First Time in the Wine Country

A view from Rubicon Estates.

I've been wanting to post about our trip to the wine country and I keep thinking I don't have the time to do it justice. We had such a fantastic, relaxing time I'm not sure any writing will actually do it justice, but I'll try.

We started off early Thursday morning making the drive from Berkeley to Napa. Along the hour drive there were some nice little towns and some very run down towns, but all around were hills and trees and water. We knew we were in Napa when the trees were no longer just trees, but rows and rows of grapevines.

We stayed at a little place called Napa River Inn. It was a boutique hotel that overlooked the river. The rooms were really nice sized with fireplaces and balconies. They greeted us with chilled champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Each night before bed we would fill out a card and hang it on our door. This card held our requests for breakfast the next morning and what time we wanted it delivered to our room.

After checking in we visited our first vineyard, Cliff Lede. This was a more formal vineyard and the people weren't overly friendly. We did taste two wines there for $15 and found a great Sauvignon Blanc. Across the street is where the fun really began. At Goosecross we found a very relaxed atmosphere, a very outgoing and friendly employee and about 10 wines to taste for $8. We tasted wines that had been in a decanter for 2 hours, wine poured directly from a newly opened bottle, wine with chocolate, wine with crackers, etc. It was lovely and we had a big time favorite of a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Along with the vineyards visited over the course of our 2 days we found a great place to sample cheeses and crackers and other goodies at V. Sattui. The cheese chef had a special the first day of a cream cheese based spread with habenero peppers and pineapple and it was so good we could have eaten it alone for our lunch.

A small glimpse of V. Sattui's grounds

There is another place called the Oakville Grocery where you can sample many items and buy everything you need for a fantastic picnic. We enjoyed a picnic on day two (complete with the blanket and straw picnic basket) with olives and salami and many cheeses and crackers and chocolate that went perfectly with our merlot (which had a nice toasty oak finish, I might add) . Yes, I did learn a few things along the way as well. After our lunch we even had a little nap under a big oak tree. I've always thought picnics were romantic, but I have to say its even more romantic in Napa Valley.

No. We are not good at taking our own pictures like Katy and John.

We got to walk the streets of Napa during a Thursday night Chef's Market, where all the locals bring their veggies and fruits and wines for the local Chef's to buy. There were also little crafts and fresh lavender, etc while the live band was the center of it all. We ate on the patio of a restaurant called The Allegrio where we could hear the band and be warmed by the patio heaters. We had the best crab cakes here that I've had in quite a long time. This was all in walking distance from our "Inn".

We had a very relaxing massage in Calistoga one evening at 7:00 before we drove back to Yountville for a wonderful dinner.

We drove all the way up Hwy 29 from Napa to Calistoga and back down the Silverado Trail during our two days and I would suggest you go if you are looking for a relaxing time...and you like a little wine once in a while.

Oh...and on your way in our out of San Fransisco you'll minimally want to hit Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf and Lombard Street.

Yes, you too should go!

My Week-End at Home!

So I had mentioned that I really looked forward to my week-end at home and it was definitely all I had hoped for.

Friday night Isaiah helped me make spaghetti and we ate and then read books and played as a family before crashing for the night. I was so tired I couldn't even enjoy a good movie that night. Saturday morning I got up and the kids and I made breakfast and went outside for a few hours. They played on the slip n' slide while I sprayed round up on my weeds. Billy was fishing in a tournament, but was home by noon to pick up Isaiah and go help coach his t-ball game.

Alyssa and I took snacks and sat on a blanket behind home plate and cheered for Isaiah's sweet little team as they learned the game and sometimes made some great 5 year old plays. Isaiah hit a home run and followed in three of his teammates, which was very fun to watch. Those boys are not used to running more than a base at a time and really had to be coached to keep going!

That afternoon our entire family took a nap and then got up to jump on the trampoline and grill in the backyard.

Sunday Billy and Isaiah went to church and Alyssa and I went to the doctor. Alyssa had a fever and although we still don't know why we do have amoxicillin and she seems better today. We all deep cleaned the house for almost four hours before making a cake and jumping on the trampoline some more.

It was a week-end just like I needed. Restful and productive time at home with my husband and my kiddos.

One Week-end Home and Then on the Road Again!

So many things have been going on and they've all been wonderful! However, I am exhausted today. Yesterday was like the grand finale at work. We had an executive meeting with my company and my customer uppity ups. It went fantastic and was well worth all the effort. We had repainted the entire office, had all the product images and signage and logos reprinted with our new brand look and put them up. Presentations had to be done, numbers had to be crunched, modulars for in store had to be reset. All in all it was a big success and everyone walked away feeling warm and fuzzy.


Prior to that we got to attend our cousin's wedding, which was beautiful. Billy and Isaiah were both in the wedding and looked so handsome! Isaiah was all business and walked to the front very serious and confident looking. He stood up front with Billy and the other groomsman for over 30 minutes and although I thought he was doing great I guess his daddy was thinking otherwise and holding his arm to keep him still. :)


Alyssa wanted to be a busy body during the wedding, but once we gave her a peppermint she calmed right down. Her favorite party was the chocolate cake and the bubbles afterwards!

The ceremony was beautiful and the preacher said a lot of good things about marriage and what it was meant to be and how our selfish nature can distort the pureness and goodness of the marriage unity God intended. He spoke of how as a couple being married you think you won't love that person anymore than you do on your wedding day and how you'll look back in 10 years and be amazed by how much more you love them after life's experiences have joined you closer. I sat in the second pew thinking how true that is and what a lucky woman I am to have this amazing man in my life and two precious children to share life's experiences with. I couldn't ask for anything more.....except a few more week-ends at home to catch up!

Busy as Bees!

What a whirlwind our summer has been already! Typically this time of year we would spend our Saturday mornings working outside around the house. I would have planted a bunch of flowers and my beds would all be fully weeded and mulched. I'd have flower pots on my porches for us to enjoy as we had a lazy Saturday evening grilling out and playing in the backyard. Not this year!

We started traveling in early May for a wedding shower. Memorial day we spent a wonderful four days in Texas visiting family. June 1st I headed to a global sales meeting in California and Billy met me there to tour the wine country for a couple days afterwards (which was wonderful!). This weekend we go out of town to a wedding. June 28th we leave to Colorado for two weeks. One week is vacation and one week is working Wal-Mart stores in the Denver area. We've been trying to do t-ball in the middle of all of this travel, which hasn't always worked out well. Our last game is the 27th of June, but as soon as we get back from Colorado Kidz Kamp starts and then swimming lessons. I think we'll have about 3 weeks of nothing before school starts again.

Everything we've done has been very fun and we've loved being there, but it is feeling like summer will be over before we realize it! Well....what are we here for if it isn't to LIVE LIFE to the Fullest! : )

I hope your day is full of "living life" and enjoying it! Maybe with a little nap here and there! : )

Happy 40th!

After a night of celebrating the 40th Birthday! Kind of tired! : )

This week my sister turned 40!

Happy Birthday to my sister and my friend!

I love you and I'm so proud of the woman you are!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife, Mother, Confidant, Professional, Pastor's Wife, Aunt, Sister-in-Law, Daughter-in-Law, etc. So many thing to so many different people who love you!

We look forward to enjoying your 40's with you!

San Fran Baby!

I've been in San Fran for a few days now, but today was the best day because Billy came to join me and see this view from my hotel balcony. We had three solid days of meetings, which was good and exhausting all at the same time. I'm ready for a couple days of NOT sitting! I'll keep you posted on how much fun we have touring the wine country the rest of the week! : )

I am Sad!

Today I woke up and laid in bed with my kids for a little while before starting the rat race of packing bags, eating breakfast, getting dressed and out the door by 8:45am. I drove to our church weaving through traffic to get there before the 9:30 service would begin. This drive to church is not abnormal, but today I would just park outside and leave my two beautiful children with my dear sister. I am at the office packing up my laptop and all my paperwork and will catch a plane to our corporate office. I have a sales conference that begins tomorrow morning early and goes through Wednesday night. Then, my husband will come join me and we will spend three days touring the wine country and visiting lots of places we've not been before. I'm very excited to spend this time with him and let him meet some of my co-workers Wednesday night. However, this means I will not see my kids for 7 nights and I will not experience the little joys of every day with them for an entire week. That is a long time to miss out on their laughter and hugs and kisses. I know they will be fine and God will watch over them while I'm gone. Today was the hardest part of the journey.