Wine Tasting and Poker

Saturday morning, Chris and I went wine tasting with some family that was in town. Uncle Eric is still close with the people who work at Artessa, so we naturally went there. Employee discount on fabulous wine? Yes please!

Beautiful!

Later that night we played poker as usual during big family get togethers. I won the first hand, which they say is bad luck. But not that night! I ended up playing till the end and winning $70. I think this is my first victory, and it was so sweet, especially beating Tim who tried to weasel himself into a win.

Top 10 of our California Trip

Ah, California. So beautiful and amazing. Can't wait to go back in November! In no particualr order, here is my top 10 of our trip!

1. Camping outside of Yosemite.

This was probably the highlight of our trip. It deserves its own post with lots of pictures. Stay tuned for that!

2. The Giants Game

The Giants played the Dodgers, so it was a pretty exciting game. We seriously almost died of the cold though. San Francisco is frigid in the summer!

3. Fresno

Visiting Fresno to see Nichole and Max. So good to meet him and let the little ones play!

4. Wine tasting.

It is quite possibly the perfect date. Lots to see and talk about and the wine is so good! Quite possibly the most expensive date ever though!

5. Aunties.

G and E are so lucky to have them to play with and dote on them all the time. We miss them already!

6. DOG

Elia called everything dog. And since there were at least 2 dogs with us at all times, she said dog a whole heck of a lot. So cute. She would sometimes walk behind one of the dogs and just say dogdogdogdogdog! She is learning a few other words but dog is just so stinking cute.

7. Getting my baby fix.

Chris' uncle Eric has a 4 week old and his aunt Erin has a 6 month old. Add to that Phoebe who is 8 months and Chris has a cousin who is pregnant. I could never have a baby again and still get enough baby in my life! (don't worry people, I'm sure there are more McHugh-Rowles babies down the line)

8. Poker and Potluck

These are always fun events- never a dull moment and it is so great to catch up with Chris' extended family. Aunt Erin, Jenny, and Mary made the most amazing cupcakes too.

9. Babysitters

Chris and I went out quite a bit. We celebrated his birthday at a bar, and went to lunch quite a few times. Sans babies. It was awesome. It is so great to get out!

10. Phoebe

She is the cutest little asian version of Jenny ever. She took to Uncle Chris more than Aunt Moe, but thats ok. I still like her. Gianna is obsessed. Loved to giver her kisses. Here she is driving the car.

There is much much more, but I have stuff to do. Stay tuned for that camping post! Love and miss you all!

Top 15 list of our California Trip

I could bore everyone with the wonderful, gory details of our trip, but decided to construct a top 1o list instead. It quickly turned into 15! In no particular order- enjoy, dear readers!


1) Sledding in Tahoe. Watching Gianna enjoy something I loved as a child was especially cool!


2) Gianna and Elia were Ana's show and tell for a day. All the kids were excited to meet them, and they were all so sweet!


3) Playing games each night we were in our cabin in Tahoe. Highlight- We were playing Cranium and I was trying to get my team to guess "temporary tattoo" by drawing it on a piece of paper for them. Everyone could guess the tattoo part of it, but I could not for the life of me figure out how to represent the word temporary with my drawings. Time ran out before I could get them to guess. When I told my team it was temporary tattoo, Mary looked at me (with a straight face) and said, "Moe, you should have drawn a picture of Ryan from The Office! Then we all would have known- he is a temp- temporary tattoo!" It took everyone forever to stop laughing over that one!


4) Taco Tuesday at Compadres. Highlight- taking a tequila shot with Vince and Becky!


5) Leaving the babies at home and going to see Avatar with Vince and Jenny. It is a beautiful movie! (yes, I know there was a political agenda, and some people hate it for that reason, but I took it for what it was- a night out, and a cool action movie!)


6) Meeting little Phoebe- it was so cute to see G dote on her! What a gorgeous baby!


7) Gianna and Marley's beautiful friendship: "Hi Marley, its me, Gianna! Do you remember me?" and "Marley is my best friend." and "Look mom, I'm sharing," as she shared part of her mozzarella stick with her.


8) Going to the KOC Crab Feed- yum yum. Highlight- watching Vince's face as a stranger smelled Phoebe to see if she had a stinky diaper-heehee.


9) Watching Gianna run around with her Aunties Ana and Beth. Chris and I hardly saw Gianna! She got to sleep in their room and there were quite a few nights we had to go in there and tell them to stop giggling and get to bed! Beth is determined to be Elia's favorite auntie, since we all know G's is Auntie Ana!




10) Elia getting her 5th tooth (3rd on top) and finally sleeping better afterwards. She has also learned to say mamamamamama and I am pretty sure she uses it in context!

11) Opening presents from Santa/Grandma. Spoiled spoiled is what we are! We got a cool hd flip video camcorder and G and E got lots of fun toys, puzzles and clothes. Highlight- Aunt Jenny made the cutest little apron/chef hat/oven mitt set for G.

12) Poker night- Chris and I both lost fairly early, but I love playing and talking with all the family and eating yummy snacks from Trader Joe's. Why are there Trader Joe's everywhere but here in Dallas??

13) Mary's fabulous cooking- enough said!

14) Catching up with my dear friend Annie the day before I left- for 3 whole hours at Starbucks!

15) Elia falling sleep on Mikey- too cute!

See you Rowles soon!