Napa Valley Part 1

For the past nine months we have been planning a get-a-way trip with two of our dear couple friends. Leaving town rarely happens for me so to leave the kids 10 days out of the month of September was A LOT!  It took all hands on deck and lots of help from my parents and Adams' mom and dad while we were gone.  We are so thankful for grandparents who enjoy being with our kids and are willing to step into our crazy, in order for us to take this trip.

We started off early Wednesday morning, landing in Sacramento before lunch, it felt like we gained more then two hours, which meant we had time to grab lunch, lounge by the pool a bit and head to our first tasting at Inglenook.  Copolla's movie equipment and even a car are archived inside the estate which is breath takingly beautiful!  We enjoyed all of their wines and pairings.
Pulling up to the huge gate and tree lined drive to the winery was breath-taking for sure.

The vineyard was beautiful, we'd never been to Napa at harvest so seeing the clumps of grapes was exciting.

That first night we ate at Grace's Table which had a fun open air feel and amazing tamales according to Adam.

We made a quick snack stop into Trader Joe's and a fun dessert shop that sold all kinds of yummy goodness from pink champagne cupcakes to colorful macarons.

On our first full day we chose to do a hot air balloon ride with Balloons Above the Valley.  Adam and I had ridden with them before and thought the experience was done well.  The Livers nor the Spenst's had ridden in a balloon before, though Carol and John had tried to do a ride multiple times in the past, but due to weather problems, hadn't been able to up til then, so we had our fingers crossed that the weather would cooperate and that we would go up and come down safe and sound.  Thankfully, it lived up to the hype!  We woke early, which wasn't hard since we were still on central standard time and made our way to the pick-up point at 6:00 am.  We got checked in, enjoyed some coffee and pastries then headed to the launch site.  They tell you to wear layers and to bring a hat if you are tall or bald...let me just say, though it was early in the morning and cool on the ground, by the time the sun started rising and the fire from the balloon started blowing...it got pretty hot up there.  There was absolutely no need for beanies, gloves or fleeces...we were all down to short sleeves by mid flight.  Floating over the fruit and nut trees really was fun and seeing that Chad, our pilot could actually steer the balloon exactly where he said he would, was amazing to watch.  We all had a good time and were thankful to land safely back on the ground.

Take off was easy.

The flames were smokin' hot right above our heads and thanks to Chad, our pilot, who took a couple of in-flight pictures for us.

The stark contrast of the green fields and the ones with tall dry grass, where we took off and landed 

was pretty spectacular to see.  I'd give my two balloon flying experience a 10 out of 10 for the safety that I experienced as well as the views, I'd highly recommend it.

Our first winery was Chateau Montelana, which is one of mine and Adam's favorite places.  It has rich history that is actually what helped put Napa Valley on the map for wine making.  It started with Jim Barrett in 1976 when a blind taste test in France chose his Napa Valley wine over the French Chardonnay.  If you haven't seen Bottle Shock, its a great movie to watch if you're headed to the wine country to help you understand the history of the industry.  I'm a huge fan of all things french, especially the architecture, so seeing this exquisite chateau up close and personal again, was thrilling as before.  It is lovely no matter what angle you are looking from.

For lunch we stopped at SolBar which was probably my favorite meal while we were there. A small fire sparked to life while we were on our way there so we heard lots of sirens and saw planes flying over head and because of the the disturbance, the power was knocked out which limited the food items that were available, so you'd think all of that would've put a slight damper on the enjoyment of this establishment, but for me, the heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad could not have been any better! It's located at a resort and has a very relax feel and 360 degrees of beautiful scenery to take in.

Our last stop was to Castello Di Amorosa which is a site to behold.  From the fortified castle walls to the torture chamber deep in the caves, a tour here is always fun to take in.  

We rounded out our first full day at Celadon in Down Town Napa.  The conversation that evening was hilarious and kept us in stitches until the very end.  Time with these dear couples really was a blast.  Check back for our next days of fun.

Girls Trip to Perdido Key

What a treat it was to get away with these precious friends to celebrate Marla's 40th birthday.  Her parents graciously offered us their beach condo and there was no way we could turn down that opportunity!  It takes some MAJOR coordination to get out of town and leave behind our twenty-three children, but thankfully we pulled out all the helpers (parents, sitters and husbands) and made this trip happen!

Road tripping' with friends was super fun and really easy!  Nine hours in the car went by in a flash as we talked, laughed, played twelve straight rounds of Scattergories and snacked on my favorite Arkansas popcorn---it was a very enjoyable road trip.

When one phone told us one way and another one says a different route....we didn't have to worry at all cause not one of us was gonna say"are we there yet", "when are we gonna be there" or "I need a snack!"....no, we just adjusted and fired, traveling with only adults, is super fun!

Upon our arrival, this was what we took in.

Each morning, we had this view to enjoy!  We had yummy eggs and sautéed sweet potatoes with bacon for breakfast most mornings....it was deliciously wonderful!

We sat around one morning sharing what the Lord has been showing and teaching us.  There were tears, there was laughter, we needed a box of tissues for sure.  The thing is, the last 6-12 months have been pretty intense for each one of us.  We've all had difficult circumstances and hard realities to grapple with.  Having friends to walk through the hard times with is such a blessing.  These women have held me up on difficult days and encouraged and cheered me on when I needed it the most.   The word that comes to mind is edifying...time with these friends was incredibly up edifying.

Our three days on the beach consisted of these chairs, good conversations, sleeping, reading, jumping waves and making fun memories together.

I guess it helps to be tall, especially in this picture; poor Keri looks like she's drowning.  This was one of our louder moments in the water where everyone on the beach seemed to be watching us.  Jumping waves with these friends for hours and hours was pretty awesome!

We were definitely in Vacay Mode and LOVED every.single.minute of it!

Great minds think alike.  Carol and I unknowingly, both picked up this cute Trina Turk cover up and some how managed to never wear it the same time all summer, so we had to get a picture.

A charcuterie style lunch can never be wrong, this is what it looked like every d  With cheeses, salami, fruit and crackers all while taking in the beautiful water...it was basically heaven on earth!

We stayed up way past midnight every evening.  You'd think we would've run out of things to say but nope...we just talked and talked...uninterupted, which was amazing!  Several of us actually started getting hoarse from all the talking, but it didn't slow us down. 

We did play some games, I was introduced to several new ones, Code Names which was a team game as well as Nerts, which uses multi decks of cards to play an epic game of speed Solitaire.  I was clearly the under dog playing with some Nerts pros so it was a tad overwhelming for me but I'll know more of what I'm doing next time.  I do enjoy a good game!

Each evening we went out for dinner enjoying the different coastal settings. 

We had a few fun drinks too.

We met these ladies who had been coming to Perdido Key, Florida for the past 16 years. They didn't start until their 40th high school reunion so when we told them this was our first time as a group, they highly encouraged that we continue to make the trip a priority in the years to come.  They were quite a cute group of friends...I do hope that we can take their advice and make this trip happen again!  (Unfortunately we weren't able to get a group pic of all us with these ladies, just Marla and Keri.)

The condo we were in was well appointed with lovely views!  What a gift her parents gave each one of us as we got to partake of their birthday gift to Marla!

This trip was a true and total joy!  It was idyllic in every way.  I can't imagine it having gone any better.  The weather was perfect, the conversations hilarious and heart warming, real and vulnerable.  I left my time with these women grateful and thankful that God graciously placed them in my life! 

School Day's Return

Well, it's been two full weeks of school today, and since I've yet to post about it, that probably gives you a pretty good idea of what getting back into the groove has been like for me.  I was not ready for school to start up again, I was enjoying having the kids at home, reading Indian in the Cupboard, Return of the Indian and other books throughout the summer.  But,....all good things must come to an end.

I am excited to have started the year with teachers who are precious, loving and kind and with friends in my kids classes that they were thrilled to share so many hours with each day.  We went to meet the teacher and set up the locker day and enjoyed meeting the new teachers and prepping their desks for the first day of school.

Ava Jane got Mrs. Penick and Mrs. Casto who teach in the Happy Camper room.  (I love a good theme, so this one will be fun to feed into!)  Ava Jane enjoyed seeing her class and getting all her school supplies organized (she loves to put things into the right place and creating order so this was a dream come true for her).

Next up was Emerson, he has several of his little buddies in Mrs. Rosenthal's class and it was great catching up with those parents and getting all of his items situated. His teacher is so kind and we look forward to what this year holds.

These booga-boos have been in class together since Kindergarten, we were thrilled to get to do it again!

On the first day of school we do a big breakfast to kick off the year.  And I always try to make it special with a little "back to school" table-scape with a few gifts that they'll need, like school sweatshirts, Warrior wear, etc.  There's a lot of anticipation on those mornings so its a sweet time together.

And this sweet girl, was thrilled to finally get to go to school F-I-V-E days a week.  She was super pumped about all the things she was going to get to learn which made leaving her easier...but not without tears for me.  I held it together until I got to the car, but for this Momma who's loved being a stay at home Mom and spent the past eleven years with children by my side, this is certainly a transition of sorts.  She is only doing half day, so I still get my afternoons with her, but every single morning, she walks like a big girl into that classroom and enjoys every minute of her time there.

How are they in K, 2nd, 4th and 6th grades?  I look at Ava Jane and think, this is how old Peyton was when she was born!!---How can she now be in Kindergarten?  I want time to slow down!

And this sweet boy, oh how we love him!  His laugh is contagious, his quirkiness unique and his love for his family runs deep.  I look forward to watching him grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man this  next year.

Our Laws-O, we love you so.  You are friendly and kind, creative and adventurous.  We hope this year holds great memories as you finish Elementary school in the House of Love and that you seek to be a leader in your class and set an example for the younger students to follow.

And this boy right here, how big does he look?  So BIG!  We are very proud of this young man and the tenacity and intentionality that he exhibits in all areas of life.  Peyton, we look forward to watching you pursue the Lord, your friends and your interests this year.

Mrs Chami is one of the most precious people and my children love her!  We are thankful for her welcoming and friendly face each and every morning.

These four kids are the best I could have asked for.  I love them with my whole heart and look forward to watching them learn new things academically, spiritually and relationally.  I'd say the year is off to a great start, here's hoping we can keep up with the after school activities, the homework and everything in between!