Napa Valley Lesson - Celebrate Now

Almost two years ago, Dan and I went to Napa Valley.  

No, I am not starting this story to say that we will be returning there soon. Darn, I know.  

When the trip started Dan and I decided to buy one expensive bottle of wine (and then made some wine-induced decisions to buy many many inexpensive bottles- sorry Dave).  While we were there we visited a variety of wineries.  

Some were very fancy.  

Some were more homey.  

And one was, ahem, not so fancy.  

Of course, this winery that could have been a junk yard was our absolute favorite.  The owner was there to greet us as soon as we arrived.  He sat at the picnic table with us as we sampled the wine, chatted with us, drank with us.  

So, we bought our "expensive" bottle from him.  It was a late harvest cabernet sauvignon.  I later learned that waiting to harvest those grapes is a big no-no in the wine making business (I am interested to hear what Carrie thinks).  I am now even more proud to have the bottle.

As we were leaving, the owner who was now our friend yelled to us, "Don't wait."  

I yelled back, "What?"

He yelled, "Don't wait too long to drink the wine, or else you never will.  That bottle of wine won't do you any good sitting on your shelf.  Set a date in the future to celebrate something special and drink it."  

Dan and I laughed and went on our way.  On the plane ride home we jokingly decided to drink the bottle of wine after the birth of our first child, but didn't think we could or would wait that long.  Well, we were wrong.

So, tonight we are going to ring in the new year by celebrating a new family and a not-so-new, not-so-fancy bottle of wine.  

Cheers!

A few pics from the weekend

This weekend was pretty low key.  Little Miss has a cold, so we spent the majority of Saturday in our fancy steam room.  I never would have imagined the miracle relief steam has on a baby's stopped up nose.

After reading some poems from Where the Sidewalk Ends (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE),

we met Dan's family for dinner Saturday night.  (Hi Aunt Debbie!)

Sunday morning we got up and went to visit Dan's grandpa in the nursing home.  

We have been there a few times since Ina was born and it is amazing to see the joy she brings to the residents there.  Ina has started to collect grandparents (although most of them think she is a boy?).  

Our next stop was by my grandparents' house when Kauffman had set up his new train set 

and we enjoyed another delicious Grandma June lunch.

After a dinner of frozen pizza and Dos Equis Dan and I fell asleep at 8 while watching football.  

Happy New Year's Eve!