St. Julian Riesling

Sarah says: 

Today is a special day.  You may remember this post where I blogged about St. Julian's Riesling.  This is the first time I've repeated a bottle.  I specifically choose this bottle to repeat because, well, it's my favorite.  Yup - you officially read it first here.  St. Julian Riesling is my favorite.  I love love love it.  I'm pondering buying a whole case next time just so I always have some on hand.

Speaking of things I love, and I probably should have included this item on this list of things I'm thankful for, is our freezer with an ice machine.  This is the first refrigerator we've had with one of these amazing little machines, and I honestly don't know how I lived without it in the past.  I drink glass upon glass upon big giant bottle of ice water everyday.  I used to pop the big cubes out and refill my ice trays daily.  I feel like I save at least 5 minutes a day now that I have the amazing freezer ice machine, and as any busy working mom wife knows, an extra 5 minutes a day is a wonderful thing.  I know that I will never be able to survive again without one of these things.

I know - you are probably thinking that I'm the lamest person ever, getting this excited about an ice maker.  You have to understand, that Jon and I don't really focus on things all that much.  We both still have flip phones, we don't have a flat screen TV, we have one really old really slow computer - no laptops or fancy ipads.  We buy used clothes and grocery shop at Aldi.  Having a fancy refrigerator just never occured to us - until now.  My world has been blown and I'm thrilled about it.

Domaine Berrien Cellars Grandma's Red

Description on the bottle: Grandma's Red is made from the same full-flavored, deep red blend of grapes as our Wolf's Prairie Red, but in a sweet style.  "What big taste your sweet red wine has, Grandma!" exclaimed Little Red Riding Hood.  "All the better to eat you with my dear," answered the Wolf (in Grandma's clothing).

Sarah says:  Wow, that is the funniest bottle description I've had so far.  Awesome.  I know we picked up this bottle on our winery trip in September, but I can't for the life of me remember the winery.  I'm assuming Jon liked this wine better than me.  Although I will drink it, it's not my favorite red wine.  It's a bit sweet, but not horribly so.  I don't have anything specific to say about it, but I did drink two glasses, so it must have been good!

Overall rating:  Thumbs half-way up, it's good but not memorable.

Sarah says:  Speaking of Grandma - we took this bottle of wine to my Mom's for Thanksgiving.  The title felt fitting.  Since it's Thanksgiving season, I thought I'd write about a few of the things I'm thankful for.  None of this is shocking, but it's nice to list it all out every once in awhile.  As Eeyore would say, having a lot to be thankful for, is in itself, something to be thankful for.

Coffee

A car that starts each day

Mittens for my hands

My MP3 player

Sunny days

Computers

Ice Cream

My husband & kids

My Mom & Dad

My whole family, on all sides

Books

Weekends

Cozy blankets

My church family

Lip balm and lotion

Education

Reliable co-workers

My microwave

Glasses

Wine

Money in my checking account

Heat and air conditioning

Havanah

Flowers

Naps

Puzzles

Peanut butter and chicken nuggets

Best friends

Laughter

Doctors

Google

Quiet dinners

Pizza dinners

Candles

Washing Machines and Dryers

Pictures

My health

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  What are you thankful for?

Rheingau Pinot Noir

Jon poured those giant glasses!

Description on the bottle: Medium-dry, full bodied Pinot Noir with ruby red color, characterized by well-balanced oak flavors, earthy and delicate tones.  A wine which matches grilled beef, pasta dishes, wild poultry and strong cheeses perfectly.

Sarah says:  I like it!  I received this bottle from a co-worker on my last day working at Plante Moran (thanks Monika!).  Back in July I wasn't sure about my red-wine abilities, so I've been saving it until I could handle it.  Apparently that time is now!  This wine is flavorful but not so overbearing that it's undrinkable.  It had a lovely combination of  rich but light tastes.  To be honest, I drank it while sneaking Twizzlers from my kids Halloween buckets, so I detected a little strawberry flavor that probably wasn't actually there.  I loved every sip.

Overall rating:  Thumbs up!

Sarah says:  Speaking of P&M - I miss it a little.  Have you ever been on a path that made so much sense, and as soon as you veered off that path, you felt like you were stumbling all over the place?  That's pretty much been my life for the past 4 months.  I spent 7.5 years working at P&M, and although it had it's ups and downs, for the most part, I loved it.  I knew what to expect there.  And, even though I spent the past 3 years at Detroit, and all the craziness that was there, I felt like I had figured out how to make it work.  At my new job, random stuff comes up everyday, and it's never the same thing twice.  I appreciate the excitement, and how fast the days go by, and I like being challenged, but I generally feel like the newbie idiot most of the time.  I look forward to finally knowing what I'm talking about again. 

Here is a copy of the green memo I wrote to say goodbye to my P&M family - I'm not dwelling, I'm just remembering!  *names have been hidden

After a whole lot of thinking and talking with my family, I have decided to leave Plante & Moran after 7 fantastic years.  I lived in Canton back in 2004 & 2005 and I have been anxious to move back ever since leaving.  I’m finally getting the opportunity to go back, as I have accepted a position within the Canton Township finance department.

I truly believe P&M is the BEST place to start an accounting career.  I am so grateful for the time I’ve had here, and wouldn’t change a thing about the experiences I’ve had.  There are so many people to thank, it’s nearly impossible to list everyone.  SO, thank you to everyone that I worked with, you all made my time here memorable, challenging, and fun. 

LP* – You were my first team partner, you took a girl scared out of college and introduced me to the world of public accounting.  You ensured I got on a variety of clients so I could really experience it all.  Thank you for the opportunities to work with you, and for making me laugh all the time.  Time spent with you was always enjoyable!

BR* – How I ended up on your team still baffles me since you and I had never met, however, I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to work with you.  The first client we worked on together was the Airport – neither of us had ever worked on this type of client.  Watching you figure it all out was an amazing learning experience for me, thank you for being patient with me as we discovered the good and the not so good ways to audit them.  Also, thanks for sticking with me through the “suck it up” years.  I appreciate the time you spent encouraging me (ie. listening to me complain), and ultimately helping me figure out where I’d be happiest.  PMGAP was your idea, and what a great idea it was!

CJ* – Thanks for letting me into the group!  You had also never met me and were really just trusting when everyone said I was worth it.  Despite my leaving now, I hope I was worth it.  You must have had some faith to put me, a newbie to the team, out at the City of Detroit.  I know Detroit has a pretty bad reputation, but I’ve honestly enjoyed my time there.  I’ve learned more there in the 3 years I spent there than I could have possibly imagined.   Thank you for that chance.

MP* – You’ve been my best P&M friend!  I’m going to miss car-pooling to training and getting all the latest gossip in the auditing world.  I appreciate you never judging me for asking all my “I know I should know the answer to this, but….” type questions.  Thanks for being such a good friend.

MF* – My one and only buddy!  I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through my first few months at P&M without all your help.  You baby stepped me through a ridiculous amount of things that probably should have been a lot easier, but things somehow end up more complicated when I’m around.  You are super smart and so level headed.  Thanks for staying calm when I’m freaking out.  Have fun at Detroit, I cannot picture a better person for the job!

JK* – Grandpa, what can I say that hasn’t already been said?  Although I was too young to work for the firm when you were a partner, I’ve felt like I’ve always been on your team.  You’ve provided me more guidance and support than anyone, words cannot express my gratitude.  I remember being 6 years old, sitting in the back seat of your car, driving along the freeway, being fascinated by that big blue building that Grandpa worked at.  I’m so glad I got the opportunity to experience the inside of that building for myself.  Thank you for introducing me to P&M and yet being supportive of my decision to leave. 

To everyone in PMGAP and the SOUT 3^rd West Impact group and – thank you everyone that taught me anything, which is pretty much everyone.  You are the greatest, friendliest, smartest group of people.  I’m grateful for the time I’ve spent with everyone.

My last day with the firm is July 18. 

Sniff, sniff - oh the memories!  One day I'll be able to post similar things to my Canton co-workers, right?

Wild Turkey American Honey

Description on the bottle:  The makers of Wild Turkey Bourbon present American Honey.  A true bourbon based liqueur made with real American Honey for an exceptionally smooth sweet taste.

Sarah says:  *Sputter, gasp, cough...* No, this isn't wine. *Cough*  It's whiskey.  *Head shutter*  As I've discussed here and probably other places throughout this blog, I dislike wasting.  So, this bottle has been sitting in my home for well over a year, and there is no end in sight.  So, tonight, I wasn't in the mood to open a whole new bottle of wine, so I thought I'd take a little stab at getting this bottle out of here.  Let's just say, I'm not a whiskey drinker.  While I can appreciate the sweetness of this - it's still whiskey, which means it's awful.  There is nothing smooth about it.  I don't know how people drink this stuff without their eyes tearing up, coughing, and getting the shivers!  I don't think my one itty bitty sip made much of a dent in the bottle.

Overall rating: Thumbs down.

Sarah says:   Speaking of waste - my kids have a serious problem wasting electricity.  I cannot seem to get them to remember to turn off the lights in their rooms.  I think it's probably always been like this, but in our old house their bedrooms were upstairs, so I never really saw it.  In our new home, we are all on the same level, making it much easier for me to monitor.  Plus, if I'm standing in the kitchen, I can see the light reflecting down the hall from their rooms, making it possible to see if their lights are on or off with no effort at all.  So, I'm constantly telling them to switch them off.  I've tried explaining to them that electricity costs money, or that it hurts the environment, but that doesn't seem to impact them.  So, the past 3 weeks, I filled up a jar with quarters - see pic above - and told them there was enough money in there to go out to ice cream in one week, but every time I had to remind them to turn off their lights I'd take a quarter out.  At the end of the week we'd see how much we had left, if they turned off their lights on their own, we'd have enough to go out to ice cream.  We have not yet been able to go out for ice cream (which is disappointing since I've really been wanting some ice cream!).  I've pondered making them a chart that they get a mark on every time they do remember to turn off the light, and after so many marks they get a prize - but so often they exit their rooms without me seeing it, I'm afraid I'd miss them actually turning off the lights and they would never get the marks.

What can I do to get these kids to turn off their lights?!  I figured if I reminded them enough times it would eventually sink in, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  I'm so so frustrated - any suggestions? 

Sleeping Bear It's 5 o'clock Somewhere

Description on the bottle:  This easy drinking red is the perfect starter for a night out.  It goes well with tomato dishes as well as a romantic evening!

Sarah says:  Easy drinking red is a pretty accurate statement.  I like both the flavor of this wine, and the name!  We purchased this around 11 on Sunday morning of our winery trip - It's 5 o'clock Somewhere made it feel ok.  I wasn't that impressed by the winery itself - the employees weren't all the helpful - but the wine was delicious, and that's really all that matters!

Jon says:  (ok, Sarah says:  Jon and I enjoyed a glass of this wine together last night, but he's not here tonight to type up his thoughts with me.  He basically said:  "It's not bad!"  To which I responded "Of course it's not bad, we only bought the ones we liked!"

Sarah says:  Oh how I wish I was sleeping like a bear right now.  But I won't be going to sleep for awhile... I'm curious who is winning the election!  That's right - tonight is the presidential election.  Here's the thing (and I know some of you are going to get all mad at me right now), but I don't vote.  I never have.  I know, I know... it's my right, blah, blah, blah... I've heard it all... I'm a horrible person.  I just don't have the time or interest in listening to politics, I find it boring and annoying.  So, I bury my head in the sand and ignore it.  I also don't complain about it!  I have a hard time seeing how decisions a bunch of people in politics make effects my life - I tend to believe my life is the way it is because of my own personal decisions.  But, just because I don't vote - doesn't mean I'm not curious who the president will be for the next 4 years.  I'm neutral either way - I just like to know which name to tell my kids when they ask who the president is. 

Who is going to be the president?  It'll probably be several more hours before I have that answer - what shall I do to pass the time?  Drink more wine!

Weekend Red Part II

Sarah says:  I feel like I don't have any time to write anymore.  When we moved in August we finally entered the DVR world.  The first few months didn't change much for us - we DVR'ed some kids shows - it was just handy to have them available in time of need.  But it wasn't until recently that I started utilizing the DVR for myself.  I suddenly have hours of TV to watch every night.  I just can't keep up!  Although I'm more entertained now, I was probably better off before.  Since it's the weekend, I was able to catch up a little, so tonight I'm able to take a TV break.  Plus - there are four kids sleeping on my living room floor right now - making it a little hard to watch TV!

Aren't cousin sleepovers the best?!

Here's some of the things on my DVR lately; Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Ellen, and Live with Kelly and Michael.  I got into watching Ellen and Live when I was on my maternity leaves - so it's nice to be able to watch them again.  I was a bit annoyed with Kelly on her last episode though.  She had Jennifer Carpenter (Debra from Dexter) on, which was totally awesome!  Kelly's first question to her was "So, do you know that Dexter is a serial killer?"  Uhhh... clearly, Kelly doesn't watch Dexter.... but someone could have given her a little background!  Jennifer handled it gracefully and responded with something like "Well, watching him plunge a knife into a person gave me a pretty good clue".  

Jennifer also talked about how she was planning on running the upcoming NY Marathon (taping must have taken place before they cancelled it).  She's run 3 marathons, with her fastest time being 3:34!! Seriously?!  I suddenly want to go for a run.  That's fast!  All I've done lately is eat Halloween candy and sit around.  All my will power and motivation has recently disappeared.  I'm hoping to get it back before the holidays really kick in, otherwise I'll be in a world of trouble!

Anyways -Speaking of the marathon - I'm torn about how I feel about them canceling it.  As a runner, my heart goes out to the people that spent months, literally hundreds of hours, training and preparing for it.  I can't imagine preparing for all of that - only to have it cancelled just a few days before, especially for anyone who was running for the first time.  My heart also goes out to the people all along the west coast.  I feel bad for all of them!  As much as us Michiganders might complain about the weather, we really have it good here.  There are very few natural disasters that hit Michigan.  Other than seeing the pictures, I have no idea what it is possibly like to live through something that terrifying and devastating.  I understand that efforts need to be focused on re-building the city - but wouldn't the millions of dollars that the marathon brings in help that?  The news mentions the use of police officers - last year they had 1,000 police officers working the marathon.  Doesn't New York have something like 30,000 police?  Will taking 1,000 of them for 6 hours or so really impact the re-building process that much?  And the generators that were going to be used for the clocks and other electronics - it's not like they took those away from someone without power, or since canceling have put them to use somewhere else - it just doesn't seem like a valid argument.  Like I said, I really have no idea what it's like to be in the middle of that kind of destruction, but I would think bringing something positive like the marathon could be good for the city right now.

It's going to take months to get everything back to "normal", right?  So, how long is the right amount of time to wait before doing things again?