This Fall, Sam and I had the pleasure of experiencing Singapore for a second time (I visited in July of ’09 and Sam visited here).  We went for a total of 11 days with 4 of those days being spent in the beautiful country of Bali.  The biggest difference, however, between this trip and our previous trips was that this time we went in November which also happens to be right in the middle of the rainy season.  Needless to say, the mornings were steamy, the afternoons were rainy, and our photographic endeavors were hindered by the lack of time spent out and about in the city.  With that said, we were still able to do more walking on this trip than I think I’ve done since I had classes on opposite ends of Texas A&M’s campus.

On the first day we spent in Singapore, we decided to hit up some of our favorite cultural experiences – FOOD and the different “towns” that Singapore has to offer.  We walked and saw the beautiful fabrics and Mosques on Arab street and we visited the hustle and bustle of Chinatown to visit the shops and antiquities that can be found there.  No matter how many times we seem to visit my parents in Singapore, I don’t think we can ever quite get over how culturally diverse Singapore really is and how well it all comes together around Orchard Rd. and other parts of the city.  Unfortunately, the rain hit and we spent the afternoon sleeping off the 25 hour plane flight through Moscow and the evening delighting in food from the American Club.

I believe that of all of the zoos I’ve been to (including Omaha), the Singapore Zoo stands paralleled by none and that’s exactly where we went on our second day.  The openness, layout, and diversity in the Singapore Zoo is unlike any other zoo I’ve ever visited.  You get to truly feel like you can reach out and touch the animals because, well, you basically can in a lot of cases (although I’d still suggest you don’t!).

We spent basically the entire day walking around the zoo and avoiding the crowds of people visiting over the weekend before heading home to rest and ready ourselves for a feast at Jumbo’s that night and for our flight to Bali the following morning.  The Beauty of Bali, however, is a whole other topic within itself…

You were the one that encouraged me to pick up my first camera.  You were the one who led me down my path in college, and you were the one that has supported my continually growing list of hobbies (both ridiculous and ridiculously awesome!).  You were the one who carried light stands and batteries during the shoot, and you were the one who made me dinner and understood when I worked in photoshop through the night.

You’ve been there through thick and thin and 2 years ago, today, you agreed to be there with me for the rest of our lives.  I love you for everything you do and for everything you’ve done.  You’ve helped shaped me into the man I am today and I could never imagine living without you.  Happy Valentines Day Sam and thank you for all of this and more.

At the beginning of December, Sam and I had the unfortunate news that our old dog Aggie had a severe bladder cancer that led us to the difficult decision to say goodbye.  She had been my dog for 12 great years and it was extremely difficult to say goodbye even though it was the right thing to do.  After a rough month or so and a quiet, dogless house, we decided to start looking at getting another dog and finding a new companion.  We could not have been more blessed when Sam stumbled upon a true “diamond in the rough” from the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, Sarge.  When Sarge came to the MCAS he had a large wound on his face and his two main canines were both severely broken.  He was so timid that he would not even come out of his cage at the shelter, and was actually set to be put on the short list for euthanization. Fortunately, the people at the MCAS are truly amazing and worked with Sarge to get him to emerge from his shell and finally start to interact with potential adopters.  Sarge was then put into foster care and that was where Sam found him on the MCAS Facebook Page.  We took Sarge for a week try-out to see if he was going to match with our personalities but I could tell that Sam had fallen in love with him the moment she saw him.  I was soon to follow and I’ve watched as our entire family has fallen in love with him as well.

We officially adopted Sarge the following week and he’s been showing us more of his personality every day since.  He’s been a great addition to our family and he’s nothing if not a poser for the camera (obviously).  So, I’m sure he’s going to continue to appear in blog posts and Instagrams in the future and we’ll try and give updates as often as possible.

On a final note, I can not say enough about the MCAS and the people that work there.  This is an awesome organization and they can use all of the help they can get.  If you’re looking to get a pet I would suggest checking this place out first and saving a rescue animal.  Its an amazing experience, a great cause, and there are more than enough animals needing adoption to overlook and simply by from a breeder.  When I was there adopting Sarge, there were officially 632 animals needing adoption!!!!  That’s an astounding number and what’s even more astounding is how well the people at the MCAS take care of the animals and give them the love and attention that they need.  We will forever be grateful for their kindness to our new dog and both Sam and I have become, what will most likely be, lifelong supporters of this great organization.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact us or check out the Montgomery County Animal Shelter website or the MCAS Facebook Page.

Another long time favorite of mine and a new fav for Sam.  Ok, ok, I’ll admit that it may not be exactly the same as the Squirrel and Rabbit Jambalaya you might see on Swamp People, but its still damn good and who can pass up shrimp, sausage, pepperoni, and rice with a little creole seasoning? Nobody, dats who!

While it may not be the most colorful or glamorous looking meal in the world, what it lacks in looks it more than makes up for in smell and taste!  Check out the Recipe at the bottom!

Ruddock Family Jambalaya Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb Smoked Sausage
• 2 oz Pepperoni
• 3/4 cup Green Pepper
• 1/2 cup Onion
• 2 1/2 cup Water
• 1 1/2 cup Shrimp
• 1 Medium Tomato, Chopped
• 2 Chicken Bouillon cubes
• 1 1/2 cup Rice
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Thyme
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

Directions:

This awesome dish is quickly becoming a staple for us and one of our new favorites since Sam found it in Cooking Light Magazine.  I think we actually made this once a week this past summer and this last time we cooked it we couldn’t help but take some pictures to post up along with this awesome recipe!  It has a nice light, citrus flavor to it and the mixture/dressing that goes on top of it can easily be made into a tasty black bean and avocado dip for lunch the next day!  This is a dish that truly tastes as good as it looks and we hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the meal!