a shout from the rooftop

Last weekend, my parents hosted an engagement party for Blake and me. It sure was a fabulous way to kick off the events that will happen between now and the wedding. The turnout was great, just family and close friends. The setting was an evening to night spent on a rooftop on Cherry Street (or 15th Street). The night was filled with great (homemade) appetizers, desserts and drinks. I couldn't have asked for anything better. So hats off to you mom and dad and thank you for a wonderful party. You were superb hosts. Let's do this more often! Oh and I'd like to give a special thanks to Ashley, Luke, Morgan, Evan and Brooke for coming out of town to join us for this special and fun evening.

 





There are more pictures, but I can't add them all here...that's just overwhelming! Point being...we had a FABULOUS time! And you can check out the Tulsa World engagement announcement (it landed in the paper Sunday after the party--July10, 2011)!

birthday wishes for my sis

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COURTNEY! 

You're a wonderful young lady with a BIG heart and an even better sister. We have memories to last a lifetime and many more to come. I'm so thankful for you and everything you are to me!

Orange Beach, Alabama 2008

Estes Park, Colorado 2010

I hope your birthday on the golf course is successful as well as the rest of the week. Good luck in the tournament and best wishes for your birthday!

Here's to you...CHEERS!

Oh and guess what?! Chicken butt...

"grow old with me. the best is yet to be." -Robert Browning

Preface: I know that some of you have been kindly reminding me that I need to tell my story and post pictures of the special night. I apologize for the delay in my posting, but I have been in a true whirlwind of emotions, planning, traveling and everything in between. If I don't get this posted tonight, I might never get it done because I start my travels for work this week. So, here it goes.

As the holidays neared, Blake and I decided that we needed a date night, a night of dinner and whatever else we wanted to do...just the two of us. We love our families dearly, however, when the holidays approach, we go into family overload and don't get much time to enjoy one another. (As I write this, I realize I am, in a sense, "complaining" about something many people in this world don't have. Blake and I fully realize we are blessed to have our families, especially during the holidays. They surround us with love and we greatly appreciate them all the time.)

We planned the evening together about a week in advance. Our date night set for Wednesday, December 22, 2010. After I got off work, I went home and freshened up my face. Blake picked me up about 6:15 p.m. and he drove us to our dinner destination-Boulder Grill. We had been talking about this new restaurant since it came to Tulsa over the summer and hadn't yet been. Blake ordered a delicious pasta dish and I had an assortment of tapas. Blake tried a martini for the first time and liked it. (Another "first"...if you haven't noticed it's kind of a recurring theme.) Since we were going to be downtown, I had asked Blake if we could go ice skating at the BOK Center Winterfest...we have never been ice skating together either. We stood in a freezing cold line for about 15 minutes. Paid for rental skates. Tied them up. And carefully glided onto the ice. The ice was packed with people of all ages. Adults falling, kids zooming by and Blake retying his skates for better ankle support.

 

As we skated around the rink, we snapped some photos and then scooted off the rink carefully because the zamboni kept honking it's horn at us. So we put our shoes back on, turned in our skates and walked to the car.

 

As we drove out of downtown, we decided that we needed to grab a quick Christmas present for his grandpa. We purchased his gift, got back in the car and the fun began, but of course, I thought we were just headed home.

Blake immediately handed me a blindfold and explained that he wanted to take me to one of my Christmas presents, but didn't want me to know where we were going.

[Side note: I did think, "what if?", but quickly put my feet on the dash (putting me in a fetal like position) because I get naseous in the car if I can't see the road. Therefore, I stopped thinking "what if?"]

He drove around for about 25 minutes or so and we ended up in a parking lot with lots of land around it. I have never been to Jones Airport (the smaller airport in south Tulsa) so I had no clue where we were. As we walked into the building, Blake explained that my "stocking stuffer" was a Christmas light tour by helicopter. If you know me, you know I LOVE TO FLY! But tonight was different because I have never stepped foot in a helicopter before. We sat in the "terminal" for about 20 minutes. The kind lady led us out to the helicopter, put me in my seat and made sure I was all set to go. She repeated with Blake on the other side and we took off.

 

I was in complete awe. The night was perfectly clear, so the Christmas lights were shining bright. We pointed out friends houses, talked through voice-activated microphones and looked on for miles over Tulsa. As we crossed Rhema Church (known for their Christmas light display), I pointed out the ever-changing bridge and I could hear Blake starting to say stuff. Well, it wasn't stuff. I don't remember the exact words he used, but I understood the overall meaning. He did tell me that he loved me, couldn't imagine being in this moment with anyone else and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I quickly teared up. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a little box and popped the question! I said yes about 7 times because I wanted to make sure my voice-activated microphone heard me. Then I moved my microphone so I could kiss my fiance. I don't remember the rest of the light tour because my new light was Blake's iPhone flashlight gleaming off my ring. (He did get a ring box that had a light built in, but removed a battery for fear of being "cheesy") I do remember being overlly excited. I don't remember breathing. Safely, we landed and exited the aircraft. I had the lady take a picture of us and I was too excited to tell my family and friends so we hurried back to the car.

The next 2-3 hours were spent on the phone, at my parents house and at Blake's house. He drove me home and I layed in bed, too excited to sleep because of my new accessory.

Blake and I have been dating four and a half years and to this day, I still have moments where I can't believe it. He is my best friend and I can't wait to start our own little family. For now, I will enjoy calling him "fiance" and planning our day.

We would really like to thank our family and close friends for their love and support during our entire relationship. We've had our ups and downs and we realize that life won't always be perfect, but we are in it for the "long haul" and love each other with all we've got!

Huntin Deer and Christmas Cheer

Three days before Christmas and I am finished with my shopping list. Actually, I finished on Sunday! I admit, I went to the mall this past weekend and joined the crazies in their last-minute gift adventures, but I am done. Insert sigh of relief. All I have to do now is sit back and relax and await the arrival of Christmas...
I take that back. On Christmas Eve, I have a very big job in our family. A majority of my family gathers (weather permitting) at my parent's house for Christmas Eve pizza. We have been baking them for as long as I can remember. As a curious child, I always involved myself in the pizza-making process some how. I would sit on the counter in flour, play with dough, eat the pepperonis. As I grew up, I took on more important tasks, such as topping the pizza, watching the oven, and still eating bits of topping before it could make it to the raw dough. Now, with the help of a few others, I am the pizza nazzi. Pizza making takes skill. Each year, I get a little better and it's perfected one year at a time. I still use the original hand-written receipe Papa Bob (grandpa) passed down to my mom and me and he still supervises our efforts. Although I am sworn to secrecy, I have a couple secrets to share: dough is made about 4 hours before bake time and the sauce is made the night before. It has to set and settle so all the flavors can shine through. That's all. I might wind up missing if anymore slips out. All homemade. All delicious. All exactly how we like it. I look forward to blessing my family with another great homemade pizza dinner on Friday night.

I have already watched Christmas Vacation for the past 4 nights as I fall asleep and I can't wait until the 24 hours of Christmas Story. Those bunny pajamas and piggy troff, get me everytime! Love laughter.

On other notes...Blake has been enjoying his break from school and hunting...a lot it seems. I'm okay with it because he brings me the game for future dinners. I have yet to cook game, with the exception of dove nuggets for Ashley's wedding shower back in August, but I am looking forward to it. Dove and deer currently occupy a space in my freezer and I'm sure duck will make it's way in too. If you have any good receipes I should try, please share. Otherwise, I will be exploring the internet for them, and hope they are actually good!
In all the years Blake and I have been together, I have never been hunting with him. It's a guy thing, right? Well that might all change soon. We are trying to find a time, before duck season ends, where I can join him and the dogs and "pound some ducks" as he would say. I have used a shotgun once in my life at a skeet shoot where, I might add, I shot about 4 out of 50. If I shoot one duck, I will be a happy hunter. Blake will start back up in January for his last semester. What a great feeling to be graduating!

And for New Years, Blake and I will be going to Dallas for New Year's Eve/New Year's and spending some quality time with my best friend in the whole wide world, Kasey! I couldn't be more excited, especially since I haven't ever gone anywhere for NYE. YEAH!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May His love surround you always and especially during this special time of year.

holiday gift guide à la lindsay (part two)

As promised, this list is for those searching for the more traditional holiday gifts. Want something a little different? Go here. The list below is complete with items or categories that I typically pick out for my loved ones and friends. Hopefully, you'll find something here you need to check off another recipient on your holiday gift list. It's coming faster than you think, so get your shopping and shipping done early. Like, NOW!

For any young lady in your life, beauty gift sets are always a fail-safe, much appreciated option. The younger crowd will drool over the MAC holiday collections.  If you haven't already purchased this from your local MAC store, you might be out of luck. I know here in Tulsa, they sell out super fast! This year, the collection (sold at Dillard's) features a Juicy Couture like plaid and crest with vibrant colors for the eyes, lips, face and nails. Priced from $22.50 to $38.00, these sets are sure to please. Need something a little more sophisticated? Or don't want to choose a color for someones eyes? Check out Sephora. They offer a plethora of gift sets that are pefect for any young lady on your list.

Does a man in your life enjoy a nightcap every night now and then? Something straight, neat, and delicious. Why not pair your regular gift (his favorite liquor) with cool glass to sip from. They are designed by Normann Copenhagen and cost $42.00 for a pair. Is he more of a beer drinker? How about a six pack (or two) with this unique bottle opener. It's magnetic so you won't be dropping the bottle caps on the floor. It's only $20.00! 

The meals were cooked and devoured. The presents opened and scattered about the house. Santa has come and gone. The holidays are over. At least until we ring in the new year. After all the holiday festivities are over, I bet your mom, sister, aunt, whoever does a bulk of the holiday "work", would enjoy a pair of these slippers from Gap for only $19.99 (on sale)! They are adorable to keep her in style and comfy to keep her, well, comfortable. Let her put her feet up in style, even if she does doze off with her mouth open. You could also get her a cozy sweater or a scarf to bundle with, but I couldn't find just one that I liked. This post would be too long if I posted all the ones I fell in love with.

The avid gym-goer in your life is constantly told to check their heart rate. At least, I am. Especially in my regular spin classes. Instead of using the old fashioned finger-to-neck or -wrist method, wrap up this little heart rate monitor from Amazon.com. This easy to use monitor and strap will be the perfect gift to keep your gym-goer loved one in shape while mainting their heart rate. A little pricey ($167.12 on sale from $239.95), but the reviews for this monitor are fantastic. "Best bang for da buck", one says. Or if they have a heart rate monitor, what do their shoes look like? Time for a new pair? Have they taken up a new hobby, or exercise class? Maybe they would enjoy a yoga mat, spin shoes or weights to have a home for those times when the gym is just too far. 

The kindle is a perfect gift for the bookworm. It stores many books, magazines, newspapers and they are all accessible with the slide of a button. I, personally, own one and I'm still in love with it. It's perfect on the couch, before night-night time, on the road, and even at the gym. The newest 6-inch version is available at Amazon.com for $139 with wi-fi or $189 for 3G and wi-fi.

With only a couple weeks left until Christmas, I'd check your list (twice) and make sure you have everyone covered. Don't forget to stash away a couple extras for yourself or just in case! What are your great Christmas gift ideas this season? And what are your plans for New Years Eve?

holiday gift guide à la lindsay (part one)

As the holidays near, I thought I would share some unique, and not so unique, Christmas gift ideas I stumbled upon. You might want to grab some of these items as back-ups. You're bound to be on someone's nice list. And said someone is going to show up on your door step with a gift in hand. You'll start sweating and wondering what piece of decor, or bottle of stashed wine you're willing to part with so you can give them something in return. You could [tactfully] say, "I'm sorry. I didn't expect a gift from you, so I didn't get you anything." and then kindly make it up to them by purchasing something special for their next milestone, whatever that may be. Or you can be armed with a cheap, funny, or useful gift in your entry closet for said someone and put a smile on their face. It's the thought that counts, right? Then who cares if they don't like it. You made an effort. Give yourself a pat on the back. Now for those of us who are productive and would like something different than a pair of socks, knitted by granny, or the usual soap and lotion pack for our friends and loved ones, take a look at the list below. Ponder it. Purchase it. Wrap it. Give it. Watch them smile.

Remember Sock Monkey dolls from the "old" days? Just a precious, harmless toy loved by all the kids. One better, he now wraps wine for that special drunk loved one. For the wine-o in your family or a friend, grab their favorite bottle from your local grocer or liquor store and slip on a Sock Monkey from PatinaStores.com for only $10.95! Think your co-worker is a monkey, or better yet, your boss? Give it to 'em. It will be the most wanted gift at your office's Dirty Santa. Beats last year's Squirrel Underpants because wine is involved. You could also opt to use a favorite liquor instead of wine. Just a suggestion for those who like their stiff drinks.

The kiddos in your family are probably playing Angry Birds on your phone while you read this. I'll admit, this game is addicting and I'm an adult. (Well, at least my age says so. Others might say I'm childish sometimes but I think that's because I have fun!) And your kids will have fun playing with the new Angry Birds Plush Toys! They are only $14.99 and every bird and pig is available. If you haven't slinged these birds into buildings, TNT, and pigs yet, I suggest you do. Otherwise, you now think I'm crazy because you have no idea what I'm talking about. Purchase the iPhone app. Play it. You'll understand.
Disclaimer and fine print: I am not suggesting that children use these soft, plush to launch across your living room and destroy your home, but these birds are angry. Although I don't think they can do much damage, I wouldn't know because I don't own many expensive breakables or have kids, for that matter.

Calling all modern scrabble players and crossword-ers...or those giving gifts to old timey scrabble players crossword-ers. Let's bring those board game and pencial-using players into the 21st century by wrapping up some bananagrams and putting them under the tree with their name on it. Target carries Bananagrams for $14.99. This little banana bag filled with scrabble-like letters is also perfect for travel. Seeing that is compact, you can shove in your suitcase or carry-on. Give it as a gift. Take it on your Christmas trip with family for some added fun. Another perk: as you play, you'll learn new words to file in your personal vocab file. In other words, you'll be smarter!

Does the work-a-holic in your life have the luxury of a door, or better yet, a window? Chances are, no! They spend so much time at their office cubicle, why not help them spruce up the place? Bouquets in a can are the perfect gift for them. All they need to do is...more work. But it's simple--pop the top, add water and let it grow. With four flowers to choose from, Dahlias, geraniums, impatiens or pansies, at only $11 each, you can give these to your office mates and work-a-holics for Christmas. Flowers in a can are available at FredFlare.com. This site has other fun and funky gifts at budget friendly prices. If you're a Tulsa resident or visiting Tulsa before the holidays, I suggest you visit The Snow Goose for your fun and funky gifts.

Waffles again? DOH! I'm sure the donut-lover in your life would really appreciate this Sunbeam donut-maker. Found on Amazon for $29.99 (on sale from $39.99), this kitchen gadget will make 5 deletecable donuts in minutes. For the cabinet-space-challenged, it's designed to stand up right when stored. Receipe is simple. Combine 1.5 cups flour, .5 cups superfine sugar and 1.5 teaspoons baking powder. Make a whole in the middle of dry ingredients and whisk in .5 cups butter (melted, obviously), .75 cups milk and 1 egg (lightly beaten, not so obvious). The batter should be smooth. Pour into the maker's heated rings (it's suggested that you use a jug for this, but some mixing bowls have pour-ers on them, so do what make you happy). Close the lid. Wait about 6 minutes. Check it. Look golden brown? Remove them and repeat the pouring until all donuts are cooked. While the donuts are kind of hot, I would add your favorite toppings and enjoy! Yummy.

What about the TV-junkie in your life? Have they purchased a plethora of TV show series and movies from iTunes? Or are they a Netflix subscriber?  How about the photo lover, video watcher or music listener? Buy them the improved Apple TV and you can watch, display, and listen to just about anything streamed wirelessly from your iTunes account (no need for syncing to your iTunes Library). For only $99.00, you'll get instant movie rentals (starting at $2.99) from Apple, a la carte TV show rentals (only $0.99) and Netflix movie rentals (prices vary). You can also display photos from Flickr, videos from YouTube, and also your own photo and video libraries. Don't foget that you'll need a HDTV and a HDMI cable for this to work in your home. Oh and wireless internet for connection, duh! Sit back, grab the popcorn and enjoy the movies, or whatever else you choose to display from your friend's new Apple TV. Go ahead. Invite yourself over, you bought it for them!

If you're lucky enough to have a planner or list lover in your life, like myself, you must purchase these next few gifts for those special people. They are probably frantically searching for their new calendars and notebooks as you read this. Set them at ease this season. Give them the gift of organization they crave. The MomAgenda brand has come out with other products besides the agenda for, whatelse, moms. One of their popular products is the MyAgenda. It has a week-at-a-view format which is stress releiving for those who have a lot going on in their life, or lack their of. It also features a monthly view. These calendars are set up to coincide with school starting in August and going all the way until the next December. For example, right now you can buy the August 2010 through December 2011 for only $36.00. MomAgenda is also offering a 20% discount sitewide. So grab them while they are cheap. It comes in cool metallic colors so staying in style isn't a question. And for those who like personalization, you can have these embossed (with letters only).

Their newest product is the MyPlan specialized for those in school. Starting in August 2010 and moving through August 2011, the young ones can learn how to organize their lives effectively for only $19.94. Perfect for kids on the go and it comes in cool color combinations too. Personalization available here too, but in script or printed letters only.

The traditional choice here is the Moleskine that retails for $17.95. This soft-back product is perfect for lists or journal writing. I'm not much of a journal writer, but I love lists of any kind.

And please don't forget a new writing utensil from the best writing utensil company in the world. Sharpie has come out with a new pencil, a liquid pencil. There isn't a need to worry about breaking led or carrying your extra led case because it doesn't use led. Staples sells them in a 2-pack for only $5.29. So these might be more like a stocking stuffer, but either way, it will be appreciated greatly by organized, list-making freaks, like me.

Looking for more traditional items, like the newest sweaters, scarves, kitchen items and much more, check back soon. To be continued...

Utica Utopia

This part of the year is filled with holidays, family and friend gatherings, traditions and, well, shopping. I have to admit that the shopping is the most fun and most frustrating part of the season. Attempting to find something one wants/needs and isn't too expensive is always an adventure. However, this year I started early so as not to break the bank when it gets down to the wire. Yes, that's right. I made a budget and I have already planned out about 5 or 6 of my Christmas gifts this year. Others are still processing and in due time will find their way to my "secret" hiding place.

Common Thanksgiving traditions include, but aren't limited too, turkey, stuffing, jellied cranberry sauce, bread rolls and pie. Some families may throw back bottle (or two) of wine, break the wishbone, watch football and fall into deep tryptophan naps, however, Tulsa has yet another tradition for Thanksgiving night. We fill our bellies and scurry down to Utica Square for "Light's On". All the trees are embellished with over 700,000 twinkling lights and Santa is in town for caroling and the countdown. The 40-year "Light's On" tradition has been on my tradition list for over 10 years! Nothing beats walking around Utica with the lights on and a cup of coffee.

Utica Square is closer to my home and I don't know if that is dangerous or harmless. I guess we will find out this very busy shopping season. It's hard to pass up a walk-by of the ever-changing Miss Jackson's windows and, again, the cup of coffee and outdoor shopping.

Even with these attractive, tempting windows, I must always keep in mind, 'tis the season for giving and not buying for oneself's closet. I should probably go to therapy or something, but the only therapy I know of is "retail therapy" and that doesn't seem to be a long term fix for anything.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I'm getting extremely anxious for Christmas because that means friends and family gatherings, homemade Christmas Eve pizza and presents. Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season with family and friends. And may all your nights be filled with cheer (or cheers)!