Cheers to 20 Years!

We *finally* did it. We’ve been talking about a trip to California Wine Country with the Francos for 7+ years! We ultimately decided that since we were both celebrating our 20th wedding anniversaries in the same year, there was no better reason to make it happen.

We chose Sonoma, with the fantastic Barrel House in Healdsburg as our home base. We flew out on Wednesday morning, and despite a lengthy flight delay and quite a bit of traffic, we arrived in time for our dinner reservation at Barndiva. The pictures above don’t quite do the charming outdoor dining area justice - and the weather couldn’t have been better!

For our first full day, we hired a driver to give us tour of selected wineries in the area. We were pleasantly surprised when he showed up with this super cool convertible van, especially since it was such a glorious day!

Our day started at Medlock Ames, with a jovial host and lovely property. We moved on to Robert Young, whose elevated tasting rooms and grounds overlooking the valley were truly spectacular. From there we enjoyed sandwiches our guide picked up for us from Big John’s (local gourmet grocer) at J Rickard’s Winery, after which Jim Rickard himself gave us a tour that included Dixie cup tastings from the vats in different states of fermentation. Our final stop was yet another stunningly beautiful spot, Passalacqua - probably our favorite wine of the day (and definitely a tongue-twister for the remainder of the weekend).

The next day was devoted to what was initially referred to by us as the “expensive tasting,” but which wound up surpassing all expectations: Lynmar Estate. We began our Collector’s Flight sipping rosé in the breathtaking gardens, and then we headed up to the caves, passing row upon row of vines along the way. Katie, our Lynmar guide, was eager for us to experience everything- and since it was harvest time, there was a LOT to see. We witnessed the sorting process, peered into vats before and after the pour-over process, and chatted extensively with Pete, the winemaker.

And THEN we got to the caves, and our charming alcove awaiting our tasting. It. Was. Awesome. Best of all, the wines were exquisite! Suffice to say, we are in the family now.

After such an incomparable tour, we opted to cancel the second scheduled tasting of the day, and chose to chill by the Barrel House’s beautiful pool before our tapas dinner reservation. A rough afternoon.

For our final, full day, we mixed it up and drove to the coast, stopping to see the magnificent redwoods in Armstrong Woods. From there we stopped at Goat Rock State Beach, which was gorgeous, before heading into Bodega Bay for a seafood lunch by the sea.

We ended the day stopping at a forgettable winery near the house, and then enjoyed another relaxing afternoon/evening at home with take-out pizza, college football, and Euchre. It was bliss. The trip felt full of experiences, but also rest and relaxation - including morning cups of coffee by the fire in the Barrel Room.

We were so fortunate to have Donna and Larry man the ship for us, without which this truly memorable vacation wouldn’t have happened. Next up: Bordeaux in 2024!

 

Sending Summer Out with a Splash

We nearly didn’t make it, but at the last minute we pulled off a Labor Day visit to the beloved White Water! Lucky for us, everyone’s BFF was available, so we loaded up in the van and got there not long after it opened.

We managed to get in some rides and lunch before the power went out, which was definitely a bizarre turn of events. The kids splashed around in the lazy river before the park had to shut that down, too. It didn’t seem as though the power would be restored any time soon, so we opted to cut our losses and head back to our house...with a milkshake pit stop, naturally.

I found myself very grateful for the terrific friends my kids have. It wasn’t quite the day we expected, but it was a good one nonetheless!

First Day of Third Grade, 3rd Edition

At long last, after an extended summer due to construction at CKS, Laura has embarked on the Third Grade! And for the first time, posing solo and the sole Seymour represented! Time flies indeed. 

First Day of Driving Buddies

They have talked about this moment for at least a year. I don’t even know which one of them was more excited: Danny, heading off to his new school in the company of his revered big sister, or Clare, the newly-minted Junior with a “Junior lot” tag to prove it in her car, sharing her school with her beloved little brother. It was a fun sight to witness, and made Tim’s and my morning a little simpler, too!

Joyful selfie taken from the Junior Lot (no doubt the shine will quickly wear off this place, but we’ll enjoy it while we can)!

Sharp-Dressed Dan, or His Marist Career Begins

Anyone who has encountered Danny recently has remarked on how much he has grown. Every day he assesses whether or not he’s taller than me, and every day it seems he’s closer. But he’s grown in so many other ways, too. Case in point: When I went upstairs to wake him up, I found him in the bathroom, dealing with a massive bloody nose. The remarkable thing about this is how matter-of-fact he was about it. Two years ago, if not just one, this would have thrown him into a bewildered tizzy! 

To that end, I know how ready he is to begin his time at Marist. He’s excited, armed with good friends and a big sister so happy to share her school with him. Have a great 7th grade year, Danny Boy!

Back to Cali 2019

We managed to pull off another cousin visit to San Diego, despite navigating multiple teen schedules! It was shorter than we would have liked, but we are appreciative of any time we get together!

My crew and I arrived a couple of days ahead of the Needhams, so we met up with Jen and her girls in La Jolla. It was a gorgeous day, and we even got up close and personal with some sea lions.

The next day we headed down to Seaport Village for lunch, and then checked out the Waterfront Park for some fun in the fountains. The kids started up a round of “Red light, green light” with several other kids, which was really fun to watch.

The Needhams arrived that evening, so the next morning we made what turned out to be our only trip to the beach. Fortunately it was a good one, so my brood got in lots of QT in the ocean.

We kept things cruising with our pilgrimage to Old Town the following day, which included lunch and the annual Cousins Candy photo - before Nicole got sick and they had to make a hasty departure while the rest of us went to UTC for shopping and to watch The Lion King.

Side note: We were excited that Maya joined the Needhams this year - we loved meeting her!

Saturday wound up pretty slow, as not everyone was feeling great in the morning and we decided the beach was a bit ambitious. We ended up doing lunch at Z Cafe, and then I took the kids to an escape room. We failed, the guy running it was weird...but we still had fun! 

The kids also managed to film another movie, “The Jester’s Final Joke,” which was fun and hilarious to watch. We had several wonderful meals on the patio, too, which is always a highlight. As always, I left feeling blessed!

Clare and Abby Go to Washington

Clare has been eyeing D.C. as a potential college destination for a while, so we thought a summer program at Georgetown would be a great opportunity. Fortunately, so did Abby! Tim gamely agreed to fly out with them a couple of days early in order to tour additional schools (with Karen and Brian very graciously hosting).

They were giddy just being at the airport together!

An official tour of GW was the first order of business, and they were ALL very impressed! Clare really loved everything about it.

They had to do a self-guided tour of American, so that may require a second visit.

Despite the heat, they saw a few sights, too. But soon enough it was time to head to Georgetown!

It was a FULL week of classes/lectures, discussions and field trips (centered around the U.S. and its international relations), so we didn’t get too many updates through the week. But we did get some proof of life photos!

They made several new friends from all over (including China and South Korea), learned a lot, and Clare, for one, is still seriously considering D.C. for college. For the time being, though, we were happy for her to return home!