Puerto Rico!

At the beginning of the month, Mark and I took advantage of his week off between semesters and took a trip to PR. I'm always itching for a vacation, and when I saw tickets on AirTran for less than $100 one way, we jumped on them. The trip was seriously so much fun; if you want to see more pictures, click HERE. Otherwise, here's the abreviated version...

Day 1

- Arrived in San Juan at around 2:30 in the afternoon

- Explored Old San Juan

- Visited the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, which really wasn't that cool. I couldn't even remember why I even had it on my list of "Things to See" until we got back to the car and remembered that Ponce de Leon is buiried there. So we had to go back later on and take a picture, of course.

- Got pooped on at Pigeon Park - bummer.

- Headed to Fajardo (on the east side of the island) to stay at the Passion Fruit B&B. The staff was super nice (and they made a killer breakfast). But don't ask them for directions...they were seriously challenged in that department.

Day 2

- Took the mini plane from Fajardo to Vieques (a small island about 8 mins flight away). Loved the views from the plane.

- Arrived at our next B&B. Realized we were the only guests; got upgraded to the best room.

- "Rented" a Hawaii-style car, which I think belonged to a staff member.

- Visited some amazing beaches, and saw tons of sweet lizards. And stray horses everywhere.

- Went on the BioBay Kayak Tour of Mosquito Bay. Definitely one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

Day 3

- Flew back to main island.

- Went hiking at El Yunque Rainforest.

- Checked into our awesome apartment in Isla Verde. Loved the view - right on the beach!

Day 4

- Visited the forts of El Morro and Fort San Cristobal. Almost got blown away (seriously) by the crazy wind.

Day 5

- Drove to the west side of the island to see the Arecibo Observatory and the world's largest radio telescope.

- Visited the Rio Camuy cave park...were sad that the caves were closed, but still liked seeing the giant sinkhole and the huge cave openings.

Day 6

- Spent the morning at the beach

- Flew home; tried to get caught up on sleep!

Hope you enjoyed the pics...if you want to hear more details about the trip, give me a call!

Family News

Although I have tons to write (ok...tons of pictures to post) about our fun week in Puerto Rico, I’ve gotta keep things in chronological order or my obsessive compulsive side would freak out. So first I’ll write a quick note about all the exciting news in the Gouker/Pearce fam. A few weeks ago, my brother-in-law Jason and his business partner Jeff bought a restaurant in Sandestin. It’s called Graffiti and The Funky Blues Shack. It's pretty exciting news for all of us; you can read about it on my sister’s blog here or here. I'd highly recommend checking it out if you're in FL...especially if you're staying at Hotel Pearce!
Hopefully the restaurant will be a good investment, especially for my dad, because he retired on April 30. I’m really happy for him, and wish I could’ve been there for the awesome surprise party my family threw for him. I heard the food was great (especially the cake). He’s already got a new gig at the golf course, and is sure to enjoy his endless days of free golf.In more Pearce news, my younger sister, Wendy, graduated this week and I'm super happy for her as well. Mark and I couldn't make it down, but we're really excited for her. Well, I'm excited...I think Mark is just jealous ;)Here is Atlanta, Mark and I have been having a seriously fun time recently. On May 2, we had a fabulous time laughing at Jerry Seinfeld with our friends Chad and Stacey (even though we were in the last, yes - the very last, row at The Fox). It was actually fun being way up there...I'd never noticed all the amazing details on the ceiling (and yes, I'm being serious). We made up for those seats by having great seats at The Lion King the next night. The show was just as expected - wonderful! That weekend we also attended our first birthday party for a child (very strange...it was kind of like daycare with cake) and celebrated Mark's mom's birthday. Then, we headed out for a week in PR. Don't worry...there will be tons of pics and stories in the next post.

True Love

Cafe Rio...where do I start. I was there when it opened in Provo, and it's always held a special place in my heart. Maybe it's the fact that it's impossible to go there without seeing someone you know; maybe it's the eccentric employees (3 fingers, anyone?); maybe it's just the fact that it's the most delicious taste ever to enter my lips. Whatever it is, it's amazing. Since its been nearly 2 years since my last experience at the Rio, I decided it was time to attempt to recreate the goodness. Although it was seriously more cooking than I've done in the last 2 months combined (ok, 4 months), it turned out super good. Thought I'd share the recipe for those who also are in withdrawals. Enjoy. Dressing: 1 pkg Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing; 1 cup buttermilk; 1/2 - 1 clove of garlic (minced); 1/2 t lime juice; 1 cup mayo (or light mayo); 2 tomatillos; 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro (chopped); 1/2 small jalapeño (seeds removed) Mix all ingredients in blender. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving.

Pico: 2 tomatoes (chopped); 1/2 white onion (chopped); 1/4 bunch cilantro (chopped); 1 clove of garlic (minced); 1/2 t lime juice; salt and pepper Mix all ingredients together (duh).

Rice: Cook white or brown rice as directed (use chicken bouillon in place of water). Once cooked, add 1/2 bunch cilantro (chopped); 2 tsp cumin; 1 small can of diced green chiles; 1 T lime juice; pepper.

Pork: Cook 3 lb pork roast in crock pot (covered 1/2 way with water) on high for 3 hours. After 3 hours, drain most of the water and add 1 bottle taco sauce (8 oz); 1 T cumin; 1 cup brown sugar; 1 can Coke (not diet). Cook on low additional 3 hours. Shred before serving.

Now for all you Rio virgins, this is how you eat it - warm a burrito-sized flour tortilla on the stove, melting some cheese in the middle. Next you heap on the rice, then some black beans, then tons of pork. Top with romaine lettuce (shredded, naturally), pico, guac, and some crispy corn strips (cook a corn tortilla in the oven to make). Finish with tons of dressing and a lime slice on the side.

I know this is a lot of work, for all you non-chefs (like me), but it'll last you a few days at least. Delish!

Mr. B

I'm super bored at work right now, so figured I answer Jennika's tag from like 2 months ago. Enjoy learning about Mr. B.What is his full name? Mark Robert Brandau
How long have you been married? August will be 2 years
How long did you date? Almost 2 years…we got engaged a year and a half (to the day) after our first kiss and got married 4 months later.
What do you love most about him? I’ll just list a few things… I love that he is seriously my exact opposite. He’s super nice and cares about other people’s feelings. He’s really smart about things I have no clue about. And he is super sporty. Oh yeah, and I really like his eyes and his smile…and his big feet. ;)
What did you notice about him when you met? That he totally wanted me. It’s true!
Who eats more sweets? I try not to really buy sweets cause we’ll both eat them in a second.
Who said "I love you" first? He did
How old is he? He’s 26…2 years and 2 ½ weeks younger than me
Who is taller? He’s about 6 inches taller
Who is smarter? We’re both smart at different things. He knows everything about electronics and engineering. But I’d kill him at a reading competition.
Who can sing better? Although I am an amazing singer in my car by myself (or around anyone lucky enough to be riding with me), he’s actually a really good singer.
Who does the laundry? Me
Who pays the bills? I remind him when they’re due, and he pays them online
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If you’re lying in bed, Mark’s on the right.
Who mows the lawn? Apartment = no lawn. But it would be Mark, considering I’ve only mowed the lawn once in my life. And it was a ride-on mower.
Who cooks dinner? Whoever gets home first starts dinner; so it depends on the day. He is definitely a much better cook.
Who drives? If we’re together, Mark does. He knows Atlanta like the back of his hand. Oh yeah, and I hate to drive.
Who is more stubborn? I’m pretty stubborn, but Mark can be too, at times.
Who kissed who first? Mark kissed me at Amy’s house, when we got home from a Halloween party at Wild Bill’s
Who asked who out? He asked me. The first few dates were great…going to the lake, a few Haunted Houses, massages in Helen…he tried to win me over by spending tons of cash. Looks like it worked!
Who has more siblings? Me. I’ve got 2 sisters and a brother. He has one of each.
Who wears the pants? If you don’t know the answer to this question, you obviously have never met me.

Spring Break

I do find it a bit odd that at 28 I still look forward to Spring Break...that's what being married to a student does to you, I guess. Last week was Tech's break, and I took Wednesday - Friday off to hang out with Mark. We went to the gun range (yes, I am an amazing shot), watched lots of movies of course, had our camping plans canceled due to rain, and traveled to Chattanooga with Amy and Todd. We had a great time visiting all of the touristy stuff I love (the Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX, the Incline Railway, Rock City, Ruby Falls) and really enjoyed the trip.Mark's sister, Susan, and her family met up with us on their way from Nashville to Atlanta.Of course I love the touch pools, but Caeli got a little freaked out when the sting ray tried to jump out at us.I think he's waiving at us...We walked through the art district and then across the bridge to see the carousel and lots of cute shops. The steepest passenger Incline in the worldThe entrance to Point Park (at the top of the Incline)The famous See Rock City birdhouseThey called this Mushroom Rock, but I had another name for it...It was a gorgeous, clear day, so I think I saw them all!Fat Man's Squeeze...glad Mark made it through!Inside the cave to Ruby Falls, with a giant stalagmite.The falls were really cool! Glad we had all that rain, finally!

The Greatest Show on Earth

Uncle Bob followed through with another great Christmas present this year...tickets to the circus for the whole fam. (If you want to see ALL the pics, click here.)
Yes, gray and gray. Sometimes it just happens...
These freaky little Chinese girls were insane! Their legs could go where no leg should!

The Great Outdoors

Mark and I enjoyed the nice weather last Saturday by taking an afternoon hike at Sweetwater Creek State Park.Hiking shoes...check. Camelback...check. Zip-off hiking pants...check.
Later in the week, we observed the awesome lunar eclipse...Mark even got a few cool shots (thanks to our Christmas present).