OM at OBX

We love you Fran "France"!  What an amazing time had by all!

"Best Days EVER!"

Date night

N and I have been trying to get back into the practice of dating.  Yes, after almost ten years together, it seems that we have forgotten how to enjoy an evening out as a couple.  Thanks to Mimi and Aunt Nancy, we are able to do this more often.
Friday we stepped out a dreary rainy evening and hit Sunset Hill Vineyard.  We learned more about wine making thanks to our taster, Ben.  He shared everything from grapes to stink bug issues to a private tour of the wine cellar below this amazing renovated barn (refinished by the Amish).  Did you know?...
American oak is different than French oak.
Viognier is THE Virginia grape
White wines can be processed without destemming or crushing.
But Red wines derive their color from the skin and must have direct contact with the skin while fermenting.

A few pics

photo fun

Oh yeah!

I am so pretty

Lillian lookin' so sweet

LOL

Yummy

Our life

his life

her world

I am I

I

I am I

Originality is... a by-product of sincerity.  ~Marianne Moore

To thine own self be true -Shakespeare

Holy Birthday Batman!

What a great day!  My Charlie boy is 5.  5 sounds so grown up.  No longer and toddler but still a lovable kid.  One word sums up the day and it was said A LOT by my 5 year old, "SO AWESOME".  A huge thanks to mom and mom-in-law and a huge thanks to all my friends that have amazing kids.  You all made my boy one happy little kid!

Dear Charlie,
Happy Birthday my sweet little man.  We have had traveled quite a road these past few years.  Each year, I am amazed at how much you change and how much your little mind absorbs.  I love that you are using grown-up words like, "are you kidding me?"  I love that you are curious about where babies come from and that you believe that God planted a seed in me and daddy watered it with love.  I love that you are starting to question whether or not Batman is real and that you still want to be Batman when you grow up.  I love that you also long to be Santa.  I love that you are learning how to read and that nothing holds you back when you are writing words like, HaPE BRFDay (Happy Birthday).  You love your trains and doing magic tricks.  You love to watch super heros but mommy doesn't like you to watch them.  You love square sandwiches and get very upset when they are rectangles.  You love yogurt, "chef-ba-oree (chef-boyardee) pizza in a box and berries.  I love that you will dip spinach in ranch.  I love the pictures you draw for our family.  I just love your curiosity about the world and your excitement to learn about everything.  You can be intense at times  (kind of like your mommy) but I know that it only comes from your desire to control this big world.  I hope that you realize sooner than I did, that there are so many things that you are just not going to be able to control.  I hope you learn to let them go.  Wait, you are beginning to learn to let things go and I am so proud of you.  I love you Charlie and I want you to be good to the world and I want the world to be good to you.  Happy Birthday Buddy! 
Love, Mommy