Speechless!

I really can’t say anything about that photo other than I smile every time I look at it. Everything you read about our Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is true. He is smart, charming, nice and tall…very, very tall! He and the Senator were talking in their native language… which would be Cherokee. They had a casual conversation and he was extremely gracious about the photo. Not my idea, I would never want to impose, but …

There are always celebrities on hand for Red Tie night, always. This year, Heisman Trophy winners Jason White, Billy Sims and Sam Bradford were on hand along with Barry Switzer and singer/song writer, Graham Colton. The Senator also managed to get in a conversation with Desmond Mason, a player with the Oklahoma City Thunder but I was unavailable for a photo gosh darn it. I like Desmond Mason. He is a basketball player and a contemporary artist…multi-talented and also very, very tall. Four inch heels are a prerequisite for hanging out with this crowd!

Here is the Senator with a couple of his friends. Pictured on the left is Peter Regan, a former candidate for Lieutenant Governor. Although, his bid for that post was unsuccessful, he is currently a rock star in the Democratic party and my insider information tells me he is far from finished…politically. (Any guesses on what he’s trying to do in that photo are fair game!) Pictured on the right is Renzi Stone, of Saxum Communications. Yes, he is also very tall and a former OU basketball player. The Senator and Renzi were in Leadership Oklahoma, Class XVIII together. Those boy do clean up well!

There are always politicians at this event. Lots of politicians. This year we spoke with Attorney General, Drew Edmondson who is running for Governor in 2010, and Lieutenant Governor, Jari Askins who is also running for Governor and Congresswoman Mary Fallin, who is running for Governor next year…hmmmm. We also had a good chat with State Representative Al McCaffrey. I think he is such a nice man. He is a former Oklahoma City police officer. I like knowing people in law enforcement. It makes me feel safe.

And, then there were hundreds of beautiful people, hundreds of them, out in full force to support a very worthy cause. Here I am pictured with one of my friends. She definitely falls under the category of ‘beautiful people’. As for me…I was just doing good to be there.

Love, the Senator’s wife

Oh. The long vs. short dress dilemma is moot at this event. You see it all.

The Senator and I are heading out to a ‘Black Tie’ event tonight. Well, actually it is a ‘Red Tie’ event and it benefits the Oklahoma A.I.D.S. Care Fund. On the invitation it states that the event is ‘black tie’, so naturally the men are encouraged to wear a tuxedo. This is a very simple dress code for them to follow. I’m sure that even my 7th grader could figure it out!

OK, so the invitation says black tie and the gentlemen automatically know what to wear. They will all look the same too. However, this simple dress code does not apply to women.

I happen to absolutely LOVE women’s fashion. There is such a variety of color, fabric and style. It is always fun to check out who is wearing what and wonder why they chose to wear what they did.

For me, though, I fret every time we have to attend one of these events. Not because I have a lot of fashion hanging in my closet, but because the dress code instructions for women are not clearly marked. Does black tie mean long or short? How dressy is the event? And, for this event in particular, do most women wear red? If so, will they be in long or short red?

This is a real problem for me people ….

Did I mention that I do not like to clean…anything! I am NOT a cleaner even though I like clean things. However, tomorrow my Senator has invited a handful (7) of his colleagues over for dinner, and the house needed a little (a lot of) help. Oh, and did I mention that I am cooking dinner for them? King Ranch casserole…and it is the best recipe in my arsenal. In other words, it is always delicious. Always.

Thank goodness the main attraction is the Thunder basketball game. They are playing the Lakers and that will be a BIG game. In fact, the entertainment will be much better than what I whip up to serve them for dinner. (My Senator forgot to tell them that I really don’t cook that often. Shhh! That’s a little family secret!) However, during the legislative session most of these guys can not travel home during the week, so hosting them at our house for my Senator is the least I can do. I am hopeful my kitchen will transform itself into a better restaurant than say, iHop. One thing is for sure… I know my house will be cleaner!

Here is what we are serving for dinner, my Senator’s favorite recipe for King Ranch Casserole:

Ingredients: 1-2 bags of tortilla chips; 10 cooked and shredded chicken tenders; 1 can cream of chicken soup; 1 can of chicken broth; 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1/2 cup chopped green peppers; 1 can Rotel tomatoes with green peppers; grated Cheddar cheese.

Saute in little oil tortilla chips. Saute in little oil onions and green peppers. Lay chips on bottom of greased 9×13 baking dish-1 layer. Top with shredded chicken. Top with blended mixture = 1 can of cream of chicken soup, can of chicken broth, sauteed onions and green peppers and can of Rotel tomatoes. Top with another layer of tortilla chips, then grated cheese. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

It would take some talent to mess this one up! Really.

The Senator’s Wife