Snow Day(s)

This post was originally set to be published in December, when we experienced our first little 1-2 inch snowfall. Little did I know that snowmageddon was on it's way a couple weeks later and graced us with a foot of snow! Now, I know I must be getting a couple of eye rolls from the people up north, but understand that I am but a humble Florida-born gal who went from winters with a low of 60 degrees to a white, single digit Narnia wonderland. I'll never forget the feeling I had when I saw those first few flakes touch (and stick to) the ground. When we took our nightly walk around our neighborhood, it was so quiet and serene, like the world had transformed within a couple of hours - so THIS is what having seasons is like. It's easy to see how this crystallized rain has been the inspiration for countless songs, carols, and poems - I have shamelessly become Lorelai Gilmore-level obsessed with snow and I cannot wait until next December!

A History of Pie

This post had every intention to be a simple pie recipe (it was also ideally going to be posted in November, ah...such is life). While my intentions were good and certainly justified (I mean, let's be honest who doesn't love a pie post?) I realized that a holiday as special and as dear to my heart as thanksgiving deserves something more.

My earliest recollection of this holiday was at my grandparent's farm. It wasn't your typical farm with cows and pigs and a big red barn - it was more a gathering place nestled in the woods with plenty of hiking trails, porch swings, and hammocks.The family would travel from all over Florida and we would have our feast out on the big screened-in back porch. We would spend our afternoons wrapped up in a game of horseshoes, swinging on the rope swing hanging from the old oak tree, and playing with the dogs (there were always several).

Our New Place

This place is finally starting to feel like home, even though I am still a tad in denial that we live in such a nice area! A part of me can't believe Oregon is real, the people, the food, the landscape - it's like I have been unknowingly dreaming about living here for ages and I've finally come home.

We did have to downsize and lost a bed and bathroom but it was enlivening in a way, purging our self from all that "stuff" (plus some extra money never hurt anyone).

I have always been a collector. I would scan antique shops and yard sales in search of once beloved intriguing nic nacs. Many of the things in our place are re-purposed: spray painted frames I found in my family's garage, pieces of wood from my grandmother's craft box, old flea market cameras. I like balancing the new with the old in a space, I think these pieces provide a story that modern items fail to do.

Here are some of the places I frequent:

-Amazon is great for pillow covers and other odds and ends
-World Market is great for dachshund shaped things
-Target... I will ALWAYS love Target
-Of course Etsy is a go-to for interesting prints and photographs
-Ikea for planters and organizers
-H&M has an online home section that's pretty much a Magnolia Market for the financially savvy.
-Craigslist, great for old (but good quality) furniture you can easily fix up
-It never hurts to check your local area for garage sales and even scan neighborhoods for items by the trash, you never know what some people throw away!

What are some of your favorite items around your house?

Enchanted Forest Theme Park (Our First Weekend in the PNW)

Happy Friday everyone! Even though the weekend is almost upon us, I can't help but reminisce about our past weekend adventure because it was THAT awesome and way less hot.

Last week was our first official time riding solo in the PNW, my parents were the last ones to leave us Tuesday, it's weird not having them around anymore but nice at the same time knowing we can start our own adventures and traditions in our new state! If you don't know this about me already, I am a HUGE fan of the strange and outdated, teeter tottering on the verge of creepy so of course as soon as I found out about this place calledEnchanted Forest Theme Park I was obsessed! During our last visit to Portland they were unfortunately closed for winter season so we knew we had to visit while they're still open - I refused to pass up an opportunity like this again! This place reminded me so much of my beloved Rock City but times a million.

I did some research prior to our visit and what I really like about this park is it was just created by an average guy who one day thought to himself, hey, I'm gonna build a magical theme park on top of this mountain! And for that, I salute him. The park is still family owned to this day and it is quite apparent that a lot of love was poured into the making of this place.

The park is actually pretty sizable and is divided into themed sections including: Medieval, Wild West, Fairy Tales, and even a haunted house! you pay a flat admission fee of $11 and then extra for tickets to ride the rides.

There's a list of free shows throughout the day and we decided to catch Possibly Irish and they were AMAZING. It was the kind of music that made you wanna jump up and do a little Irish jig while simultaneously raising a pint of frothy Guinness.

I am already fantasizing about coming back here, I really wish they sold season passes because I would be all over that! (<= Psssst hey owners I am serious about this one).

Turning Dreams Into Plans

Hello everyone! I have been putting off writing this post for a couple of weeks now, mostly because a part of me still can't believe this is really happening. If you've been following me for a while, you know that Lewis and I have always wanted to get out of the southern US. I can remember even as a child longing for our annual trip to the mountains and feeling so disappointed when we had to return home. It's not like there's anything wrong with the South, but you are definitely aware if you clearly don't belong somewhere.

You might remember over a year ago, we made the announcement that we were moving to Houston, TX from a small town in central GA. While it wasn't our first choice (heck, it wasn't even our 100th choice) we knew it was important to gain work experience in a major city, so we moved there. Thinking about it now after living here for 16 months, I can say that nothing could have prepared us for what we have experienced here. We definitely learned a lot, and we were more aware of what we wanted in a city and, more importantly, what we didn't want.

Then this past January, we finally were able to see the places we've always dreamed about. We were hesitant that the place we had built up in our heads from images we saw online and things we read in books would not live up to reality but it did. In fact, it was far better than anything we could have ever imagined. It put all of our questions and doubts to rest, it was that simple - we HAD to live here.

After years of pouring over travel books at Barnes and Noble, talking about it to our friends and family (and anyone else that would listen), and finally seeing it for ourselves, I can at last say we will be moving to the Pacific Northwest! Portland, OR to be precise.To anyone out there that might be struggling to achieve something or has always felt out of place where they are. I would like to say: hang in there, continue to keep your head down, work hard, and try to make the best of the situation you are in. This past year has been especially rough, and I have had to stop myself from transforming into a person I no longer recognize but looking at it now, I am realizing we had to go through this struggle in order to achieve what we've always wanted. It WILL get better.


I'll be posting pictures non stop on social media to document our cross country road trip in a couple of weeks so feel free to follow along @theniftycupcake

Weekly Roundup

Hello everyone! I hope this weekend finds you happy and well!
I am SO excited because the hubbs and I are headed to Jax this week and spending some time with family and friends! Being completely on our own in The Lone Star State (haha) can wear heavy on the soul sometimes so it's good to get in touch with your roots every now and then. We're also bringing our fur baby Bean with us on a plane for the first time ever so that should be interesting!

This week I've rounded up some favorite items, recipes, and other goodies from around the web and yes, it was supposed to be posted yesterday but hopefully you shall forgive my absence.

-I finally bought a high waisted two-piece which I love! Wasn't really sure how it would look on me but I would really recommend it, it offers more coverage then an average bikini and yet it's not as covered up as a tankini/one-piece.
-I've been needing a new wallet and I believe that I found the perfect one over at Modcloth
-I've been getting into makeup recently (which is new for me) and I came across THESE beauties - they are almost too pretty to use!
-I really need to update my camera, my loyal Canon is nearly 10 years old and I am pretty sure that I have decided on the Canon 700D does anyone recommend this camera? What do you guys think?
-My girl Rebecca over at A Clothes Horse has got me completely enchanted by her gatehouse. This makes me wanna roam the Irish country side and take in everything old and new.
-I really love this Poet, I find her work really relatable and so beautifully written.

Enjoy the rest of your day, and may it be a good one!

*Picture from How to Simplify

Weekly Roundup

Greetings to all! Since I have more time on my hands and things aren't so crazy, I am attempting to be a better blogger. What does that mean for you? Well, in addition to getting cool recipes and the usual Fashion Friday posts, I will be starting a "Weekly Roundup" that includes my favorite goodies around the internet - tasty recipes, fashionable finds, nifty trinkets, and anything else that strikes my fancy! So without further delay, here's the first roundup!

-THIS top from Zara

-One of my new favorite fashion bloggers rocking THIS look (gotta love a statement clutch)

-Can't stop wearing THESE gladiator sandals, so comfortable and it adds the edge to every outfit

-THESE rainbow fruit pops from The First Year - why didn't I think of this?!

-I have really been into matcha lately, so THIS match toasted chocolate latte ice cream from Poppytalk sounds heavenly right about now

-THIS adorable (yet somewhat unpractical) Kate Spade teacup coin purse

-And finally, THIS doxie pin for my endless jean jacket pin collection.

What do you think about this new post installment?

This year I...

Moved to a new city...

This past March we had this crazy idea to trade our small rural town in GA for the massive city of Houston, TX. It wasn't quite what we expected but it's definitely been an adventure to say the least.

Graduated College...

I don't really have a picture of this but I finally pried my Bachelor's degree out of the cold dead hands of my school back in Jacksonville. It feels good...it feels reallllyyyy good.

Got a new job...

Landed my first semi-respectable job at a Hilton Hotel. It's not the greatest, but it's allowed me to meet some really cool people and for that, I am grateful.

Bought another car...

Since the public transportation system is semi-life threatening here in Houston, we decided to get another car - enter the MeMe Mobile, a whopping 1,000 pounds of pure industrial German engineering.

Explored new cities...

Took a road trip and explored the Austin city streets then took a detour to Waco and visited secretly stalked Joannah Gaines at her store Magnolia Market.

Ate ribs the size of my arm...

They said everything is bigger in Texas, that is especially true at Black's BBQ in Austin.

This year has been full of new experiences and challenges with a few regrets thrown in. Most importantly, I am more aware of what I want out of life and what makes me happy and I intend to seek out and surround myself with those things come the new year.

Next year I (We)...

-Will hopefully find a place to call home. I've never really liked or related to where I live, so this year I am hoping to do some traveling and hopefully discover a place where I feel at home.
-Become semi-fluent in German.
-Read more. I used to read all the time, then I went to college and all the fun got sucked out of it.
-Find a career that I'm passionate about

I really appreciate all of you taking the time to read and comment on my little corner of the internet and I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Year!

*Houston picture source

Let's get Festive!

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Hello! With this week wrapping up we're finally approaching our much needed vacation. Since we'll be coming back towards the end of November, I am already in Christmas decorating mode! Growing up we always started decorating the first week of December, partially out of respect of Thanksgiving, mostly out of laziness. These are just a few of my favorite Thanksgiving/Christmas decorations from my frequented shopping spots - I always go for that "rustic" decor usually involving burlap and a woodland animal of some sort.

Houston's Museum of Natural Science // The Holocaust Museum

We are slowly starting to conquer all the museums around Houston. With my first weekend off in months, and free tickets given to us by a friend it was finally time to hit up one of the last on the list, The Museum of Natural Science. Word on the street is that this is THE museum to hit up when visiting the Houston area, located near Herman Park, this massive institution houses all sorts of exhibitions including: Cullen Hall of Gems, Ancient Egypt, Prehistoric Safari, and Texas Wildlife.

We've been putting this one off because it's on the pricey side - $20 for adult ticket ($17 for students) and $10 for parking plus you have to pay extra to get into special exhibitions within the museum but it would definitely provide you with enough entertainment for the day.

For more information you can view their website HERE.

We started from the bottom floor and worked out way up, our first stop was a mock space center which you could tell was installed in the early 80s (that was part of the charm for me though). We then explored the Hall of Chemistry!!

My favorite portion of the museum by far was the Paleontology displays filled with fossils, prehistoric trees, and other fascinating specimens. Dinosaurs have been a fascination of mine since I was little so this part was super nostalgic for me.

The Cullen Hall of Gems was probably my next favorite, it was filled with rocks and minerals most of which I had never seen or heard of before, there was also a special area that highlighted rare gems like the ones below (can you imagine how heavy these babies are to wear?!)

Side note - here are some shots of the Holocaust Museum, while it's not that big it has some amazing content including testimonials from survivors that now reside in Houston as well as an actual German train car that was believed to be used in the transportation of prisoners and a Danish fishing boat used to smuggle people to safety. While you aren't allowed to take pictures inside, you are allowed to take pictures of the outdoor monuments. College students get free admission and there is also an audio tour available for your cell phone as well as a personalized tour that runs every hour - be prepared for all the feels, especially if you watch the testimonial video at the end.

Join Me For Houston's Taste of the Nation!

No child should grow up hungry in America, but one in five children struggles with hunger. But it doesn't have to be that way. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger in this nation by making sure all kids get the healthy food they need, every day. And you can help, all while enjoying some of the best food and drink in Texas at Houston’s Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry!

Every year, the country’s best chefs, sommeliers and mixologists join together with one goal in mind: end childhood hunger in America by supporting Taste of the Nation® for No Kid Hungry presented by Citi® and Sysco®. In more than 30 cities across the nation – including Houston – guests of Taste of the Nation can sip and sample gourmet creations from each city’s premier culinary talent and participate in unique food, travel and lifestyle auctions – all while raising funds for No Kid Hungry. Houston’s Taste of the Nation is coming up on September 29. Some of the best culinary talent in the state – including Chef Chris Shepherd, Chef Randy Evans, BBQ Master Ronnie Killen, and Beverage Chair Alba Huerta – will be serving bite-sized versions their signature fare, as well as amazing wines and craft cocktails. All event proceeds support No Kid Hungry; just $1 can help feed a child in need 10 healthy meals, so your participation can have a huge impact. Last year Houston’s Taste of the Nation raised enough to connect kids to 1.4 million healthy meals!

Join me at Houston’s Taste of the Nation this year and help make No Kid Hungry a reality for more kids in Texas and across the country. As a bonus for The Nifty Cupcake readers (because you're awesome) through September 25th you can use my exclusive discount code NIFTYCUPCAKEHTX for 10% off the ticket price. For tickets and more information, visit NoKidHungry.org/Houston. I hope to see you there!