My ADVENTURE

...to San Francisco...and Napa and Sacramento.
There is a long story to go with this post but I'm preeetty sure no one wants all the lame-o details that come with a trip. So I'll narrow it down to the facts.
I took a trip to Sacramento/San Francisco/Napa to see my BFF from HS. All by myself.
I was scared. I felt like I was forgetting something. I was excited and nervous. I realized I need to get out more often.
I flew to Sacramento and we left the morning after to go to Napa, which way way way way exceeded my expectations. We hit up the Jelly Belly factory on the way. Mostly because it was there. Not because I'm a big fan. (Are you a fan? I have to say my experience there only solidified my thought that there are SO MANY MORE delicious ways to eat sugar than those flavored stale-ish semi-solidified corn syrup-filled bunny turds that stick in your teeth for days)



We tried the sample bar and had the pleasure of sampling as many disgusting jelly beans as we desired.


After we didn't take the 45 minute tour, we headed onto Napa for brunch. It was BEAUTIFUL in Napa. Maybe one of the prettiest places I've been. I know, I already told you I realized I needed to get out more.






I survived this day because of this:


We visited these HUGE wineries. They were really huge. Like really. Huge.


This one is a real castle. Like with a moat and a drawbridge. It was our fave.


It had all these cool trees and I think I realized I like old trees and moss and ivy so much I might just want to take a million pictures of them. And I did. And I ended up deleting most of them because they are SO not that cool in pictures.


Then we were off to San Francisco!








Questions you are dying to ask me: 1. Did you ride a trolly? No. I didn't know where to get on one and I didn't think it would be that thrilling. 2. Did you go to Fisherman's Wharf and eat clam chowder in a bread bowl? No, I did not. 3. Why? Because I didn't want to. 3. Did you go see the windiest street that ever was? No, didn't get to it. 4. Did you eat at any incredible restaurants while there? Nope, not incredible at all. 5. Uhhhh.... Did you do ANYTHING cool in San Francisco? Yes! I liked all of it but especially liked Golden Gate park. I think I'm definitely not a city girl. I was aching to get out of the city. It was good for a visit but I might not survive living there. Here's some from GG park:

This band playing in this tunnel was SO GOOD! This kid was gettin' down, too.


(see? trees and moss. LOVE IT.)



Japanese Tea Gardens








And finally on to Golden Gate Bridge, which was pretty cool but not so cool I'd race to get back.
Here's one of my many awkward "I'm the only one in this picture" pictures





After that it was back to Sacramento where I had sushi and seaweed salad for the first time. Does seaweed salad make your stomach turn? It was actually really good.! Be adventurous and try some....the next time you....see it...on a menu....at a restaurant that serves it.
And that pretty much sums it up! I know what you're thinking..."THAT was the short version?!" Yikes.

I take it back.

I love Spring. Did I say last time I dreaded it? I meant I really love it. For example, today we flew kites at the park. It was PERFECT weather and we had so much fun. Also, it's raining tonight and I get to listen to it watering my newly planted garden, which is much cheaper than me having to water it, so that rules.
I can't wait to have my garden in full-swing. I can taste my tomatoes now. Feel the burst of cherry tomatoes between my teeth. Smell the basil. I'm DYING for fresh salsa and sauteed zucchini and green beans and SUGAR SNAP PEAS and peaches and grapes and CANNING. Ooh, I can't wait...
Well I know I'm waaay behind on blogging so I'm catching up tonight. A little bit.
A couple weeks ago we got a good amount of rain and my kids have been asking to go sledding all winter and the mountains are all so pretty and snow-packed so we borrowed a whole bunch of snow gear and headed up the snow with our friends. I love our location because we are so close to the snow. It takes about a 1/2 hour of a totally windy, barfy road and you are there! Only, by the time we got up there so much of the snow had melted we were searching for good sledding snow. But we found some and we had a blast!




I love how decked-out my kids were because it turned out to be really warm up there and we were all dressed for a blizzard and sweating like 2 minutes into it. Poor Nolan really got the shaft on the snow clothes and ended up with Hello Kitty boots and pink pants. It was awesome.





Spencer was the instigator of many snowball fights and the kids all had a blast trying to get the better of him. It didn't work. He dominated those little turds. That's mah man.


Nolan ate a ton of snow and was peeing the rest of the day. I swear I told the kids not to eat it like 5,000,000 times and did they listen? You know the answer to that one.


Meanwhile, back at our house, it was an 85 degree day. We all got home in our snow clothes and were sweating like crazy. My garden loved the heat.










I love the plum blooms on the grass in my backyard. They look so pretty.


Has Spring hit your town yet? Don't you love it?? Are you planting a garden this year?

V-day

Happy Valentine's Day! This year we have made a bajillion valentines. Carter loves it! I'm pretty sure we've made some every day for a good week now, which is ironic because he is currently entering into the "girls are gross" stage. Luckily he hasn't realized I'm a girl yet and still likes me but seriously, I'm in Target the other day in the purse and accessory section and he and Nolan won't stop going, "EEEWWW!! GIRL stuff!"



This year we made a heart yarn garland thing. (got the idea from Family Fun) I took pictures as we were making and i was going to post a tutorial and everything but they ended up being pretty messy and not-so-cute so I'm ditching that bc I can't say this thing wasn't worth the time making it. Plus the kids ditched out 1/2 way through and I was stuck finishing it.
But I really don't have any hard feelings.

While everyone else seems to be getting very excited about the coming of Spring, I'm....not.

I feel like somewhat of a minority in this matter. "Why wouldn't she want Spring to come?" you may be asking yourself. Because after Spring comes Summer. And Summer is my dreaded season.

I LOVE Fall.

I LOVE Winter.

Spring and I are cool with each other.

But I know that looming closely around the corner is 110+days, never-ceasing A/C bills and constant sweat-stains. Ugh. I think that's the part I hate the most.

However, Spring does mean that my garden and I are getting friendly again and that does excite me.

I really am a fair-weather friend to my garden. It gets COMPLETELY abandoned during the winter. But I think we keep the relationship fresh this way.

As I was weeding this week I was noticing the beautiful signs of Spring. (Isn't it early? It's only February!)

I also found this! (I smelled it before I even noticed it was there! Volunteer cilantro! Its so yummy. I wish I had some fresh tomatoes to go with it)





Here's my bare naked garden. I guess it's not totally naked. It has a lot of weeds and a few chives. But in a couple months it will be flourishing and beautiful!


Also this week I made home-made bread! What is it about making bread that makes me feel totally awesome? When that hot, delicious bread is coming out of the oven all perfect and smelling sooooo good, I swear there is no better feeling. Until you get to eat it and then you feel ESPECIALLY awesome. And then if your kids eat it and like it that's like cloud 9.
In my case, the kids scarfed down 2 pieces each within 5 minutes with nothing but good ol' butter on it.








Today's been a totally awesome Sunday starting with me getting to wear my new red shoes to church and topped off with dinner with friends. And i know it's supposed to be a day of rest but I couldn't stand my toilet smelling like urine for ONE MORE MINUTE and ended up doing a full-on scrub-down with hot water followed by disinfecting wipes. And it still has a bit of a stink. Eew.
Okay, one more thing...have you read "The Hunger Games" yet? I know I'm prety much the last person on the planet to be reading this book but I like it!
Seeing as I'll be done with the series in 6 months (I'm super-slow), I need your best book recommendations. Leave me a comment!

Lately...

My kids are buddies (most of the time). When Carter's at school Nolan is constantly asking if we could go pick up Carter at school. Lately they have had the best time looking at books together. Carter pretends he can read all the books to Nolan and Nolan just LOVES to be read to. It's too cute!





And you know what? I don't care what people say about California (and sometimes what I think about California). It has been a beautiful winter and I never want it to end. It's been warm and sunny and we've been enjoying oranges, tangerines, lemons, and grapefruit to our little heart's content. Mmmm....





The kids spend at least an hour on their bikes pretty much every day. I've been trying to teach Carter to ride without training wheels a bit at a time, but it's been.....a bit of a challenge, to say the very least. (and yes, Nolan's suckin on a "postical" here. Gotta get rid of them before summer!)

Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day, but I'm pretty sure it's my favorite. I love breakfast. Oatmeal, steel-cut oats, veggie omlet, french toast, bacon, cream of wheat, oranges...seriously, there's such a variety that I could eat breakfast 3 times a day. My kids love bagels, bacon, eggs, grits, and oranges. (not all at once, however. I'm not that crazy)

And finally, Carter's tooth is hanging on by a thread. It kinda grosses me out. And he won't let me pull it out. Really, it like leans out toward me and i can almost see it flapping in the wind. Eew. Why am i more excited about him losing a tooth than him?? (btw, I couldn't get him to make a better face than this, his large-mouthed-bass face. Trust me, I tried.)

p.s. I bought those red shoes I wanted. I love them.