This past weekend Dad invited the usual suspects to the annual Whitewater Banquet. Dad, Papa, my Uncles Warren, Clint and Burt, Bridgette and Cody and me and Trev joined up for a great night of fun. Raffle prizes were won, fun was had and as usual my sister walked away the big winner. That girl is always lucky. Thanks Dad for a super fun night — we love you!
I just finished reading Angelology by Danielle Trussoni and it was excellent, I give it an A-. Now I have to be honest. I only picked this book up because I was stuck in the San Fran airport and needed something to pass the time. But I am so happy I did. I truly enjoyed this book from the first chapter to the last.
I like books that blend history with fiction. I love imagining myself at landmarks and places in the novel that I’ve personally been to in new ways. I feel similarities between Danielle and Dan Brown, but perhaps better? I am excited to read Angelopolis the sequel to Angelology, yippy!
Trevor and I just returned from a fabulous and much needed getaway together. One of our favorite spots to visit when we were dating was Solvang, CA. I remember leaving after our first trip there and on the drive back to LA, I realized I had fallen in love with Trevor and he was the one. Oh to be 25 again. :)
So Solvang has always been a special place for us and we were very excited to return. We stayed at Hotel Corque and it was AMAZING. The rooms were huge, the beds comfy, the view wonderful and location perfect. We will most definitely stay here when we get to go back. We also dined at Root 246 for dinner and it was beyond delish. I ordered the chicken which is a close contender to the best chicken I have ever had from Gramercy Tavern. Anyway, if you are in the Santa Ynez valley, please visit Root 246 you will love it.
While there we visited loads of wineries: Gainey Vineyard, Sunstone, Buttonwood, Zaca Mesa, Koehler, Curtis, Firestone, Bridelwood, and Roblar Winery. We had such a great time and really enjoyed being there on the weekday versus the weekend. We had lots of time with the staff who really made the tastings personal and full of neat info and history. Overall, the winery with the best wines was Gainey. We LOVED all of them on the tasting menu and did not find that at any other winery. Most of the others just had 1 or 2 wines that stood out. But our favorite for overall atmosphere and staff would be a tie between Curtis and Roblar. At Curtis we were able to pair our tasting with a chocolate tasting…it was tasty! Who knew chocolate could have so many flavors? And at Roblar, the grounds are gorgeous and really relaxing. Lots of space to wander and just sit and relax. We soaked up many sun rays on their patio.
When we weren’t tasting yummy grapes we were be-bopping around Solvang checking out the little shops. One of our favorites was Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery. I think I gained 5 pounds from eating so many tasty meringues here. We also loved having breakfast next door at Paula’s Pancake House. We lucked out and were able to hit the Farmer’s Market on Wednesday and snag 3 baskets of raspberries. I shouldn’t admit that we ate them before we had walked 2 blocks.
So there you have it. We ate, we drank, we played. And most importantly we loved. Thanks hubby for a wonderful trip to one of our favorites, love you!
Today was a super fun day. My sister and her boys picked me up and we cruised over to our Mom and Dad’s place to make cake pops. Fun, fun! I have been inspired by all of Bakerella’s cake pops lately and decided to give it a try. Let me start this by saying they aren’t the easiest thing to do. But with a little patience and practice I think it wouldn’t be hard to get in a groove with them. But most importantly, they are delicious!
*Photos courtesy of Bridgette :)
Baking, Family, Fun | 
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Let the Lenten season begin! Lent is a 40-day time of reflection where Christians consider the sacrifice of the Cross. It is a serious time meant for inward self-reflection putting our focus upon Christ—who gave His life so that we might experience life now and forever at its best.
Many Christians traditionally make a sacrifice during this period. This year I am giving up all fast food. I am already craving the taste of a Sonic cheeseburger and tots.
My sacrifice is so small it is almost insulting compared to His. But I will do it with a happy heart knowing my faithfulness makes Him smile.
The LORD is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to His name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever. (Psalm 23, NLT)
Last weekend we were able to hang out with Trevor’s family in Payette and catch Tanner at his basketball game. He played great and made 3 baskets! I can’t believe how grown up he is getting, and tall too!
Hold the phone — I’m NOT pregnant. But hopefully sometime this year I can write that post. In the meantime, I stumbled across The Pregnancy Companion and it is a keeper! I give this book a solid A.
It mixes medical advise with hands on experience from a patient’s point of view. While reading it, I felt that Jessica was my long lost friend. Seriously. Both Dr. Rupe and Jessica provide comfort and information in such an approachable way. After reading the book I poured over their blog here. I just want to give them both a big hug. Reading through their stories encouraged me to grow in my faith and I am grateful.
Here’s to hoping they make a west coast leg on their book tour!
