California Dreamin'

 I started this post a couple of weeks ago, on a day much like today--overcast and raining. While snow is what's coming down now, cold and yucky was the common denominator.  Our youngest son, Daniel, was home from school that day with flu-like symptoms and I spent much of the afternoon hovering nearby.  The computer happens to be in the family room, near the couch, perfect for me to work on uploading photos from the "good" camera.  While doing so, I discovered all the vacation photos my husband took of our trip to California in October.  Man, if that didn't send me off to day-dreaming mode and I knew I had to share.  I had posted some of the pics that I took with my phone on Facebook, but didn't realize how many more we actually had.  Well, something interrupted me in the process of writing this--still can't recall why I didn't make it back--and here I am again thinking about our beautiful, 8-day trip to the West coast.

Like I've said, Gregg returned home from a year-long deployment in June and right away we moved back to the Midwest.  We took a family vacation just before the move, but hadn't been away ourselves since 2006.  After discussing where we would both like to go, we settled on Napa Valley.  We're wine drinkers--white, red, sweet or dry--prefer it to just about any other alcoholic beverage.  Given that we wouldn't be taking our kids to wine country, this seemed like the perfect getaway.  

Please forgive the long string of photos, I'm keeping the captions brief because of it.  Enjoy!!

Ghirardelli Square

Cioppino at Tadich Grill--San Fran's oldest restaurant

View from Water's Edge hotel in Tiburon--sunset

Morning walk in Tiburon, hotel 2nd bldg. on left

Ferry Stop, next door to hotel

Cafe near Water's Edge

Morning Walk--Golden Gate from Tiburon

Lunch in Yountville

French Cafe--waiting to be seated

McKenzie Mueller Vineyards--Napa

McKenzie Mueller 

Grape skins fermenting

Pushing down the skins at Hopper Creek in Yountville

Tasting on patio at Hopper Creek

Hess Barrel Room  

Cardinale Winery

Traditional Home Magazine Napa Showhouse Tour

Wine Tasting in Sonoma County

Alexander Valley Vineyard Cave Tour

AVV Cave Storage

Wine and Cheese Pairing--Alexander Valley

Gregg--Alexander Valley 

Me--Alexander Valley

October Vineyard

Muir Woods near Mill Valley

View from Highway 1

All photos taken by us

Happy Valentine's Day

Wow, I can't believe it's February 14th already!  Seems like we were quietly ringing in the new year a couple of weeks ago.  And I still can't grasp that it's Thursday, where did this week go??  Our weekend absolutely flew by, we sure packed a lot in to 2 days.  On Saturday we set off in both vehicles to stay with my parents in Glasgow, MO and visit our oldest son, Jacob, on the way.  We enjoyed a late lunch with Jake and friend, Eric before turning them loose in one of our cars for the night.  It was a treat for them to have wheels on campus, even if just for 24 hours.

The rest of us, all four, spent about an hour at the mall before heading on to our destination.  Once we arrived, it was a race to the dining room to see how Mom decorated her "bust" for the holiday.  I'm not sure when she began using the figure as part of her decor--or where it came from for that matter--but she's so clever to use it every season.  Wonder what will adorn her after today??

Mom's Muse

The boys met up with Jake and the car after church on Sunday, while Mom and I hurried on to KC for a family baby shower.  We had a fantastic time visiting with relatives--not to mention the drive to and from--and I got an extra night in Glasgow with Mom and Dad.  Monday, after a pit stop at Jake's dorm to deliver Valentine muffins and a spin through Columbia's big antique mall--stay tuned to see my big purchase-- I returned home.

What a weekend, lots of miles and smiles.  We don't ever know how long we have in any one place, but being within driving distance to our son in college and our families is definitely worth it!!

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Sugar and spice...

...that's what little girls are made of!  So the rhyme goes anyway.  Coming from a household full of boys, pink and flowery are two adjectives seldom used in sentences around our dinner table.  Don't get me wrong, I love all things feminine--clothes, shoes, nail polish, pillows, duvet covers...--but I'm on my own in that.  And of course we have three nephews, so no dresses and bows being purchased for Birthdays or Christmas either.  Most of our friends have sons, and the few babies we know being born are boys as well.  Hmmm....

As I said in my previous post, the only other one I've composed, we recently moved to a new duty station with the Army.  Imagine my surprise after unpacking and finally getting around to meet neighbors, there are more girls than boys on the street.  Little girls, dressed in "the" cutest little outfits, toting stuffed animals while running up and down the street screaming.  Ahhhh, heaven on lower Totten St.  The best part being that I can get my fix by chatting about ponies and purple and come back inside to soccer and calm.  

Since moving in, one family has had a parent deploy--mom.  They have three little ones, and dad--retired military--stays home with them.   On occasion the two girls come over to bake with me, something they miss doing with their mom.   I absolutely love it!  And I love hearing them tell me their favorite things to bake with her and what they'll make when she returns.  

Boxed and ready to go

Yesterday was the middle daughters birthday--she turned 6--and I decided to take them cupcakes.  I've been wanting to try this recipe from Magnolia Bakery,  so what better reason.  Of course they were frosted in pink and sprinkled with candy flowers.  We kept a few for us, and delivered two boxes and a bundle of pretty balloons to them before dinner.  They were so excited to see us, so much so that the youngest disappeared around the corner and returned with a piece of construction paper clad in foam letters and pirate stickers.  Did I say Heaven already??  As promised, it now resides on our fridge, where I haven't had child art in some time.   Melt....

I tried my best to create the frosting "swirl" that sets Magnolia cupcakes apart, but after watching the video twice, I just don't have 40 extra hours.  Be sure and let me know if you master it!!!

Dessert for us