Miss Hadleigh Claire Goes to Sonoma

We just returned from our crazy, insane and fab California vaca. We had quite an adventure!

We flew into San Francisco on Friday, July 6, and Saturday Dad, Mom, Chris and Rubie picked us up from our hotel and we drove onto Healdsburg, CA which is in Sonoma County in Wine Country. Later that Saturday night Dan, Karina and Matt arrived.

We rented a little house on the Russian River and had a great time tasting all kinds of wine in Napa Valley, as well as the Russian River Valley. Dave came home with a case! We tried everything from Zins to Syrahs. My personal fav (not that I had any more than a smell and a small taste) was a Syrah made in the Russian River Valley by a Vineyard called Longboard. I think that bottle might be a good wine to open up after my little Georgia Peach makes her appearance in October!

Along with much wine tasting, which was done mostly by Chris and Dave, though Rubie and I did a lot of accompanying. (Dad and Mom were gracious enought to keep Hadleigh Claire for a whole day for me and and Dan and Karina pooped out after one day of tasting), we also enjoyed sitting on the porch, jumping in the kayak, sitting in the river, and Dave even caught a couple fish.

We also just enjoyed relaxing and being together as a fam. The last time we were all together was at Chris and Rubie's wedding which was three years ago. This was our first time to meet Matt and for Dan and Karina to meet Hadleigh Claire. It was somewhat uneventful meeting as they pretty much ignored each other the whole week. We did get a couple of cute pictures with them together. However I think Dan and Karina took the pics, so I can't post them.

After our week in Healdsburg, Dad and Mom drove us back to San Fran where we put Dave on a plane back to GA, and Hadleigh Claire and I drove with them for another couple of days in Cambria. While there we introduced HC to the elephant seals.

Finally after a couple of days in Cambria we made our way to Newbury Park. I was able to hang out with my buds, Erica and Emily. Erica and I took Hadleigh to get her first view of the Pacific Ocean. It actually wasn't her first view of the ocean, but the first time she put her feet in the water. She was hilarious and charged right into the waves.

This past Friday, Dave flew back out to CA and Dan and Matt flew down from OR and Chris and Rubie came in from Hemet to surprise Dad. The church was throwing him a surprise retirement party and wanted us all to be there. It was pretty much a whilrwind weekend. Dan, Chris and I shared stories about Mom and Dad in each of the three services, and they had a meal reception after each. We actually had to leave before the last service was over to get back on a plane and back to Atlanta. We flew in late last night.

So that is an overview of how I spent the last 2.5 weeks. It is good to be home and now I am working on cleaning the house and washing clothes and all of my normal routines.

Here is a guide to the pics:

Dad and HC

Mom and HC blowing bubbles

Rubie, HC, Ami, Mom, Karina at Beringer Estate

Chris and Rubie

Dan, Karina and Matt

Uncle Chris and HC

Ami and HC and the elephant seals (that pile of "rocks" behind us)

Ami and HC at Leo Carillo

Chris and Rubie, Dan and Karina (and Jack), Dave and Ami (and our little GA Peach)