iphone!

Well I got one, yes an iphone! My sweet husband insisted that I get one so I did. My other phone was 2.5 years old (dinosaur) in phone years. I liked it, it was simple, I can make calls and text and that was it. The iphone is quite different, lots of things to do on there. I will say its nice to be able to check your email and facebook without having to log on to a computer. The ipod is nice to have too at work. I have 30 days to see if I want to keep it. I know most of you are thinking, are you crazy? Why would you not keep it? For someone who isn’t very technologically savvy it’s a challenge to use. I will say now having had it a week, its getting better! Look out I may have to update my status alot more now!

Napa 2009

Over looking vineyards at the Silverado Winery

We’ve been back from Napa for 2 weeks now. We had a wonderful trip out there. We had the most beautiful weather. Cool mornings and evenings and hot but not to hot and no humid days. Well we left Atlanta on a Friday night and traveled late, I will have to say I enjoyed evening travel, it was nice. You didn’t feel like you were wasting the day by flying either. We splurged and flew first class out their! Wine, movies, snacks at your disposal, warm towels, and more room what’s not to like!
On our first day in San Francisco we pick up my parents at the airport and head to Sausalito for lunch. We have made it a tradition to have lunch there out on the water. It’s really pretty their and it’s a nice stop between San Francisco and Napa. After a nice lunch we headed up to Napa to check into our Villa that we stayed in. It was really nice, Tim found in on VRBO and it was at the Silverado Resort over looking the 16 green. My favorite part was the patio that we sat at every morning to drink coffee and every evening to drink wine. After we arrived in Napa we hit 2 wineries before they closed Clos du Val and Black Stallion. Black Stallion became one of my new favorites that we stopped back by later in the week. We took it easy that night and just got some take out since we were all pretty tired from our travel. Our second day in Napa we hit 7 wineries I thought to myself there is no way we can keep this pace up. About 10 years ago there were no tasting fees at wineries now they range any where from $5 - $25. Some wineries will apply it towards your purchase or throw in your tasting glass. We gave those wineries more business. After a long day of tasting Tim and I headed into Oakland to have dinner with some friends of ours. Tim works with Shannon (the husband) and through work functions we have gotten to know this couple well. The last time we were in San Francisco we met up with them so they to have become a tradition of our time in Napa. They are great; we have so much fun with them. We got to see their house and the cute area they live in and just hangout and enjoy being with them, by far one of my favorite nights. The next day Tim and I just hung out by the pool, we needed a wine tasting break so we took it easy and just worked on our tan and let the parents go out that day. That night the 4 of us tried this really trendy pizza place out in downtown Napa. A little pricy for what I thought it was, but the food was good. Tuesday we hit a few more wineries and we had an appointment this day for a cave tour and barrel tasting that one of our friends had set up at the Miner winery. It was neat to see how this winery made their wine and to see their facilities. We tasted a lot there, they had all very good wines so none of us minded. Wednesday we went out to eat a big breakfast and headed to Sonoma, Tim and I had never been to this area so mom and dad took us into downtown Sonoma and showed us a few of their favorites from this area. We drove all the way to Healdsburg on this day and saw a whole other area. Healdsburg about and hour and half from Napa. You could never stop and see all the wineries in California in one week. I think there are 450+. The next day mom and I were done tasting so we did another pool day, while Tim and dad hit up a few more wineries together. After they were done they joined us at the pool. That night we went out to my parent’s favorite restaurant Uva. It’s an Italian restaurant that has live Jazz music. Very fun! The next and last day in California we headed in to San Francisco because we had to drop mom and dad off at the airport. Tim and I were flying the red eye home so we had a few hours to kill after we dropped them off. We stopped for breakfast and then went and saw the painted ladies. We hit up Muir Woods and then Pier 39. These are places we didn’t get to the last time we were in town. After a tiring day of sight seeing we found a pub called brick house for dinner and we crashed for an hour or so before we headed to the airport. This pub was very cool and we both agreed if we lived there we’d visit more frequently. After dinner we head to the airport, drop off our rental car and check in. Another great flight and we land safely in Atlanta, where our good friend Steve picked us up at 5 am. Since we’ve been back we’ve suffered from some jet lag, but it was worth it, we had a great time out west!

getting ready for dinner at Uva in downtown Napa

Beautiful gardens at Clos du Val

One of my new favorite wineries Black Stallion

Painted Ladies - Full House anyone??

Muir Woods

4th of July/SSI

Paul and Nate at dinner

Paul, Mere, Matt and SR getting ready to watch fireworks!

Cason and SR

It was a short but sweet trip to St. Simons this 4th of July with the Porterfield clan. We left on a Thursday night and came back on a Sunday. It was nice though we had great weather and an overall good time together. We even had time to try out a new restaurant. Here are a few pics from the week enjoy!

Tim and I

Me, SaraRose, and Meredith at Sunbury Crab Co.

The Walk '09

Well I made it! Last week (and by last week I mean the 3 week of June) I was a leader at our churches high school summer camp in Panama City Beach. Two of my best friends in Atlanta co-lead a group of rising sophomores and one of them was unable to on this trip, so I took her place for the week. I had worked with high school for 5 years back in college when I volunteered with Young Life but that was 6 years ago. I was a little hesitant to go at first. Was I up for this? Do I have a heart for this age anymore? Do I want the responsibility of being in charge of these girls for a week? Do I want to try and make them like me in such a small amount of time? All these questions were running through my head. One day a few weeks ago after praying about whether I should go or not it was clear to me! I had no renovations about it! I thought a week at the beach for free, getting to act like a kid and learn more about God, are you kidding me? I’m in! J
We stayed at the Majestic Beach Resort, which were very nice accommodations. We had a morning session, an evening session, small group times, and a late night session that was for fun! The weeks messages revolved around the life of David. I know I’ve heard these stories a million times but I never get sick of them and I always take away something that I haven’t heard or thought of before. We had free time each afternoon which consisted of laying out by the crowded pool or on the beach. One day we rode on banana boats, which was definitely my favorite afternoon activity! I feel like I got to know the girls pretty well for only having met them during this week. Rachael and I got a bit frustrated during small group time because the girls never seemed that affected by the sessions they were fascinated with the lazers or Kristian Stanfil the music guy. That age is so hard because you want them to grasp what was said so bad and yet they just seem so young and not interested. I’m sure they took away more than we thought! Overall it was a really good week! I’m really glad I went.

Life!

Life has been so crazy lately but I promise I will get will update as soon as our world calms down.

The Walk '09 with Northpoint
The 4th of July in St. Simons
Napa, CA

How many states....I love these things! Nerd alert!

Put an X by the states you have been to. The average is 8; how do you match up? Should you chose to play, here's what you do: Paste the copy in the body of the note. Delete my Xs and add your own. Just for fun, put an O beside the states where you have lived. Airports don't count!

Alabama - X
Alaska -
Arizona - X
Arkansas -X
California - X
Colorado -X
Connecticut -X
Delaware - X
Florida -X
Georgia -O
Hawaii - X
Idaho -
Illinois - airport
Indiana -X
Iowa - X
Kansas -X
Kentucky - X
Louisiana -
Maine -
Maryland -X
Massachusetts -X
Michigan - airport
Minnesota -
Mississippi -X
Missouri -X
Montana -
Nebraska - X
Nevada -X
New Hampshire -
New Jersey -
New Mexico - X
New York -
North Carolina-O
North Dakota -
Ohio -X
Oklahoma - X
Oregon -
Pennsylvania - X
Rhode Island -
South Carolina -X
South Dakota -
Tennessee -O
Texas - X
Utah - X
Vermont -
Virginia - X
West Virginia -
Wisconsin -
Wyoming -
Washington - X

I've been to 27 different states!

Old School

This past Saturday Tim and I along with another couple hosted a cookout. Before Tim and I got married we were apart of this big group that got together and hungout almost every Friday and Saturday night. Well in that past few years individuals have gotten married, couples have had babies and it just hasn’t been as easy to hangout as we’d all wish, so we decided to plan a cookout so that we could all catch up with each other. It was at our house and you never really realize how much effort it is to have people over until you do. I was exhausted from prepping before the party even started, but in the end it was all worth it. We along with the other couple provided paper products, meat, and drinks and then we had other sign up to bring sides, this approach worked out well. Everyone brought such yummie dishes. The night went well catching up, listening to good music, and playing corn hole. Things have definitely changed with this group but it’s good to know we can still get together and have a good time!! Enjoy the pics.