SYMPATHY BELLY...NOT!

Well, we have entered the last trimester of our pregnancy as well as have ended our three-week childbirth preparation classes we took through St. Vincent's Hospital in Carmel (our delivery hospital).  One of the activities was for our partners to put on a back pack and load it with 30 lbs of "stuff".  "Stuff" being bags of aquarium rocks scientifically labeled blood, organs, baby, etc (I will spare you all of the gory details).  FUN!  As we were just about the last ones going through this station and noticing that NONE of the other mommies truly put their partners through what it might be like to actually have to move with an additional 30 lbs of weight strapped on their front side, I asked Jason to sit down on the floor, lay down on the floor and then try and get up.  And as many of you know, Jason is one of the most agreeable people around so he obliged me with no questions asked AND as many of you know, Jason can ham it up when necessary.  Watching him trying to get up out of a lying down position had to be one of the highlights of a very stressful couple of weeks.  Thanks, honey!  You made me smile and I needed that.  

In case you are wondering why he is wearing shorts in March, we have been enjoying 70-degree days for about a week now and it surely isn't to last long.  But we can see the light at the end of the dark and cold winter-y tunnel.  With this coming spring comes flowers and green grass and Easter and the much anticipated warmth of the sun.  It also brings a new house, a baby and new beginnings that we can't wait to share with all of you!

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' - YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

One of the appeals of heading out to California was the possibility of fitting into our trip a quick jaunt out to Yosemite National Park.  Jason has always wanted to see Half Dome and really, no trip to California would be complete without an excursion to Yosemite.  We had just less than 24 hours to get there, soak in the beauty of it all, and make it back to San Francisco (our original starting point), hopefully missing the Labor Day traffic. It was about a five hour drive (each way) but it was scenic, for the most part, and there were plenty of opportunities to stop at road-side veggie, nut, and fruit stands all along the way.  As we had already found out, the freshness of the vegetables and fruits and nuts was amazing.  I think I had the most delicious and biggest strawberries I have ever had!  I couldn't resist a quick snapshot.  (many more pics of fruits and veggies to come from our trip to San Francisco) 

Click on the picture and then zoom in for a better look!

Once at Yosemite and after our initial marvel at Half Dome we were entertained (and a little freaked out) by a huge rock slide right behind us at the outdoor cafe.  One of the Rangers said it was very infrequent to see them this time of year and he confirmed it was a big one.  It sounded as you might think it would...VERY LOUD!  It wouldn't be the first one we heard but it was the only one we actually witnessed.  I, being a pretty light sleeper, (although to me it was a sound that could wake the dead!) counted about five more rock slides through out the night. 

We took our little compact rental car up one of the trails (I can't remember the elevation but we were up there!) and got to see a great view of the park and valley.  We also got to see a mamma bear and her cubs foraging for an evening snack.  The weather was perfect and the crowds were very manageable.  

The Awanee Hotel is a landmark in the National Park system and although we couldn't get in for dinner (no jeans allowed and reservations required) we did have a nice dinner at the hotel's other restaurant and then made reservations for breakfast at the Awanee.  The lodge was absolutely gorgeous and a must-see for anyone staying at Yosemite.  We only dined there as we had reserved a framed canvas tent for the night.  This was another unforgettable part of our trip.  

Click on the picture and then zoom in for a better look!

Our stay at Yosemite was short but truly wonderful.  It was one of our better decisions deciding to leave Yosemite before Labor Day as the traffic we passed heading out was incredible.  But seeing RV and camper and boat after boat wind up the roads leading to the park was quite entertaining.  It helped distract me from constantly looking down over the rim of the perilously narrow and winding and curving roads that we were on for what seemed like hours.  Jason couldn't drive slow enough for my taste! 

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' - WINE COUNTRY - OLIVE OIL TASTING

We really wanted a different kind of experience while in wine country other than just hitting up every winery and tasting wines we either didn't care for or wouldn't be able to bring home with us.  So we decided an olive oil tasting would be perfect!  California is fast becoming a competitor for olive oil production and although many oil companies produce their products through cooperative farms and mills we found one company that grows and produces their own olive oil.  Albeit in small quantities and at a high price it was neat to be able to see olives on the tree that would soon be harvested for oil, and that it would all happen in one place.  

Our tour at Round Pond started out in the field looking at olive trees and talking about harvesting methods.  We then walked around the mill, which was surprisingly small and in an open-air setting.  Round Pond makes a Spanish Olive Oil and an Italian Olive Oil and each uses different olives in the production.  The mill process is also slightly different for each type of oil and I have to say, it was interesting to learn about.  You can see a picture of the mill below.  To see a bigger version of the collage below click and the zoom in on the desired area. 

As many of you know I have a very STRONG dislike for vinegar.  And you can imagine my reaction when I realized that our olive oil tasting would also involve a vinegar tasting.  Round Pond also produces a line of vinegars.  Which makes sense because after all, Round Pond started out as a winery and produces cabernet sauvignon and nebbiolo wines. In the photos you can see Jason and I with small blue cups in our hands.  The first step in tasting an olive oil is to warm it up in your hand for a few seconds while swirling it around.  When you take a sip it is customary to also let in some air, as you would when tasting a fine wine, and when swallowing letting the peppery notes hit the back of your throat which if the oil is of any quality should make you cough.  This took a little getting used to but was quite entertaining.  All of the people in our group were olive oil tasting virgins so we all enjoyed watching each other attempt not to cough even though it was encouraged.  The set table was so pretty and the food that accompanied our tasting was fresh and delicious.  From fruits and salads and bread and cheeses...it was definitely a meal and experience to remember.  

And oh...I did survive the vinegar tasting portion and to my surprise, actually enjoyed it.  When tasting a red wine vinegar you can pour a drop or two over a sugar cube and then suck off the vinegar/sugar layer that forms.  It truly was a shock to me that I enjoyed it and although I can't say I have changed my mind about vinegar I am proud that I gave it a try!  When in Rome!  ;)

You can order olive oil, vinegar and wine from Roundpond.com.  They also have a line of citrus syrups that were delicious, too!  (Meyer Lemon and Blood Orange).  Anything from their line of products would make a great gift for that foodie in your life. 

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' - WINE COUNTRY

We started our California Dreamin' Trip 2010 with a drive from San Francisco to wine country.  The weather was perfect and the scenery was just lovely!  

Our first tasting/tour was at Silver Oak Winery in Oakville/Napa Valley.  We enjoyed a VIP tour (arranged for us by Jason's sister, Kelly) and left with a yet-to-be opened bottle of Cabernet.  

To see a bigger, better detailed version CLICK on picture collage.  Then ZOOM in on desired spot.

Our second VIP tour (arranged for us by Kelly again!) was at Korbel.  I think we tasted nearly 10 different champagnes and some sherry!  It was a fun tour and would recommend to anyone visiting the area.  We brought home more Korbel (the stuff you can't buy in Indiana) than any other wine! 

Korbel is the only maker of "champagne" outside of France due to a semi-generic provision under the US law.  From Wikipedia: Korbel primarily manufactures sparkling wine and sells the largest volume of premium traditional Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine in the United States.

 

We received a recommendation for a restaurant that was on the coast and supposedly overlooking an area where part of the movie "The Goonies" was filmed.  The drive to River's End was a bit long but the views, once we got there, were breathtaking and just what we needed after a long day in the car.  The restaurant only took reservations but we got there right at the start of dinner service so they were able to seat us without a prior reservation.  It was a great ending to the Wine Country leg of our trip.   

The restaurant sits on a bluff overlooking the delta of the Russian River and the Pacific Ocean.

Next leg of our California Dreaming trip: Wine Country Part 2 - Olive Oil Tasting

DREAMING BIG

Many of you have heard about our recent journey through the home-buying process in this new age of mortgage lending.  The more fortunate ones have been spared the gory details!  But almost all of you who are aware that we are closing in on purchasing our dream home have asked to see pictures.  We have taken many but I will only post a few here.  Once we closed we will be sure to take a ton more "before" pictures and share those with you then.  We are hoping to close in early March so that many of the house projects that we need to complete before moving in can be started and completed before April.  We are really hoping Squiggy (aka Baby McLane) does not plan an early arrival as we need as much time to get the house prepped and ready before Squiggy's anticipated due date in June. 

About the house:  It was built in 1903, has 7 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a large family room with a fire place, a full third floor, plenty of closet space and amazing views of the wooded lot from every room (approx. 4,800 sq ft).  There are two out buildings, which we are really excited about, an attached two-car garage, which we are even more excited about, and the whole thing sits on about 3 acres.  We believe it was a very large farm at one time and was probably parceled out little by little over the years.  We had heard that the most recent owners (from the mid '80s to now) had a horse or two.  The lot is full of very mature, healthy trees and we can't wait to see what pops up in the gardens this spring.  Along with many adjustments we will be making to living in a larger, older home will be the amount of yard we will need to mow.  Anyone looking to sell a  riding lawn mower or small tractor?  

We appreciate everyone's support as this has been a long journey with a much anticipated and eagerly awaited outcome.  We hope everyone comes to visit once we get settled in.  Thank you!

What the house should like in full bloom!

22 WEEKS, OVER HALF-WAY THERE!

As many of you know we have a lot going on these days and a lot of deadlines coming due faster than we can imagine!  The biggest and most anticipated is the one to happen in June.  We are currently 22 weeks along in the pregnancy and everything is going really well.  The baby, according to a weekly email I get from babycenter.com says the baby should weigh a pound now and is the length of a spaghetti squash, about 11 inches in length.  I am glad the baby is taking on a more "real" weight now (weighing in ounces was a little too abstract for me)...it helps me feel better about all the weight I am piling on!  Although, I have no doubt that I will burn a great deal of calories making our new house a home, which is another highly anticapted event of this new year!

Thanks to you all for your support!  The comments, phone calls, emails and Facebook messages mean the world to us!

LATEST ULTRASOUND PICS

We had our third (and potentially final) ultrasound in January and were joined by the happy grandparents-to-be (for the fifth time!) Fred and Mary and my best friend, Bev.  We almost didn't make it as the roads were some of the worst we'd seen this winter but we got there with time to spare!  Here are a couple of ultrasound pictures of Baby Squiggles (the nickname for our baby).

Side view (head to left, rump to the right)

No worries of club feet at this time...yay!  Hopefully, no surgeries, braces, casts, crutches nor pain for this little one!



One of the better 4-d images.