Temptation Friday

Last week, in my Friday's Letters, I wrote something so quickly and continued to pray on it later.

I am beginning to realize that my Friday's Letters are much like prayers because sometimes I put things out there in the atmosphere through my writing, doesn't have to be much to them, and yet God continues to open doors.

First, I posted about wanting to either have my own cosmetic line or become a beauty advisor and distribute a cosmetic line - that my friends is coming true as we speak!

When I wrote in my Friday Crazies Post a letter to Tyler Perry, I meant that thing. Now, I get to tell you a little bit more about what I meant.

First before I get into it - let me just say, I was going to support this film because one of my friends from college, Lance Gross is in it - and I am so proud of how far he has gotten since college and how much Tyler Perry believes in him to continue to give him starring roles.

Between friends I know being in movies and my husbands friends producing music for movies like Confessions of a Shopaholic and the like - we must support to create more opportunites. Another reason why I love movies!

So, please support - if anything, do it for me! The more we support, the more opportunites we get to see our friends and family hit the big screen - I'm just sayin'.

So-

Last Friday we Amos received an invitation inviting him and a guest to a private screening of Tyler Perry's next film to release, Temptation. Sounded like a fun thing to do. As we read the email together at 6am and all kinds of confused, we see that it is in Atlanta - we don't live in Atlanta. Well then we kept scrolling through the email and it says, I would love for you to join me and we can discuss the film afterwards signed, Tyler.

I'm sorry, WHAT?! Tyler is inviting us to Atlanta? How are we going to get there?

Mind you, we have never met him, don't know him and just honored that the invitation has come as a result of connections that he has made in music.

So, time passes through the day, and I text my husband and said "find out if this is real. It really seems like Spam." Of course other questions go through my mind like, who is paying for these flights for this random trip that is supposed to happen in less then 10 days notice?

As he makes the necessary follow up phone calls and emails, turns out that yes indeed - the invitation is legitimate and they are paying all the expenses - thank you Jesus.

Then to sweeten the deal, after we go to the movies to see 21 & over the other night, we leave and Amos says "oh yeah by the way, after the screening we were invited to Tyler Perry's home for a reception following the screening"

Well catch me while I faint in panic! WHAT?!

So as you can imagine over the last week - I have been getting my hair done and emailing and sending picture texts of every outfit I own to my sister in NYC so that she can style me for this thing. She does this on the regular for her job so she has been a great help.

So I can't wait until my weekend recap because I will be recapping my trip among other things.

So now, my letters:

Dear Hubby, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU- praying that your song is the next single, praying that you get this placement on that Christmas album. Hope that the music for the Easter Production turns out so wonderful. Only you can recreate songs that are fully recorded by a band note for note- your like a one man orchestra. LOL. Here's to a great weekend! Oh BTW, thanks for telling me it was cocktail attire THIS MORNING! when I had been trying on outfits for days and have been asking you for several, what does the attire say?... you in your own fashion this morning said so innocently as I was getting dressed "What's cocktail attire?" I knew then that you were reading the confirmation email without even looking and I could've hit you ( I think I did hit you with my badge one good time) but all I could do is laugh.

Dear Tamar and Vince, been rooting for you since this post - congrats on the pregnancy. I know that you waited until you were in your third trimester to tell the world and thats fine. We knew it all along anyways.

Dear Jessica Simpson, you had no one fooled - I do not believe that you accidentally slipped and told everyone you were having a boy. I watched you on two shows that day and on both shows you happened to slip. First on Ellen receiving only the boy gifts she gave you then oops you said it on Jimmy Kimmel.

Dear Baltimore Ravens, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? its like we win a Super Bowl then there is a Mass Exodus of our players! See what you did Joe!? You better be worth your weight in Gold.

Dear Sean Lowe, really?! you are doing the most - have several seats. You have been on ABC for two years straight. Next thing you know, you'll be a co-anchor on Good Morning America or something. I wonder if Catherine even knew what she was getting herself into.

Dear Pope Francis, welcome. Not that I am Catholic or anything but you were fun to watch come from behind the red curtain - like the end of the Wizard of Oz.

Dear Hair Company, thank you for your interest in me - I know I change my looks often and could do your product some good promo. Let me see - perhaps this will be my next venture.

Dear God, You are AMAZING! Keep doing what you are doing - I am throwing myself out there to the universe so that wherever I may land is what you have for me.

Dear Followers/ Readers, slow and steady you have come to see about me. Lets hit that GFC 200 mark so that I can begin to pour out some of these residual blessings! Thanks Cece, I really don't know what the point of clicking follow will be since they are getting rid of reader. UGH!

 

Dear Blog Friends, Thanks so much for your prayers for my family. It was really appreaciated. It was definitely more emotional then I bargained for due to family traditions so your prayers and emails definitely helped distract while I was away.

Dear Faith, YOU ARE AMAZING! To write such a sweet thing -" And there are some people who souls just make you want to be a better person. That's how I feel when I read Adrienne, Maria, Kasey and Jasmine's blogs. Maybe it's the thoughtful comments they leave on my blog that leave me feeling this way but they shine and not everyone can do that via the Internet." I am so touched forreal. I said it a few posts back that I was going to talk about some of my favorite bloggers - trust you already know that you are in the number. We still must eat Sushi together!

Dear Google, I am sick of your changes! How in the world are you going to get rid of Google Reader?! How am I supposed to read all of my faves really quickly and easily. Thanks for nothing!

Make sure that you follow me on Bloglovin' so that you can keep reading through one of my favorite readers, and the mobile app is also nice! You can do so at www.bloglovin.com/hellogmsunshine

Have a great weekend!

If You Ask Me: MOS Magnetic Organizer System

Maybe its the Virgo tendencies in me, but the one thing that was driving me nuts about my new office desk was the fact that to conduct daily business, whether it's on days where I work from home or need to do some work on my blog, there are times I needed several cords and had no where to place them neatly and organized without them being piled and gathered on the floor. 

The sight of those cords drove me so crazy, especially on days where I would have to vacuum and would try to avoid the cords.

Everything has to have a home in my book, but there is no cute or great way to house all my cords without my desk looking crazy.

Problem: My desk is glass - as soon as I unplug either my laptop or my cell phone, or disconnect my printer those cords hit the floor. 

Subsequent issue: having to constantly bend over under my desk to find whichever cord I needed next! especially the printer cable that connects my laptop to my laser printer thats placed under my desk.

Since my desk seems to be the "catch-all" these days, I was all but too excited to receive a request to try a product that would me keep all my unused cords in waiting all organized. 

If you ask me: This is how The MOS Magnetic Organizer System worked for me. 

This product comes in white, titanium and black to go with any decor that you may have at home. 

I was sent the Black MOS Magnetic Organization System to try out.

Each one comes with three colorful tabs that you tie around a cord that may not have enough metal parts to connect to the magnet in the base. 

My printer cable easily attaches to the MOS system : SCORE! 

My phone chargers needed some assistance, so I used the tabs that came with it. 

Its nice and flexible and really easy to have the ends meet so that the little magnets will now connect with the MOS Base. 

After using this product in real life for a few days, I came to realize that this was really a great product!

No more wires everywhere and sliding off my desk when I need it. 

Question to self: Will this be another thing thats going to slide off my desk as I stack things off to the side? 

Answer after trying the Product: The bottom of the MOS Organizer has a micro suction base. Wherever I put it down, is where it stayed. The other PLUS - I can attach it to my wall or even to the side of my desk. SCORE!

Now my all important printer cable is at hand whenever I need it - just sitting there waiting for me for when I come into my home office with my laptop. 

No more painful searching on the floor for it. 

And also one more step to an organized desk - 

So, If you ask me: This is a perfect product to get my Apple product obsessed husband as a great present for the next holiday. Wish I had this for Valentine's Day, but now I have it in mind for the next moment - its a perfect gift for gadget loving people.

Perfect for my office and it may migrate to my bed side table to hold all of my phone charger cords. 

I really suggest you look into getting one for all of your organizational needs. 

Check out www.mosorganizer.com for more information.

full disclaimer

This product was provided to me free of charge for exchange for a review- the opinions are truly my own and if you have any more questions please contact the manufacturer. 

Be Back Soon

Usually I would be recapping a wonderful weekend but today I simply ask that you send prayers to my husband and his family as they have had two funerals within two weeks. 

As you read this, we are traveling from the funeral of his cousin who was killed in Ghana while doing work in that country. He left D.C. to be a political consultant in Ghana in 2011. 

Gone way too soon.

My husband's Aunt also passed last week and was laid to rest last weekend. 

So soon... I will be back - but I must be there for my family in love. 

Talk to you soon. 

The Friday Crazies

So if you will allow me to give you a dose of my weirdness -

• I HAVE to sleep on a certain side of the bed or else I feel completely claustrophobic.

• I also think about distance to safe places in case someone ever breaks into harm us and methods of escape, which are all factors into which side of the bed I sleep on (sorry boo.)

• I work in law enforcement yet I do not like guns. Well, its not that I do not like them - its just that I am from a city that if you draw a weapon you better use it because more then likely they have one and will. You can't cry wolf with a gun in Baltimore and you most certainly can not play chicken on bullets - so I try not to be around them. Blame it on my anger issues throughout my teenage years.

• I can't stand rubbing of my skin - like that soft patting stuff drives me up a wall like fingernails on a chalkboard. Speaking of which, I hate to get my nails buffed. Its like the worst thing to me that I have to bear down and close my eyes. It feels so odd to me.

• I never wore make up in highschool and barely any to my prom and yet now, I love it. Add that to my late bloomer in box.

• I'm 30 and still get carded because far too many people think I am 17 trying to sneak into a R-rated movie with my older boyfriend I guess.

• I can never decide what I want from Starbucks but only drink McDonalds Coffee DAILY and choose between hot or cold versions of it. Do you know they have liquid sugar? - yeah I discovered that - its my cure all to not having to guess how many sugars I want before they serve me bitter coffee- its a fine line.

• I am not very domestic - not out of incapability but sheerly on laziness and lack of a formed habit. Praying that changes when I become responsible for someone younger then myself.

• And even with all of that and then some - Amos takes me and my ball of emotions that can go from 0 to 60 during certain times of the month and laughs at me then laughs with me. We definitely can't take ourselves too seriously.

Perhaps next week - I will share some of his weirdness...

Now, since its Friday - there are letters to be written to my favorite people -

Dear present Sponsor Swappers, I love each of your blogs and I think that I will write up a post next week featuring it so that everyone else can know why I love them.

Dear Readers, you too can swap with me. Just click on the Sponsor page - because swapping won't last forever and I want to spread the sunshine on your awesome blogs as well.

Dear Followers, welcome to the new followers. As I am inching closer to 200 - when we get to that celebratory point I definitely have some goodies that I want to giveaway. I am honestly honored that people read from time to time. I have never done paid sponsorship or giveaways on other sites and the fact that you stumbled here and felt it worthy to return back just to read about the ramblings of my life... I am thankful.

Dear Cosmetic Company, I can not wait to share with my readers who I will be distributing for and can not wait to offer them the opportunity to fall in love with you just as much as I love you! It's really one of my dreams come true.

Dear Tyler Perry, OMG -the new movie Temptation and the invitation to come to the screening in Atlanta?? I mean please Lord let everything pan out so that we can attend. If not, its indeed the thought that counts!

Dear Hubby, the look on your face when I said I wanted to see Oz the Great and Powerful. Priceless.

Dear Mommy, I had so much fun with you - our very own girls day out. I love that as I get older we getting closer. Now, if you could only move back home sometime soon.

Dear Howard University, Happy Charter Day to my Alma Mater!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend -

This weekend will be filled with movies, make up, quick trip to New York and whatever else we can get in to!

Snowquester-Meals

I have really taken a liking to that show, The Taste -

I started off watching it because I know Chef Huda from various events in the DMV and she was going to be one of the finalist and I wanted to see how well she did.

She made it some where in the middle.

She got kicked off the night she served raw chicken.

However, the various combinations that these chefs have had to come up with has made me really get into making more dishes in the kitchen that I have either not tried before or have not tried in a while.

The best times are when you get threatened with a snow storm that never comes and you have only the basics in the kitchen- so what do you make?

Not to mention, its times like these where you are forced to stay off the roads that Amos cancels his evening work obligations and for that, I think he should be treated to a nice home cooked meal.

The ladies at the church can't be the only ones dropping off good food.

SO, last night I made Snowquesters finest: Garlic Butter Shrimp and Pasta Risotto

It was so good, I felt like sharing with you something that you can try.

Note: Pasta Risotto is such a great base for your meal that you can serve with any protein or veggie that you choose, which is the beauty of it. I also made sure this time to pay attention to my measurements so that I could share it with you.

Ingredients:

1 Box - Barilla Plus Spaghetti Noodles

1 Bag - Frozen or Fresh Shrimp

1 - small white onion or shallots (to be split between pasta and shrimp)

1/4 cup - white whine (Rhine was used however, you can use any dry white)

1/4 cup - Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup - Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

4 tsps - Butter (to be split between pasta and shrimp)

4 cups - Chicken Stock

1/2 clove - Garlic

1 tsp - Parsley

Salt and Pepper

Here's what you need to Prep in advance - because cooking the dish is hands on and goes fast

Take your box of Spaghetti and break into small peices

You want them to be approximately that size to half the size of the piece shown below.

Also, de-vein and peel the shrimp. Make sure the tails are removed for easy eating.

Place them in two separate prep bowls.

Mince your small onion and place in a prep bowl

Also, heat your chicken stock in a small sauce pan on low boil and let it sit warm until its time to use.

Lets get started:

In a Medium Sauce pan - Take 2tsps of Butter and 1/2 of the small onion and let sautee until translucent.

Slowly pour in your broken pasta.

As little by little falls in make sure you are stirring to cover the pasta with the butter.

Stir for 2 mins ( I used a pan safe spatula) to make sure that the pasta is completely covered and until the butter is completely absored.  

As you are waiting for the butter to be absorbed into pasta on low heat:

Sautee your other 2 tsps of Butter and other half of small onion or shallots in a large frying pan.

When melted, lay Shrimp in the pan and season with salt and pepper

2 mins in add your fresh garlic and parsley

Place on low heat and watch them turn pink.

Back to the Pasta:

Take your 1 cup size measuring cup -

dip it into your warmed chicken stock and pour into your Pasta - one cup at a time.

Stir until its absorbed (you know it is if you can see the bottom of the sauce pan with no liquid like shown below)

Keep repeating this process until all four cups are in the pasta and absorbed.

Keep stirring periodically once all four cups have been added until Pasta is cooked and tender.

Time to add the cheeses!

Take 1/4 cup Kraft Grated Parmesean

Add to the pot.

Stir.

Take 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesean

Add to the pot.

Stir.

Once Shrimp is cooked and once pasta is stirred -

It's time to Plate your Meal!

Viola!

You are finished and its delicious!

You have got to try this and tell me how it turned out.

If you do send me a link in the comments or tag me in your photo on Instagram