Five Years In

Tomorrow we celebrate our 5th anniversary! We're planning to celebrate quietly with dinner and a movie. Five years later and I still love to go on a date with Dave, wherever the destination.

Here are five things I've learned about marriage in five years:

1. Marriage is full of some really wonderful things.
2. Marriage is full of some really frustrating things.
3. I know more about Dave than I did five years ago.
4. I know more about myself than I did five years ago.
5. The road has good turns, bad turns, and some long stretches of nothing new in-between, but there's nobody I'd rather be on this road with than Dave.

So I'll raise the first toast to our first five together (clink! clink!) and raise the second to what's to come (cheers!).

Check back in 2015 for the next blog post. Just kidding. :)

Carrie's Crusted Chicken Romano

This is a hijack of one of my favorite dishes at the Cheesecake Factory. I'm not a star in the kitchen, so I don't know how accurate it is, but I thought it turned out tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• Breadcrumbs or panko
• Romano cheese (but sometimes I use parmesan)
• Chicken breast (1 per person)
• Salt & pepper
• Olive Oil

Staging Area:

• Place some saran wrap over your cutting board. Place chicken breasts on top, spread apart a bit. Place another layer of saran wrap on top (sandwich the chicken in there!)
• In one bowl or plate, beat the egg
• In another bowl or plate, mix about 2 parts crumbs to 1 part cheese. Add in a little salt & pepper

Instructions:

• Put a large pan on the stovetop to medium heat. Add a little oil.
• Pound out chicken, then flip over and pound out more until about 1/4 inch thin (the thinner it is, the quicker it cooks).
• Dip chicken breast in egg, then roll around in cheese mix
• Drop in pan.
• Cook on both sides until done (6-10 minutes depending on thickness)

Serve with:

• Spaghetti & red sauce
• Garlic bread
• Salad

Enjoy!

Aunt Carrie & Uncle Dave

Dave and I just arrived back home after a whirl-wind trip to Little Rock to welcome Henry Mills Whatley into the world. He looks mostly like his dad, Monty, but has a few trademark Julie elements as well. He is perfect in every way.

Here's our first letter to our new nephew:

Dear Henry,

We can't wait to spoil you rotten and then send you back home to let your parents deal with you.

Love,
Aunt Carrie & Uncle Dave

happy 5th of july!

Since Memorial Day I have been seriously craving some barbecue. I tried to satisfy the cravings with some Cousin's BBQ (Ranked #1 in FW by Texas Monthly) and RailHead (Ranked #1 in FW by me), but neither one, though delicious in their own right, did the trick.

Today Dave, my smoke-master extraordinaire, woke up at 5a to start the all-day process of smoking some brisket and pork. He's a little sweaty from tending the pit and smells like smoked mesquite. I find it quite sexy.

We're having a few friends over later to help us demolish Dave's workmanship. I probably should have picked up wet wipes at the store earlier. All we need is a snow-cone stand in the back yard and it's a perfect day.

What a load of crap!

Ok once again navyfed has let me down. Well as you know I am married to Carrie who is actually a Caroline. About 1 year ago navyfed stopped taking checks made out to Carrie Dils. Everytime we make a deposit I have to argue with the teller and they have to go back to the head teller and get permission.

Well today Carrie went in to speak with a supervision and they gave her a load of crap that if she were a Carol then it would be ok since Carol is short for Caroline...but Carrie is not. She then said it was up to each teller...and then through out the Patroit Act. Since I am watching Gordon Ramsey I say Bollicks to that.

Tomorrow morning we are going to speak with the assistant manager. If they won't take Carrie as an acceptable nickname then we are closing our accounts on the spot. This has been going on for a year. They took the checks for 2.5 years now have stopped all of a sudden. 18 years with the same bank and they won't just note the account to take Carrie Dils just like Caroline Dils.

pics

I've been sorting through and have managed to put up a few pics from Buenos Aires. More from the Mendoza leg to come...