Good Girl Sweet White Blend

Description on the bottle:  An easy drinking, fruity, floral wine with subtle hints of honeycomb and citrus - heavenly!  W.O. Western Cape, Product of South Africa

Sarah says:  WHAT?!  South Africa!  I had no idea I was buying international wine.  Crazy.  I went all out this time and got a bottle that was more than $10 (it was $14.99!), that's a big deal to me.  It's oh so worth it, this wine is delicious!  It's fruity, easy to drink, sweet but not too sweet, leaves a yummy fruity after taste in my mouth.  I like it.  I might even go out on a limb and say it's my favorite so far.  Apparently, price does mean better quality.

Overall rating:  Thumbs UP!

Sarah says:  I would be what most would consider a good girl.  I follow the rules, I avoid conflict, I'm quiet, pleasant, well mannered, easy to get along with, I generally don't raise my voice, I go to church, I've lived my life in the right order (ie. school, job, marriage, kids), I care for others, I got good grades, I try hard at everything I do, I'm just overall a friendly person.  There is one thing however that always catches people off guard.  I just revealed this to a few co-workers, their surprised reaction was typical, and it always makes me laugh.  I'm generally so predictable, that I enjoy catching people off guard now and then.

I have tattoos.  Yup, you read that right, tattoos... plural, as in, more than one.  I have 3 to be exact.  I'll give those of you who didn't know that a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor.

I got my first tattoo when I was 18, it's a flower, it's kind of a mix between a sunflower and a daisy.  If I could go be 18 again, I would NOT get this tattoo, but at the time it seemed like a good idea.  I don't hate it or anything, I'm glad I didn't get anything stupid that I totally regret.  The flower just doesn't have any meaning for me.  I wish I would have chosen something that has more significance, but at 18, I'm not sure what that would have been.  Now the flower is just ugly.  Something I didn't know at 18, was that tattoos need to be maintained.  They fade, especially if there is color other than black, and fine lines start to look blurry over time.  I haven't cared enough to maintain this tattoo, so now it's basically just a blurry outline of a flower that doesn't have any color.

I got my second tattoo when I was 22, it's a cross.  Most people don't ever see this one because of it's location, but it's by far my favorite tattoo.  It's actually a little tricky - my skin in the cross, the tattoo'ed portion is the shadow that cross would project.  I'm not sure what clicked in my mind to make me get this tattoo, but once I decided to do it, there was no stopping it.  I was crazy, searching through picture after picture, trying to find the right thing.  I LOVE this.  When I was much younger - I received a little wooden cross called a "cross in my pocket", I carried this thing around in my pocket for years, before it finally broke.  I loved having that little reminder of the cross and the sacrifice that Jesus made - but didn't like the fact that the cross in the pocket was breakable, and it had the potential (and often happened) of getting lost.  The cross I carry now isn't going anywhere, and either is my faith.  I have every intention of maintaining this tattoo.

I got my third tattoo when I was  28.  Jon and I made an "on the whim" decision to get tattoos together on our 5th anniversary.  We really had no big plans for our anniversary, we knew we were taking the kids to Jon's parents for the night, but after that, we were clueless.  Even the night of, we dropped off the kids, got back in the car, and said "now what?".  We tossed around a few dinner places, maybe a movie, then Jon said "Let's go get tattoos".  Jon was a tattoo virgin at the time, so I never thought he'd go for it, so I said "OK".  Next thing I know, we're getting tattoo's together.  I made him go first, because I didn't want to get mine and have him back out.  It was a tough decision about what to get.  I've always thought (and still sort of do) that relationship tattoos are the kiss of death.  Once you permanently ink something on your body about someone else, something bad always happens.  I refused to get any names, dates, hearts, or anything lovey.  We wanted it to be something between us, we get it but if someone else saw it, they wouldn't really understand.  It's not exactly a secret, if people see it and ask what it is, I tell them.  Mine is on my ankle and Jon's is on his arm, not exactly private locations.  Most of our close friends and family know what they mean, but for the sake of keeping it between us, I'm not going to write what we got in this blog.  I have no choice but to maintain this tattoo - those of you who know what it is will understand that.

I'm not sure if I'm done.  I like to think I am, 3 sounds like enough, but anytime I hear other people talking about them, I get that little itch that tells me I want another one.  I currently have no plans, I'll leave it at that for now.  I had a friend recently tell me if she were to get a tattoo, she'd get a music note for each of her kids.  I LOVE this.  If I didn't consider her one of my best friends, I would just steal it.  But in this case, I feel that it was her idea, so I'm not allowed to take it.  (You know who you are - if you decide not to do the music notes - let me know, so I can!).  In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out a way to use it, but not really use it.  I think IF I do end up with any more, I'd like them to have some meaning towards my kids, but again, I'm against names or dates.  Jon wants to get the kids zodiac signs on him, but I don't feel passionate towards those signs.  We'll see.

Sometimes people are surprised to see me with tattoos, especially one of a cross, especially since I go to church, because the Bible tells us not to.  This just annoys me.  The verse these people are referring to is Leviticus 19:28 "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD".  First of all, why does everyone make such a big deal out of a tattoo comment, but everyone seems to ignore the previous verse, Leviticus 19:27, that says "'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard".  Does that mean we aren't supposed to cut our hair or shave?!  No way, these people will say, that's not what God meant.  I respond with, it's the same for the tattoos.  The tattoos that God refers to in the Bible are not the tattoos we get today.  Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favor in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died.  That is that God is talking about, I don't believe there is any problems with getting the type of tattoos I have today.

So there you have it, I'm a rebel.  Nah, I still think I'm a good girl, but everyone has a secret side... what's yours?

Oak Leaf Part II

A diet size portion

Sarah says:

So, I'm finishing up this cheap, but delicious, wine tonight.  I've been trying to determine how many calories are in a glass of wine, because most bottles don't have that info on them.  This surprises me because I thought it was required that all items that were to be eaten or drank were required to have nutritional information on them... but apparently not.  So, per some random site on google, a typical wine has 25 calories per ounce.  A typical glass of wine has 5 oz.  Pull out your calculators folks, that means a normal glass of wine has 125 calories.  The article continued on to say a diet size portion of wine is only 4 oz, thus 100 calories. 

Since I'm counting calories again (yes, I do this sometimes) I wanted to be able to write an exact amount in my log.  So, I scoured my kitchen for something that measured in ounces.  Turns out, the only thing I could find was this old baby bottle (why I still have this lying around is beyond me!).  The pic above is a 4 oz, diet serving.  I'm actually fairly comfortable that this is how much I put in one glass of wine, when I'm by myself.  The problem is I usually consume more than one.  Then there are those times when Jon is home, we use different (ie. larger) glasses on those nights, I'm probably drinking upwards of 300+ calories on those nights.

I'm torn between my search for the best wine, and my desire to be healthy (ie. skinny, hey, at least I tried to use the healthy word!)  I'm going to do my best to limit drinking empty calories, especially right before bed, without impacting the blog.  The good news is, when I stepped in the scale it was only a tiny bit higher than I want it to be, so this calorie counting craze shouldn't last long (I'd rather jump on it now vs waiting until the number gets even bigger). 

For the record, I ate/drank 1,530 calories today - so stop freaking out - that's a totally normal number.  I'm not starving myself or anything!  My ex-breast milk holder turned wine glass is almost empty.  Since I'm cut off from a refill, I guess that means it's time for bed!

Oak Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon

Description on the bottle:  There isn't one!

Sarah says:  You know how they always say beer or coffee is an acquired taste?  I think I've acquiring a taste for cheap wine.  I got this bottle on sale, it was $2.99!  My frugal side is jumping up and down, that's a deal!  But, my wine opinion giver side is shaking her head in shame.  The sad part is, I like this wine.  I think next time I need to splurge on something a little better.  I don't want to get so used to cheap wine that I start to think it's good wine, although maybe I'm on to something.  Maybe cheaper is better (my normal motto) and those expensive wines have been fooling people all this time.  Somehow, I don't think so.

I'll tell you something else I've gotten used to recently- this little sleep mask.

I actually asked for this sleep mask for my birthday a few weeks ago.  I have a heck of a time getting to sleep at night, especially lately since we've had the fan on in our room.  The fan has this tiny little green light, that no normal person would even notice.  But I notice, and it makes me bananas.  So, I thought I'd give this a shot.  As I type this, I realize Jon is the one who bought me the mask.  I origianlly thougth he was being all sweet, trying to help me with my sleep problems... but now I realize he was probably just trying to get me to stop complaining about the green light.  Jon also bought me an apron for my birthday, I wonder if he's trying to tell me something.... hmmm... a topic for another post maybe, what not to buy your wife for her birthday... just kidding, I asked for the apron too!  And the kids picked it out, so it was cute.

Anyways... I wasn't impressed with the look of it at first, but the inside is quite soft, and it has this big layer of extra padding around my nose so no light sneaks in at the curvy spots on my face.  The first few night were awful - getting used to something on my face didn't happen over night (get it.. over night...).  But eventually, I got it adjusted right (not too tight, not too loose), and figured out how to position it over my hair so it wasn't pulling.  I've slept freaking amazing the past several nights.  I now affectionately call this sleep mask my lovey.  I've woken up to it being on top of my head, and Mary tells me a lot that she likes my hat, I don't care about either of these things, as long as this guy continues to help me sleep.  I don't know if it's the pitch darkness, or the fact that it forces me to have my eyes stay closed that is causing me to sleep better, again, I don't care, as long as I'm sleeping.  I actually don't want to know the reason, once I know that I'll start to over think it, and over thinking usually causes a lack of sleep.  I get to spend the night in a hotel this weekend, and I NEVER sleep good away from my own home.  I'm looking forward to taking my mask on the road and seeing if he helps me there too.  

I'd highly recommend a sleep mask if you have sleep troubles.  That and wine - drinking wine at night helps too!

Goodnight folks!

Daily's Frozen Pina Colada Part II

So, I've already written about how I love these single serving frozen beverages.  Sorry to be a bore, but sometimes you just need something old, familiar, comfortable, and something you know you're going to love.  I can't be creative all the time!  Plus, this has been sitting in my freezer for weeks, and it's been driving me crazy looking at it, but not drinking it!

It's the same way with books.  I love to read.  I generally read every night in bed.  I've tried to branch out and read different things, but I always end up going back to the same old things; cheesy romance.  It's not to say I don't enjoy other types of books, but the cheesy romance is the best for me.  I have major insomnia issues, by reading anything other than cheesy romance, I'm setting myself to be up all night long.  Mystery books scare me so I lie awake waiting for the boogie man to get me.  Drama books leave me wanting more and more and more, and I end up reading all night long. Comedy books get me all riled up so I can't relax, self help books get me wanting to implement every suggestion at that very minute.  Not reading at all makes it so all my personal thoughts and stress just floats around in my head all night long.  Cheesy romance is the only thing I have found that distracts me enough to relax, but doesn't intrigue me enough so that I can't stop thinking about it.  It's easy to read, and easy to put down.  They are all pretty predictable, so there isn't anything that gets my heart pumping, and that is exactly what I need at night.

Go to Amazon for the real Click to look inside!

With that said, I'm currently reading a book that isn't helping me sleep, but it's helping me a ton in other ways.  I heard about this book a few years ago on my favorite website (other than Facebook!) Fit Bottomed Mamas, (seriously, I go there for all my "being a healthy Mom advice").  They suggested this book, so I asked for it for Christmas for a few years, and finally got it this past Christmas!  And now that it's June, I'm finally reading it!  It's called "Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving - and Not Lose your Family, Job, or Sanity" by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea.  It's freaking fantastic!  It's everything I need lately.  I've been a tad lazy.  Sure, I get out a few times a week and run still, but that's about it.  And, I use the fact that I run as an excuse to eat anything that I want.  This book has really helped me get my priorities back on track.  If I'm going to be a runner, I need to be a runner.  That means making it a priority, getting my butt out of bed in the mornings to get it done, eating properly before and after so I have the energy to get through the day and the ability to do it again the next morning.  Setting the right example for my kids - stop complaining about being sore and that it's too hot to run.  I love running, I need running, just go do it.  These women are marathon runners, and yet I've been complaining about a measly 3 mile run I need to do.  Sarah and Dimity are wonderful writers, sharing stories from their lives and experiences in a funny yet meaningful way.  Encouraging me to get out there and be the best I can be.  I want to know more about how they managed to train to run 26.2 miles - I cannot stop reading this book.  

I was motivated enough to take the kids and Jon to a park this morning.  I knew had a running trail that goes around it, but for one reason (ie. excuse) or another, I've never visited the trail.  I had them play while I ran.  I can't believe I never ran this trail before!  It's freaking perfect.  It's 1 km around (or 5 times around for your very own 5K! - I'll take 5 times around this course vs. 12 times at the high school track any day!)  It's shaded and clean.  Everyone on this path was friendly - giving encouraging nods towards one another, slower runners moving out of the way for faster ones, some people had a buddy, some people were solo.  The one thing I love about a race is all the encouragement that everyone gives one another, that alone can get my feet moving faster than normal.  Running this trail was like a participating in a mini race - everyone was that awesome.  I can't believe I never ran there before, but you can bet I'm going back!  This book plus this trail was just what I needed to get going again and start thinking about the 5K's I want to run in the fall.  I know I can run them, I could run and finish one tomorrow.  But this year, I want to race it.  I want to set a personal record (I'm not sure what that record is going to be yet, I'll figure it out when I start to push myself a little more).  

I'm not sure if a frozen beverage is the right way to kick off this running season, but as soon as it's done, I'm going to write up my training plan for the next few weeks.  And since I won't be sleeping until I finish this book, I'll have many quiet hours to think about the personal record I want to set.

Gallo Pinot Grigo

Sarah says:  I'm drink one of my favorite little bottles of Pinot Grigo again.  Nothing new to report.  It's still yummy and convenient! 

I watched this movie last night - Finding a Family.  Here's the Synopsis online:  After his mother becomes incapacitated, teen Alex (Jared Abrahamson) must navigate a series of foster homes in order to put together a family that will help him achieve his goal of attending Harvard.

I found myself shamelessly crying through half of this movie.  A movie that brings out emotion like that needs to be discussed.  I'm guessing most people don't even know about this movie.  I'm pretty certain it was made for TV (based on the awkward pauses that were obviously made for commercial breaks, the fact that there are no big stars in it, and the fact that it's not rated).  I am infamous for putting random movies on our Q (I use that feature "if you liked this movie, you might also like this one too" all the time.  I generally add movies without even reading about them.  I figure, we pay the same amount of money no matter what, so it's not like it costs me to add these things.  Some of them are a waste of a few hours of my life, but sometimes I stumble upon gems like this one, and it makes it all worth it.



Basically, this boy, is crazy close with his mom, who is crazy smart.  She has received her PhD from Harvard, he's 10 when he promises her he's going to do the same.  Then she gets in a car accident, has a head injury, and is left suffering from bi-polar disorder, and she suddenly cannot adequately care for him.  He spends the next years of his life bouncing around through foster homes and watching her life spiral up and down.  He's torn between loving her and leaving her.  Throughout it all, he manages to maintain a 4.0 and keeps working towards the Harvard goal (something that is basically unheard of with foster kids).  The movie is fairly predictable, sad and heartwarming all at the same time.  Oh yeah, and it's a true story.

Maybe it's the mere thought of not being able to care for my son (or either of my kids for that matter), but I cannot imagine what that poor Mom must have suffered with.  Even though many of her troubles after the accident are brought upon herself (through her illness - I'm not blaming her!), but having your kid taken away from you, this has to absolutely be the worst thing to ever have to go through.  To have the state tell you that you are an un-fit parent, it's unimaginable.  And this poor kid, and he wants is to be loved by his Mom.  And he tries so freaking hard to please her, and in return gets so much disappointment.  Grab so tissues folks, it's sad.

It makes me want to search out a kid that needs a family and show him real love.  I've said before that I would LOVE to be a foster parent.  Not for babies, but for kids.  Here's the thing... I would have a 3rd baby, but Jon is absolutely dead set against it.  And, really, I'm ok with it, babies really aren't that fun.  They can be cute to look at for awhile, but overall, they aren't so great.  You can feed them, burp them, change them, sing to them, all that over and over, and they still end up just crying all the time.  They don't really start to do fun stuff until they are 6 months or so.  But, even at that age, they are so much work... if I could skip the whole baby stage and just get to kid age - that would be even better.   No diapers, no bottles, no heavy carriers - just give me my 3rd kid, already walking, already potty trained, and already sleeping through the night.  I'd like him/her to be able to tie their shoes, zip their coat, pour their own milk, and speak in complete sentences.  Yup - I'd like a 3rd kid, not a 3rd baby.  So, this is why fostering would be perfect!

Jon and I have talked about it before - so this post shouldn't be coming as a surprise to him (I think!).  A few years ago, I convinced myself that now was not the time for us to look into fostering.  We already have two pretty young kids who need our attention, it wouldn't be fair to them.  And, with our opposite work schedules, it would just be really hard.  But, I thought, maybe in 5 years or so we'll talk about it again.  Well, we're creeping up on that 5 year mark - and it's beginning to look even less likely that it will happen.  We're moving - to a much smaller home.  It would have been tight to fit another kid into our house, but it will be impossible and unfair to everyone involved to try to squeeze another kid into the apartment we are going to be moving to.  Sigh... maybe that's half the reason I cried through this movie.  It just reminded me how much I want to help kids like this boy, but I just won't be able to.

All I can do now, it hope that eventually the timing will be right, and it can happen.  Until then, I'll have to keep pouring all my excess love into my kids hearts, and drinking wine when it gets stressful.

St. Julian

Sarah says:



No, we didn't drink both of these in one night.  We've drank both of these over the course of the past week, and just haven't had the time to write about them.  St. Julian had a sale, 2/$10, so we got one red and one white.  After my last experience with St. Julian, I was feeling pretty good about these.

St. Julian Simply Red

Description on the bottle: Simply Red is a versatile, semi-dry wine which lends itself to use as a mixer or a table wine.  Lake Michigan Shore-grown wine grapes are fermented and aged in our cellars to produce a fruity red wine.  Then, just before bottling, Simply Red is mellowed by the addition of fresh grape juice.  Serve Simply Red at a cool temperature (55F) with simple foods such as burgers or grilled chicken.

Sarah says:  I really like this wine!  I'm so glad I'm coming around to red wine.  We did this one properly and drank it with chicken.  It was easy to drink with dinner.  Tasty and didn't ruin the taste of dinner.  Fruity, but not too much, and it wasn't too dry.  We enjoyed it so much, we ended up finishing the bottle talking after dinner.  I would definitely drink this again.

jon says: ok first problem i had with it was the screw off cap, i mean i know i am buying cheap wine but come on at least allow me my illusions. my second thought after tasting it was "oh i don't think sarah is going to like this". imagine my surprise when i heard "this is good" coming from my wife's lips. i honestly really like this wine it was very flavorful and satisfying.

Overall rating:  Thumbs up

St. Julian Niagara

Description on the bottle:  Near Lake Michigan, the soil, climate, and cool fermentation produce is distinctive, award-winning varietal wine.  This Niagara Wine is gushing with fresh grape and tropical fruit flavors that linger through the lightly sweet, moderately acidic and satisfying finish.  Serve chilled.

Sarah says:  Hmm... I really liked this, but it tasted like juice. White grape juice, I used to drink that a lot for breakfast, it's yummy.  I honestly got the bottle back out after the first few sips to make sure it wasn't a sparkling juice.  I really didn't think it was alcoholic.  I enjoyed drinking it, but it didn't taste like wine.  I do appreciate the honestly of this wine, it has a lot of grapes on the front of the bottle, and that is exactly what you get.  Although I thought it was tasty, if I was at a party and received this glass of wine, I would be greatly disappointed.  I wouldn't buy it again.

jon says: i hate white grape juice, something about it is gross. i think the alcohol content was the same or maybe less then that of a bottle of beer. hated it!

Overall rating:  Thumbs down

 

Margarita

Sarah says:

This isn't the exact drink I had, I failed to take a picture of my drink.  But, I had a fantastic margarita from Outback tonight during my birthday dinner with my Dad.  It was yummy.  An original margarita, on the rocks, with salt, is my all time, fool proof, what to get when I don't know what to get, drink.  It's always delicious.  Tonight's margarita was particularly tasty, probably because I didn't have to pay for it.

So, yup, it's my birthday.  30 years to be exact.  I'll be honest, I've been dreading this day for years.  Turing 30 was always the ultimate cross into adulthood moment.  I know I pretty much meet the definition of an adult - but still being in my 20's made me at least feel like I had some young-ness in me.  Now, I just feel old.

I've had this great list of accomplishments that I did in my 20's.  I listed a lot of them in a previous post, but for any slackers who didn't read it, here they are again.  Worked full time and went to college, got engaged, got my bachelors degree, got my masters degree, got a real job, bought my first car, got married, got a dog, bought a house, had two kids... I'm sure there is more, but that's a pretty good list.  I did some pretty "big deal" type things in my twenties.  I'm proud of most of them, I don't really want to leave it behind. 

That's been my thinking up until today.  Yes, I accomplished a lot over the past 10 years, but really, these were not the greatest 10 years.  Most of those things I mentioned were fairly stressful.  College - not fun, not easy.  Marriage - fun, but not always easy, has good days and bad days.  Kids - they provide the greatest amount of joy, but also the greatest amount of stress, especially the early days.  I can only see my 30's being better.  As I get more comfortable in my career, it becomes funner.  As Jon and I figure this whole marriage thing out (it's only taken us 7 years!) it gets more enjoyable.  As our kids get older, it gets better!  House - I'm so glad we're getting rid of this thing!  Yes, I think my 30's are going to be good. 

Just because I've come to the realization that turning 30 isn't the end of the world, doesn't mean I'm prepared to do it alone.  I need to go out and get a few bottles of wine!

Comique Revolution Blanc - Cut the Fluff

Description on the bottle:  They'd add extravagance to outdo one another; cost was a virtue, scarcity a prize.  We told them they'd topple, but they never listened.  We had no choice but to Cut the Fluff.  Our white wine smells like Apple blossoms, juniper berries & honeydew.  Tastes like white peaches, custard & salted pain perdu.

Sarah says:  First of all - I'm really confused about all the crazy writing on this bottle.  I think it's supposed to be funny (and maybe it will be after a few more glasses), but right now, I'm just at a loss.  What is a salted pain perdu?  I mostly bought this wine because I thought the pictures were funny.  It's a little hard to see in these pics, but try to notice on one side of the bottle he has hair, and on the other side he's bald... made me chuckle.  I didn't read the writing until I got home, and this part has me stumped!

Second of all - this wine is just ok.  I actually wish there was more fluff!  It's fairly plain.  It would probably taste good with food - since it wouldn't take away from the flavor of whatever you were eating.  But since I'm doing my tasting after dinner, it tastes a little boring to me.  It's easy to drink, doesn't leave my mouth dry, I'll give it that.  I would like to say I'd try it again with a meal, but I know that I probably won't.  Sorry, little funny guy - I'm not that impressed.

jon says: this wine is very unimpressive. i don't know what the deal is with some of these wineries, i feel like they all just kinda blend in together making it impossible to distinguish one from the other. boo!

Overall rating:  Thumbs midway up for it's attempt at humor.

Speaking of fluff... check out what Jon did to Liam's hair!!  My poor kiddo is bald!  Jon is officially banned from the future of all kids haircuts.  At least it's summer, and his hair grows fast!  I wonder, is this one of those things that guys mess up on purpose so that they don't have to be in charge of them anymore?

jon responds: it was an accident! i wouldn't deliberately make my son bald.

No more fluff

On a completely unrelated note - something that did make me laugh today - a little riddle.  What word becomes longer when the 3rd letter is removed?

Lounger

hahaha - ok, maybe the wine is getting to me, but I literally lol'ed  :-)

Rex Goliath Chardonnay Part II

Sarah says:

This glass is pretty much my standard glass to use when Jon isn't home.  Might be because it's a little smaller than the others, which makes me feel like it's more acceptable since I'm drinking alone.  It might be because this glass doesn't have a match - it's a good glass to use for a single person (I think I had a coupon for a free glass! - coupons rocked back then just as much as they do now, only instead of free glasses of wine, now I'm looking for discounts on diapers!).  I think the real reason I like to use this glass, is because Jon and I got it on a trip we took, YEARS AGO, to a winery, for a weekend getaway.  This was a long time ago - pre kids and probably even pre wedding.  I don't even know the name of the city or the bed and breakfast that we stayed in... but I do know, we had a good time.  I think I like using this glass because it's a reminder of simpler times.  Don't get me wrong, I love love love my kids, but sometimes it's nice to remember what it was like before them.  The pic of Jon and I in this pic is us, back in the day!  Weren't we young and sexy?  The flowers were my mother's day present from Mary this year.  Look closely, and you'll see it also included a poem that pretty much declares me as the best mom ever.  It's the best of both worlds right there.

My how things have changed.  Let's see - since that trip - I'm just going to guess it was 2004 - but I really have no idea.... I graduated college, got a "real" job, bought my first car, got married, learned that I'm not a very good cook (but I keep trying!), got our first pet together, bought a house, almost burnt our house down the first week because we didn't open the vent, painted... a lot, got pregnant, made Jon loose the truck and buy a family car, had a baby boy, became "that Mom" that breastfeeds in public, got in the biggest fight of our lives, made up, had a baby girl, became a runner, had my Dad live with us, got tattoos together, had our basement flood... twice, lost our first pet together (RIP Oscar, I still miss you!), started learning about wine, and almost have a kindergartner!

And things aren't done changing yet.  We are apparently moving in August.  We put a deposit on an apartment in Canton.  I desperately want the kids to be in a better school district, and I'm pretty much out of time to make that happen.  I'm remarkably calm about this considering I have no idea (not to mention, no control over) what is going to happen over the next two months.  But, I'm praying and hoping that it all works out for the best.  I really really want it to work out.  There is so much that could be great about this move - the schools, and having our church only a few miles away (instead of 30!) are two of my favorites.  But beyond that - Jon and I have talked about his job.  Living in Canton, but working in Birmingham doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  Jon MIGHT try to get a "regular" job.  For as long as I've known him, Jon has worked the night shift.  As discussed here, Jon and I don't get to see a lot of each other.  We live opposite lives, and there is no doubt that it has caused us conflict.  When people ask, I usually lie and say that we are used to it, and that it makes our time together more special, since it's so rare, we try to make the time we have together really count.  I say that it just works for us!  While there is some truth in that, I don't know if it's something that you can get used to.  It doesn't work for us, we have to make it work.  A more honest answer is that we hate it, and we suck it up.  We do try to make our time together count, but it's not easy.  I'm sleepy at night when he's awake.  I'm jumping up and rearing to go in the morning, when he's groggy and wants just 10 more min... about 8 times. 

Absolutely zero steps have been made in making this potential schedule change happen.  But, just the idea that it MIGHT happen, has me as giddy as my kids when they hear the ice cream man.  I'm so excited.  I want this change more than I've ever wanted anything in my life.  (That might not be true - I saw some shoes at DSW last week that I really really really want.... it's a toss up.)  To be able to see my husband everyday; to talk to him, to kiss him, to sleep in bed with him every night; to be able to eat dinner as a family; to be able to plan activities together; to have normal conversations that can last more than 5 min... every single day?!  It sounds unreal, almost too good to be true.  I've been having a hard time sleeping lately - this happens to be a lot when I'm stressed out.  But, instead of being stressed out, I'm laying awake thinking of all the great things we can do with our new found time together.  Yes, I really want this to happen.  

If it happens, I might be forced to blog less, because instead of spending my nights alone in front of the computer, I'll be spending them with my husband!!  And, I'm ok with that.  

Cross your fingers people, cross them tight.

Go ahead and cross your toes too, I could use it all!


PS. Since I'm finishing up the Rex Goliath wine tonight - I thought I'd update on the turkey situation.  Last time I saw the turkey was when Jon threw Liam's soccer ball at him, then chased him around the yard with a stick.  That was about 48 hours ago.  Liam said he saw Mr. Lurkey this morning, but I never did.  I put the bird food back out this afternoon and still haven't seen any signs of the turkey.  I'm tentatively saying that our turkey troubles are behind us.  At least, our live turkey troubles - one of these Thanksgivings I'm going to have to make a turkey, and that is going to create a whole other load of trouble.

Rex Goliath Chardonnay

Description on the bottle:  At the turn of the century, HRM (His Royal Majesty) Rex Goliath was a treasured circus attraction.  Weighing in at 47 lbs, Rex was billed as the "World's Largest Rooster."  Our wines are a tribute to Rex's larger than life personality with big-fruit-forward flavors sure to please.  

Our Chardonnay is like enjoying a day at a tropical beach - bright and sunny, with aromas of pineapple and citrus.

Sarah says:  I was pretty unsure about this wine during my first few sips.  I said out loud that I didn't like it (my actual words were "I like this wine about as much as I like the turkey" - more on that in a minute).  But, by my 4th or 5th sips - it was going down a lot easier.  My change of heart is similar to the description on the bottle.  I find it really odd that they went from talking about a circus rooster, to being at the beach!  But, maybe it was intentional - the first few sips were boring and bland, but then it gets sunny and exciting!  I like it.  It's fruity and sweet, but not too sweet, and goes down easily.  My biggest deciding factor is weather or not I can swallow without making a face - and this one I can!

Overall rating:  My thumbs would hold this glass again.

Sarah says:  Ok, to be honest, I bought this wine solely for the picture on the front.  It's a rooster, we're having a turkey problem.... I think the two birds are close enough relatives that I can talk about the turkey.  This all started Saturday morning.  I would like to point out it's late Thursday night (yes, 10:30 is late for me!), so we've been dealing with this for 6 full days.  In short, there is a turkey in our yard, and he's beginning to get on my last nerve.

I first saw him early Saturday in my neighbor's yard.  "That's weird," I thought, but continued on my normal Saturday activities (laundry, cleaning, making breakfast, entertaining kids, getting ready for swim lessons - all at the same time).  About 30 min later, I noticed this turkey in OUR yard... and he's pretty much been here since.  It was fun for a few days, the kids named him Turkey Lurkey, we talked a lot about birds and farm animals.  Then it got annoying, I can't let the kids run around outside because I'm not sure what this wild turkey would do if two little people start to charge it.  I'm guessing it would run away, but you never know - what if he attacks them?!  So, we've been cooped up inside.  I've removed the bird feeders and the bird bath, so he wouldn't have food or water here anymore.  I've chased him off with a bat.  Jon has chased him off with a stick and a soccer ball.  He just keeps coming back!!!  Animal control has the worst hours, and of course, our turkey here is a smartie - he disappears during animal control hours, then reappears in the mornings and evenings.  I'm so annoyed.  I live in a City (on a main road!), not a farm.  I don't really want/need a wild turkey living in my yard.  I felt slightly bad after chasing him around the other day, he was obviously terrified.  But if we are so scary, why does he keep coming back to this scary place?!

I could use some suggestions on how to handle this.  Jon has a clever idea to use Oscar's old cage, put a bunch of bird food in it, rig the door with some string, so when he enters we pull the door closed.  I'm not sure about this plan for a few reasons.  1) It's work, getting the cage set up and rigged with the string, we are self declared "lazy people," the whole thing is never gonna happen.  2) Turkey will have to duck his head to enter the cage - will he do that?  He's a lot bigger than Oscar was.  3)  How do we keep all the other birds and animals that live in our yard out of it?  4) Once he's in the cage, then what?  The cage isn't exactly easy to move around, we can't easily take it somewhere.  I was thinking once we catch him (which we probably won't do), we then wait until animal control is open and have them take care of it from there, but at least that way he can't disappear during open hours.

But basically this whole thing is just annoying.  The police told me they won't do anything, they'll just wait for him to go back to his natural habitat.  I have a few issues with this too.  1) We live in the middle of a big city, where is his natural habitat?!  2) It's been 6 days, he's not going anywhere!!!

Grr... Seriously, the strangest things happen to me.  Who has ever heard of a city girl having a turkey problem before?  On the upside, the kids think it's fascinating!  And, the more wine I drink, the funnier it gets.  Maybe I'll go get a refill!

Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon Part II

That bottle is a lot more empty now than it was in this pic!

Sarah says:  Yup, I still like it!

The majority of the time, I'm drinking wine because I want to learn more about what makes wine so popular.  My goal is to try as many different brands and flavors to determine what I really like and don't like.  I also want to figure out what it means when someone says a wine has hints of oak (I've never thought wine tasted like a tree!).  I want to eventually be able to talk about wine with some sort of knowledge and confidence, and even possibly be able to recommend a good wine, gasp!  But I probably need to drink more expensive wine for that day to happen.

That's my reason for the majority of the time.  The other time, I just need a drink.  Today is one of those days.  It was just a stress filled day.  Nothing outrageous happened, it's just that no one in our family was in a good mood today, and it's taken a toll on me.  

For two days the kids have been cooped up in the house, yesterday because of the rain, and today because of the turkey (more on that tomorrow!), so they were crabby.  They were whining, fighting with each other, not agreeing on anything, and not listening to me or Jon.  Nothing gets my blood boiling like my 5 year old ignoring me!  He knows how to listen and follow rules, and it makes me crazy when he just doesn't.  I can forgive a moment here and there, but for two days straight they both have been acting out, and it is getting to me. 

I haven't gone running in about a week.  I have no good reason.  It's a combination of our schedules not really working out, the weather not being the greatest, me being slightly more tired than normal, and let's be honest, me just not making it a priority.  I know that it gives me the time I need to clear my head and let go of my frustrations, yet I didn't push myself to get out there, so I'm cranky because of it.

I'm stressing about the future.  Trying to guess what might or might not happen in the next few months is impossible, and it's making me crazy.  I'm a planner, I like to know what is going to happen.  I thought we had a plan, but now we are starting to look at other places to live again, and thus different schools.  I'm so nervous that I'm going to make the wrong decision about my kids schooling and end up regretting it forever.  Buying our house was such a giant mistake, and we are getting this one time chance to get out of it.  I'm terrified of making a giant mistake again, but we won't have the ability to change it again.  What if I choose wrong?  We've wasted so much money already, we don't have much more to waste.  What if we run out?

Jon and I have been tense towards each other.  We are seriously such opposites, sometimes we make it work so well and find that lovely balance, but other times we just can't stand each other.  Now is one of those other times.  Don't get me wrong, I love him.  A lot.  But sometimes we just hate each other too.

I've been having some issues with my car, I've had to change the blinker light-bulb 3 times in the past 3 months.  The 3rd time around I started getting suspicious that it was more than just a bad light-bulb.  5 hours and $450 later today, I finally have it working again.  That was not a part of my plan for the day!

It's the combination of all these little things that have added up and made me one big stress ball grouch.  So, tonight I'm not drinking to analyze what I do or do not like about a wine.  I'm not drinking to open up my creative side, so I can write some witty blog.  Tonight I'm drinking to relax, to forget, to de-stress.  Is it healthy, probably not.  But sometimes it's necessary.

I almost bought 2 pairs of shoes, but I stopped myself.  So, for now, I'm on my second glass of wine.  I have my alarm set for tomorrow morning, I have the coffee already in the brewer, and the running gear all set out.  I'm getting out there tomorrow.  Any other suggestions to take the edge off?

Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon

Description on the bottle: Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon is a jammy wine with robust flavors of wild berries and currants.  Hints of toasted oak and clove enhance the velvety smooth finish.  Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon is perfect with beef, lamp, red sauce pastas and sharp cheeses.  Outstanding!

Sarah says:  I like it!  I got brave and went with a red wine again tonight.  I figured if I just keep trying, I'll eventually like it.  It's like kids, they say you have to give you kid a food 10 times before they'll like it.  I've given them peas at least than many, they still won't touch it.  But, in this case, it worked for me!  I like this red wine.  It's easy to drink, it doesn't leave me with that dry taste that red wine of leaves in my mouth.  It's taste is pleasant and comfortable.  I'd definitely drink this again!  I'd also like to add, that I ate some spaghetti first, so I met it's red sauce pasta recommendations.  That's a first.  I also read this article that states that the best time to write is after three drinks.  Apparently, you are supposed to be able to focus more.  So, I'm finishing up my third glass as I type this, maybe that's helping too.  I don't care, I like it!  One more note, I really enjoy how on the back of the bottle it lists all of it's information as "Footnotes".  Maybe it's the accountant in me, but that is just awesome.

Overall rating:  Thumbs UP!

Sarah says:  Is there anything better than being barefoot?  I love it.  I only put on shoes and socks to leave my house. In the summer, I don't bother with socks at all.  If I'm at home, 99% of the times I'm barefoot.  Occasionally in the winter, on particularly cold days, I'll throw on some slippers, but it's pretty rare.  Putting on socks is absolutely the very last thing I do before leaving the house, and taking them off is the very first thing I do when I walk in the door (ok, hugging my kids is the first, then I take off my socks).  They are especially uncomfortable at the end of the day, when my feet are a little more swollen, and my socks might even be slightly damp, they've got to go.  I don't think I was always a barefoot freak, I think it started when I began working and started wearing trouser socks, they leaving indents in my calf's that are unflattering and uncomfortable.  Therefore, the socks gotta go.  Wow, as I type this, I realize how unsexy of a topic this is, talking about sweaty feet and trouser socks.

Moving on, I think there is more to be said about being barefoot that just comfort though.  Being able to go outside barefoot is a sign of summer.  One we've had a few glimpses of lately, and it's been wonderful.  It feels like a freedom, and a privilege.  Every now and then I go get the mail totally barefoot, and it's oddly exhilarating.  Some days it's too cold, some days it's raining, some days there are too many people around and I don't want them to look at me weird.  Those rare days that I can make it down the driveway and back without slipping on my Crocs, it's the greatest.  Maybe I'm crazy, but of all the ways to be, being barefoot is my favorite.

Maybe I like this wine simply because of it's name.  Hmmm.... maybe I'll have another glass!