"You had me at Merlot"

Okay, actually, my drink of choice is a full-bodied cabernet.  But these days I'll drink nearly anything that's red and ends in "wine".

So while doing the dishes (ahem, hand washing the crystal wine glasses) I got to thinking about all of my favorite wines and thought that perhaps I'd list them on paper.  Since virtual paper is eco friendly and easily transmitted, the blog seemed like a perfect fit.  I'll add to this list as time goes on.  So here goes....

***Disclaimer: Since I am only an enthusiastic wine drinker, rather than a true "wine enthusiast", I'll shy away from listing the actual vintages unless a particular vintage is noticeably outstanding to me.


Whites -
ummm.... guess I kind of have to be a white wine drinker for this one, huh?


Reds -

Joseph Carr, Cabernet Sauvignon:  MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE.  Medium-bodied with a silky finish, semi dry and under $20 per bottle typically.

Bogle Vineyards outs out a fantastic blend of old vine zinfandel, petite sirah & old vine mourvedre with their "Phantom" wine.  Runs about $20 per bottle.  I was told by another customer at the wine store where I purchased this bottle that it's only available this time of the year.... not sure if it's true, though.

J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon: Medium-bodied with an oaky flavor, smooth finish and semi-dry, also under $20 (can usually find it for about $15 at discount wine stores).

Josh Carr, Cabernet Sauvignon: I go with this one if I want the Joseph Carr but want to save a buck or two.  Similar in blend and body.

Cupcake, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007

Casillero del Diablo, Cabernet Sauvignon: Great price, smooth taste.  From Chile.... pretty much can't go wrong with anything from Chile but this is one of my favorites.

Barefoot, Cabernet Sauvignon: Great wine with medium body and semi-dry for only about $8-10 per bottle.  GREAT VALUE.

Rex Goliath, Merlot: Also great price point with good flavor for a semi-dry.

Box wine..... (go ahead, roll your eyes) When I want to get the most bang for my buck, I was actually impressed with "Black Box Wine" Cabernet.  Was able to purchase a box at Empire Wines in Colonie for $18 (= 4 bottles).

Long time, no see!

Whew!

It's been a long time since I've written an entry and, well, for quite good reason.  Life, simply has caught up with me.  My journey through life with three children, a husband & a dog while maintaining a safe and clean home, and not to mention my own sanity, has been a challenge over the last year!

Alas, I feel as though, maybe, just maybe, I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  So, here I go again.... alongside my hubby who has recently decided to start blogging, I'll attempt to keep my thoughts and life in balance for those of you who are interested.

I continue to focus on my marriage, our children, and my close family and friends; helping out where I can but for the first time in my life, learning to say no when I just can't and finally attempting to "take care of myself" along with everyone else.  I figured out how to ask for help a while ago, which was a good start.  I've honed in on how I want to spend my career days and am actively pursuing a career change that I think will leave me with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment at the end of the day.  And I'm working on something that I think has been missing for a very long time; emotional confidence and strength.

Mooseman Ironman.... check!

Hello All! This is Beth writing in for Tara. What a crazy and long weekend it's been but I couldn't be any prouder of my sister than I am today! Tara finished the Mooseman Ironman 70.1 this afternoon sometime around 3:30pm, which brought her to complete the endurance event in under 8 hours. The fact that she was able to complete it at all, especially given the conditions of the course today (extremely cold and wet) is nothing short of amazing to me. Tara was in great spirits as she crossed the finish line and she looked terrific. I especially want to thank ALL of the members of Team In Training for their hard work and effort.

More photos and stories to come ....

HAPPY EASTER!

Aaron Self-feeding

Once again, the video quality is poor here because I've compressed it for web streaming. Nonetheless, you get the idea. Today we started to introduce some table foods and he is doing much better with self feeding than he did during our initial attempts. He actually ate an entire banana during dinner this evening! I would have restricted his intake but he's had banana baby food without negative reaction and he thoroughly enjoyed feeding the little pieces of banana to himself!

Baby Shower Gift

How fun is this?!?! I copied the design from a site that I found online and will be giving this to a friend for a baby shower that I'm going to soon. :)

On the Move!

Aaron began crawling between Christmas and New Year's. I knew that he'd become proficient quickly at crawling but I was shocked yesterday when I walked into his room after he awoke from a nap to see him standing in his crib!