Good times... circa 2000

We were at the Puyallup Fair back in 2000. Dave and I decided to ride this ride called the "Ejector Seat." I did the favor of screaming for the two of us while Dave tried to collect himself. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Christmas is just a couple days from now, can you believe it? We certainly can't! Please tell me where this year went?

Well, I just finished wrapping the last gift today, and we have one work day remaining—a half day at that—and then we're off until the new year!

We have so many things to be grateful for that we should acknowledge; and at a time when others do not.

1. A job
2. Loved ones to share the holidays with
3. A roof over our heads
4. Clothes on our backs
5. Food in our pantry

This year has certainly had its trials and tribulations, and I'd like to wish they never happened in many, many instances. But it's never good to focus on the negative. And for that, we must move forward because it's good for us to do.

So, what does the year ahead have in store for us Morgans?
We'll strive to get out and about more than we did in 2009; I can promise you that! Perhaps sell our home? (We're not sure... we're thinking about it though). We have some camping trips planned for 2010 and I'd love to go in search of waterfalls. I want to expand my photography experience to start working with shutter speed and see where that takes me. I also want to get more into the video parts as well and serve them up here on the blog. But it's about content and it has to be entertaining, so I'll try to make sure to produce something that has substance. (c:

What's the deal with this RedBubble site?
Well, if you can tell, I've started working with a website called RedBubble. I've done this because I have heard comments from friends that I should sell my work. I was so flattered to hear their feedback and thought, well others do it, why not give it a try?

So, I set out to find a way to do this in an electronic format, so my relationship with RedBubble began. Here, I have some of my more "prouder" shots that I can showcase and the site provides the opportunity for people to buy my work in a variety of prints to choose from—from cards to canvas, to framed prints, to posters, etc. It has been fun getting familiar with the online community, as well as inspirational to view others works. It has taught me a few things and I'm looking forward to experimenting further!

My gallery is located at this web address: http://photogyrl.redbubble.com

Feel free to post a comment here to share your well-wishes to those who view this blog, or if you have a comment regarding this post; we'd love to hear from you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to each of you!
We hope for a peaceful and brighter year ahead!

« Jodi, Brett & Connor

Remembering heroes...

:: View the photos ::

These photos were taken prior to the large funeral procession to take place from McChord Air Force Base to the Tacoma Dome. The motorcade arrived to pick up the family members of fallen Officer, Mark Renninger, who lived in our neighborhood. Once this motorcade met up with the rest of those participating, the entire procession took 4 hours to drive the approximate 9-mile route to their destination in downtown Tacoma. Clearly, the turnout for the memorial was enormous.

It was a hard day that I hope brought closure and peace to everyone. A lot of hurting and sadness for the heroes we lost on November 29, 2009, who are gone but not forgotten.

Photos of Fall...

:: View the photos ::

I am grateful to live in a place that has seasons. Sounds crazy, I know, but it's true. Each season brings some color, but nothing like Fall... it's a full-blown kaleidoscope of color and I love every bit of it! I love to watch the changes, despite the lousy weather that we might encounter. At any rate, I've taken a few shots of this year's color changes in the above set and managed to fit a few shots in of the boys at the same time.

A visit to New York City

:: View the slideshow from this trip ::

I had the great fortune to go to New York City for a conference with a friend and colleague of mine from work, Misty, and I took a few pictures along the way. It was my first-ever trip to the Big Apple, and it was so enjoyable—I wish I could have stayed longer. I know I didn't see all of it by any means, but we did make good use of our limited time to tour around as much as we could.

Misty had been to New York a few times, so I was lucky to have this great tour guide help navigate about the city. She also had great tips on what to not "fall for" as there are a lot of opportunists out there that I couldn't tell.

We took the "Top of the Rock" tour to check out the sights from atop the Rockefeller Center building and worked our way around the skating rink and the familiar NYC scenes around there.

I attended my first Broadway show to see "Wicked" at the Gershwin Theater... it was awesome! I felt lucky for the nice seats we were able to score, and the show had a beautiful set and costumes; it was such a great experience to have!

The food in New York was amazing. You really can't go wrong in any place (well I didn't have anything bad)—Everything was delicious.

Now, I didn't take as many pictures as I normally would because I was too busy watching everything, taking it all in with my own eyes. There was so much to see, I couldn't possibly take pictures of it all.

I would so love to go back again with the family and have go on a trip with just a bunch of friends to do it again!

Visit to the pumpkin patch with friends

:: View the slideshow right here ::

It was a cool October morning when we got out of the house and headed up to a large pumpkin patch in Buckley, Washington, called Maris Farms (online at: www.marisfarms.com).

The three of us me met up with The Olsons, Kevin and Monique — along with their twins in tow ready for some fun. It was great to see the kids again and to experience their silly sides. As you can see in the photo above, this was one of the moments I caught of them, which I love. It's genuine and candid, just being kids!

The venue changed things up a bit since last year and it seemed well-organized this go around. Instead of paying at each attraction they had there, you paid an upfront charge instead. This was an improvement, but we wound up spending a lot in the long run anyway.

This year, the boys got out on the monster truck for a ride, so I have some shots of them in the slideshow, above. They said it was a lot of fun. Several attractions were there to enjoy. Connor gave their pumpkin cannon a try and also their corn cannon. Guys love that shooting stuff, you know. I enjoyed watching him aim for the targets they had in the field.

What's a pumpkin patch without the corn maze? We always do it... Every year at this farm they do some sort of design. View the aerial view of what this year's looked like. I always wonder how they do this? Connor, for the first time is curious about their nighttime haunted maze. We'll have to plan a trip for him to explore that — he's certainly of age now and not a little boy anymore!

We hope you've been enjoying the season — we certainly have!

Back to school: A look back and a look ahead...

:: View 6 years of first days of school ::

School is back and we have a fifth grader on our hands. Each year on the front doorstep I take a snapshot. I thought I'd reminisce from the years past... our son is growing up so quickly.

He is still my baby boy no matter what size or age! Sniffle, sniffle...

I love you, my sweet boy. —Mom

Visiting the Olympic National Parks...

:: View the complete slideshow from this trip ::

With Summer drawing to a close, for our last vacation trip before school begins, we headed back to the Neah Bay area, but this time with a focus on hiking and checking out the points of interest within the Olympic National Park system. This was a beautiful, scenic trip that allowed us to venture on foot through different trails.

Cape Flattery Trail

Our first visit we have frequented before was the Cape Flattery Trail, which overlooks the waters we fish in as we did in July. It's a short trail through the woods with certain platforms for you to take pictures. With the tripod in tow and my remote at the ready, I made a point of making sure I was able to get into some of the shots, just for you, mom! (c:

Connor along the trail

Ozette Beach Petroglyphs

Previously, we learned you can find some petroglyphs the Makah indians carved back in the 1700s or so right on Ozette Beach and thought it would be cool to check out. We've been through one portion of the trail system before, which is called Cape Alava (see the archive, here). However, this time, we were going to do the loop and that included the Sandpointe trail as well. An 11-mile hike round trip.

The petroglyphs were cool to locate but we didn't find all of them, so we will definitely venture back. One specifically, that we were looking for was of Spanish ships apparently from when they first arrived. There's some of orcas as well that we'll get pictures of next time too. I guess it's good not to discover everything at once so that we have an excuse to return!

La Push, Washington

Have you read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series yet? Well, I've been completely engrossed in them and I'm on the last book, Breaking Dawn now. The storyline takes place in Forks, Washington and one of it's main characters in it is a native american named Jacob, who is from the Quileute tribe in La Push, Washington.

Anyway, this area is an old stomping ground of Brett's from when he was little, as this was their main fishing spot prior to Neah Bay. A lot has changed since Brett was a kid and Twilight fever was everywhere. It was sort of funny to observe and we understand there's actual Twilight tours as well (we didn't go on any, however). The beach and views were gorgeous and the driftwood laid in artistic disarray that seemed to create it's own sculptures. It was clear that the water in this area is quite rough and untamed.

The Hoh Rain Forest

Our last trip landed us at the Hoh Rain Forest, where we went through a short walk along the Hall of mosses. It was a magnificent display of gigantic trees and green everywhere among us with umbrellas of moss overhead.

It was magical being among the old growth trees and a great display of nature at its beautiful best.

:: View the complete slideshow from this trip ::

Taking mom fishing in the Puget Sound...

:: There's more... view the slideshow ::

It has been years since my mom, Leah, has fished; and it had been years for Brett, Connor, and I that we've crabbed, so we blended the two and took mom out for some long-overdue fishing and crabbing.

Mom started off the morning and caught a good-size king first thing and then not long after that, rounded off by catching an even larger king! Clearly, she has not forgotten what to do given the long break she's had.

Crabbing in years past had been so poor, we gave up, but it was Dave who motivated us to get out there and what a great surprise it was. I don't recall ever a time where the crab were this large and plentiful, so we were delighted to see the batch we hauled in.

Take a look at the short slideshow linked above for an inside look!

Videos of our adventures in Neah Bay

Morgans have a heritage of enjoying our free time in the outdoors. There are so many amazing things to see when you're out and about like this. Featured video snippets will include some of those great experiences, which we hope you enjoy.

↓ "Even grandma has more guts than you, mom." —Connor

↓ "Got it... got it!" —Jodi
We had an amazing experience when porpoises pay a close visit to us.

↓ "He's purty!" —Jodi

↓ "There's a knucklebuster!" —Dave

Patty and her catch on the knucklebuster pole.

Returning to Neah Bay...

:: Check out the slideshow ::

We’ve returned from another successful trip to Neah Bay and can’t believe how quickly the time flew by. Such a memorable trip though!

For the first time in Connor’s life, Patty fished with us in the ocean! We tried to remember the last time she fished in Neah Bay and it was before Connor was born. It’s truly amazing she’s made the turnaround she has. Her health over the past few years has been so poor and words can’t describe how excited we were to have her join us out there for a few days.

The Chinook (King) salmon eluded us, but they eluded everyone so we didn’t feel bad. The Coho (Silver) were fun to play. All in all, we wound up taking home 47 salmon, of that total only one nice Chinook that Brett managed to get out.

We switched things up a bit by mooching. For the mooching technique, you use plug cut herring and toss your line out and wait for the nibbles. Set the hook and reel them in. This was a fun change because the motor is off (when the tide is right) and you can hear everything around you. A pod of porpoises would appear right off the boat and entertain us for several minutes. I caught some video of it and will try to figure out how to get it online.

Our usual mode for salmon fishing is trolling. For bottom fishing we changed things slightly there as well. We did some casting and it was a blast. The sea bass were right on top in the surf and would “hop on” right away.

After a day of fishing we like to have a fish fry back at camp with the fresh bottom fish we’ve caught. We get the tempura and panko ready and fire up the deep fryer and then Brett cooks them until they’re golden brown and delicious. Out of this world!

We had a Morgan derby going too, for whoever caught the largest Coho, largest Chinook, and largest Lingcod. Brett won the largest salmon category and I won for the Ling.

Connor has really gotten good at ocean fishing. I have to remember he’s only ten and will be marveled at how well he catches fish. He’s following in the footsteps of his dad nicely.

We’re returning.

We want to come back in August and play the Cohos. We certainly don’t need the fish, but they’ll be even larger than what we had this month and maybe we can hook into more Chinook!

This August trip is not going to be all about the fishing. Nature hikes are going to dominate the adventure so we’ll fit in maybe 2 days of fishing. I hope to capture a lot of photos from this upcoming trip!

Below is a slideshow with music that I hope you enjoy. It was again, a truly memorable trip enjoyed by all and we feel so blessed to have had it!

Fourth of July...

:: View the slideshow ::

Happy Independence Day, all! We hope yours went safely and was fun. This was the first year in many that we've been in town. When I think back, the last time we were in town for the 4th was when Connor was a baby. Normally, we are up in Neah Bay at this time, however, we are off to a later start than usual, which was actually nice to be around here.

We were invited to a party by some good friends, The Eakins. We arrived with the grill ablaze cooking up hamburgers and hotdogs and a full spread of a variety of dishes others had prepared. Everything was delicious and the cold beer was great too!

The kids had a blow-up water slide to play on and it was quite tempting to be honest. As a child, the grandest our waterplay ever got was a sprinkler or a slip-n-slide in the yard. This water slide was awesome and the kids were having a ball. Later they broke out into a water fight with balloons and water guns, which then led to buckets of water and even the adults got into it -- it was pretty entertaining to watch!

The weather was perfect, although hot. It was 88° here and we were thankful for the strategic placement of the awnings outside. Sun set and we were then graced with a great variety of fireworks.

I learned something...

Fireworks are hard to photograph.

They're difficult to focus on.

I should have used a tripod.

I'll get better at this next time.

View the slideshow and you'll see the pictures taken from this fun-filled day.

Days to celebrate...

For my birthday, my wish was to share a nice steak dinner at home with family and it was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s ! Did you know my husband is the best griller? He can make the best steak, every time — No restaurant can top him!

It was a Father's Day celebration as well, and we enjoyed the company of Leah, Dave and Patty over wine and good conversation throughout the night.

With the steak (filet mignon - my fav!), we had baked potatoes with the works and steamed broccoli and of course, paired with our favorite cabernet sauvignon. I didn't want to go the usual birthday route with a cake, so I made homemade strawberry shortcake for dessert with a large dollop of freshly-made whipping cream. Heaven!

Hoping you had a great Father's Day with yours too!

Some shots of nature

:: View the slideshow ::

We took a drive today at the Kapowsin Tree Farm near our house. Saw lots of deer and even a newborn, as well as some elk!

(Now all I need is a new teleconverter to extend my shots)... will my wishlist ever end?

I love Spring!

Originally uploaded by Jodi Morgan

Where have you been all this time, Spring? I don't care, I'm just glad you finally showed up!

...now if we could just have you stick around longer.

A break for Spring...

:: View the slideshow from this trip ::

April is already upon us, can you believe it? Seems like we just celebrated the new year. Time seems to fly by so quickly.

We headed south with the camper down the Oregon coast. What a spectacular place. I don't know why, but their beaches are so much more beautiful (to me) than Washington's. Maybe it's because they have sand and we have rocks... who knows?

As it turned out, the weather, however, was not our friend. Lots of rain, tons of wind and a short bit of hail. One day, just to get out despite the weather, we tried to go for a drive and ended up returning back to camp because we couldn't see anything. It was too foggy and miserable.

We wound up staying inside the camper for two straight days and then wound up returning a day sooner than planned. The trip was worsened when my back started wreaking havoc on me. Due to having to remain inside the camper, it was difficult to get comfortable, which caused a great deal of pain and was another reason for us to return home sooner. I could barely move and was miserable.

On the days we did manage to get out, it was nice and we took it all in whenever we could, so that is why you're able to see some of the shots that were taken while we were out.

I don't want this to sound all negative. All in all, it was WONDERFUL to get this week off to explore and Oregon is the best place we've been to yet for camping. We hope to be heading there again in the summer when the weather will be nicer!

What to do with razor clams...

Welcome to my cooking series! Well, not really.

I'm a little bored lately. The weather here has not been cooperating and mother nature is a bit confused. We've had snow, sleet, sun, hail, wind, and rain... did I miss anything? Being cooped up at home makes it difficult to find different ways to take photographs—and I must feed my creative side, so why not do it over some meals, right?

This linguine dish is great if you happen to have some delicious razor clams on hand. I have made this in our camper many a time, but we enjoy it at home too.

It's healthy, tasty and almost fat-free to boot. What more can you ask for?

Ingredients

6 Roma tomatoes
1 large lemon
1 lbs. razor clams
1/4 cup pine nuts (I use 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. lemon pepper
Parmesan cheese
Capellini pasta (we prefer whole wheat, but you can use your favorite). A small pasta like Angel hair goes great with this dish.

Instructions

1. Fill a large pasta pot with water heat the water to boiling.
2. Take your 6 Roma tomatoes and dice them up.
3. With your razor clam meat fully cleaned, dice them into small pieces.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and diced clam meat to a large skillet or stock pot.
5. Slice your lemon in half and squeeze the juice from each into the clam and tomato mixture.
6. Now add garlic, pine nuts, basil, parsley, lemon pepper and heat to boiling. Do not cover.
7. Lower the temperature from boiling and let the tomato and clam mixture simmer until the juices are cooked down to a sauce base. It will be somewhat of an orange-ish color tone. Remember, do not cover.
8. With the pasta pot boiling, now add your pasta and cook accordingly.
9. Drain your cooked pasta and add to the dinner plate.
10. Gently ladle the tomato clam sauce atop the pasta.
11. Top with a pinch of parmesan (Grano Padana preferrably)
12. Fill a wine glass with some Chardonnay and enjoy this fresh-tasting dish!

:: View the slideshow ::

The best salad... EVER

If you're anything like me, you can't eat the same thing day in and day out. This salad, however, is the exception. I never get sick of it and it's delicious every time—and I make it everyday for lunch at work.

First, I cannot take credit for this. It was served over dinner at Patty and Dave's on one occasion, and I loved it instantly.

Although I don't know the formal name of it, I like to refer to it as Mandarin chicken salad. I'm going to share with you how you can make it at home.

Take any (bagged) salad mix and place in a bowl.

Now for some grilled chicken breast.
For a one-person serving, I like to use 2 oz.

This chicken is sold at Costco and is cooked and ready-to-eat.

Shred the chicken out into many bits and pieces
and add to your bowl.

Next come the craisins.
I'm calorie-conscientious and use 1/2 oz.

Sprinkle them over the chicken in the bowl.

Now the Mandarin oranges join the party.
I use 1-2 oz.

Distribute evenly to the bowl.

We're almost done. It's peanut time.
I use 1/2 oz. of these.

Distribute atop and add your favorite oriental sesame
salad dressing and you got yourself some magic.

I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I do!