Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio

Description on the bottle:  As you uncork this bottle of our Pinot Grigio, we invite you to enjoy the aromas of ripe apples and lingering hints of pear in this Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio.

Sarah says:  Yummy yum yummo!  This is freaking delicious.  I might go as far as saying I have a new favorite wine!  I've mentioned plenty of times before that I prefer white wine over red, so I'm no stranger to Pinot Grigio.  But I've never had this particular winery before tonight and I'm absolutely loving it!  I had intended to drink one glass (to ease the night before school jitters), but I'm headed into glass 3.  It's everything I love about a wine, tastes delicious, fruity, sweet but not to sweet, leaves a clean taste in my mouth, not a dry one, and is easy to drink.   After some of the wine experimenting I've done lately, I really needed a good familiar wine, and this is exceeding all my expectations.  I will definitely purchase this again, and I will probably put in on my "get this wine when we have company" list.

Overall rating:  2 Thumbs Up!

Sarah says:  I can't believe it's September!  While the leaves aren't officially changing to fall colors yet, one of Liam's new friends declared today that it's fall now.  Summer is over, and his family celebrates the beginning of fall by eating caramel apples the night before school starts.  (Thanks kid, now I really want a caramel apple!)  But the reality is, things are changing.  Liam, my sweet baby boy, is no longer a baby.  He starts Kindergarten tomorrow!  KINDERGARTEN!!!!  What?!   How did that even happen.  I apologize in advance to anyone who sees me tomorrow, or at all this week for that matter, the probability of me randomly bursting into tears is high.

That kid is going to Kindergarten?!

What it is about Kindergarten?  He's been in pre-school for 2 years, and daycare before that, so it's not like being away from home is going to be a change for him.  Kindergarten just sounds so... mature.  It's real school.  Less playtime, more learning.  Mingling with the bigger kids.  Being in a class of 21 - instead of 16.  Calling your teachers Mrs. SoAndSo instead of Miss FirstName.  Taking your lunch instead of having it provided, which means having to be able to open all of the packages that were packed.  But for me, the ultimate terror, is riding the bus.  Liam will be a buser (I don't think that's actually a word, but when I was in school that's what we called them.  There were the walkers and the busers).  You expect me to put my 5 year old on a bus, full of kids that range in age from 5-10, without me?!  Ahhhh!!!  I might lose my mind.  Yes, I will probably be the parent that follows the bus on the first day to make sure Liam gets there safely.  I'm assuming like everything else, it will just take some time to get used to - I hope that happens sooner, rather than later.  I'm not sure how long I can take this going crazy feeling. 

We've done everything we're supposed to do before starting school.  Talked about the school, went to the open house, met the teacher, saw the key rooms - the classroom, the cafeteria, the gym, the music room, the library, and of course, the playground.  Practiced eating lunch, talked about making new friends, talked about the change in routine, talked about asking for help, picked out the first day of school outfit, practiced counting, practiced writing his name, etc etc.  And yet, I feel that he is totally unprepared.  Maybe I want him to be my baby just a little longer, but I don't want him to go!!  I'm so terrified that he's not going to fit in, or it's going to be too much change too fast, or he won't make new friends, or he won't learn fast enough, or be too shy to ask for help at lunch time if he can't get his juice box open, and he's going to die of dehydration!  Ok, maybe that is taking it a bit too far, but still, I'm worried.  I was really hoping we'd get a chance to meet a few people before starting school, but everyone we've met is in a different grade.  I feel like Liam is going to be completely alone and baffled at this new school.  

I'm jealous of Jon, he gets to go to Kindergarten the first day for the first 1 1/2 hours with him.  I so want to be there!! But, new job, have to be responsible.  Plus, Jon is available, there is really no need to have both of us there.  But, I've stressed to Jon, that he needs to make an effort to meet some parents during that time so we can make some friends.  I hope it goes well for them!  Since tomorrow is a half day, I'm going to meet them for lunch - I can't wait to hear all about it!  

On a great note - I might have happened to meet a particular important someone at our pool today who happens to live in the same apartment complex.  The principal!  I take comfort in knowing that the principal now knows who Liam is and where he lives.  Sure, she met me with hair that was soaking wet, in a bathing suit, with no make up on - but it's the day before Kindergarten starts - the principal wasn't spending it freaking out - she was spending it swimming with her curly haired, two year old daughter.  Love it and love her.

Ok... it's just like I keep telling Liam, take a deep breath, speak clearly and calmly, it's going to be a great day.

OH MY GOD!  No it's not - my baby is going to school!!!  I need more wine to get me through this. 

Good Girl Part II

Sarah says:

Yup, I’m drinking this again. When you are only drinking 4 oz at a time, it takes awhile to get through a whole bottle!  It's still yummy yum, and it's a wonderful way to end the day, especially a Monday, especially a 90 degree day, especially after an exhausting weekend.

So, I am a little obsessed with looking at the stats of this blog.  I now have over 1,300 page views.  That’s exciting, right?!  Considering we’ve only had the blog for 70 or so days – I’m pretty proud.  We have viewers in 10 different countries (US, Russia, Germany, Malaysia, Canada, UK, Korea, Philippines, Argentina & Australia) – thanks everyone!!  I also enjoy seeing how people are getting to the site – a lot are through facebook (no surprise there), and a number are getting to it through Google.  Most of the google searches are for specific wines, but a few are just hilarious. 

One of the Google searches that stumbled on our site was “sexy lady with pink moscato” – I wonder if someone saw me buying the wine and is trying to find me?  J  My favorite google search is for “nylons”.  Seriously google, I may have typed the word nylons once in all the words that I’ve typed.  I’d be pretty disappointed if I googled nylons and ended up at a blog about wine and life – but oh well, it still got traffic to the site, so I’m ok with it!

I wish Jon and I could do more blogging together like we originally intended, but it seems to make more sense for me to do it on nights that he isn’t around.  Plus, we have a difference of blogging opinion – Jon wants to just write about the wine, I think we need to add a little more excitement – just writing if we like or don’t like a wine can get pretty boring pretty fast. 

What do you prefer?  Should we keep it short and sweet?  Or should I keep up the extra stories?  Thanks again everyone for reading – hope we're not boring you!

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!

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

 

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!

Gallo Pinot Grigio Part II

As previously discussed, I really love these small bottles of wine.  Perfect for the mommy drinking alone.  Wow – that sounded horrible.  I hope you guys aren’t starting to think I’m an alcoholic.  I’m really not. 

I realize that it would probably be cheaper to buy a whole big bottle, but I’ve already discussed how I don’t like opening a whole bottle for just me.  But, buy one of these nifty little bottles in a 4 pack, and suddenly it’s the perfect size, and economical!  It’s cheaper to buy the pack than it is to buy them individually.

Ahh… money.  The cause of hundreds of marriage fights and probably divorces a year.  I’ve heard over and over that money is one of those top 3 things that couples fight over.  And Jon and I are no exception (although I’m not sure if it’s in the top 3, but probably top 5).

I’m an accountant, I create a budget and expect it to be followed.  I have a spreadsheet that’s linked to a spreadsheet that’s linked to a spreadsheet that will tell us exactly what we can and cannot afford.  I check our bank account activity every single day.  I balance our books to the penny.  Lord help him, if Jon buys something that I didn’t know about, I call him and expect an immediate recap of what it was, why, was it on sale, etc. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s my nature, I can’t help it.  I try not to care, but eventually I just go nuts, I NEED to know these things.  I like to save, and save, and save some more.

Jon is not an accountant.  He spends money as soon as he gets it.  He shoves bills into his pockets in no particular order, or shape.  He has lost cash.  At the end of the day he has often said, “what happened to all of my money?”  He likes to “blow” an unexpected payday.  All that stuff, drives me crazy.  It’s actually amazing that we have survived without me losing my mind over his spending habits.

So, how do we make it work?  I force him to look at my budgets.  He might be bored and not understand 100% of how I got to the numbers that are there, but at least when I say “that’s not in the budget”, he gets it.  He realizes I’m not just saying it to say it.  We talk about any and all purchases before hand.  It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive things like a camera or Christmas presents, or if it’s a new pair of shoes, or if it’s a tube to toothpaste.  We talk about it.  And I’m pretty sure Jon has come to expect my crazy “what did you buy!?” phone calls and is prepared with an answer.  I think he understands that he married a crazy numbers girl, that’s what he gets.  We each have some of our own money that we can blow without judgment on whatever we want.  Well, I try not to judge, and I don’t always do a great job at that part, but at the end of the day, Jon can still do whatever he wanted with it.

Understanding our different money approaches, and not trying to change each other has been especially positive for us.  Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I also think that Jon realizes I make good money decisions and lets me be in charge a bit.  Letting someone else in control of a part of your life is very difficult, but it’s also freeing if it makes your life easier. 

The communication part is the big key.  We don’t always agree right away on purchases, especially those that aren’t in my budget, but we can usually find some middle ground.  If it’s too challenging, trying drinking a glass of wine first.  That usually helps things go a little smoother.

We're currently working on correcting the biggest money decision we ever made, buying our house.  Moving, especially since this will be the first move with kids, will probably be stressful.  With a move, usually comes spending money, and buying new things.  I'm sure we'll disagree on some things, but we're ready.  Talking money doesn't scare us. 

Naked Grape Pinot Grigio

Description on the bottle: Light bodied and crisp with aromas of pear, lemon, and honey.

Sarah says: Naked Grape is a good name for this wine.  It's grapey.  It's drinkable.  Not too sweet, not too bland.  It's a little bitter going down, but leaves a pleasant flavor in my mouth.  It's nothing special though, just normal white wine.  I don't mind it, but don't love it.

jon says: if this wine was a movie i would have fallen asleep. thank goodness we were watching "ferris bueller's day off", one of the few things that came out of the 80's worth a darn, i mean aside from us :) so i think that this wine's name is the best description of what is in the bottle. i feel like some wines have a lot more going one then just smashed up grapes and this was simply that nothing added. this is a safe wine and completely unremarkable.

Overall rating: Horizontal thumbs.

Sarah says:  I hate being naked.  Ok, I’ll just say it.  I have a negative body image of myself.  There, it’s out there.  No turning back now.  Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure that I am not alone here.  Society today has ruined our minds into thinking stick thin is normal.  I know that this isn’t true – but I can’t seem to get it right in my head.  I’m working on it though.  I’m slowly weeding the word “skinny” out of my vocabulary, and inputting “healthy” instead.  I struggle, when someone tells me I look skinny, I’m super happy at first, then comes the guilty.  (By the way, don’t tell me I look skinny, just tell me I look good)

Years ago, (either late elementary school or early middle school) I realized I hated my body and I declared myself to be fat.  I honestly cannot remember a time where I was comfortable in my own skin.  Throughout middle and high school I secretly bounced back and forth between crash dieting and binge eating.  I was probably around 5-10 pounds overweight in high school (which doesn’t sound so bad, but being 10 pounds overweight in high school is a death sentence!)  Not only was I a nerd, but I was slightly chunky too.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to embrace my nerd-ness; so I got good grades, that doesn’t make me a nerd, it makes me smart!  But I’ve never gotten comfortable with my weight. 

In college, I gained the freshman 5 (or 15 depending on who you are talking to), and probably a few more during sophomore and junior years of college.  Now I was just plain old overweight, and hating myself.  Jon must have still liked me because he proposed.  I had still been attempting to diet and lose weight, but never had any success.  I was not going to be fat on my wedding day, so I enlisted the help of a personal trainer.  This was both the best and worst experience of my life.  With Jeremy’s help, I learned how to count calories and really work out.  He pushed me, hard, and wouldn’t let me stop when I complained.  I lost weight, and it was awesome.  That part was good, the obsessive nature it created in me, probably not so good.  I became obsessed with seeing how low I could push the calorie mark, or how long I could work out for.  I know there were weeks at a time that I was eating no more than 900 calories a day, and working out at least 2 hours a day.  I also remember spending days eating basically toast and distilled water – so that there was no sodium in my body at all, because sodium causes you to bloat.  (I’m not proud of these things, I’m just explaining how crazy it got).  That was before a real job and kids, so it was easy to do these things.

I looked fantastic at my wedding.  Everyone told me how great I looked, and I loved it.  Unfortunately, I managed to gain a bunch of weight back within the first year of marriage.  Then I got pregnant, and boy oh boy, did I take advantage of that.  I ate and ate and sat around.  And I gained a ton of weight.  I’ve never said the number out loud (and I won’t be typing it either), but let’s just say it was A LOT.  Jon looked at the scale at the doctor’s office during my last visit before labor and said “Holy crap!”  Yeah, it was that bad.  After Liam was born, I attempted my no calorie, lots of working out plan, but, it doesn’t really work when you are nursing and have no energy to care for a newborn, let alone workout.  So, I stayed fat.  Then got pregnant again, and thus gained weight again.

It wasn’t until Mary was about 1 that I decided to try losing weight again.  This time I was smart about it.  I knew I couldn’t commit to a trainer, or stop eating, or work out all day, but I took some of the good things I learned and put it in place in my life as a working Mom.  I successfully lost weight and have kept it off for 2 years.  Go me!  Unfortunately, I still have body image issues.  Loads of people tell me how great I look, but they don’t see me naked.  There are parts of my body that still need so much work.  There are areas that I’m pretty sure won’t be the same again without some sort of miracle, or plastic surgery.  I’ve pondered a tummy tuck – but at this point I’d rather spend my money on a vacation with my husband.

I still don’t like my body, but here’s what I have figured out.  I’ve figured out that I love food, and giving it up isn’t realistic for me, I end up going food crazy later.  I’ve figured out that I need to work out several times a week (for 30 min at a time, not 2 hours), not only to maintain a healthy weight, but a healthy attitude too.  I’ve figured out that it’s my opinion that matters the most, not others.  I go through phases of being more relaxed and other times when I’m very strict.  Lately, I’ve been working out more than normal, maybe it’s because I know I’ll be spending time on Memorial Day in a bathing suit, maybe it’s because I know with the warmer weather I’ll be showing more skin, or maybe I’m just going through an energy spurt.  I’m not worried about it because I know how to manage it so it doesn’t get out of control like before, in a few weeks I’ll take a break and be “normal” again.   

I also do my best not to influence my kids with my body issues.  Liam eats… a ton!  I have found myself worrying, and even saying to him, that he needs to slow down so he doesn’t get fat.  I’m working on avoiding such negative comments.  I’ve also found myself forcing them to clean their plates, now I tell them it’s ok to be full and not finish sometimes.  Our appetites feel different on different days.  I encourage them to be active with me, but don’t force them to work out.  I offer them fruits and veggies, but let them make their own decisions (broccoli or carrots?) 

I don’t hope for much more for me (ok, maybe I’d like to lose 5 pounds more).  I’ve reached a good point.  I’m not really comfortable with my body, but I know that I’m healthy.  I hope more for the younger generations, that they won’t deal with the stress of thinking that being thin will make them fit in, or be cool. I hope that girls won’t think it’s more important to be skinny, than it is to be healthy.  I hope that one day we won't say phrases like "You look great, you're so skinny!" or "Omg, did you see how much weight she's gained?".  I hope to Mary's generation that the number on the scale won’t mean anything.  As an accountant, I think I have the right to say, it’s just a number… there are lots of them, and they are all cool! 


jon says: i love it when you are naked!

Gallo Pink Moscato

Sarah says:

This wine is pretty similar to the JW Morris Moscato we previously drank, but it has one major difference, this one is PINK!  That alone makes it a winner in my book, I've always enjoyed pink wine.  This is definitely still very sweet and would be classified as a dessert wine, but it's a bit more drinkable.  I like it, but don't love it.  I think I can easily handle one glass of it, but wouldn't want to do anymore.  

Overall rating:  Thumbs halfway up

Ahh.. pink.  I love pink.  It became my favorite color probably 10 years or so ago (prior to that it was always purple!).  I have pink shoes, pink purses, pink clothes, pink was even one of my wedding colors!  I guess that makes me girly.  I did something girly today that I haven't done in probably 7 years - I wore a skirt to work!!  Gasp!  Prior to PM, I worked as a teller at a bank, and I actually wore a skirt all the time there.  I've always really enjoyed dressing up.  But, when I started at PM, one of the first things I noticed was that no one wore skirts, ever.  I would wear them occasionally my first few months because I had them in the closet, but I always felt weird about it, wearing a skirt made you stand out.  I've never had the desire to stand out, so I quickly stashed the skirts away and embraced the pants only wardrobe (except in the summer on the weekends, I still wear summery skirts on my free time!).  Pants quickly became normal to me, and I haven't really thought about it much sense.  

But, last year, PM changed their dress code, ladies could now wear skirts without nylons!!  GASP!  Not only that, but we could wear open toed shoes!!!  In the conservative accounting world, these are bold moves.  From what I could tell, not too many people made many changes last year.  But this year, this year is different!  I've seen open toed shoes all spring!  And skirts, I've seen skirts!  I'm beyond excited about this, wearing a skirt makes me feel so much more feminine and sexy (not sure if it's important to feel sexy at work, but hey, if it increases productivity, I say go for it!).  Since I'm not one to be left behind, today I dug out a skirt, skipped the nylons, and wore open toed shoes (hey, if you're going to do it, might as well go all out!).  It was awesome.  I'm so excited to see if I have any old clothes stashed away that I can wear again, OR, I may just have to go shopping!  I'm always looking at magazines, and when I get to those articles where they give you fashion advice on how to turn one outfit into 5, or how to turn a daytime outfit into a nighttime one, I usually just sigh and think that I can't wear stuff like that to work.  Not anymore!  Time to start wearing girly things to work again.  Yay!

What type of clothing do you wish you could wear again?

FYI - in case anyone is wondering, the flowers in the background of the picture are my Mother's Day present from Mary.  It's a card board box, with fake dollar store flowers in it.  Love her!

Cheap White Wine

Description on the bottle:  The most important thing about a bottle of wine is that you enjoy it, regardless of its vintage or style.  This is the simple and straightforward principle that guides us in our wine-making.  Our white table wine is a premium blend of varietal grapes.  It is an honest, well-made wine.  We recommend it as an excellent everyday wine...that can also rise to the occasion.

Sarah says:  We got this bottle on clearance (as you can probably tell from the stickers) and just thought it sounded like fun.  The description also intrigued me, the most important thing SHOULD be if you enjoy it!  I was immediately thrown off by the color though, it's sort of greenish.  My first few sips didn't go so well either, but after I ate some dinner it was better.  I think this is a "drink with a meal" sort of wine.  It definitely grows on you, but overall, I think it is was it's labeled to be, cheap.

jon says: irony is to blame for this particular wine purchase. the very day my beautiful wife ran off to chicago we happened across this bottle while we were waiting for her ride to arrive. this was actually the second bottle we picked up that day. and the only reason we picked it up was irony. it was sitting in the clearance basket the label was slightly torn and the name was perfect, we couldn't help it. but when we first poured it into our ridiculously colorful glasses it had a greenish hue to it and sarah and i both looked at it and went, "oh"... then we tasted it and absolutely nothing special. so we figured that maybe it would taste better with our dinner and so we tried that out and i felt that it was much better with our delicious dinner that my wife put together for us but i think it was the food that made it better and not the other way around.

Overall rating:  Thumbs not quite down

There were no lifeguards on duty - so Liam took charge.

Sarah says:  Speaking of cheap things, I took the kiddos to Kensington Metro Park today.  $5 for three hours of fun is quite the deal.   I am always looking for cheap ways to entertain (ie. exhaust) the kids, so they get good memories, and I don't go broke in the process! I try to be frugal without limiting their childhood.  After today's success, I'm pondering buying the annual pass for $25, because I think we are going back!  I generally avoid taking the kids to places that are potentially dangerous unless I have Jon with me.  I like to keep the kid to adult ratio even.  But, for some reason, today I was feeling brave and went to the beach, just me at the 2 crazies.  It turned out great!  I have a few complaints 1) they don't open the bathrooms until Memorial Day.  Seriously, it's 85 degrees, the beach is PACKED with kids, and you won't open the bathrooms.  Mary openly took care of business in the lake, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that she wasn't the only one.  2) The number of Mom's in bikini's!  Yes, I'm proud of my body and like to look sexy for my husband, but we are Mom's, our bikini days are behind us, time to face it.  3) The number of 7 year olds in bikini's!  Every Mom I talk to complains about our kids growing up too fast, so why are we pushing them into adult swim wear?!  Let's start a movement where we encourage our kids to be innocent and protect them a little longer.  I'm pretty sure I wore a one piece well into my high school years, and Mary will be doing the same.  4) The number of people not paying any attention to their kids.  There was a little girl playing with Liam, they were equally splashing and having a great time.  At one point this little girl complained to her Mom that my kid was splashing her, and this lady had the nerve to yell at Liam to stop splashing.  Um, no.  Don't worry Liam, I've got your back.  I'm the one that has been watching them the past 20 min to make sure they don't drown, while you ignored your daughter so you could gossip.  I glanced over at you probably 50 times and never once saw you looking towards the water.  They were both splashing, they were both having a good time, why she suddenly complained is beyond me (maybe to get some attention from her Mommy?) but my son didn't do anything wrong, and I will not have you speaking down to him like that.  Grrrrr....

Digging Mary

Anyways - enough of that.  It was actually an amazing day at the beach!  The weather was perfect.  The water wasn't as freezing as I thought it should be.  My kids are finally old enough that I don't have to walk 1 step behind them the entire time in case they fall.  I was able to sit about 3 feet away, and watch them play.  I'm not ready yet to read a book, or engage in a conversation, or do anything that will take my eyes off them, but it was nice to be able to sit.  I built a moat with them, we searched for rocks and shells, we made friends with the little boys playing near by who brought some cool trucks, and I let them just enjoy the water.  It's amazing how entertaining 1 bucket, 1 shovel, and endless sand and water can be to a 3 and 5 year old!  It was a nice, inexpensive, way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  We survived the lack of bathrooms, and got home tired and without sunburns (well, except for the top of my feet - I'm not sure how many times I need to burn the top of my feet before I start remembering to put sunscreen there, but apparently I haven't hit that number yet).  Previously, going to the zoo (the membership fee is totally worth it if you are going to go more than once!) was always our "something to do when there is nothing to do", but I think this year it might be the beach!