Saturday, July 28, 2007

I crack under pressure

Okay here's a sneak peak at the wedding site... I just realized that probably only 4 people read this and they have already seen the pictures. :)


This is looking back towards the entry way, the walkway continues around to where the ceremony will take place. I'll be walking down that aisle in 10 months!!

All a flutter

This morning my mom, Heidi and I went out to the Vine Hill House. Coincidentally they were setting up for a 100 person wedding, same as ours. It got me so excited! I got butterflies in my stomach. I was so happy to have my mom and Heidi see it and walk through the area so now they have the image of what the wedding will be like.

Today was a typical beautiful summer morning... foggy when I woke up but cleared away to blue sky by the time we showed up around 10am. The landscaping around the whole area is beautiful green grass, huge oak trees and planted flowers everywhere. The view from the reception overlooks acres of vineyards and at this time of year the vineyards are all green. So it's so fresh and lush looking.

We couldn't hang around that long because the wedding party was just showing up to get things ready and they were looking at us like "Who the hell are these people?"

But I got a few good pictures in I can reference to when I start planning the set-up and table settings, etc.

Jason is ditching me tonight to go have fun with his friends at a camp site party. His friend Andy throws this weekend party every year out in the Clos du Bois vineyards up in Geyserville. Sleeping in the car, no bathrooms... not really my scene so Jason is off on his own. He had to work today so that's why he's going up tonight instead of last night. They camp out there, BBQ, Jason plays guitar, etc. I think about 30 people go... I went with Jason and Marc for a few hours last year and it was alright. Jason wants me to go but I told him he'd have much more fun without me. He won't have to hear me complain! ;) I'll have fun tonight by myself catching up on my programs! I'll just be sad that he won't be sleeping at home with me.

Friday, July 27, 2007

One step closer

One of the things I have been working on for the wedding is helping out Jason's parents find a house to rent while they are here for the wedding. Instead of staying at a hotel we all thought it would be more fun for them to have a house that we could all hang out at, BBQ and relax with family and friends. Well after a few months of research I think we've finally found our place. (YAY!) This makes me feel that one step closer to getting married and it feels great.

I'm attending three weddings in the next few months and I find myself not at all anxious to be getting to mine sooner than later. Of course I want to be married to Jason like right now... but I love the anticipation, the planning and the daydreaming so much I'm glad we have still 10 months to go. The first wedding we are attending is Joel and Audra's wedding on September 15th. They became engaged a week after us and more power to them they have planned their wedding within 3 months.

Then a week later we are attending my brother Ryan and Kela's wedding on September 23rd. They've been engaged for about a year now. This wedding I'm so looking forward to because I'll get to be with my whole family which doesn't happen to often.

Then about a month later I (and hopefully Jason, I'm not sure if he can get the time off) will be attending my aunt Roseanne and Chris' wedding in Tahoe. So wedding weddings weddings. We just found out too that a couple we know just got engaged the night before last and they are planning their wedding for next April.

From what a million, no make that billion people I have talked to about getting married they all have the same thing to say: "Enjoy being engaged, it will go by so quick you won't even realize and then it'll all be over, so enjoy everyday even the stressful times." OKAY! Thanks I've got it! If one more person tells me this I'm going to go all bridezilla on their asses.

Next step for Jason and I: Catering. As soon as Jason is all done with the painting we have to get down to business with deciding on the food for the wedding. We've already got the wine and beer taken care of, so the next most important thing is what we are going to serve. I'm going to be vague with our ideas because I don't want everyone to know. More excitement for our guests!!

Another step closer I feel towards the wedding is that I'm going to the Vine Hill House tomorrow, and I cross my fingers that my mom and Heidi will also be able to go too (they are both sick and I hope that they start feeling better). It seemed like ages ago that the Vine Hill manager suggested I come by on a morning before another wedding to see the set up and take pictures so I can start planning my decorations, etc. Now that time has come. And with that more decision making!

Jason painted the spare bedroom/office last week and it came out so beautiful. Tonight he is going to start on our bedroom and then the final painting of the trimming and he is done! I'm so proud of him, he has worked so hard and has done such a great job.

I try and take care of him while he works so hard, so I've been making him special dinners the nights he paints. Tonight I'm making Seared Albacore Tuna with a home-made pesto sauce and one of my "salads". Jason and Marc have said that it's the best salad they have ever had in their lives... I can't explain the ultra yummy salad you have to experience it for yourself and by saying that I'd be happy to make it for anyone.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Date night

Jason has been so busy working on the painting and we haven't had much time together so tonight we are going to go out to dinner! We go out a lot but we've had so many plans and social events lately we haven't done anything just the two of us in a while. I think we are going to go to Underwood in Graton... not only is it super close to our house but the food and ambiance is the best around. This restaurant is great too because it can be a totally casual experience or a romantic fancy dinner. I think we are going with the casual experience tonight... much cheaper! :)

After that I'm hopping that Jason will want to play guitar. He's so talented and I just love watching and listening to him play. I can literally print out song tabs and lyrics and he'll play it like he's been practicing for months.

Last night I went to that little market across the street from my mom's house... I so love that market! It's so clean, they bring in all local produce and I was happy to see that my total was so inexpensive! Much cheaper than Whole Foods.

Tomorrow morning I'm going to stop at the Farmer's Market here in Healdsburg. One of my customers shared the best goat cheese in the world with me that they got there. My new favorite desert of the moment is Figs with goat cheese and drizzled honey. Yum!

I don't think I've mentioned how much I love Target. I tried to stop at Walmart last night because it was right there on my way to my mom's. I saw the scariest looking people EVER. I really don't get it... I don't know where these people are from. I didn't feel safe. I couldn't shop there so I left. I figure I'll just go to Target next week.

Oh and bycicles do not = cars... it took me an extra 10 minutes to get to work because I had to "Share the Road" with a million Lance wantabes... um, that's all I'm going to say.

So here's the newly painted bathroom!! The picture doesn't do it justice but it's so beautiful, fresh and clean looking! Jason is the best!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Bad nitrogen tank

I'm back at work but I wish I could be at home finishing the painting and cleaning. I hate having the house in such disarray. Jason re-primed the upstairs bathroom last night, poor thing. It was so hot upstairs (even with our weird humid/raining weather) and because it took a while it was all he could do last night. I did have to go out and get some paint brushes for him and while I was at the store I got his favorite ice cream as a surprise, which when he found out he was so excited, I think he even jumped up and down. ;) Tonight we will paint the bathrooms and maybe do the trimming. Then on to the bedrooms... whew!

There's another reason I'd like to be at home and not here. The Nitrogen Tank. This tank is the scariest thing ever and it's back in the building I work in. (It was next door all last month after my request to have it moved it over there)

One day last summer I was alone here in my office (which is pretty typical, I may see the owner once or twice a month) when all of a sudden I heard this increasingly loud blast of air and screeching, piercing noise. I honestly though that a plane was crashing into the building. (Planes fly over our tasting room all the time) I jumped up, grabbed my purse, flew down the stairs and ran out of the building and straight to my car. I was shaking and so scared. While I was running out of the building I saw that it was one of the tanks here releasing air so I knew it wasn't something from outside. I called the owner right away to let him know that the building was going to blow up but he wouldn't answer, nor would the cellar master answer his cell phone. So I just waited out in the parking lot. Finally the owner showed up and he explained to me that it was the Nitrogen tank that went off. When it gets too warm it releases air from one of the valves so it won't explode. Well that's just friggin' great.

So because of my scare I will now always be frightened of this tank. It's scarred me for life. So this year the one tank hasn't been to bad, not too loud. But the new tank they just brought in will go off for an hour at a time (but not the screeching, piercing loud, just the air bursting). I came in today and saw that they had brought both tanks over from next door because we were moving wine out of barrels to be bottled. And to make matters worse they were placed right near my office.

Around 10:30 I started noticing that familiar sound and sure enough one of them was starting to get testy. I tried to ignore it for a while but I couldn't handle it so I had to leave. I just drove around Healdsburg for about 20 minutes and then went to the store to get lunch. When I got back it was still going but with less pressure. Finally it stopped. I know it's going to go off again maybe two more times today so I'll have to figure out something to do. Maybe I'll check out a winery I've never been to before (knowing other wineries and their wines are actually part of my job). I know I shouldn't be scared of it because it won't harm me, but because of my initial scare with it my mind thinks otherwise.

Oh, and I'm kind of a freak. While I was driving around today I was thinking about all the things going on this week. My mom and Dawson are going to be in D.C. this weekend so I have to go by and check on their cats. While thinking about all of this I became suddenly giddy because I realized while I was going to be on their side of town I'll be able to go to this little family owned market right across the street from their house. I'm kind of obsessed with going to the grocery store. I love it, especially small organic grocery stores. Every day I go to Whole Foods in Sebastopol even though it takes me a half an hour out of my way of going home. I make fresh salads every night so I want to buy all my produce daily. Plus I love cheese and I like to go and look at all the cheeses they have. Yeah, see I'm a freak!

I took this pic with my cell phone so that's why the image sucks. So that's the temperamental tank there in the middle of the picture and right behind it is the other one... that door leads into the kitchen/lab room and that large barrel in the back is near where the tasting bar is. So I can't even go near there, I walk way around on the other side of the building to get to the front.

Look at this tank... doesn't it look evil?




Okay so I just dared myself to get a little closer so here are the tanks if you are standing down with them... I probably just pissed them off by taking their picture.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Big Bird was shot and killed in our bathroom

Yesterday I had plans to go to the river with Heidi and her mom (Bonnie) for a some girls only bonding time. Fresh and energetic two days after Heidi's party, I made sangria and cut up fresh fruit to take with us.

As I'm getting ready to leave Jason is getting ready to prepare the two bathrooms to be painted.
We have been talking about painting the two bathrooms and the upstairs bedrooms for the last couple of months and we've had the color idea's in our heads but never really decided on a certain shade. But the gist went: Yellow for the bathrooms and a darkish tan/taupe for the bedrooms.
As far as I'm concerned Jason is only preparing the bathrooms to be painted, not actually painting them.

We had so much fun at the river, we were there for about 4 hours and just gossiped and chatted away. It was much needed girl time.

I get home and Jason says that he has painted the upstairs bathroom... I'm really excited because I didn't know that he was going to go so far with all the work. I run upstairs, turn the corner and then was blinded by the yellow piercing glare coming from the bathroom (the paint color Lemon Zest!). I really didn't know what to say except, "Wow... yeah, um, I think I like it but I can't really tell with the blue tape still on the walls." He was very excited and I could tell he wanted more enthusiasm from me but it wasn't what I was expecting so I was shocked a little. I told him that I'd have to see what it looked like when every thing was back in it's place and the tape was off... and then get a feel for it.

So we kept checking in on the color throughout the night, Jason started disliking it more and more as the evening went on. He wasn't sure about it when he first started painting because it was so bright and wanted to wait until I got home to get my opinion but he knew I was going to be gone for so long he just went ahead and did the whole room. He did such a fantastic job, the edges were straight and it looked very professional. But standing in that room with the door shut made us feel like we were in a Brady Bunch episode.

So today I went out and found a much more softer but bright color yellow (Morning Sunlight) and he is going to prime and tape off the bathroom for a second time after work.

So here's a picture of our lemon zested bathroom and you really can't tell by the photo but it's the brightest shade of yellow I've ever seen. I think you can get a tan in there...


Once we paint the new color I'll post a new picture so you can see the difference. I do have to emphasise that Jason worked so hard and did a beautiful job. I didn't even ask him to do this, he wanted to because he knew it would make us both happy.


Sunday, July 15, 2007

So. Much. Fun.

Here's where we partied yesterday... the pool was so awesome! We had the best time! That's pretty much all the energy I have to write now. :)


Friday, July 13, 2007

Now just one party

I spoke too soon! We don't get to go to the showcase tonight. :( But it's probably just as well, now I can go to the gym like I planned. In my fantasy world, I'm sure I'll be able to lose the 10 pounds I'm working on before tomorrow. (I'm going to have to be in a bathing suit tomorrow, Yikes!)

Maybe I can still get Jason to dance with me tonight in our living room! I told him about how I was excited to practice dancing at this event and he thought that was cute. ;)

Party, Party!

It looks like Jason and I will have the opportunity to go to another food and wine event tonight. The Sonoma Showcase of Food and Wine is having a benefit/gala at the Kendell-Jackson Wine Center featuring 6 top Sonoma County chefs paring their menus with 6 Sonoma County wineries. There will be a silent auction for our local charities, live music, dancing... and then an after party of chocolate and port pairing, cigar and spirit bar, sparkling and desert wines. Two purchased tickets may not be used so luckily this will be a comp to us otherwise we wouldn't be able to afford it!

This also gives me the chance to dress up and practice our dancing for the wedding! Another plus is that I have tomorrow off, so I can stay up late. I haven't had a random Saturday off in about 4 years (unless it's during our vacations). I manage a winery/tasting room so I have to work every weekend... I'm the only one here... lol so I can't take many days off unless I can get the cellar master to work the tasting room for me. Right now we are just working on our wines and getting them ready for bottling so it's a little easier for him to come in and cover me. But in a few months during harvest if I need a day off (as in the case of my brother's wedding 9/23/07 and my aunt's wedding 10/20/07) I'll just have to have the tasting room closed.

The reason I'm taking tomorrow off is because it's Heidi's 30th birthday party! She is having a pool party at another friend's house. The pool was just custom built within the last few months and just got filled last week. I haven't seen it since it was just a hole in the ground so I'm so excited I know it'll look so beautiful.

There will be a taco truck, margaritas, mojitos, (wine, I'm bringing wine of course), music, swimming, dancing (I'm sure later in the day). Heidi's parents and cousins are coming (who I love and can't wait to see) my parents all our friends, etc. Jason and Marc (Jason's brother) won't be able to come until after work. :( But I told them I will save them some food.

Then I'll need a break! So many things have been going on it's just been non-stop... of course I won't get one. Monday we are all going to the river... that's sometimes trouble. ;) And then my and Heidi's favorite summertime event: Horse Racing at the Sonoma County fairgrounds, which is 3 weeks this year. This event is like a reunion for us, we run into all the people we used to work with at The Villa Restaurant, some people from High School, friends, etc. I'm really looking forward to a corn dog it's my favorite food at the fair and I really deserve one because of all the salads I have only eaten for dinner all month.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Apparently I've already found my dress... according to my fiancé

Last night Jason and I attended a business meeting but in our industry this "business meeting" is tasting wines, having a picnic, watching the sunset and socializing with the folks at Paradise Ridge, yeah real hard work. Jason is the manager at the Bottle Barn (a large retail wine and liquor shop) and every year Paradise Ridge invites the whole crew up to refresh their palates with their yummy wines. (Hmmm, must be some sort of sales pitch?? ;)

I'm tasting and eating away and one of Jason's co-workers starts asking me about the wedding. "So I hear you have everything pretty much together with your plans for the wedding." I nod, smile and say "Yeah, for it only being 10 months away I feel that we are right on track." He replies "That's what Jason said, you have the date, the place and the wedding dress." ??!!?? I start laughing... "what? wedding dress? Oh, no I'm waiting until the fall to go out and wedding dress shop." I'm laughing so hard.

Apparently Jason overheard me showing someone a dress in a magazine and to him that meant that I had found the dress. This is the one thing that he's not involved in so to him he had no idea about the process of going out and trying on dresses, different styles, colors, etc.

What's so funny is that this is coming from the same guy who had insisted that he needs to know the color of Heidi's dress to match his brother's suits. And from the same guy who at once said that he wanted to be in casual attire for the wedding but has now been more recently talking about wearing a suit or tux. He's so adorable.

The wedding is 10 months away... so far, yet so close when I look at what will need to be done. I don't even want to think about any of these things at the moment so we are just trying to enjoy our summer without too much planning . I would like this wedding to be very casual. Let me rephrase: I'm working on having this wedding to be very casual. This is not going to be a very "traditional wedding". We aren't having a "wedding party" just my best friend Heidi and his two brothers standing up at the altar with us. We are going to write our whole ceremony to be read (hopefully) to us by my Uncle who is an ordained minister.

But things change as the days go by (which I've already experienced within the last two months!) so hopefully this will be fun to read as I go back and forth about what I want... no take that back, what we want to do for our wedding.