MaxineAndRuss.com
Russ and Carrot's Mount Rainier Challenge
A Rainier conditioning climb up Mount St Helens
June 2007Mount Rainier Climb
Southern Caribbean Cruise
Welcome, Welcome!
Can you believe we are almost through 2007 already? I was just digesting the fact I have ignored my New Year's resolution and now I see we are nearing the year's half way point. It seems like just yesterday I took over as the managing broker of a local real estate office and Russ started his position as senior counsel for Bechtel.
So what have we been up to in 2007 beside work, getting older and smelling the roses all the while? Maybe quite a bit, but we'll reserve on all that for now.
As part of the Russ and Hans mid-life crisis, they decided to climb to the top of Mount Rainier in June.
Hans put in a stellar performance and summited on his first attempt. We have twenty four pages of photos from their Mount Rainier Climb!
Cindi and Maxine (now definitively proven to be the real brains of both operations) decided to pass on the hike and did the spa thing instead. The mountain had other ideas for Russ so he and Carrot made a second attempt in September, see Mount Rainier Take 2 for the photos. Alas a blizzard with 40-50 mile per hour sustained winds
got in the way of his plans so there will be yet another re-match for Russ and the mountain for 2008.
What else have we been up too? Russ has obviously had a few track dates again this year and is now actually an instructor. It seems he is even making competitive timing around the track now... although he will not tell Maxine exactly what speeds are necessary to reach "competitive" times. This rest of the year is kind of up in the air, unplanned or just tentative right now, but we are planning to end it with a bang!
About Us
If you are on our site, chances are you know who we are but just in case... there is the story of Maxine and Russ just to whet your appetite. Then for your viewing pleasure we have photos from our engagement and finally, if you are still with us, we have photos and video from our wedding weekend in 2002.
Friends & Family
We got our Fall off to a great start with a trip to Banner Elk, NC for Uncle Dexter's annual Beer, BB-Q, and Bluegrass Weekend.
Maxine and Russ's Summer of 2006 was a busy time around here... our friends Hans and Cindi Brandal came out for a visit and you know we took a lot of photos from that trip. The Summer would not be complete without a trip to the beach so we packed up the car and headed down to Edisto Beach Labor Day weekend.
Check out the darling pictures of our niece, Lydia Montague McLeod. She is already 3-years old!
Then a little closer to home we have our own four legged children, especially near and dear is our Miniature Pinscher, a darling joy
pocket we call Little Bit. Meet the new additions to the family while checking out The Bit Family Adventures.
We never posted those Thanksgiving 2005 but we did just get the photos up from Christmas 2006 so check back soon, as more photos and stories will be along shortly!
Interests & Activities
Look Out Kyle Petty!
Ever the adventure lover, Russ signed up for the Skip Barber Racing School at VIR and what a good time he had! The little go-carts were a lot different than riding in the Viper but judging by the photos it looks like he had a blast.
Russ got Maxine on the track for the Mazda Drivers School held at VIR on Father's Day weekend. We packed up the RX-7 and the Viper and had quite a weekend in Alton, VA.
Russ has found a new addiction and we have Viper Days photos to show for it! Who would have thought mild mannered Russ Miller
would turn into a hot rod owner!
You cannot live in the DC Metro area without experiencing at least one Presidential Inauguration. It was a cold, cold day but we managed to take a few photos at the Capitol and the South Carolina Society's Inaugural Ball.
Travel & Adventures
Together or apart, we tend to pick some pretty neat places to travel. As you can see from Maxine and Liesl's trip to Greece, Maxine prefers the finer things in life, such as indoor plumbing. Russ' idea of a successful vacation, however, is one in which he gets out alive but only after as much excitement as he can muster. A perfect example being his solo journey to Alaska in 2000.
We also have some great shots from our exciting vacation in the Enchantments where we had a lovely four-day hike in the Cascade Mountains before we were rescued from forest fires! Oh, and we cannot forget the awesome shots from Russ and Cynthia's African Safari!
Russ and Steve went on an awesome hike and canoe trip across Admiralty Island, Alaska where they saw bears, ate a salmon they caught with their own hands, saw orca whales not far away from the canoe, and got lost on the last night before arriving safely in Angoon, AK!
Russ and Wayne took off for a hike across the Canadian Rockies as their Summer 2004 adventure. From what I understand the hike was grueling but the photos look like it may have been worth the work.
In late September 2006 we dusted off the trusty Ally and took her on a Shenandoah River Canoe Trip. Ever the adventure hunter, Steve joined us and even talked his girlfriend and her daughter into coming along. It made for a nice little weekend getaway.
November 2006 marked Russ's fortieth birthday! In true Maxine and Russ fashion, we set off on a Southern Caribbean cruise to celebrate the big day. It was pretty cool. We sailed out of Norfolk, VA and highly recommend it to having to fly down to Florida.
Home & Garden
Tired of being stuck inside from the cold, Maxine and Russ perfected the art of making a snowman! And for all of Maxine's friends back home that are not used to the snow we are offering step by step instructions on how to build a snowman.
We do not have any cute photos to go with the food but after several requests here are the recipes for Aunt Nancy's
Cranberry-Apple Casserole, Sylvia's Mom's Chili and my chocolate sauce.