Remembering Rita Moran (1919 - 2010)

[Posted by Corey]

Childhood memories are a funny thing, because despite hours in classrooms or having to be patient, we keep a disproportionate number of the good times. And of these memories from my childhood, there are a disproportionate number from summer visits to my grandparents’ ranch at Careywood or cabin at Georgetown Lake.

As an adult looking back, there are a couple of things I can take away from those visits.

1) While Grandpa Joe was often quiet, Grandma Rita was often quite entertaining—whether it was in telling a story or just voicing an opinion (of which she had many). In fact, Grandma Rita was the best storyteller I’ve ever known. The stories came from how they lived their lives, with generosity, caring for people, conviction and humbleness, but it was Rita’s storytelling that really brought them to life. I think a big part of it is that she would always speak her mind and she'd tell stories with nothing to hide.

2) The relationship between Joe Rob and Rita May is one I aspire to have in my own marriage. They complimented and complemented each other daily, and as long as I can remember, they seemed like perfect companions.

As inspirational as their relationship is, seeing the family together to celebrate Rita's reunion with Joe was even more inspiring. Joe and Rita's kids are spread around the country, but it doesn't stop them from being there for each other and it was another reminder of why I'm proud to be a member of the Moran family.

Rita's obituary can be found here:

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/obits/?ID=80375

Our 2nd Anniversary

730 days ago, I married the man of my dreams. It's so hard to believe it's been two years since we stood on the lawn at the Seawatch, overlooking the beautiful Wailea shore, and became husband and wife in front of 30 of our closest friends and family. At that time, I didn't think I could ever be happier, but the last two years with Corey have truly been the best, most happy and memorable years of my life.

Corey is my best friend and truly knows more about me than any other person in the world and surprisingly, he still loves me. He's the first person I turn to with good news, he's my biggest supporter and fan, he is the best listener, and no matter what we have planned, just being with him makes whatever we're doing fun. He truly makes me feel like the luckiest, happiest girl in the world and I can't wait to see what the next year, and many more happy years, together will bring.

The rest of our wedding photos can be found here.

Vegas Getaway 2010

We just returned from our Vegas getaway relaxed, refreshed, tan, and excited to see more sun here, but with slightly cooler temperatures. With temperatures between 105-110 over the weekend, Vegas was quite steamy, but luckily the heat is one of the main things we were after. This allowed us time to sunbathe, relax, and catch up on books that we don't have much time for back at home while sitting out in the sun.

Here are a few highlights from our trip:

• Nonstop laughing during the live Daniel Tosh show at the Mirage
• Enjoying the MGM pool for most of the day on Saturday
• Cooling off at the pool with a delicious 32-oz strawberry daiquiri
• Corey and Jason polishing off two buckets of beer, and then building a beer bottle pyramid (this kept them entertained for quite sometime)
• Eating at yummy restaurants like Todd English PUB, Diego and Pearl
• Gambling (even though we had horrible luck)
• The debut of the red sequin fanny pack Corey bought be as a joke when we first started dating --- it's only been out in public during the Dollar Dance at Nick and Gina's wedding, but I figured Vegas would be an appropriate place to wear it myself for the first time
• Riding the Link Light Rail for the first time - it was recently completed so we parked at Corey's work, walked two short blocks, hopped on the Link and rode all the way to the airport. So convenient, quick and cheap!
• Having tons of fun with the Reeders. It's been a busy few months and we hadn't been able to spend much time with them lately, let alone spent an entire weekend, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to join them on this great getaway.

More Vegas photos can be found here.

Viva Las Vegas!

Remember that post awhile back, where I said summer had finally found Seattle? I was wrong. Yesterday it was so cold and gray for most of the day -- seriously. It was like summer skipped us and fall found us. But you won't have to hear my whining for long --- Corey and I are packing up and heading to Vegas with the Reeders today.

A little heat, gambling (fingers crossed we're lucky this trip) and R&R are in our very near future. And I can't wait.

Hope you have a fabulous (and hopefully warm and sunny) weekend!

Handyhubby

I am so lucky. Not only do I have a fabulous husband who loves me to pieces, I have a husband who is quite the handyman. As you know, he put in a tile backsplash for us recently and we've been looking forward to our next DIY project. With summer officially here, we decided to install a ceiling fan in our bedroom.

It cools off so much at night here, it's nice to open the windows up to cool our condo down (nope, no air conditioning here); however, if we leave the windows open overnight, Roxy likes to bark at the sounds of people and dogs walking by. By putting in a fan, we figured we'd still be able to enjoy cool breezes, without having to listen to a barking dog.

Corey headed to Home Depot and picked out a fan last Saturday afternoon and was able to complete the installation before we left for dinner at the Reeders' that evening. It was quick and easy (at least from my perspective!) and no on the job injuries occurred.

Another DIY success!

New Recipe - #18

We're on a roll! Tackled another new recipe for dinner last night. We've been loving orzo ever since we made Greek orzo salad recently and decided to try another For the Love of Cooking recipe. This time, we tried orzo with roasted vegetables.

It took some time to prepare but it was worth the wait - it was really yummy and I'm looking forward to having leftovers in my lunch tomorrow.

Jenny's rating: 3.5 stars
Corey's rating: 3.5 stars

Olympic Sculpture Park

Even though it was cloudy and cool yesterday morning, we decided to head out to the Olympic Sculpture Park - Corey wanted to take some photos and I wanted to get a bit of a walk in with Roxy.

The Olympic Sculpture Park is a nine-acre industrial area along the Seattle waterfront that serves as a backdrop to a variety of sculptures. It opened in January 2007.

Back in the day, when Corey and I lived downtown, I'd run past the construction that would later become the park and though I've heard great things about it since it's completion, I hadn't been yet and was looking forward to checking it out.

The weather took a turn for the better almost as soon as we reached the park, which was a pleasant surprise. We spent about an hour walking around scoping out the park, taking photos and letting Roxy run around. It was the perfect way to spend a beautiful afternoon.

Check out all of Corey's photos from the park here.

New Recipe - #17

When making the grocery list this a.m., I asked Corey what dinners he'd like this week and for the first time ever, he said, "Let's make stuffed bell peppers". Yes, let's.

I don't remember the last time I had stuffed bell peppers but I was young enough that I didn't like them because I didn't like green bell peppers at the time. Many years have passed and my tastes have changed so I was looking forward to trying the For the Love of Cooking's Stuffed Bell Peppers recipe.

While the preparation and cooking took longer than I expected, the recipe was super easy to make and turned out really yummy.

Jenny's rating: 4 stars

Corey's rating: 4.5 stars

New Recipe - #16

Our dear friend Gina joined us for dinner tonight. Nick (her hubby) has been out of town for the past month in Gillette, WY doing a medical school internship so we wanted to ensure she was well fed, at least for one evening. In return, she made sure we had a beautiful flower bouquet to adorn our table with - I love fresh flowers!

I've been following a blog called For the Love of Cooking - the author posts quick and easy recipes every day and one that recently caught my eye was on the menu for tonight: Greek-style Pork Chops. I don't usually like pork chops but these sounded yummy and they didn't disappoint. While they were slightly on the tough side (the chops were pretty thick so we had to cook them for quite awhile), the flavoring was perfect and made for a perfect summer dish with the cucumber and tomato salad on the side.

Jenny's rating: 4 stars

Corey's rating: 4 stars

Gina's guest rating: 4.5 stars

For dessert, I tried another new recipe. Since Corey doesn't let me count those towards our new recipe resolution, I can't use this as New Recipe #17; however, we all really liked how it turned out so I thought I'd share it here. It was the perfect dessert for a summer day and so easy and so good.

Blueberry Cheesecake Tart

- 2 cups (8 oz) finely crushed cookie crumbs (I used vanilla wafers; recipe called for those or graham crackers)

- 3 tbsp plus 2/3 cup sugar

- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

- 1-1/2 pkg (12 oz) cream cheese, softened

- 4 tsp lemon juice

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

- 2 cups blueberries

- Honey, optional (I skipped this)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. For the crust, stir together cookie crumbs, 3 tbsp sugar and butter until combined. Press into 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom (I used my spring form pie pan) and plan on rimmed baking sheet; bake until crust is fragrant and just golden, 10-12 mins. Let cool.

For the filing, combine cream cheese, lemon juice and 2/3 cup sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip cream and vanilla to soft peaks, then gently stir into cream cheese mixture until combined. Transfer filing into cooled crust, loosely cover and chill 3 hours or up to a day.

To serve, remove the tart ring and slide a spatula under tart to release it from the pan base. Transfer tart to a serving platter and scatter berries on top. Brush berries with heated honey, if desired.

Yakima by the Numbers

We just returned from a fun, little Yakima getaway. With temps in the 80s-90s here, summer is in full force there and we had a blast soaking up the rays with my parents and grandma.

Here's a quick recap of our weekend trip:

• 313 miles traveled
• 15 miles ran by my dad in the Grey Rock Trail Run
• 3 doggie friends made (two Boxers and a 9-month old Great Dane) while waiting to cheer my dad on as he finished the race
• 1 stranger's bike tire deflated courtesy of Roxy (mostly his fault --- she barked at it, he moved it closer to her to taunt her and one bite later, the tire was toast)
• 1 new Dog Book photo captured
• 106 degrees said Corey's car thermometer at one point yesterday
• 2 swimming attempts made by Roxy (like last year, she still doesn't like swimming pools)
• 2 Starbucks runs and 4 Starbucks beverages consumed
• 2 pitchers of strawberry daiquiris enjoyed
• 2 5:15 a.m. wake-up calls by Roxy, who was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and ready to play
• 3 delicious home cooked meals
• 1 car wash / detailing
• Many hours spent outside, enjoying the sun
• Lots of QT with the fam

Hope you had a great summer weekend as well!

More photos of our Yakima getaway can be found here.

Hello Summer!

It's been a long 10ish months, but with temperatures in the upper 80's this week, I think we can (finally) safely say...summer is here!

To celebrate the arrival of the best two months of the year in Seattle, we've tried to spend as much time outside as possible:

• Roxy and I walked Discovery Park this morning, before it got too hot.
• At work, we had a two-hour staff meeting while sitting outside Starbucks, enjoying cool drinks.
• Tonight, Corey and I took advantage of the amazing views (and grill) our rooftop deck has to offer by enjoying our favorite chicken with lime and avocado salsa outside.

We are looking forward to breaking some heat records in the next few days!

Weekend Fun in Spokane

Over the long, Fourth of July weekend, Corey, Joan, Roxy and I packed up and hit the road, headed for Spokane. Our plans? To see Curtis, Corey's grandma Rita and take part in whatever else Spokane had to offer.

Our first stop was the Waterford, which is where Corey's grandma Rita lives. We hadn't seen her since our last trip to Spokane for grandpa Joe's funeral and Rita's 90th birthday celebration over a year ago. Rita was excited for the new company and enjoyed playing with Roxy - she absolutely loves dogs.

After visiting with Rita, we hopped back in the car and headed into Coeur d'Alene to meet with Corey's dad at Pilgrim's Market, where he works. After scoping out where he spends his workdays, we made our way to Angelo's Ristorante for a fabulous Italian dinner.

To take advantage of the sunny skies in the forecast on Sunday, we packed up and headed out to Manito Park, just a short drive from Curtis' house in Spokane's South Hill neighborhood. Manito Park is a beautifully landscaped and maintained park, boasting five gardens (including rose and Japanese gardens), a conservatory and duck pond that are toured by over 150,000 visitors each year. The best part? It's dog friendly! We had so much fun walking through the park, exploring everything it had to offer, while allowing Roxy to run around and tire herself out.

That evening, we enjoyed our view of the fireworks over downtown Spokane from a lookout on the South Hill. We had a perfect view of the 20-minute show without all the crowds.

We all had a great time and look forward to another Spokane weekend sometime soon. But now it's time to rest up before our Yakima getaway this weekend.

More photos from our Spokane adventure can be found here.

Lucky Lady

I'm a lucky lady. Why you ask? I was able to enjoy a busy, but super fun, week full of girls' nights!

It started with another Bachelorette date with Kels and Gina on Monday. I love these date nights not only because I get to see my girls, but it means a relaxing evening with lots of laughs. The perfect way to start the week if you ask me.

On Wednesday, I was able to see the latest movie in the Twilight series - Eclipse - with Gina, Sara, Tara and some of Sara's co-workers and friends. We'd all really been looking forward to it and it didn't disappoint. Better yet, even though we saw it on opening night, we didn't have to deal with the crazy crowds we'd all been expecting. And the icing on the cake was snagging Twilight crowns for a pre-movie photo op. Don't be jealous.

I wrapped up my week with drinks and dinner with my old Wunderman co-workers Alison, Brooke and Jennifer. It'd been ages since we'd all gotten together so in honor of Brooke's recent birthday, we decided it was time to celebrate. The evening started with drinks and appey's on the Ballroom's new patio and ended with pizza, salad and wine at Via Tribunali. Yum!

A week of fun nights out of the town wouldn't be the same if I had to rush home to walk Roxy first, and that is where I am even more lucky. Corey agreed to take on doggie duty every night this week for me (thanks hubby!). See? Told you I was a lucky lady.

We're off to Spokane today to visit Corey's dad and grandma over the holiday weekend. Pictures and a trip recap to come when we return.

Until then...happy Fourth of July!

New Recipe - #15

This week was a busy week, which meant making several big dishes on Sunday that we could have for quick dinners and lunches throughout the week. In addition to making our favorite veggie enchiladas, we also made our 15th new recipe - four cheese and spinach lasagna.

It turned out pretty yummy, though we'd made a few modifications next time: skip the goat cheese (with all the cheese in the lasagna, you couldn't taste this so it seemed to be an unnecessary ingredient and extra calories) and skip the lemon zest (it was a bit too strong of a flavor). Other than that, we highly recommend this dish!

Jenny's rating: 3-1/2 stars
Corey's rating: 3 stars

Sorry folks! Weren't able to capture an appealing photo of our own lasagna (have you every tried to photograph lasagna? If not, don't --- it's tough!), so had to borrow this photo.