Napa

So for the last little bit of our mini trip we drove through Napa on our way back to Sacramento. It was a lot to pack in but I am glad we did it and really want to go back to this area again... I wish I realized how close all of this was to me when I lived there... hmmm...  

 First we stopped at the Oakville Grocery for brunch- this place is a must it's right on the St Helena Highway, the food is fast and ridiculously delicious. They have picnic tables in the back next to a vineyard or you can have picnic baskets packed and take them with you.... to where ever... Plus they have a coffee bar which was very very necessary to keep our energy up!!

 I really wanted to tour a winery while we were there- but not a kitschy tourist trap kind- so on a recommendation from my aunt we went to Domaine Carneros which was seriously beautiful. And I would totally recommend. It's owned by the Taittinger's (a French wine family famous for their champagne) and is a certified organic winery specializing in sparkling wine and Pinot Noir.

 It was really neat to learn about the process of making sparkling wine. Next trip I will need recommendations for a traditional winery. The only bummer is I didn't get to bring home a wine barrel... yes I was really planning on it...

 Here's the monkey looking all cute. We found a grassy area for him to run around in before the tour.

 This picture KILLS me what is up with that face?

Micah thoroughly enjoyed the vacation. He's been a bit bummed about not having someone play with him constantly since we've been home.

Fort Bragg and Mendocino

We drug Ubers parents on a quick 3 day mini vacation out to the coast. I really wanted to get Micah to the water... not that he will remember or anything but we took a ton of pictures... I tried to narrow it down but this is a picture heavy post. 

 The first day we headed out to Fort Bragg it was a gorgeous clear warm day- totally not what we packed for it should have been cold.

 We went to two beaches the first was Glass Beach - it used to be a dump but it has been cleaned out and now there is massive quantities of super small glass pebbles. I spent at little time searching out blues and even found a red one- I could spend hours doing this, I try to get glass at every beach I go to ... it's Ubers favorite thing! If you ever get the chance this beach though small was a lot of fun.

 I loved this plant it was growing everywhere, it's vivid colors are beautiful. my dad informed me it's ice plant.

 Mum says it looks like I Photoshoped us into this picture...

 You really can't beat the beauty of Northern California's Coast

 Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this picture?? (Hint: one of these things is not like the others)

 Why didn't I climb up there? Oh that's right I was to busy looking for glass...

The following pictures are at MacKerricher's State Park where we went to play in the tide pools... because everyone knows I love to pet small defenseless animals...

 Here's Micah dipping his feet in the chilly (ridiculously cold) water... he didn't seem to mind a bit (of course he didn't try to lunge into the water like normal either)

 This is the tide in the first day we were there

 The next morning we were out at 10am for low tide Uber and I took Micah out to see what we could find

 We saw quite a few star fish but this was the only one I was fast enough to get

 Sea Anemone

 Almost got this guy he managed to get two fingers stuck at the tips...

 My favorite find was this sea urchin. It's so weird how they dry out! It's currently on the back porch ... I can't wait until it stops smelling!

 SEA SLUG! Seriously how gross is this?

 This is how Micah traveled through the tide pools

 It was only a little nerve racking...

 What's up with this face?!

 This is the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, absolutely gorgeous. You can even rent the light keepers cottage as a vacation home.

 Micah enjoyed popping all of the daisy heads off the flowers.

 Well I guess this is the only Mendocino picture we really took. It looks gorgeous (and it was) but there was dense fog so if you looked out to the headlands and ocean you could see nothing but directly across the street from the bluff was beautiful... I guess we will just have to go back again because the area is beautiful and I would love to see it on a clear day!

One more post and I will wrap up the trip... then crafting I promise!

So we were on vacation...

which would explain my absence from commenting on your blogs - I'm still not caught up!

Anyway, we took Micah on his first airplane ride and headed to Sacramento for a little over a week.

 He was a fantastic flyer. For the most part he just conked out but on our last flight back he was awake almost the whole time and just played quietly... I was SO nervous he would decide to be a screamer!
His favorite part about the plane ride was the air. If we turned it on he would stand up and shove his face in the air stream and squeal and laugh (we didn't want him being loud though so we had to turn it off) but it got the same reaction every time-weirdo!

 I know this picture is too dark... can't seem to make it any better in Photoshop oh well... but this is us over Las Vegas

 We visited LOTS of family! Cousins, second Cousins (and maybe 3rd? that's all confusing)

 This is Aunt Rhonda's  house... Micah LOVED the pool! She was visiting us and left the day Micah was born.

 Uncle George

 Great Grandpa (on Uber's side)

 Great Grandma (on my side)

 Paul who was the main reason for this trip. He had his 90th birthday while we were there. Which was so fun- he is a regular at Hometown buffet so he reserved half of the restaurant and had a ventriloquist and magician preform. I hope everyone has someone like him in their life!

Ubers Brother and niece

 Uber's parents

 We played with poppers until it was dark enough to shoot off fireworks

 This is one of my favorite pictures - This is my cousin Corrie, Sherie's daughter.

This is Ubers parents and his moms sister...

Aren't you glad I introduced you to everyone?! Anyway I will try to be back tomorrow with pictures from our mini vacation inside the vacation...

Baby M's Shower

My amazingly awesome Aunt was kind enough to throw me a shower while I was back. This is the same Aunt who was kind enough to let me use her house for Uber's and my wedding. It was a ton of fun. I just wanted to show you the lovely spread and decorations.
Raspberry Lemonade.... yum!

Do you see that elephant garland?!? Gorgeous!

Here's me with the hostess's. (From left to right my Aunt Sherie, me, Grandma, and Aunt Rhonda)

And we can't forget my cousin Corrie. She had to leave a little early but she also helped with the shower. Isn't she adorable? She is just graduated from Monterrey and in another semester will have all of her teaching credentials done! Uber's Mom and I. I am so glad she got to be at a shower. I had so much fun getting to spend time with Ubers parents!

Here's a bump picture... courtesy of my Uncle Doug.

I'll show you some of the gifts a little later!