the answer is... I highly doubt it. We are polar opposites in every sense of the word, but our family bond makes us accept each others quirky ways, stay close, and love each other (there! I said the L word too!) beyond measure. Happy birthday to my cousin, my friend...and one of my most favorite people in the whole wide world!

S is for SECRET keeper...because she's the best!

O is for OBSERVANT ... she notices everything!

N is for NICEST person I know.

I is for IMPECCABLE taste in purses and shoes!

A is for ABSOLUTELY AWESOME...that's what kind of friend she is!

Wishing you the happiest of birthdays, BF!

Why I Love Thanksgiving

A Short Essay by Suevee

There are many reasons why I love Thanksgiving. I love that it falls on a Thursday, which assures the majority of folks a day off. I love it because I love turkey...white meat to be exact....the drier the better. Who am I kidding? I love stuffing and grean bean casserole and honey butter too. I love Thanksgiving because it's the one day of the year that you can stuff yourself shamelessly because it's expected of you. I love it because it's a lazy day...and it's okay to take a nap right after eating because turkeys have tryptophan and tryptophan makes you sleepy. I love Thanksgiving because it's the one day that forces you to dig deep or not so deep...and think about the positive aspects in your life and be grateful. In short, I LOVE Thanksgiving.

The End

The news that made my day...

When Maddicakes was here a few weeks ago, Sonia tried to teach her how to say my name. Instead of calling me "Sue Aunty"...Sonia has decided to teach her that my name is "Sueny." This is a name my niece, Priya used to call me when she was a baby and couldn't pronounce my name. I thought it was so cute...and I guess Sonia did too.

Maddi couldn't seem to learn to say "Sueny" when she was here. So when she saw me, she'd point at me and smile...which let me know that she knew who I was and was glad to see me. That made me happy enough. She calls her other aunts "Aunty"...but she didn't call me that either. So, I guess she knew that my name was something else, but couldn't remember what.

Well, today she was looking at pictures on her own, and her daddy heard her say "Sueny!"...He went to look at whose picture she was looking at because he had no idea who she was talking about. And when he looked...it was MEEEE! She finally learned my name! All on her own! What a little genius! Sonia made sure to call me and let me know the good news....I told her it made my day! Heck....it made my entire week!

Five years ago, I made the best investment that I've ever made in my life. My dear friend, the Illustrious Finuji told me that her co-worker had some labrador puppies for sale. I had always had my heart set on having a lab, an SUV, and 4 kids...in no particular order. So, I told Fin that I wanted to see the pups. I always wanted a blonde lab...and had pre-picked the name "Brooklyn." (This was obviously in my I LOVE NY phase). (Some might argue that I'm still in that phase)

The little puppies were all snuggled together in a huge wooden crate. Among the black and blonde pups...I saw a little chocolate one with a white patch of fur on its' chest that looked like a touch of whip cream. It was pretty much love at first sight. She reminded me of the chocolate mousse with whip cream on top that I had at Serendipity Cafe in NYC just a few weeks before. I instantly named her Mousse...and waited patiently for a few weeks for her to be weaned.

The day I brought her home...she was so sweet and quiet. Then, there was day 2. She definitely had an ornery streak. She made it very evident that she was my new #1 priority...and in case I forgot that fact, she'd make sure to have newspapers shred all over my apartment to remind me....Or, even better she'd gnaw the heels off of my leather shoes. There was a time or two that I wondered if I could possibly get my money back!! But, I didn't give on her...and she didn't give up on me.
She had really bad habits....like jumping all over people as soon as they walked through the door, sleeping on the bed, sleeping on the couch, and demanding attention. Actually now that I think about it...she still has lots of these bad habits...but they're not as annoying anymore. I had bad habits too though...I neglected to walk her and didn't realize how important it was for her to release some of her ENERGY. She spent a lot of time in lock up...while I researched how to train a dog online and in books.

I have to be honest...it wasn't until Matt joined our little family that Mousse was officially trained. He practiced "spare the rod...spoil the child." It didn't take Mousse long to understand that bad behavior was no longer appreciated or tolerated. And now, there's no doubt that she's our #1 priority.
People don't really realize how much you can love a pet. It almost seems so silly. But they have character and rely on you completely, so it's really easy to fall in love with them. Mousse is way more than just my pet....she's the apple of my eye, my pwecious pwincess, and my BFFL. Happy 5th Birthday to my Moussey...

Now, isn't that a scary sight?? Matt and I toured our local Halloween superstore...and I forced him to try on a few masks.

This one was my favorite.

Our Halloween was pretty uneventful....we didn't have any trick or treaters...not a one! Cousin Les came over and we watched "Get Him to the Greek"...which is a comedy...not a horror movie. But, all the raunchiness horrified me!

I did record the movie "The Strangers," but I convinced Matt that we should watch it during the day and not at night so I wouldn't be so scared. But, I tried it to watch it today in broad daylight...and I was still too scared. =/

Now, November is upon us....I'm looking for new and delicous Thanksgiving recipes, so if you have one...please do send it my way!

I, myself am getting tired of looking at Sheryl's mug...and decided to do something about it. I can't believe there are only 3 days of October left. Where did this year fly off to?? I have to admit that October is probably one of my most favorite months of the year....Partly because it's the birth month of some extremely cool people ;)...but mainly because fall weather finally kicks in Oklahoma. I love me some cool mornings and some frigid nights! And even though Halloween is supposed to be all wicked and sinister...I love it too...costumes and candy...what's not to love??

Since I haven't written in a long while, I thought I'd catch the blogosphere up to speed with all the happenings of the month....

On October 5th, Baby Tyson "chicken chunk" Chacko Ingle arrived! He is Tessa's baby bro and the latest addition for NC & Andy. He was supposed to arrive on the 6th, which would have helped his mom remember my birthday...but he betrayed me and came a day early. That's okay...I love him anyway. Who wouldn't? Look at those cheeks!
The 6th was my birthday. It was a great one...my phone rang off the hook and facebook blew up with messages and comments and it made me feel oh-so special! BF and Maddicakes also flew in that day...and I got to spend the week with them which was like icing on the cake!

BF and Madison were in town for the engagment of this very cute couple...Wins & Soni. They will be tying the knot in July 2011 and have asked yours truly to be their wedding planner!

I have been keeping myself busy this month with weddings and parties...I'm working on a birthday party for a very special person...my niece, Sophia. It's Dr. Seuss theme and it's been a blast to work on...although my apartment looks like Hobby Lobby exploded in it. I'll give you a sneak peak of the decor...It's a little fuzzy, but stay tuned to my other blog for more pictures soon to come...

PS...this picture was brought to you by my new cell phone! It was a steal of a deal at just $30!! I haven't had a camera phone in quite a while, so I'm going a little camera crazy these days. But the best part about it is the Qwerty keyboard, which makes text messaging brides so much easier!!

So, that was my month in a nutshell...ohhhh, almost forgot the most exciting thing about this month!!

October 28th, McDonalds brought back the McRib sandwich!! Boy does that sandwich conjure up some memories of my childhood....Matt and I went out and got ourselves McRibs for lunch today. They were just as delicious as I had remembered! So if you haven't had one yet....go out and get one!...and Monopolys back...you might win some free fries...I did!!

HBD, Sheryl!

Happy Birthday to Sherika Jenkins James Jacob...on this, her 30th birthday!It's dawned on me a few times over the years that I'm getting old. But, knowing that Sheryl turns 30 today makes me feel really old. It seems like just yesterday that we were cutting her cake for her 16th birthday...my how time flies! I feel like I've watched her do a lot of her growing up and seen her through many of her stages...and it's been a pleasure watching her journey and seeing how God has molded her into the person she is today!

Though life has changed immensley since this picture was taken...I think it perfectly depicts who she is to me. She is the one who always brings the fun into my life with her misadventures that she drags me into...and makes me smile and laugh even when I don't feel like it.

Happy Birthday, Kid!

Spent the weeked in Houston this weekend...I had a good time visiting CCL and Suetee and spending time with their kiddos.Now it's back to reality...I'm on a time crunch. I have to find a church and reception hall this week for a wedding I'm working on. That means I have 3 more days, folks! I've been on the phone all morning! P.S....the lunch with the total stranger went fabulously. She was an event planner at a fancy schmancy hotel downtown. We had a great time...never a lull in the conversation! Maybe I'm getting better at this!

False Alarm...

So, my friends went on vacation this past weekend, and I was left to watch over their puppy and their home. They live approximately 65 seconds away from me, so I didn't think it was necessary to actually stay in there home the entire time. I went by and checked on the house Saturday. And although I told my friend I'd be staying there that night, I was bit by the lazy bug and decided that the 65 second drive was just way too long...and snoozed at home.

Sunday morning at 7 am, my phone started to ring. It was my friend calling from vacation. Considering it was 5 am there, I knew it couldn't be good. When I picked up, he asked if I was at the house. I said no. He said the alarm was going off at the house, and the alarm company called him. He asked if we could go by and check it out...and he suggested we take Mousse along. (What was she going to do? Lick the intruder to death??)

We raced out of the house...during the 65 second drive, my mind was racing with "what ifs." What if the intruder was still there? What if he had a gun? Suddenly the fiction writer in me came alive and my mind was creating a million stories that all ended badly!! (I'm not quite sure if the writer in me awoke from her deep slumber or if I've just been watching way too much Forensic Files, Investigators, 48 hour Mysteries, and Dateline)

We got to the house and I opened the garage. So far, no criminals. Then, I opened the door leading to the house. My heart dropped to my toes. Every single light was on in the house, and every bedroom door and closet was open. That was definitely not how I left the house the afternoon before!! My friend was still on the phone with me, and I said, "dude, some one's definitely been in here." He urged me to...."Get the hell out!" And that's exactly what I did. Shoot...no one needs to tell me twice!

I ran to my car and called 911. I'm not quite sure how I got my fingers to stop trembling long enough to press the numbers. The operator assured me that the police were on their way. So, I sat and waited. Two minutes later, I got a call from the police. They said they had already responded to the alarm...and that the front door was open, and they came in and THEY were the ones who turned on all the lights and opened the doors! Can you believe they scared me like that? I couldn't believe they didn't turn off the lights...or at least leave a little note that said "sorry we missed you....we turned on all the lights, and there are no criminals on this premises."

Uh, I guess you're wondering how the front door was open....Good question. Well, I guess I sort of forgot to chain the door, and although I locked it, it didn't latch correctly. =) It was a windy morning...and the door blew right open. Oopsie!

The Art of Small Talk

I went to a party tonight...and as Jason Derulo would say, I was "ridin solo." I knew a lot of people would be there and so I was very apprehensive about not having an FBF with me in case I ran out of people to talk to. What's an FBF? (Excuse me, I've been watching a little too much Jersery Shore, which has inspired me to use more acronyms these days) FBF= Fall back Friend. This is the person that usually accompanies you to a party or social event, and although you may get separated whilst socializing with others, you eventually make your way back to...and you can rely on talking to this friend when you are officially out of other people to talk to. Pretty much when you're married...your FBF is your spouse by default. But, when you're spouse can't make it and you're ridin' solo...you got no FBF, which is not good for someone like me.

I've realized that to successfully socialize among a group of people, one must master the art of small talk. I've attempted to do this time and time again, but fail miserably. I'll talk to someone and think to myself..."That's it...you're getting it!" And then the thought triggers my brain into a relapse, and I start feeling akward...and before I know it, I've failed yet again.

My friend, Shines is like the Pablo Picasso of small talk. The guy can start a conversation with a cashier at Walmart. He's forever lecturing me about the importance of talking to people because you never know what a simple conversation can lead to...business/job opportunities, new friendships, discounts, etc, etc.

I guess my issues is that I like in depth, meaningful conversations. I can't do the "hi, how are you?, good to see you, give me a call sometime" thing. It seems...well, not meaningful. I feel like I have to know the person, and at least know about some aspect of what's going on in their life, so I'll have something to talk about. I'm just not good at asking questions to people I don't know to find out more about them.

This week, I am stepping out of my little social box...or should I say my anti-social box?!? I have a lunch meeting set up with a perfect stranger. I am quite nervous...but in a way, a little excited to see if I'll pass the test that I usually fail. Will I master the art of small talk?!? Stay tuned...

I've spent the past few days helping my friend NC set up her 3rd grade class since school will be starting in just a few days. She's very pregnant and having a hard time dealing with the heat (AC is out in the school) and all the work she's gotta do before school starts. Spending the day in an elementary school made me quite nostalgic...especially seeing my 4th grade teacher! Oddly enough, she remembered me and said, "Yes...Susan..I remember you. You were always so quiet in class and only spoke when you were asked a question." Yep, that was me. We moved quite frequently, so I was really shy and hesitant to make new friends. (Which is still how I am to this day.) Anyhoo, I thought it was interesting that she remembered me after all these years (it's been a long time since I was in 4th grade!!).

I recently found a picture of myself when I was in elementary school. It reminded me of a time when life was easy and good...My jeans always fit because my mom always bought elastic pants ;) and I always had good hair days because I wore pigtails every day. Back then, we played outside with neighborhood friends, rode bikes, and watched cartoons on Saturday mornings. Life was simple. Today, kids are inundated with modern technology...and sure, it has simplified their lives in ways, but it has taken away the simplicity of life as well.

I'm glad I was a kid when I was a kid....before there were Wiis, ipods, cell phones, and strange cartoon characters. =)

I've spent the past few weeks hanging out with my niece and nephew. Today, we did a photo shoot with their favorite chocolate lab...Moussey. I thought I'd post a few shots so the blogosphere could not only see how big Mousse has gotten...but how big the kids have gotten as well!Mousse was beginning to get a lil' tired of modeling...but the kids never get tired of modeling with her.
And finally, she could take it no longer...She needed her beauty rest.

I believe that most things that happen in life happen for a reason. Sometimes you come to find out what the reason is...and sometimes you can go through your whole life and never really understand the "whys".

A few months ago, I was house hunting. I had found a great house, in my budget, and in the perfect location. I put a bid on the house and was so positive that we'd be home owners within just a few short weeks. I mentally thought about where to put my furniture and what colors to paint the walls. And then, a week later I got a call from the real estate agents saying a higher bidder came along, and the house was sold.

I was bummed to say the least. I couldn't understand why I had gotten so close only to get the rug pulled out from under me. I couldn't seem to find a house as perfect...and before I knew it April 30th had come and gone...and so had the first time home buyers tax credit. I stayed bummed for several months...

And then, about a month ago, I lost my job. And, I realized that although I thought life would have been perfect in that house, God knew better....much better. And so here, I am...jobless for the first time since I was sixteen years old. I haven't been without a job for more than three weeks (during transitions or vacations)....I'm going a bit stir crazy. It's weird because when you're at work, you're staring at the clock, praying that those needles will just move forward a bit faster. But when you're at home, the hours fly by, and so do the days and weeks.

It's a scary time to be with out a job, but I trust that now is the time to pursue something that I love and enjoy. It's time to break the cycle of the monotonous 9-5. Right now, I feel like I've reached a fork in the road, and really need God to shed some light for me on which path I should take. Tonight I was feeling a little lost/confused/scared...and I read something on another blog that I found interesting and inspiring....It read, "your dreams come true when you act to turn them into reality."

What better way to discuss Fashion Friday...then to talk about Sex and the City 2. My friend the Furball and I went to go see it on opening night! She was the one who introduced me to the show a few years ago...(which I instantly fell in love with) so it made it extra special to see it with her.

It was such a good movie!!!!!! Much better than the first one! And the fashion??? Fuh-get about it!! Let's take a looksie, shall we? I wish you could see Miranda's dress better. It was super cute, and she looked really great in this movie. I think her style is themost practical...it's not hoochie-ish like Samantha's, out there like Carrie's, or proper like Charlotte's. Although I did love Carrie's dress in this scene and her hair! Just gorgeous. But the lovely lady did look a little aged in this movie. I saw lots of wrinkles that I never noticed before.

I love Charlotte's dress in this scene!

Carrie wasn't sporting her "carrie" necklace in this movie. Instead, she wore this clover necklace quite a bit! I was pretty much feening over all of their accessories...especially their cocktail rings!! Look at Miranda's earrings! Fabulous.

This was my favorite outfit of the entire movie. Not sure if I'd ever wear a fluffy, gorgeous skirt to a street market. But hey, that's Carrie Bradshaw for ya!

Today is TV talk Wednesday. So, if you don't watch TV...especially reality TV. You might want to tune in tomorrow. =)
The Bachelorette...
I like this season's bachelorette. She seems like the girl next door. Unfortunately, I think she has very slim pickins to choose from. The very first night, I could pick atleast 15 guys she should have gotten rid of and not just 8. Here are my top two guys this season.

But, this appears to be Alli's favorite so far.

And finally, this guy has already made it on my hit list.

He looks a lot older, his hair is awful, and there is something sort of sinister behind his demeanor. We'll see how that plays out. After watching Alli on Ellen the other day...I'm not so sure she found love this season!

The Hills...I can't stand Brody Jenner. He purposely brought his new girlfriend around Kristen to see how she would react. He sat there at the club as proud as a peacock knowing two girls had their eyes on him. Someone needs to burst his bubble. Why would he expect Kristen to be overly friendly to a girl he was all over? And then to make a big deal out of that in front of everyone?!? As Kristen would say..."what. ev-errrrrrrr." PS...Lo's boyfriend?!? totally not who I pictured her with.

The City-Oh Olivia, how I hate thee. She's so smug. I'm not a big Erin fan either. But, it's hard to hate someone more than I hate Olivia. I don't know why Whitney hasn't learned yet that Roxy is bad for business. I know they're BF's...but her mouth!!

American Idol-I love Lee, but I have to admit, Crystal knocked it out of the ball park last night. It's interesting to see how immensely she has changed. She used to be so stoic...and akward in front of the crowd. But now, she acts like a star. Lee seems a little star struck still and I think it might have hindered his performance last night. Despite who wins tonight, I think they're both going to have a great future in the music industry...and that's really all that matters.

So You Think you Can Dance starts Thursday! so excited!

I have dubbed Tuesdays..."Tasty Tuesdays." I'm hoping this new plan to structure the blog will help me stay committed to writing here. =)

I have to admit that most of the ladies (family members and friends) in my life are amazing cooks...I try my best to keep up with them and they've really helped me to aspire to be better and try new recipes. So, that's what Tasty Tuesday is all about...sharing easy,yummy, budget-friendly recipes with the blogosphere!

The first recipe was given to me by dear friend, The Illustrious Finuji...but you can call her Fin. She made some "to-die-for" shrimp quesadillas and was kind enough to give me the recipe. I think I've tweaked it a bit to make it budget-friendly...but it's still good!

You will need:
1 lb shrimp
1 lb italian sausage (in the breakfast sausage aisle)
a few cups of shredded cheese
package of tortillas (i like to use wheat)
1 envelope of Monterrey Steak season-chipotle lime
1 tsp olive oil
Peel and clean shrimp
Pour 1 tbs of olive oil over the shrimp
Empty contents of seasoning envelope
With hands, mix the shrimp until well-coated by spices
Let the shrimp marinate for 10-15 minutes
While shrimp marinates, butter one side of your tortilla
Brown italian sausage, drain fat
After shrimp has marinated, saute in frying pan 10-15 minutes, or until cooked
Place tortilla buttered-side down in frying pan, on half the tortilla sprinkle browned sausage, place 5-8 pieces of shrimp on top, then cover with shredded cheese.
Fold over the empty side of tortilla, and flip over to brown other side.
Remove from pan when both sides of tortilla are browned...andddd EAT!
*sour cream and salsa make it extra yummy!

The weekend was a pretty good one...I hated to see it end. Saturday, I centerpiece shopped for an upcoming engagement, slept A LOT, and then went to the mall with NC. I don't think we've done that since the 90's...when we got there, she surprised me by treating me to a much needed pedicure. It was so nice just to shop, chat, and get our feet did. Sunday...we went to church and then lunch with the Mathews. We tried a new place called the Cajun Kitchen. If you're in the OKC area, I highly recommend it. It's located on 63rd and Macarthur...not only is the food scrumptious, but the service is the friendliest that I've ever experienced...ever. I ended Sunday evening with the Lost finale. aaaaaaah. Where to begin??

I'm not sure what you guys made of it...but I'd love to know, so please do leave comments below and share your thoughts!! Here's what I thought: The island was real. They were each brought to the island on purpose...to redeem themselves and to make these lasting, impacting relationships. The show was never about the island...it was about the characters, which is why I loved it initially. They all died at various times...Jin, Sun, and Sayid when the sub exploded...Jack at the very end when his eye shut (amazing ending I thought)...and the flash sideways was them in an "after life" phase where they all had to re-meet in order to finally move on...to.........whatever your faith believes...that's why the "church" they were in had various images like the cross, ganesh, buddha, the jewish star...it was just a meeting ground based on their faith. some things i don't get...like jacob, the smokey monster, the whole dharma initiative, and the drain that almost sunk the island. so if you have thoughts on it...please do share!

and that brings us to.....
Monday. My least favorite day of the week. It's so hard for me to drag myself out of bed and get to work. I don't know about you, but I could definitely use a jolt on Mondays...something to get me going and get me ready for the week.
So, I have decided to post "Motivational Mondays" on my blog. Hope they give you the jump start you need! There's lots I could say to motivate you today. The most important thing is....next Monday, those of us in the good ol' USA are off! Now, that's definitely something to smile about! Also...for those of you fellow "Bachelor/Bachelorette" fans...the new season of the Bachelorette begins tonight!!

Now, if that wasn't enought to get you motivated today...let's discuss this:
Last Thursday, I watched Lee DeWyze go home to Chicago on American Idol. I have to admit, Lee wasn't my initial favorite, but he definitely sang his way into my heart. I like him for more than his music...I like him because he's humble. Despite the fact that he's the crowd favorite, and the front runner to win this competition, he still seems a bit awe-struck when the judges tell him that he rocks! I think it finally hit him when he went home last week...he realized he has so many people rooting for him and more than that, he realized how far he's come.

I love shows like American Idol...that take an average joe..a dreamer...and give them a platform to make their dreams come true. Just a few weeks ago, Lee was a paint salesman and now he's on his way to super stardom. I was bawling right along with him when he visited his old job. I can't begin to tell you how many times I dreamed of having that same moment. You know, that moment when you're actually doing something you LOVE, that you're good at, that you are passionate about...and you're excelling in it!! That moment when you can look back at your life and see how far you've come...and how all the time you spent hoping, dreaming, praying, and working towards that goal were worth it.
When I watched Lee it gave me hope. That it can happen...and it does happen to all sorts of people. Like Susan Boyle...who could have given up on her dreams long ago. But, if you keep holding on to the dream...there's always a possibility of living it....one day.

I'm back...forgive me. (Sorry, Staic!)

I've been busy and haven't been feeling 100%...therefore neglecting my page. While I was gone, I worked on a fabulous birthday party for two very special twins...

It was loads of fun working with a mom who wanted to make the party extra special and thew caution to the wind when it came to budgets! Now that's it's over, "I'm on to the next one"...as JayZ would say!

My friend Sybil and I are putting together a party for WRATH (women against trafficking humans) Basically, all the attendees will bring items to the party, which will meet the needs of safe houses for victims of human trafficking. As I've begun working on this project, I've been learning more and more about the problem. I would have never imagined that Oklahoma would be #4 in the nation in human slavery. It was a sickening discovery. Since we have 3 major interestates running across our state, it makes it a prime location apparently. If you're reading this and would like to host your own WRATH party to support victims, let me know and I'll give you more information.

I decided to put themes to my days to help me with thinking of blog material. Today is Fashion Friday

Topic: Sandal boots At first I thought they were horrendous. And then...as most things do...they grew on me. I know they're not very practical...because if you're wearing sandals...you most likely don't need ankle warmers. But, I think they're fashion forward...which is precisely why I don't own a pair. I love looking at them on other people's feet...but I don't have any fashion forward clothes to go with them. Face it, cardigans and sandal boots just don't go.

What do you think?

Today's Funny...

Butt lift gone bad...