A Toast to You!

Today is National Drink Wine Day!  So, I thought I'd break away from my crying baby for a moment to sip a glass of Chenin Blanc and compose a blog.  I'm not a big drinker, but I enjoy a glass of wine from time to time when I need to feel all relaxy-like or fancy.  And, since I've never cared for red wines, my friends here have made it their mission to "broaden my wine horizons" (and give me red wine stains on my lips in the process).  I attended a "Wine Tasting Party" a few weeks ago- my first real venture out of the house for an extended period of time.  There, we had a tournament-style crowning of the "Best in Show" for white and red. 

 There was, um, a LOT of wine.  But don't worry- all my "sips" added up to about two glasses.
In May, I'll be drowning my sorrows in wine celebrating my 35th birthday with friends in Napa, and I'm SO excited to be revisiting some of my favorite wineries.  I love the wine tasting experience, especially if the winery grounds and tasting room are picturesque.  So, if you oblige, here are a few of my favorites from years past:

Domaine Chandon gets the award for the prettiest tasting room.  The whole winery is spectacular, really.  They are recognized for their sparkling wines and champagnes which are not regionally exclusive- you can probably pick up a bottle at your local liquor store. 

St. Supery Moscato is the go-to wine for people who don't like wine.  I've always likened it to Apricot flavored Capri-Sun.  Super sweet, super fun if you aren't in a drinky-drinky mood.  The winery itself is kinda contempo-artsy, if you like that kind of thing.

Located not in Napa, but in the Shenandoah Valley, Charles Spinetta Winery is a fun and friendly stop for wildlife art lovers and people who don't take wine TOO seriously.  We served several varieties of Spinetta wine at our wedding, my parents having struck up a friendship with the owners after years of visits.  In fact, the Chenin Blanc in my hand is a Spinetta wine.  Yum :)  But you won't find this wine at your local store- it's a gem for which you'll have to travel.

So, cheers to you on this fine Drink Wine day.  I wish you many wonderful vintages and fruitful searches for the perfect glass of vino.  And boys- remember that you can make a dull night romantic with a pretty glass and a little grape juice :)  Just for fun:

My Little Valentine(s)

Finally getting around to sharing some of the newborn cuteness from Carter's photo shoot!  Of course, we snuck in a few pictures of Sister Bear, too...the camera just gravitates to that face!  Check out the sweetest Valentines on the block!

Carter is already fielding calls from his agent ;)

The Queen of Hearts

If there is one thing that makes my daughter happy, it's hearts.  She can spot a "Hot!" a mile away, and if you give her a heart-anything, she'll behave as if you just bestowed upon her the freaking Hope Diamond.  Really, it's bordering on obsession.  Whereas she wasn't really into Halloween and all the candy she couldn't eat, I have a feeling Valentine's Day is going to BLOW HER MIND.  She's already noticed the presents wrapped in hearts on the table, and I'm surprised they haven't been ripped open.  She doesn't know that Mommy and Daddy are giving her a pretty heart necklace!  It might be the best day of her life :)

 For her friends this year, we made cookies.  Her two favorite things in the WORLD collided in this project...hearts and MICKEY MOUSE.  Holy cow, she was excited about these cookies!  (Obviously, my inner Paula Deen was on vacation today.  Pilsbury to the rescue!)

MICK MOUSE!!  Oh, and take note of the hearts on her jammies AND socks.

She also wanted to show you the Valentine she made in Sunday School.  She put hearts over "God Loves You," but you get the point.

 

As I was writing this blog, I looked up on our computer desk and saw this (above).  Grandma Donna gave Kendall some heart stickers when baby Carter was born, and Kendall decided to share them with everyone in the room.  She even put one on Uncle Derek's picture- which I left just where she put it that day.  I think it was such a sweet moment- and our "hots" still smile when we think of Uncle Dizzle!

Mommy's Little Rock Stars

Our weekly playdates resumed at our house this week.  Kendall shared "her" instruments with buddy Jasmine and they made some beautiful music together!  We mommies were a proud audience indeed!

Little buddy watched the girls, too.  Someday soon he'll be pounding away on his own little keyboard :)

A Chuckle A Day...

Keeping Busy

I spend a lot of time indoors these days.  The snow FINALLY arrived and temps took an abrupt dive, so the kids and I don't venture out much.  Therefore, all the projects that have been on the backburner since we moved in now appear on my to-do list.  And since I've been feeling exceptionally ambitious/crafty/energetic as of late, they're actually getting DONE!  Here's a couple fun ones that I crossed off today...

 We got our prints from Carter's newborn photo shoot!  I put them in their frames (spray painted from black to white by my wonderful mom) and hung them up in Carter's nursery.  Don't worry...I'll be sharing some of the newborn cuteness with you soon.

 AND, after enjoying all of our Christmas cards posted in our home this month, I transferred them all to a small binder.  I HATE throwing them away each year, and with many friends starting families and boasting small children, I thought it would be fun to watch them grow over the years.  Our Christmas card from this year went on top and...voila!  Christmas 2011 is in the books!

Who Needs Sleep Anyway?

Different isn't necessarily a good thing.
I heard from a lot of people that having a boy would be "different, but good".
Well, THIS boy is VERY different than his sister, and not in the best way.

This is the face of colic:

From the hours of 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., approximately, my smallest child SCREAMS his lungs out, with no apparent avenue to console him.
It's tiring.
It's frustrating.
But it's temporary.
I've somewhat adapted to my new three-hours-of-sleep-a-night routine, with the help of coffee in the morning (it's gone from a nice option to necessary...).  And, thank you JESUS, Kendall sleeps through ALL of it!
Because of his sporadic tantrums, I've been sleeping on the couch downstairs next to the little guy's bouncy chair rather than putting him in his nursery (adjacent to his sister's room).  I now face the challenge of crib training a baby that does not sleep well on his back (he startles himself awake).  I'm dreading the transition, but so anxious to sleep once again in my cozy bed next to my husband!


Any encouragement/suggestions from mom's who've had colicky babies?

Insta-Tuesday

I've been having fun with my Instagram application on my iPhone- thought I'd share some moments recently captured of my two favorite models.  (Sorry, Chris...you're a close third!)

 

 

 

 

 

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves today.

For the Love of Tebow.

I'm a 49er fan by birthright.

I'm a Vikings fan by marriage.

I'm a Broncos Tebow fan by choice.

Yeah, I'll admit it.  I have a teeny tiny crush on Tim Tebow.  His charisma, humility, faith, and athleticism (say what you want about his QB'ing skills...the guy commits and gets it done) and his slightly-above-average good looks are a nice bonus.  Looks like I'm not the only Tebow fan in this household...

Kendall was reading Tim Tebow's autobiography when she felt the need to get down on her knees and thank the Lord for this fine human being.  :)
You can find other people doing the same thing in different places on www.tebowing.com for a good laugh.
Okay, actually Chris just finished Tebow's book about sport and faith, which can only be followed by the autobiography of a military sniper who has killed over 150 people.  Ummm....

 And what is on MY reading list?  Well, currently you'll find Mary Beth Chapman's book Choosing to SEE on my nightstand.  And the irony of the eyemask next to it is not lost on me.

So there you go.  Our current reads and my current infatuation...
...which will probably be over by the time the Broncos lose tonight.
But until then, TEBOWWWWW!!!

Sister Meets Brother

Many of you have been asking how Kendall is adapting to her new brother.  After completely ignoring him the first couple of weeks, she started enjoying "helping" Mommy by handing me wipes when I changed his diaper.  The next sign of affection came when he was crying...Kendall started rocking his chair and saying "I sorry...".  Now, she asks to hold "baby," give "baby" kisses, likes to hold his bottle on occasion, and often tells him how "Shuuuuute" (cute) he is.  "So shuuuute!"

We captured their first meeting on video (above)- Kendall wasn't too sure about the baby thing.

From Near and Far...

I love Christmas cards.
I love hearing what other families have been up to during the year...
I love seeing their growing children...
I love knowing that they remembered us during the holiday season.
It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.  :)

If you had looked at my Christmas card list ten years ago, almost all of my addresses would have read "Stockton, CA."  But as I grow older (yes, I am...and you are too...), friends and family have
diffused across the country and around the world.  Although it makes me sad that I can't visit them all at once anymore, I love knowing that we can go almost anywhere and still see a familiar face!

We've got Washington and Oregon covered, with friends and family in Bend, Paulina, Portland, Seattle, Redmond, Vancouver, Shoreline and Zillah;
Shoutout to the super-cool peeps in Henderson and Sparks, Nevada;
We hope to be closer to friends in Colorado someday- HELLO Windsor, Denver, Boulder, Highlands Ranch and Salida;
I've got faithful blog followers and friends in North and South Carolina;
Baltimore and New Orleans are home to dear church friends;
I'm glad to know new transplants to New York, New York, and Alpharetta, Georgia;
Howdy to friends in Austin, Texas and good ol' Franklin, Tennessee;
We love our Arizona family- hello Tucson!;
From Manhattan, Kansas to Pennsylvania, Lincoln, Nebraska to Locust Grove, Virginia- a sprinkling of friends all over the country;
Close to home here in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin;
And across the sea!  MAJOR shout-outs to friends in Malaysia and Thailand!  You know who you are...
Last but not least, our friends and family all across California- from Redding to Sacramento, Stockton to Turlock, Fresno to Los Angeles, Long Beach to San Diego, and all the crazies along the coast- Santa Cruz, I'm talking to you :)

For that reason, as weird as this may sound, I love updating our Christmas card list!
Though it's a tedious task, it's such a great reminder of how many people contribute, or have significantly contributed, to making our lives special, and we feel the love from all over the world at least once a year.

Very Pinteresting.

 I've heard talk of Pinterest for quite a while.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this site, it's basically an online pinboard for things you see online that inspire you- music, food, fashion, photos, crafts...whatev.  While I wasn't initially interested because I don't have a plethora of DIY time in my life, I DO need something to pass the time in the wee hours of the morning when I'm nursing the little one.  Thus, my love for Pinterest was born.  Though I'm just a newbie, I've gathered a pretty good collection of style ideas, kid activities, crafts and recipes. AND, I'm actually DOING some of them!

I made My mom made this yummy Cranberry Apple Pie for our Thanksgiving dinner.  It was yumm-o, though I would tweek the recipe just a tad next time.

This Creamy Caprese Pasta was a winner at our house!

And as soon as opportunity and motivation collide, I want to make a tree like this for Kendall's room.

If you need an invitation to join Pinterest, I'd love to help you out!  (You need an invitation to join.  We're that cool.)

SECRETSSSS....

Animal-Style.
Most hamburger loving Californians (and some Arizonans and Nevadans?...Nevadians?...Nevadites?...) can identify which chain restaurant offers this on their not-so-secret menu.
What I hadn't heard of until yesterday was the "secret menu" at Starbucks.
I offer this to you with the following cautionary note...
If you walk into a Starbucks and order "Captain Crunch", your barista will have no idea what you are talking about.  (...so I've heard.)
Because UNLIKE the popular In-N-Out Secret menu, the Starbucks menu is SO secret that not even the baristas are familiar with it.
I guess rather than "secret menu," it should be referenced as creative flavor combinations that you must dictate in your order.  Nevertheless, there might be a winner on here that you never thought of.
And for THAT, you can thank me later :)

Feelin' Crafty

Hi there.  Welcome back!  Perhaps you've visited my blog more than I have in the last couple weeks, so I should technically welcome myself back.  It hasn't been a lack of ideas keeping me away...just the lack of opportunity!  I've been busy helping a certain toddler in the house foster HER creativity at the expense of my own.  Here's a glimpse at what we've been doing!

Making cookies...

...which we later decorated at a playdate with friends!

Kendall discovered finger-painting with frosting... :)

...and painting with water at her new craft table!

And, of course, getting messy with play-dough.

This guy just watches it all and wishes he were a little bigger!

 As the temperature continues to drop and our excursions outdoors become fewer, I'm really having to step up my indoor creative play ideas because I refuse to listen to Mickey Mouse all day.  Pinterest has been a fun resource, but I'd love to hear what activities worked/are working with your toddler! 

Fire away...