Why do the good die young?

I have wanted to make a slideshow of Lucky ever since he died, but was having trouble figuring out how to do it and getting emotionally ready for it. I finally finished today, the one month anniversary of his death. I am so happy I have this to remember him by, although every time I watch I turn into a faucet.

His name was a jinx to him, but his personality made the name look good. We only had him for four and a half months and I can honestly say he was the most charismatic, playful, and friendly dog we have ever had in our family. We took so many pictures and videos of him over that short time...more than any other dog, and I think it is because when you see him you are just drawn to him. He almost demanded the attention of the camera...I was photographing a painting I did along our fence and he went and sat front and center, like he knew he was supposed to pose for me.

He was almost the complete opposite of Gable, with a little boy's spirit...and it was that spirit that won us over! Everywhere we went he attracted attention with his patch, personality, and the great big smile he almost always had. 

He loved to lean his butt on you for a good pet, and he loved his rear to be scratched. He loved playing...whether it was playing fetch, with other dogs, or just going for a run...and he was the best running partner I have EVER had. One of the excuses his previous owners gave me for taking him to a shelter to be killed (besides being too big) was that he pulled on his leash too hard. Funny, we bought a $10 harness that connected in the front and that was all it took to stop the pulling...I could run with him at my side and only holding onto the leash with two fingers.

He was the most popular dog at the dog park and he and Matt had such a strong connection. If he got too hyper at home, we would just show him his tail and he would start chasing. He loved our house and was so smart. He learned come, sit, down, off, stay, shake, and leave it within a month. He was so clumsy...always falling down the stairs and running his head into stuff (mostly for attention)...good thing it was hard! I have always loved pit bulls so when I saw him I wasn't too worried, but he raised the bar. We will definitely own another pit one day. 

Matt and I are so sad he is no longer in our lives...Bijou wasn't meant to be a replacement. He died running free on an 80 acre farm for hours with Matt and Bijou...when he walked into the street and was hit by a car. A stranger picked up Lucky and Matt and took them to the nearest animal hospital, with a police escort, but it was too late. Lucky died in Matt's arms while he was telling him, "It's ok, you're a good boy!" We buried him in the middle of a circle of trees on the farm, with a letter I wrote for him. 

Song: Ben Harper, "Waiting on an Angel"

It took him a few months to find his real family, but I know he was always meant to be ours...it just took some time. I know that he is running around in heaven getting all the good pets, playtime, and femur bones he could ever want. We will see him one day! We love you so much Lucky, you were never unwanted by us!

Nikki

Happy Non-Holidays!

I thought I would be sad that the holidays ended, but I am actually breathing a sigh a relief for the new year. However, I have realized I forgot to post about the recent ones, so here they are in pictures...enjoy:

Matt and I had our own low key Christmas to exchange our gifts and get cupcakes at the bakery that I did a painting for. It was nice to just enjoy each other and hang out with our babies (especially now that I know Lucky would not make to Christmas)

Lucky relaxing by the candle light... Rest in peace my sweet boy. We ended up making a bed on the floor and sleeping with the dogs next to the candles and lit up Christmas tree...complete with Christmas music of course. I am so glad I took in every moment from that night cuddling together! 

Matt and I gave each other bikes so we could exercise together and take Lucky out for faster runs. We didn't have his yet that night because we weren't sure about his national championship ticket, so I gave him an LSU flag as a filler gift. The dog's were so interested in it.

I love when dogs are just plain goofy. Bijou likes to prop her head up by wedging it between the couch cushions to watch us in the kitchen, then she fell asleep with her head between the couch cushions and her mouth smashed against the back of the couch...I died of laughter! 

I gave all the Tags stockings with small gifts for Christmas. It is a tradition that my family has always done, and they had NEVER done it so I thought it would be fun.

Matt's sister, Layla wanted to try and buy all her gifts locally so she got both of us t-shirts from a local shop (Matt's is above) called Parish Ink. The funny think is that I was eyeing an LSU inspired "Roar Y'all" shirt from there online and when I opened the box, there it was...she had no idea I wanted it...love that store!

 Matt with our famous gnome. He now resides on our front porch next to our Mardi Gras wreath and flag. After the last post my mom called and asked if I had ever gotten my other gift from my sister, Kristen...nope. Guess what. It was an LSU gnome! Geez I guess I am that easy to read! Get me a gnome and I'll do a blog post about you! ;)

 The Tag fam...minus David...he was making money off the coast of California on a ship! Bijou ate most of his stocking stuffers after we got home; I guess she thought they were for her.

We just stayed home and relaxed for New Years because we knew the next weekend would get a little crazy. The National Championship weekend in NOLA might as well have been a holiday, and I had a marvelous time...well except for our little loss.

Sixteen of us headed to New Orleans to spend 3 nights together in a 3 bedroom condo. The air mattress was one of the best purchases we have ever made haha. Sometimes it is nice to get away with great friends, make great memories, and not worry about all of the details. We headed down with the car LSU'ed out and in a hurry to get there in time to try and get tickets to the Saints game. Once we got there I got ready in the car (oh the things we do for football) and we sped down to the super dome...past crowds and jazz bands...to look for tickets from a legit scalper. We got 2 tickets in the club level and headed to the dome.

My first priority was to watch my Saints play...Graham and of course Brees are my favorite players. If you haven't read about Graham's life you should...very inspirational and I love his determination. I think Matt is a little jealous of my love for him ;). Luckily, they are both on offense (at least one team had an offense that weekend) so when defense came on I was able to turn around and look at a few more familiar faces...Brett Favre, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston, and Kenny Chesney were two rows behind us in a suite. We snuck a couple pics.

It was a great game! 

We met up with Ashtyn and Derrick and headed to Pat O's for a few hurricanes to cap off the night. The piano bar is so much fun!

A late night= a late morning so we took it easy the next day and just hung out with the group.

 That night we had no clue what to do and really didn't want to go to Bourbon, then we got a call to go to the W Hotel for a free party, with free beer, and a free Pitbull concert. Too good to be true? That is what we thought, but we didn't have anything else we really wanted to do....and what do you know, two nights of awesomeness for me! Apparently they had wanted to keep it a secret for their patrons, but then no one showed up so they got desperate...sure we will help you out. Only a couple hundred were there in a small New Orleans courtyard.

 All of the best latin sounding club music being played and dancing like crazy...my kinda night. I couldn't even drink the free beer, but by the end of the concert we were all soaked from dancing so much. I think what made that night so great was that we had very low expectations haha.

The next day we were ready. We paced ourselves so we could be in full swing for the big game. Luckily, we could not find tickets cheaper than $1,000 so we decided to watch the game in a bar (best money ever saved...maybe that was the lucky part of that night). Unfortunately, the team we had been rooting for all season decided not to show and our coaches decided to give up on them. 

To me it was not that we lost, but the we never even got started. There was nothing to cheer for that night, so I decided it was best for us to head back to the condo and hang out together. MOST of the group thought that was a good idea...there was just too much red out there acting up (and btw they are brutal...I think a little more than LSU if that is possible) and I wasn't sure I wouldn't get a tude with them. Being together helped and by the end of the night we were all laughing about the game. LSU had a heck of a season...even though they scored no points in the game, the season might still be the best in the school's history and we did beat everyone we played...just not twice! ;) Good thing the game was at night so we could enjoy our day.

  Thanks for the purple pants Kristen! I LOVE them! And yes, I obviously love my $11 forever 21 lace shirt too by all the pics it is shown in this post. :)

When we woke I hoped it was a bad dream, but it wasn't. It had rained early that morning...washing the crimson away and everything (including the sky) just looked gloomy and sad. We wanted to end our trip on a good note so we hit up Brennan's for their famous breakfast and treated ourselves to banana's foster (invented there)...and as you would expect, boot camp has been HARD!

 view from our condo rooftop...one street off of bourbon.

Happy 2012 again! Hope it has been a great year so far. I KNOW it will be and I promise I will post shorter blogs...maybe!

Love,

Nikki

Our House's Mascot

You know when you see those tacky sports team lawn ornaments and you think, "Who would buy that!?"

This girl!

Well it was not really purchased by me. If you've read some of my posts you know I have a secret obsession with gnomes and random objects with character, I hate my HOA, and I love my Tigers. We were in an LSU store in Baton Rouge this fall looking for cool shirts, and I saw something I had to have! The conversation went something like this...

Nikki: "Matt, look at these awesome LSU gnomes...it looks so cute and would totally tick off the HOA"
Matt: "Haha...oh wait you are serious? Oh lord..."
Nikki: texted about 4 different ones to Debbie Faye
Debbie: "hahaha...love them, you should get one!" (she knows me so well)
Nikki: "Well I want this shirt too, so not right now" :(

2 months later: An LSU gnome arrived on my front porch...from Debbie (Merry Christmas) :)

I accidentally opened the box which I wasn't supposed to do until Christmas, so I re-wrapped it to give to Matt on Christmas. He opened it and just started laughing...his mom said, "There has to be a story with this!"

Matt placed the gnome on our mantel, next to santa, and it has been there ever since. It may just have to go in the front yard, next to our LSU flag for the weekend....take that HOA!

We leave tomorrow to head to New Orleans...20 friends in a house near Bourbon, with the Saints and Lsu games thrown in the mix...this should be interesting. Matt had a free ticket to the Championship game, but it fell through...typical :/. We might just grab our favorite drinks and head to the house to watch the game so we don't have to stand at a crowded bar the whole time. Bijou will be staying at a kennel...this girl is taking no chances! Have a great weekend and Geaux Tigers!

2011...Looking Back

What a year...we all go through our good and bad years, our ups and downs...hoping I am on the uphill march right now.

I started this year celebrating in Austin with a husband, a dog, in school, and looking forward to the end.

My mom's side of the family celebrated my Grandparent's Anniversary

My new "nephew" Clark was born

I battled my way through computer crashes, hit-and-runs, several printing errors, sleepless nights, no weekends....no life....and I graduated

My cousin Crew was born

I traveled with my family to Cancun

We celebrated the 4th of July on a boat, in Oklahoma, at my Aunt Susie's wedding

Gable was lost by a friend while we were in Galveston...and we were destroyed

I searched Houston which is no easy feat...I met homeless people, circus people, animal lovers, animal haters, etc.

I crossed paths with Lucky, a charming pit/lab mix who was being brought in to be killed for being too big... I brought Lucky home with me

I went on a Silver Belles vacation to Gulf Shores in the middle of a tropical storm

I got a few part time jobs (photography set design, intern architect, etc)

I spent a weekend in New Orleans for a wedding

We had our Walker Thanksgiving in Oklahoma, complete with pictionary

I had a big interview and no job offer...and one part time job ended in the same week

We got a playmate for Lucky...Bijou

Lucky was hit by a car in Lafayette, two days before Christmas (6 days after getting Bijou) and died in Matt's arms...we were yet again destroyed....causing us to think hard about our family

Celebrated Christmas at the Tag's

Bijou hung herself from our fence by her leash, after climbing up it, and almost died (same week as Lucky)...a few neighbor boys down the road heard her crying and ran to save her...I baked them a cake, got a large crate to put her in until we can train her for separation anxiety, and thanked Lucky for being her guardian angel :(

I quit my job with the photographer, but have a new opportunity to help design a restaurant...or two

I ended the year at home, relaxing by the fire with my sleeping husband, a dog, looking forward to the new beginning...2012 please be kind

Nikki

Decking Our Halls

I am making a few gifts for friends and wrapping several other gifts, so my living room looks like Santa's workshop right now...so this Christmas tour will be called Christmas close-ups to avoid capturing my mess haha. It has been hard to get in the mood this year, but I finally got all the stuff I wanted out and up. I lot of my Christmas decorations have been given to me by my mom or my grandmother, but there are several that I buy on sale each year to add to my collection.

In Lafayette there are so many amazingly large garlands around the doors, but here in Texas I haven't seen as many (at least where I live). This is my first attempt to recreate one without any instruction...I will have to improve for next year. I really wanted green mesh, but the red and white check was all I could find at the time. I love berries and liked them on the garland when it was on the ground...when it got put up, not so much. Oh the stress of Christmas... ;)

My mantle is always pretty simple...I need Debbie to come help me with it! As in most of our house, my Christmas decor is a modge podge of hand-me-downs, old purchases, and new. I bought the gold stockings when I first moved out of my parent's house. I only bought two so, in 2009, after Christmas I bought two red to alternate...there are only three up at the moment; one for Matt, me, and the dogs...the fourth will be put up whenever God decides the time is right. :) 

My mom collected Santa figurines throughout my childhood, then got sick of having so many and passed a lot of them down to us...I have become a Santa snob and only like the "legit" ones...you know they must look genuinely "santa". This year I didn't put them all out, but I love tradition at Christmas. The idea of having my family's bits-and-pieces of Christmas tie into my home's Christmas is really special to me....here are just a few of my fav's placed around the house

Lastly, our tree...we just have one. I have no clue how people manage to have the energy for two! I don't decorate with very much red in my home...actually barely any. My "warm" color in my home is orange, but at Christmas time red floods our house. I have really been wanting to do a neutral Christmas pallet, but I just don't have the money to switch it up every year. I just continue to buy silver and gold ornaments in the hopes that eventually there won't be as much red, but I have to admit the pop of color is nice...I love color! I am not big into ribbon or garland around the tree...but I love sticking branches and berries in it. I LOVE to fill it with pretty ornaments, and this year instead of our cheap start I just made a big bow for the top out of ribbon I got on sale last year. Matt came and put my Santa gift by the tree Monday (notice the bike to the side), and took a minute to check out the tree and said, "Our tree looks so good!"...that is all that really matters to me; that WE love it!

I'm joining in The Nester’s Tour of Homes  this year...click on the link to see more beautiful homes!

Merry Christmas!

   - The Tags

Green Smoothie

I had gotten these green smoothie recipes a few months ago, and after trying one of them I have fallen in love. Jill had posted on facebook that she needed a way to get one of the kids their veggies. I have been telling Matt for awhile that since this tastes like a banana shake, it would be an easy way to act like it is a Hulk smoothie or something and get spinach into a kids diet.

I decided to try it because I don't like to drink coffee every morning, and after 8 months of completely avoiding it last year I have learned that sometimes drinking a beverage in the morning is just a ritual I enjoy. I usually drink coffee while checking my e-mails, so I have tried to replace it one or two days a week with this smoothie to really start my day off right. I also love it as a dessert! My boot camp instructor gave me both of these smoothie recipes, and while I LOVE the banana shake taste of the first one, I am too nervous/lazy to try the second one. Kristen says she makes them all the time (thanks for letting us know how you stay so healthy Kristen ;) )...so here are the recipes for those of us not in the staying fit/physical business. Jill, you may repay me with the cinnamon roll recipe...you know, to go with my green smoothie in the mornings! ;)

Easy Green Smoothie:

Put in a blender...

1 banana

2-3 handfuls of raw spinach

2 cups of almond milk (the vanilla almond milk is the best)

blend it until smooth. 

then add 1-2 cups of ice depending on how icy you want it and blend it again.

*You can put in a little protein powder if you have it to make it more well balanced. (I don't, but Matt does after working out)

* If your banana is not ripe enough or if you want it sweeter add a little honey (I use local to help my allergies) and it is perfect.

This makes 1 serving...but Matt and I can usually split it

It only takes 2 minutes to make. Easy and so good. 

"Legit" Green Smoothie (in Carrie's words):

Chop up the following items and put into a blender...

1 cup of almond milk (can substitute hemp milk if you have a nut allergy, or you could even substitute with water)

1 grapefruit (just trim the majority of the outer peel off with a knife)

1/4 cucumber

2 handfuls of spinach (the more the better for you)

1/4 of avocado

teaspoon of preferred sweetener (stevia, sugar, green leaf, etc)

1/2 lime (juice squeezed)

1 large leaf of kale (optional) Kale is full of good stuff but does make the smoothie not taste quite as good. I would recommend adding this later. First just start with the other ingredients and get that down.

Blend all together...

Add ice (as much as desired 4-5 cubes per smoothie works for me) 

Blend again

I usually double the recipe and make 2 smoothies. If you don't have a very good blender, blend the ingredients as you add a few at time 

You can play with the amounts as desired but that is what works for me. It doesn't have to be exact. It's such a great way to start your day. I often cut up everything the night before and put it in the blender and put it in the fridge overnight without blending it. Then in the morning I just add the almond milk and blend it. That way I don't run out of time in the morning to get my day started right. 

Happy Holidays!

Nikki

Giving Thanks

I have been WAAAYYY behind on posting these days. I mean just thinking about all the things I did this summer and fall that should be blogged about is overwhelming...which is probably why I have avoided blogging haha. So I have decided to give myself a pass on this and move on...I mean sometimes life just gets to intense to keep up with it on your blog. And life since May has been just that, intense...and maybe a little frustrating, and confusing. So maybe I will mention the things that have happened (good and bad) in passing and maybe not, but I have decided that the perfect place to pick up blogging about life again is giving thanks for all I DO have (even though it is kinda late haha)!

After a very rough second half to the year, I am very thankful for my family and friends. I am thankful for large Thanksgivings with family, and almost not enough room to sleep because it continues to grow. I am thankful for holiday traditions that keep our family close. I am so glad I graduated and that God knows what my true calling is in life is, even if I don't yet. The fact that I haven't found a full time job yet is frustrating, but I know it is preparing me for something better...I am thankful that I am able to work three part-time jobs in the meantime to keep me busy and provide extra money. I am thankful that my husband has a good job at a new company, that he enjoys and is able to learn new things at. I am thankful for micro-chipping and the hope it gives me that I will find Gable one day. I am thankful that God understood my loneliness when Gable got lost, and gave me Lucky to fill my maternal need to care for something other than myself. I am thankful that we have the means to adopt a second dog soon to be a playmate for Lucky, and to help other homeless Houston dogs through donations. I am thankful for our church to provide both Matt and I with perspective every Sunday(more me than Matt because I have a tendency to lose it). And the past two weeks I have been really thankful for caring doctors and modern medicine...how did people handle allergies before then!?

Our Thanksgiving was spent in Oklahoma with my mom's side of the Family. My Hubbard Grandparents didn't have Thanksgiving this year because they had just gotten back from a cruise in Hawaii...I really hope I am still traveling the world at their age! I swear sometimes I think Matt looks forward to our Thanksgivings more than me. A few of the guys have become obsessed with deer hunting during thanksgiving, and I am soooo thankful they enjoy spending time together, hunting. I made my gluten-free pumpkin pie again this year, and my Mimi made the green bean casserole; gluten-free just for me.

Our annual Pictionary game continued this year and the girls got into it. My mom got cups made, Susie made a design for shirts for the girls, they got us pink bandannas, and scheduled a game time (fit somewhere  between hunting, dinner, and the football games). We get way too competitive and probably need bells or a ref next year. ;) After a neck-to-neck game, the guys pulled off the win (we need to practice our dice rolling for next year). They were presented the trophy that Poppy and Steve made; yes there is now a trophy and yes it says, "Pictionary Champions". Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

 The girls

The guys and their trophy 

Mother-Daughter teammates

Lucky's Story

A month late...after posting it on Gable's facebook page. It has been a crazy month...more updates to come

Meet Lucky, he has got a lot to smile about these days. We have had him for about a month-and-a-half and have fallen for his loving, cheerful personality. Everyone at the dog park asks about him, and I always have to start out his VERY LUCKY story with the story of our other dog, Gable. It took me a while to figure out why I always had to tell about her first (besides the fact that I am still searching for her and miss her very much); then I realized it was because if it wasn't for her running from our friend, he would not be alive today.

who could resist that pudding face smile...besides his previous owners apparently

The story of Gable getting lost about two months ago (07/09/2011) is in another post, so I won't bombard Lucky's story with how much she has meant to me...although I will say that Gable has made me a better person, and I could not have imagined my life without her. It was while searching for my soulmate-dog, Gable, that I found Lucky. I went to all five shelters in Houston every two days for a about 4-5 weeks before resorting to searching online. As I walked into the county shelter, I saw something that was not an unfamiliar sight that month. I saw a fairly young looking dog laying down on the concrete in the parking lot, while his owners tried to drag him to the door of the shelter. I signed in to search for Gable and sat on a bench, and heard the couple tell the shelter staff that they were the owners and were bringing in their lab/pit mix. After several visits and questions, I knew this shelter would kill that dog without a thought about his personality, age, health, or anything really...simply because he was a "bully breed". They sat next to me and he walked up to me, put his head in my lap, and licked my hands. I found out he was eight months old and that they had owned him since six weeks old. They also told me he was very sweet, but they are afraid they would get sued if something were to happen. I warned them of the shelter's policies, and they replied, "I don't want to think about it". I told them they needed to and that they could bring him to BARC or CAPS who would at least make an attempt to adopt him out, and they brushed it off saying, "we wish we would have known sooner, do you want him?" I knew Matt would not be happy so I called him and he said it was up to me.

As I walked the kennels searching for Gable, I could not decide if I should take him or not...then I realized there is no question what the right thing to do was. The shelter staff knew me at this point, and let the owners take him outside to let me have him. As they pushed him into my car, they told me his name...Lucky. Matt and I agreed that it was very fitting considering I took him off of his death bed. When getting his vet records and bringing him to the vet, besides fleas, he is perfectly healthy and has now been neutered. I later talked to his previous owner, who told me he just got too big to keep...although she is older, I find that to be a poor reason to have him killed. She stills calls to check on him and tell me how much she misses him, but I cannot help but think how she would feel if she could not call to hear how he is living the life of luxury! ;)

He is lucky, we have fallen in love with him and his loving personality (minus the new dog disciplining)...of course, I have acquired another dog with separation anxiety, but I am hoping that it will just take time. He already knows several commands (come, kennel, kisses, sit, shake, down, off) and is popular at the dog park. He acts a lot like a lab...we play fetch with him almost every day (not good at brining and giving). He loves to play with other dogs and run with us. He is also a cuddler when he gets tired, and although he is 20 pounds bigger than Gable; he considers himself to be quite the lap dog. Matt wants to teach him to fetch in water like his lab did, and we are looking forward to seeing him adjust even more to our home. He has the biggest, most defined smile that reminds us of the pudding face commercial. He is striped just like Gable and strides like a tiger when he walks....he just might become our at home "mascot" for the LSU Tigers! None of this would have happened without Gable's influence...now we just want her home to meet her brother that she saved and complete the family...a piece of us is missing without her. They are both amazing dogs, and we will never give up looking for Gable!

Nikki

The Big Chicken...adding some humor to your day

So, I think it is time you all know how much I am obsessed with weird(quirky) stuff...I just call it, "appreciating humor in objects". This has been a known fact to the people who are closest to me, and became a little more obvious when I bought a bike necklace from Forever 21 because it was a good conversation piece...which then led into a strangely, cool guy and I going into a duet of Queen's "Bicycle", at Festival International.

 I ALWAYS tell Matt that when I get a J-O-B I am buying a Gnome to put in our garden...take that HOA! Everytime we go to Garden Ridge, we must always stop in the "gnome section" so I can pick my favorite (hint for the next gift you need to get me). I don't like the creepy skinny ones, I like chubby.

Anyway, HEB has had these odd metal roosters/chickens lately and every time we pass it Matt looks at me, as if to silently imply that I am not getting one of those. Well if it was a pig, there would be no stopping me ;).

When looking for Gable every day, I get a bit down so I now follow it up with a short gazing session on pinterest...my new FAVORITE inspiration website, even though they won't send me an invite. When I saw a picture of a HUGE chicken staring at a door, I had to know more.

It is from a blog...http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/

I suggest you go there and read this blog...especially if you are having a bad day! She seems HILARIOUS! I would love to find a friend like that here haha. I have only read that one blog article so far, but I have a feeling I will be visiting it frequently if humor like this is there. She does use some "language", but I am a big girl so I think I can handle it! ;)

Nikki

Gable's Story

Today marks exactly 4 weeks since Gable has been missing. The grief, unfortunately, feels the same as it did the day she was lost. Losing a dog is different than having it pass on, the stages of grief just go in a circle over and over again. I have hesitated writing this because of that grief and because I really didn't think people would care too much about a dog. Despite possibly being labeled "that crazy dog girl", I am writing this because she is my baby and maybe if everyone keeps persevering, this can be a story about hope, faith, and the power of people coming together.

When I decided I wanted a dog my Senior year of college I started researching the breeds online, knowing that I may end up in an apartment. It was online that I found a cute, 5 month old, Boggle (Beagle/Boston Terrier Mix) that was being sold in Missouri along with her two sisters for $50 because they were so "old". I knew the flight would cost me 5 times that price, but she just seemed worth it. The night she arrived at the airport, my best friend, Erika, and I waited and waited for her. When she came in her magenta kennel, she was dirty from the breeder, she stunk, and was physically shaking. That was my first, admittedly naive experience with how the breeders raise their animals. She had never been socialized with humans, never been put on a leash, and was obviously scared by her previous upbringing. I vowed right then to show her the love and compassion she deserved...and never give her a reason to not trust me.

Our first day together

I gave her a bath, wrapped her in a towel, and put her in bed with me. We fell asleep watching tv together (she was mesmerized), and that is exactly how we woke the next morning...now pals. Still nameless the next day, I sat at a restaurant crying to Matt about the fact that she had diarrhea and would now only go to me, terrified of everyone else and hiding under anything she could. We narrowed down my list of about 20 names to just one, Gable, a name I had found on a piece of fabric at work. 

I spent the next few months getting her to trust the others around me and finding the best way to feed her medicine. She had come to me from the breeder with some type of worm which was causing the diarrhea. She would throw herself around and into walls when put on a leash. A neighbor saw me dragging her whaling body down the street with tears in my eyes and reassured me I was doing the right thing. The next day, she began walking with me. She also suffered from separation anxiety and while I was gone would potty, tear up the couch, pillows, shoes, and her own dog bed. This was a long process...

Gable and Matt at the new place

I worked with her every day and she continued to show me her true, sweet personality. By the time I moved that summer, she was in love with Matt. She ran away once while in Baton Rouge...my roommate opened the door while I wasn't there and she bolted. We found her hiding in the bushes across the street waiting for me. 

When we moved to Houston, she finally felt at home. She was part of our threesome and we all enjoyed each others company. Her separation anxiety disappeared and we could even walk her without a leash. If the gate was open, she would go around to the front door and knock. If she got sick of playing in a nearby field with Matt, she would find her way home and knock on the front door. I began to realize that her weird quirks for a dog were a lot like mine. 

Her favorite vacation was to the farm in Lafayette. She and Matt's lab, Jager (RIP), would run through the fields and mud of the coulees until they both passed out...covered in mud of course. She loved playing with any big dogs if there was room to run. She would run so fast and cut to make them miss her...small dogs; she had no idea what to do with. Her favorite thing to do at home was go on walks, runs, run as fast as possible in circles in the backyard with me, play with her rope, and cuddle with us to watch a movie (both her and Matt would pass out and start snoring). Her favorite human snack, and the only human food I fed her (Matt is another story) was apples and peanut butter. I really started to love her cautious personality; never stepped on drawings or models. She was still scared of some men and thunder-like noises. She would hide in her kennel and under the table (shaking), but the best hiding spot in the house was under our bed. Smelling was her obsession; her drug of choice. She loved traveling with us, especially if the car windows were down. She could give kisses on command, and did so most of the time...we all have our "bitch" moments...I would follow her head saying "kisses" and she would continue to turn away until she couldn't anymore. She was my own, personal foot warmer, crawling under the covers to my feet or legs every night. 

July 9th, 2011 was one of the worst days of my life. We had taken Gable to the coulee to play that day, and like always, she found something stinky to roll in. When we got home we gave her a bath and took off her collar to let it dry.(Makes me sick to my stomach to think about) The kennels didn't allow us to pick her up on Sundays and we were just going to an overnight wedding, so we decided it would be best if she stayed at a friend's house. She would be able to move around, play, and go home on Sunday. We dropped her off with her kennel, food, and her leash and collar on top of the kennel. We thought she knew we ALWAYS come back for her. 

When Matt got the call that she was missing (the sound of the garage door scared her off), we weren't worried. She was probably hiding nearby, waiting for us...and she ALWAYS comes to us! It took over an hour to get back and start looking. Four of us searched until 3 am. We walked all the nearby roads calling her name. When I got in bed without her I thought for first time that she may be really lost. We had our first "sighting" the next day...not her. We made our first posters and within a week I had began visiting the 5 Houston shelters every 2 days and added over 50 more signs to the area. I had also sent her picture and info to 50 vets, other shelters, petsmart, and some rescue groups. 

My mom came that weekend to help. I was exhausted after not really eating, and she helped tremendously. I began to realize that the only way I will find her is through God and the help of others. We have been praying non-stop and spreading the word. In an area where we know no one, publicity is key. I thank God that we got her micro-chipped...even if I can't physically find her, I will always be ingrained in her if anyone were to simply scan. Unfortunately we were scammed by pet amber alert...just people taking advantage of others while they are down.

After 3 weeks, I had her picture and info in the hands of 170 vets, 40 rescue groups, a number a shelters,  local coffee shops, post offices, and police station. I have walked the area countless times and still visit the shelters every 2 days...that makes at least 10 shelter visits per week and sometimes more. We have had a lot of people calling about our signs with advice or wanting to know more, and several others with possible sightings...none have been Gable though. How could she disappear into thin air? Knowing people are still seeing our signs gives me hope. People offer stories of optimism and hope, then another will be extremely negative. I have learned a lot about the shelter system and rescued a sweet pit/lab mix, named Lucky by his owners, who was being brought in to be killed by them because he was getting too big...yes this actually happens!

One man called us Monday evening, saying he had Gable and gave the best matching description we have heard yet. I couldn't help but think we were meant to save Lucky before finding Gable. The man said he found her near T.C. Jester, on Sunday, with no collar. He also gave some other descriptors that no one else did from the picture, but that many had told me when seeing her in person. He said he was a security guard in Downtown Houston and would be off at 8 pm to meet us with her. We have to be cautious, but were hopeful. He kept pushing the meeting back until HE decided that it would be better to wait until the next day, in daylight. If he was trying to lure me in why would he wait? If he was trying to take our money, why would he wait and never ask about money? If he had our dog and wanted to give it back, why wait? We spoke with him once the next day; he said to call back....no answer and never again...until we called him from my mom's phone on Thursday and spoke with him. No answer since... I hate even giving him the attention of this blog, but I am asking for everyone to pray that he learns compassion and honesty and to just tell us whether or not he has her. It makes me sick not knowing...mainly because he just stopped calling us and never asked for money. We are looking into taking further actions as a possible theft of our dog.

Right now I am very sick of feeling scammed by people when I am helpless, but still hopeful. I know that God will give me the strength to continue and hopefully give me an optimistic direction to look into...and in the end, I will be reunited with my awesomely weird girl, Gable.

Nikki

Organizing

When I first started this blog

I promised myself that it would also be a blog

for good design and design topics/discussions.

Here is an early attempt:

Since "taking a break", I have gotten into 

de-cluttering and re-organizing our home

to make it function more like a well-oiled machine.

It has been a slow process.

It started in the kitchen when I was enthusiastic,

I didn't change much, 

just made the functional zones more workable;

giving us a little more countertop space.

I have also been organizing a sugar land women's kitchen.

I feel totally out of my league 

since she has a huge kitchen with food for nine...

I am used to two-five MAX.

I love the idea of creating 

zones of use, a service triangle, and ways to make storage more organized.

I feel that some people underestimate the 

power of baskets and jars,

but sometimes I can see how moving newly purchased food to jars 

would be more work than it is worth.

I guess it is all about balance...

I finally got my sugars next to my coffee...and you can see it in the clear jars so people don't have to ask where it is!

How does their kitchen look so clean with no cabinet doors!? Personally, I think it is only possible when organized, not touched and a photo is taken ;)

http://www.bellamumma.com/2011/06/home-inspiration-family-home.html

http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/kitchen.html

LOVE this pantry...check out the link below for more pics of it...and tips on organizing

http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2010/07/pantry-remix.html

My mom would totally have these IKEA-like baskets in her pantry...

http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/2011/01/welcome-2011-and-favorite-simplified.html

From there I cleared off our breakfast table.

It was completely covered with Matt's paperwork.

I also have started cleaning and working on the laundry room.

I hung a retractable line up high 

so our clothes will not be drying on our table and chairs anymore.

I am also putting up an iron/iron board holder.

Maximizing the surfaces in our small laundry room is very important to me.

If I had the room and the money, I would totally get this...love them!

I bet we can figure out a way to make it...

I have also started sanding down the thin, paper wall paper in the half-bath

Talk about a piece of work.

I take breaks every 20 minutes, so this project may take a while

I didn't mind the texture (which was peeling), 

but did mind the goddy red/gold/bronze sponged color.

My plan is to paint a pattern on one wall.

I will show you the finished project when I am done.

Enjoy your 4th of July!

Nikki

Happily Ever After

Yesterday we celebrated our first anniversary as a married couple! We both cannot believe how quickly this year has passed...it really does seem like yesterday that we were dancing like crazy at our reception. This one year also means that we have now been living together for almost three years and a couple for 8 years and 8 months!
We were in Lafayette over the weekend to see Leslie's sister, Naomie, get married. She was beautiful and so were her bridesmaids in yellow (deja vu ;)). There wedding was lots of fun with new dances I hadn't seen before and a photobooth.
We managed to get up early on Sunday to head home to celebrate our anniversary that night and eat our cake (which I ate even though it wasn't the best idea...it is a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing). Matt did the planning, but I told him it is his anniversary too. We left to head to Perry's steakhouse at 7 (the start time of our ceremony) and on the way Matt played the song I walked down the aisle to (Yellow)...memories! He also gave me a sweet card that got me crying...finally a year later I cried haha! We enjoyed dinner and then went home to eat our cake (still delish)...unfortunately it was a Sunday so that was the end of our celebrating, but it was very simple and nice.

I never thought when my best friends made it their mission to get us to "date" in High School, that it would lead to this kind of happiness. Matt always teases me that I almost gave up... We have been through many stages of life together... me cheering for him in football games, high school dances, him going away to college while I stayed in Lafayette, my parents moving away, studying abroad, the introduction of Gable (no easy task at the beginning), graduations, being at LSU together, Matt's first career job with our big move, our first house, and finally our marriage.

We both thought our favorite point of the last year was the wedding (being with everyone to celebrate) and the honeymoon...and of course, the worst was all of my school torture. I am so excited to see what the next year has in store for us! It should be very exciting!

1st Anniversary - Online Slideshow Maker

Nikki

5 Free Tiny Prints Cards

I love Tiny Prints (sorry susie)...I just really like the birth announcements I have received from them...and you can order a single card from them and save Susie the hassle haha. Anyway right now you can get 5 cards free...I just did it. I copied the instructions from another blog...here you go:

Head over to TinyPrints and create and add five cards to your cart. Choose to have the cards shipped to you and use coupon code OKL5CARDSFREE . They will ship free as well.

This may not last long, so make yours now!  This could expire at any time.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom

A Journey to Graduation

Throughout the last month of the final semester of my last degree of school EVER, things, or rather, obstacles kept jumping in my way. By the end it became comical, my mom asked if I had been writing it all down...stating that it would make a great motivational book when I became a famous architect. What a typical thing for a proud and sweet mother to say to her oldest daughter...

I replied to her that I didn't even want to become a famous architect...just an architect, who may be able to make special places for people one day, or maybe I said...I just want to graduate!! I then told her, " ya ok, I will write a motivational blog when I am done". I have been avoiding writing this post like the plague for a few reasons... 
1) It reminds me of school, and I need a break
2) I have been busy cleansing the house of clutter
3) I don't really think I am the person to be writing a motivational book/blog ever...

But seeing how I am stuck in bed with my sick stomach still, and watching a movie about a girl who blogs, I decided I would bite the bullet and tell about my journey to graduation. It will hopefully be as painless as possible and I hope might be more funny, than whiny, and maybe a tad motivational.

No need to repeat my journey to that last month...if you missed it, read my blog ha! Hmmmm...how do I start this in a motivational way without sounding like I am listing all the things that went wrong? Well let me start with how I told off a girl (These events might be all out of order). It went a little something like this...

Me: Finally getting to print what I thought was my last drawing at 9 pm (lab closing time)...hoping it wouldn't mess up, after waiting my turn for SIX hours in line in the lab.

Taller, bigger, and younger/less experienced in life girl ;) : Standing behind me tapping her foot, making groining noises, and shaking her head..."How many prints do you have!?"

Me: "Just one..." knowing it was a big one and a little scared at that point

Her: "Oh just one huh!?...It looks big and I need mine to print before tonight!"

Me: hitting my breaking point and snapping as she crowded MY printer. "Well you are just gonna have to calm down and chill out and wait you turn just like I and everyone else in here did! You cannot make it go any faster by complaining"...stepping in between her and my print (this is kind of a big deal for me)

Her: "well I am sorry I am a little annoying right now...I have just had a lot of trouble printing today!" 

Me: "TODAY! Girl, I could write a book with all the shit (pardon my language) that has happened to me before this print...go pay $250 at Kinkos like I had to for my first final presentation...yes I have had to do TWO of these things!"

Her: backed off and became my friend...then snickered in the background when my print stopped with 3 inches left until it was finished.

Oh man...Try again tomorrow...

I would say my challenges began sometime when my brand new computer, that I purchased last semester because my other one crashed with only a few weeks until my final, had its graphic card crash with only two weeks until our final presentation. 

I laughed. I cried. I took it straight to best buy which sent it to the manufacturer. 
"You will get it back in two weeks"...oh thanks so much! Thank goodness we had my computer that crashed the semester before fixed, because it was able to redeem itself and get me through the semester. 

Lesson 1 of this blog: Always backup onto an external hard drive or online storage system. I love my Carbonite!

Lesson 2: Test print A LOT...I became test print queen

Yes, I test printed, but for some reason all colors...red,blue,gray,etc., on the school printer were green! I yelled..."GRREENNN!!! I don't have time to fix all of this when the computer looks normal!" There was no laughter...just tears with a day and a half left!

Lesson 3: Have a great support system for when times are tough.

Matt came in like my superman and took me to Kinko's...it cost us more than paper should ever cost, but I got my boards printed (after a couple mistakes there) by the morning of the presentation.

While we were waiting for Kinko's, he took me to Jamba Juice for a break and a smoothie. The two minutes we were in there my car was hit while a person was trying to park, then they pulled out and drove off. While there were TONS of people outside and a few got the license plate number, they were all wrong.
I laughed by that point. I think Matt cried a little...no I kid, but he did wish death upon those people (so watch out whoever you are!) He couldn't understand why I wasn't mad...I guess when life gets to that point, all you can do is laugh! This was all on two weeks STRAIGHT of working on stuff non-stop and no sleep the night before.

I was done...for a day, but I vowed that for the next (and final) turn-in two weeks later there will be no more weekends spent on this project. I went to the festival in Lafayette one weekend and the river in San Antonio the next where I made lasting memories with some of my classmates. I spent the weekdays working on my stuff, and test printed, test printed, test printed! Finally after everything and a few more sleepless nights, I finished!

I graduated Friday, May 13th (then really graduated that following Monday when I found out my high-rise structures grade...A!), and I also got one of the six Graduate Design Awards for my project (the blog below)...a HUGE surprise! It was a blind, anonymous competition judged by Dan Wood from Work AC, New York and professor at Princeton University, Rick Phillips from Frederick Phillips & Associates, Chicago and professor at IIT, and Mark Schatz from MA Architecture Studio, Houston and the AIA Ben Brewer Young Architect for 2011. Best of all I have a huge group of friends that I would have never known before coming to this school!

 My Master's Hood

 The view up in our college atrium

 Our Atrium with confetti falling

 An excellent group of people and designers, our Graduate Class (minus Cynthia, Dustin, and a few others)

 Our special College Graduation, with the Dean

  My Design Award, given to me by the dean as well

 With my boards and models

So now I am done...and although I have been sick with a stomach virus and rash since Monday (I would say these are my last obstacles since they most likely happened because of lack of sleep/low immune system), I am writing this with a great since of calm and a smile, knowing that I am now ready to take the next big steps in my life. Just when I swore it would never end, it did. :)

Oh, and if that is not motivational, I will leave you with this!

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. ~ Helen Keller

Cheers!

Nikki

A Festival Place- Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana

Finally mustering up the courage to post my project that I poured my heart into over the past four months, not always liking what I got back in return...feel free to send it to Archdaily, any design magazine, or architect to reproduce for your city...ha!

This design project explores the possibility of providing a flexible public space in a hot, humid urban area. Near the center of Lafayette, Louisiana, this social node will play host to festivals, concerts, Mardi Gras parades, and a farmer's market. The covered outdoor space serves as stage for civic life including reviewing stands, band venues, and a parade staging area. On weekdays, when local farmers are not selling their produce the naturally ventilated outdoor space can serve as a plaza that is protected against the daily thunderstorms of the summer season and cold drizzles of winter. Its program incorporates local food sales, dining, and cooking classes.

1) Parade Diagram

2) Farmer's Market Diagram

3) Performance Diagram

Site Concept: The site is within walking distance of residential neighborhoods and adjacent to common social gathering spaces near downtown Lafayette. It is served by a nearby structured parking garage for the majority of its parking, with an alleyway parking lot adjacent to the site providing more accessible spaces and parking for vendors and deliveries. The open-air market pavilion that covers the majority of the site is situated between a two-story service structure and the main road. The service building separates the plaza from adjacent residential uses, protecting the neighborhood without overwhelming it. An uncovered corner plaza faces two important downtown parks, and prominent bordering streets.

 North Elevation

 South Elevation

Section...not sure why the three skies have different colors on this post...oh technology :)

Building Concept:

A formal grid is laid over the site to designate zones under the pavilion for furniture, equipment, and circulation. The structure of the building is based on this grid, which is made primarily of glue-laminated timber beams and columns, with a fabric of white aluminum "scales" opening up to frame views of the northern sky while providing shade and encouraging natural ventilation. The first floor of the two story conditioned structure is faced with brick and multiple glazed openings much like the nearby downtown buildings. A main stair at the end of the building connects the second floor patio terrace and transparent cooking classrooms with the corner plaza below. The patio and classrooms have a view of the space below and the skyline of Lafayette. A wood and aluminum roofing system shades the patio and classrooms from southern sunlight, creating a spacious veranda for the general public in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Exploded Axonometric

Thanks for taking the time to see my work,

Nikki

My work so far...

I just finished my last rendering (except for a few edits I need to make to them). Now, I just have to edit my boards again (hopefully for the last time) before I print them and close my computer down. I am not finishing tonight, but I am one step closer to my due date of Tuesday. For those of you who have been wondering where I have been or what I have been doing, here are a few pics of my work so far. I promise to post the final stuff when I finish.

I would post all of my drawings, but I am sure plans and elevations are of no interest to some of you so here are my boards from my final presentation (the ones being redone now) and the renderings I have been working on. I use a 3-d modeling program that is easy and quick to model in, called SketchUp. I then take an assortment of styles of the model image into photoshop and start layering, blending, filtering, etc. until I get the look I want. Other 3-d modeling programs produce much nicer rendering with real looking lighting and stuff, but one rendering can take hours to a day and you may or may not like it. These take me about a day each from SketchUp to Photoshop, but I am in full control and I find comfort in that haha. To give you a visual of how much I do in photoshop, I posted a before (sketchup) and after (photoshop) of some of them.

 Before

After: My favorite, it is the public plaza area of my project looking at the farmer's market

 Before

After: In between the market pavilion and service structure

 Before

After: Under the pavilion

 Before

After: I finished this one today and needed to show it lit up at night with a Mardi Gras parade

Here is the presentation setup:

Part of this will be redone for graduation too...

Now, I am off to bed to get some sleep before my day off. Some classmates and I have decided we needed a break so we are going tubing...then to the boards on Sunday and the model on Monday

Nikki

My Life List

So I haven't blogged in a while...I know I know, what is new? I have done my presentation (pics soon to come), but am still in the thick of redoing my boards, models, doing a notebook (not yet started) for another class, and needing to study for a high-rise structures final. Of course though, I am not in the mood to work tonight after working for multiple weeks now.

Anyone who REALLY knows me knows I am a list making queen! You can come to my house and find multiple "old" lists lying around that have since been updated to a new, clean paper and forgotten. Typically, I like to write my list by hand, on paper...but occasionally the "big" life list or "5 years" list requires to be typed and saved as not to lose it. Those who write lists know what I am talking about.

During my procrastination I remembered about my high school list I recently found (hilarious by the way), which lead into my college list (a little more mature sounding, but equally funny), and now what!? Well, although I haven't graduated yet, the idea of not having a job has been getting me down. I have done my resume and online portfolio, and even found the companies I want to apply to (none of which are hiring now)...still something was telling me it wasn't the right time to apply. (This is now where my dad will call me up and light a fire under my uhhum)...Dad, please keep reading. Then, Matt mentioned how he has really been hoping to get an offer to work overseas for a year or two. That is when it hit me (and him), that if I get a job (or knowing me, a good interview), we are stuck here for at least 3 years with no chance of pursuing that opportunity. We agreed that he would really pursue these jobs for a month and then re-evaluate...within two weeks now, the chances of going have greatly increased.

So, to make me feel like I am beginning a new life, free from school, I am making a life list that I will keep on a tab of this blog so you can see the silly and/or serious things I put and accomplish(as I cross them off)...because you know the best part is crossing them off. I will continually add to it and cross off. Feel free to send me suggestions of things to add you wish you could do or your lists. (this is inspired by: http://elizabethnieman.blogspot.com/p/life-list.html)

1) Update the blog at least twice a month
2) Go to bed by at least 11 pm every night, and in return wake up by 7
3) Treat Matt to his "perfect day" with me included to thank him for putting up with me while in school
4) Cleanse my house of the clutter
5) Finish staining the kitchen cabinets
6) Get my body back in shape and balanced

7) Get an architecture job
8) Become a registered architect
9) Eventually figure out a way to work from home and still make money (in my dreams)
10) Educate myself on how to run a business

11) Learn to play a song on the guitar
12) Learn to not take things personally
13) Learn to fold the laundry straight from the dryer
14) Start using coupons for groceries (not crazy like that couponing show)

15) Take Gable for a stroll at least 3 times a week
16) Create my dream creative office
17) Get my own furniture
18) Have a baby (you know...eventually)
19) Double our savings
20) Take at least one family trip a year
21) Have a special date night at least once a month

22) Run a half-marathon
23) Get at least 10 (regular nightly) dinner recipes in my arsenal
24) Get all the "need to alter" clothes in my trunk to the seamstress
25) Change our carpet (at first I accidentally spelled it crapet which is probably more appropriate)
26) Get a good camera and master it
27) Wakeboard again
28) Get myself to do the splits again
29) Try yoga again
30) Go to New York for Thanksgiving/Christmas to see the tree and ice skate
31) Travel everywhere ( I know this sounds unrealistic, but there are just too many places I am determined to go to list)
32) Get good at birthdays (remembering, gifting, etc....I am not good now and I blame school ;))
33) Sew from a pattern
34) Go camping again (this time without peeing in the sleeping bag)
35) Design my own house...with a pool ;)
36) Redo my physical portfolio
37) Learn Revit
38) Continue my my family's Christmas traditions
39) Stay close with my extended family (so rare and so special)
40) Make friends where I live so we can have dinner parties
41) See my family and best friends more

Shabby Apple

So, I know I haven't posted in a LONG time. I promise that beginning in May I will have interesting stuff to share with you. I haven't had a completely boring life since January (The family reunion thing, Mardi Gras, Tyler Morgan's Lafeyette B-day, etc), but I have just been very busy with painting, house stuff and school. Plus, I have been VERY bad about taking pics lately. Here is a website I am in the process of finishing to start applying for jobs...yes finally you can see some of what has kept me busy for eight years! My Website

I hesitated to post this for my own selfish (I don't want you to win over me) reasons. A blog I follow, called grosgrain is having a swimsuit giveaway from Shabby Apple (a store I recently discovered and LOVE). Their dresses are sorta europian/retro and I cannot wait to start making money to buy some considering they are reasonably priced. Their swimsuits are all one pieces which I have not been brave enough to try, but are super cute. So many of my friends are having babies these days and buying one pieces to hide their pregnant/post-pregnant bellies, so I have a new appreciation for the one piece. Here is the link for the giveaway...it's worth a shot! Shabby Apple Amalfi Coast Swimsuit Giveaway

Nikki

Busy Busy Busy

The end of the semester was a typical one, consisting of stress and homework. Now that I am off, I have created my own to-do list for home. This includes weeding out the bad of 2010, trying to get my house tidy before school begins in a week, and working on some paintings (one that I am including in my shop after I had started it last summer and one three canvas piece that a woman bought a couple days ago).

So to let you all know I am still alive, here are some pics from my holidays.

We spent Thanksgiving in Lafayette at Matt's parent's house and then had a dinner with friends the next night (since we are used to two Thanksgiving meals in Oklahoma). We played games for two nights with the friends which was really fun...but don't worry it wasn't Pictionary. That one is a family thanksgiving original.

 In between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we went to Lights in the Heights with friends in Houston. This is an annual event in a neighborhood with older homes and many houses have a band in the front...people wheel their ice chests and listen to music. It was the most Louisiana I have ever felt in Houston. LOVED IT! Matt also took me to see the Nutcracker at the Houston Ballet before Christmas. I had been begging to go see it again, since my mom had originally taken us, and this year we decided it was the perfect time. It was Matt's first time seeing it and he kept commenting on how much air some of the guys were getting haha. The weekend before Christmas we went to Lafayette to see Layla graduate from UL in Biology. Congrats girl!

One of my favorite decorated houses in the heights

For Christmas we went to Oklahoma. Although it wasn't a white Christmas, we had a great time with my family. I LOVE my family Christmases, but I may be a bit bias. Matt and my dad hunted near Elk at Brandon's place and each killed a doe at the very least. We spent Christmas Eve shopping away, guys vs. girls and then ate dinner and watched a christmas movie. The next day we opened gifts in the morning, cooked gumbo, and had a visit from Mimi and Poppy. We had a ginger bread house building experience, ate, and opened their gifts (pics later). After, we got ready and went to Scott and Dawn's house to see them and Grandmother and Grandad. When we got home, the six of us hot tubbed it for an hour. Christmas in the hot tub while it is cold outside, with a glass of wine and my family is def. a good tradition. 

The theme of the weekend was the Diva Snicker's commercial. Kristen and I admittedly turn into divas when we don't eat soon after getting hungry. It has become a joke in our household. Well, we joked that we should get little snickers and through them at someone when they become a diva (picture it). Anyway, somehow my mom became the diva of the weekend. Now I will admit, she is not the diva, but it might have something to do with the fact that my Mimi and Poppy told me when she was a teenager she was a good kid, but a bit dramatic...DRAMATIC...now I get her just a little better haha. Same as me I guess! 

 We all robed it on the way to the hot tub Christmas night...Jake was there, but he was already under the water in the dark hot tub waiting to scare Matt when he got in haha.

 We are sweet animals....Hot Topic. That store was LOUD!

 Enjoying Dad's Chocolate Martinis....honestly just as good as tsunami's

 X-mas morning

Jakes wonderful wrapping...I am impressed he wrapped our gift! 

 Begin without reading directions...

 Rudolph was the only survivor

The boys killed zombies ALL NIGHT...ADDICTED!

Matt and I were supposed to see LSU play in the Cotton Bowl this weekend, but he then realized that the hunting trip he won is this weekend. Soooo, he took me on a weekend New Years trip to Austin...I had been wanting to go. We had some friends that go every year rent out a bar, so we tagged along for the party....two days straight. I couldn't hang. Matt's cousins also live in Austin so we met them for lunch on Sunday and then had drinks at Oasis while we over looked Lake Travis (Matt really wanted to take me there).

 Take one...bright I Phone flash

 Take two...can't see, we give up!

 The rest of my outfit ;)

 Day 2 was at Little Woodrows, and Kung Fu Bar which had games and drinks...free skeet ball. I whipped Matt multiple times! Must be all mu Chucky Cheese practice.

 Lake Travis...didn't even look like anything around here...we WILL live here one day! Gorgeous!

 The new Oasis building is very cool. It has multiple levels of restaurants that look out onto the lake.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday season! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Here is to a fantastic 2011...the best is yet to come!

The Tags!

Happy Thanksgiving Pumpkin

For my first Gluten-Free Thanksgiving, I realized that there would be no pumpkin pie for me unless I take matters into my own hands.

I once read that pumpkin pie doesn't have to look good, just taste good. I am living by that philosophy...I found ingredients for a Gluten-Free crust and the Libby's can recipe for the filling is gluten-free. Making the crust was easier than I thought, except for the filling spilling on the edges and burning a little. The pie tasted just like I remember them tasting at Thanksgiving so I was pretty proud of myself. (The recipe for the dough is below...but this cannot be done last minute as it has to be put in the fridge over night-from glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com)

I made more dough for a second pie tonight. Hopefully this one looks a little better. I will be taking this pie to Lafayette, where we will be having Thanksgiving at Matt's parents. We have Thanksgiving thursday, a get-together dinner Friday with some friends, and brunch on Sunday with the besties. I plan on packing on the pounds haha... I am trying to make this feel as close to an Oklahoma Thanksgiving with the family as possible. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Nikki

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Dough- Glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com

1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
3 tablespoons sweet rice flour (I cannot find, so I omit it :))
3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon strong cinnamon (I use Saigon cinnamon from World Spice Merchants)
8 tablespooons (or, one stick) cold butter
1 large egg
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 ice-cold water, or enough to make the dough stick together

Mix together all the dry ingredients, including the sugar and cinnamon. Cut the butter into little pieces, about 1/2-inch thick and drop the pieces into the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, meld the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter has crumbled into pea-sized pieces.

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Drop the egg and apple cider vinegar in, then stir them in, gently, with a fork, stirring from the center out. Once they are incorporated into the dry ingredients, slowly drizzle the ice-cold water into the mixture, a little at a time, then stirring to see if it has become dough yet. You do not want this dough to be too wet. Add water only until it all coheres together.

At this point, drop the ball of dough onto a large piece of parchment paper. (Prepare this ahead, unless you want to wipe dough off the box of parchment paper later!) Place another piece of parchment paper, the same size, on top of the dough. Gently, smoosh the dough outward, equally in all directions, until it is a thick, round cake of dough, about the size of a pie plate.

Refrigerate the ball of dough, for as long as you can stand. Ideally, you would prepare the dough in the evening and refrigerate overnight. Take the dough out of the refrigerator at least twenty minutes before you want to work with it.

Leave the dough in the parchment-paper sandwich and roll it out. By rolling it, gently, between the pieces of parchment paper, you will not need to add more flour to the mix. Roll it out as thin as you can, then strip the top piece of parchment paper off the dough. Gently, lay your favorite pie plate on top of the dough, then flip the whole thing over. The dough should sag into the pie plate. You can crimp the edges at this point. If some of the dough falls off the sides, don't worry. Simply re-attach the pieces to the crust-to-be by pressing in with your fingers.

You can pre-bake the pie crust, if you like. With this pumpkin pie, however, I just pour the pumpkin filling directly in and bake it immediately. It works well.

Oh, and for the filling? Just the recipe off the Libby's pumpkin puree can. It works every time.