Tagine!

Conor found a fun recipe just over a year ago and we made it several times in a short period. He was on a vegetarian kick for a while . . . . Anyway it's a tasty Moroccan dish and very healthy. Here we took some photos of the prepped food and steps to make it. When it cooks down you serve over rice or couscous--delish! Recipe is posted below for those who would like it.

We used our Dutch Oven out back to avoid heating up the house. For this past Christmas I found a tagine cooker for Conor. We have yet to use it--but will soon!

Angola Soccer Game

Conor scored some tickets to the Angola vs. Mexico soccer game last May (2010). We were able to invite a couple friends to join us and parked and rode the train to the Reliant Center.

I am not an avid soccer fan, but like attending live sports events. This was no exception and proved to be some awesome people watching!!! Check out our sweet shirts Conor's work gave us to wear to the game!

Very enthusiastic fan! It was nice of him to hold scarf for us to read behind him! ; )

Sail Away!

I obviously am not good at blogging and haven't posted in ages! I spend all my mad blogging efforts on my photography site. Which doesn't receive much attention, either! However, we do tend to take pictures wherever we go and lead slightly more than boring lives, thus I am here to share!!! : )

Since I have pics for the past couple of years I never posted (and still would like to), I figured I'll feature some blasts from the past mixed with current happenings. So fun!

Memorial Weekend for 2010 found Conor and I sailing the seas. He got an itch for sailing and missed his days in Minnesota on a catamaran. We signed up for sailing lessons near Galveston and had quite the adventure. After our training class, tests, and going out several times on the boat and learning how it all works, we set sail! Those things I've always known as ropes--no, they are "lines" on a boat. Port refers to the left side of the boat and Starboard (they all pronounced it Starbird--maybe it's the Texan in them?) is the right side. There was the captain and several other people on the boat with us. We cooked, ate, slept and sailed for several days on the sailboat. Another reason I didn't write about the experience last year.

I am happy to report we ARE certified skippers and can sail around the world, or we would be able to charter a sailboat. Our sailing trips didn't leave the best impression on me and I have no intention of ever owning a boat. And Conor's dream of sailing around the world or living (yes, LIVING permanently) on a sailboat--killed!!!! I am an admitted dream crusher. He said we should give sailing another shot. Someday.

Here are the only photos we have. We were hard at work and not many photo opps.

I remember when gas was 10 cents/gallon

I can now say that. I spent the last week in two different countries - Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Gas is technically free in Venezuela, but you have to pay a small service charge for the guy pumping the gas. With the current "exchange rate," it works out to be about 10 cents/gallon. No wonder all the expats have motor boats.

I didn't have a lot of time outside of work to get out and take some pictures, but what I was able to see of the two countries was pretty nice. I wish to see Caracas during the day sometime. It seems like a beautiful city...such a shame.

I flew into T&T first. And I got one picture from the hotel.



Our Charter flight from T&T to Puerto La cruz (technically...Lecherias).



Puerto La Cruz from the airplane. Our "4 Star" hotel was out on the tip of the peninsula.



Proof that our hotel is "4 Stars." You be the judge...





Of Course, the pool area was beautiful...too bad I didn't have time to use it.



A traditional Venezuelan breakfast.



In Venezuela, we ate Italian food three nights in a row. Here is my meal in Caracas. I like their Italian spin...lots of carne!



Finally, a picture for Dayna in the T&T airport.

Ring on Wild People...

With the new year upon us, we aim to change those things that have been bothering us for the last year. With our efforts typically landing flat on their faces in Feb. So, this post isn't about our goals, but just to say we had an excellent 2010. Dayna's business well exceeded our goals and was a tremendous success. And I had another moderately entertaining year at the salt mines. But, I can happily announce that I am now a professionally licensed engineer. All I have to do now is just pay my annual fee and I get to keep that privilege. In hindsight, it doesn't seem like we do much does. Besides work of course.

On another note, we had an excellent time with the Carroll Clan in Indiana. For the first time ever, our family had formal family pictures taken. Thanks no less to the gracious Mademoiselle Van de Merwe. Without further adieu, here is the current state of the Carroll Clan, pending additions....


Dayna and la Mademoiselle...


And here are some pictures of our Christmas in action. First off, I would like to mention that Princess Peach is safe and sound. Dayna realized some jealousy issues this break, but I think we made great headway getting past those. Here is me in action saving Princess Peach.


Here is the Christmas tree my parents got. That's a root bulb on the bottom...


The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree...


We love to eat, and it shows in our physique. But, here are some Korean chicken wings...


...and gyoza...


Isn't my mother just darling?!?


my father and his "Lamp Leg" tie


My father and I digging a hole to plant the Christmas tree, Otto watching


Finally, we got Brenna & Otto Just Dance 2, here they are rocking it out.

409 km...on a bicycle

Sometimes, you just have to gloat. And this last Saturday, I knocked off a major obstacle in the randonneuring world, a 400 km ride. 21 hours, 5 minutes.


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The 'tas

Dayna and I broke away for a quick trip up to Oklahoma. And yes, climbing was involved.

We camped in deluxe style--space heater, laptop for movies, flushable toilets and hot showers. We arrived at the camp in the dark. Quickly made camp (in our church clothes) and hopped in the tent for a movie. The next morning, this is what we woke up to.



A little bit better picture once we were up and about...



We climbed the first day at Elk Slabs. The climbing was fun and easy. The approach, not so much. Seems the trails are a lot harder to find than one would expect. Fun nonetheless, and I will eventually drag Dayna back up there (now that we know where we are going). Oh, and shutterbug forgot her camera.

The second day, we headed over to the narrows area.



With our late start and our bad luck, the only other climbers in the refuge were on the route we wanted to climb. No biggie, as there were plenty of open routes. We climbed this route (picture from the bottom).



Conor getting ready to climb (just had to adjust the sleeves a bit)...



Climbing in progress...



Dayna at the top...



And one of our buddies who were everywhere...



The second day, we headed over to Mt Scott (highest point in the refuge). The refuge borders Ft Sill, which has some artillery units. They were having practice that day, and we could see where they were hitting the mountain across the lake from us. Pretty cool! I headed up a "5.7" called high anxiety, nothing like the 5.7 I did my first sport lead on. I seemed to forget the hand jams and the "power" moves high anxiety was requiring. All was well and I made it to the top. Dayna jammed her way to the top as well (just kidding, just a couple of jams were needed).



Using all my knowledge, I managed to burn my finger one night. The granite quickly took care of this. My finger after high anxiety (and washing my hands).



We heard about a rumored burger place up the road from Mt Scott. Naturally, we just had to go. We settled on the "seismic burger," which was a full pound of beef w/ bacon, onion and all the fixings. Supposedly, pure Texas Longhorn Beef (no hormones). It was awesome. We also had onion rings, freedom fries (the owner is apparently conservative) and fried peaches.



The owner also has a sense of humor...or does he???



To help settle our Burgers, we headed back into the Narrows to attempt the route the other people were on the other day, but felt there was not enough time (the gates are locked at "sunset," whatever that means) and didn't want to risk getting stuck. We took the time to grab a Christmas Card picture--what do you think?



A picture of me defeated from the early sunsets.



We woke the next morning to rain (all our stuff is out drying as I type). We packed up everything wet, cooked breakfast and left. We chatted with our kind "neighbors" for a bit, who kindly got us a cinnamon roll from a place we had read about online and told them about it. They made it, and we didn't, but they were kind enough to bring us one. And on the way out, we stopped at the Ft Sill Museum to see some "canons," aka artillery.



And, we'll leave you with this bit of happiness.