My name is Nikalas, but 99.99% of the people I know call me Niki. (My friend Sarah is the only one who calls me Nikalas, and I love her for it.)
I was born in California, raised in Wisconsin, and escaped to Nebraska for college. I broke my own rules and married a bearded Texan who can’t sing, and together we moved to Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, and back to Colorado again. We’re still here putting down roots with no plans to leave. Ever. Seriously.
Along the way we had 3 children, one foster kid, 3 youth groups, a few goldfish, one beloved dog, and more friends than we can count. There are still several “bonus” kids using our open door on the regular, and that’s the way we like things around here.
So who am I? What do I DO? A lot. I’m a DOer.
A little history for you…
I’ve worn a lot of hats and held many different jobs, but my longest standing gig? I was a homeschooling supermom for FIFTEEN YEARS! I started with Max as a pre-schooler in 2006. He graduated from high school in 2017. Zoe graduated in 2020, and Pete graduated in 2021. I even spent three years homeschooling two kids I did not birth or raise, because I’m extra like that. Homeschooling was HARD, and amazing, and challenging, and it fit our family.
During our homeschooling years, we were also enrolled in a private school that met one day a week. If you call it a co-op, I will correct you. We had private school accreditation and operated under private school laws. I taught many classes there over the years, including Drama for junior high and high school students, Life Skills, and Journalism.
Back to the present…
I’m the Office Manager and purchasing coordinator for a construction/remodeling company.
Sometimes I make a little money as a freelance writer.
I’ve immersed myself in the decorative planning world – which is a collage of planners, scrapbookers, and art journalers.
I love books almost as much as I love people, and some days I love them more.
I’m a treasure hunter/thrift store connoisseur with a knack for finding incredible deals on great stuff.
For you enneagram types, I’m a solid 8 with a 7 wing. I’m also an ENFJ, and a lion. I think that covers the online personality tests.
I am not easily impressed, and I can argue the bark off a tree, but when I meet authors I admire, I’m suddenly a bumbling fangirl. It’s rather annoying.
I’m a connector and I have friends all over the world – they’re the best.
My dream is to find a way to make a living reading books, drinking tea, and creating art.
I carry an inhaler and an epi-pen everywhere I go, so now you know I’m not invincible. 😉