Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Wine is Wonderful

W and I have been on vaca - just in case you've wondered where I am. While on our vaca, we took a brief trip to Sonoma to taste some wonderful wine.

We were delighted and really enjoyed several of the places we tasted at. Our favorite, by far, was a wonderful winery called Gundlach Bundschu. If you're wondering how to say this name, check out this awesome t-shirt they sell which uses icons for pronunciation.



Other than their great clothing selection, we really enjoyed the:

2010 Gewürztraminer



2008 Mountain Cuvee

2009 Tempranillo

2009 Zinfandel



The grounds at GB were beautiful and we really enjoyed biking through there on our wine touring that day. If you're ever in the area, I would definitely recommend it.

Gorgeous grounds!


Our bikes!

Grape vines as we rode out

So true!


Hopefully I'll blog again soon when the vaca is over.

Hope your fall days have been full of turning leaves, pumpkins, and frosty mornings!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Delicious Fishes!

Okay, I know fishes isn't a real word, but when you say delicious fishes, it kind of rhymes. So, it seems a little more catchy than delicious fish.

This has been a pretty busy week around our house. The flying tempo at our base has been insane, leaving WM rather stressed at the end of every day. Add this to the fact that I had events two evenings this week and pretty full days, that makes for a stressed out household.

Tuesday was awesome with a Bible Study potluck to celebrate the completion of our series. Next week, we start our new study, which is Priscilla Shirer's book, "Speak to Me." I took the oatmeal chocolate crisps. Since my tupperware came home empty, I'd say they were a hit. That night, I attended a wine tasting social at the Officers Spouse's Club. It was really fun. I tried a great Malbec (which I've like ever since a neighbor introduced us to it) and a very smooth Bordeaux. I didn't like any enough to buy the ones they had, but it was a great night with great people.

On Wednesday, my Homeschool Art Class I teach made Greek Amphoras out of clay. One of my bosses does lots of pottery and guest taught. It was really fun and the kids LOVED it!

Thursday, I cleaned house and subbed at the once a month free craft day for kids at my work. I taught them how to make Halloween Witches out of Construction paper. It was a pretty complex project and I'm not sure I would have chosen it, but the kids seemed happy with their witches. That night we had the Student Spouse Club Halloween Social, which was really fun. The costumes were great. My favorites were Flo from the Progressive commercials and the American Gladiators. There were also some cute Halloween foods.

Friday was a mess. It all begins during our long weekend trip to Fredericksburg. We took our dog to a local kennel for the night. He seemed happy. It turned out he had fleas.  I didn't notice the first couple days, so he was in and out of the house. Then he got a flea and tick bath. Then this week he got itchy again. So, he got another bath. Then I read that fleas can get all over your house. Finally, Thursday evening (really the middle of the night) I got itchy and turned on the lights. There were jumping fleas in the bed!!!!!! So, I spent my Friday flea spraying/bombing our house, washing things on HOT HOT HOT water, and flea spraying and flea collaring Mack. We are now flea free. Needless to say, Mack will not EVER EVER EVER being going back to that kennel.

Today we're hanging out and then heading to a local kids production of Treasure Island. Two of my homeschoolers are in it.

If you need a quick and yummy dinner, like we did this week, this fish recipe is fabulous!

Fish and Green Beans with Chile Mayonnaise

Ingredients:
1 tsp Lemon Juice
3 tsp of Chile sauce (like sirachi sauce)
1/3 c. mayonnaise
3 Tilapia Filets
1 c. panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted
12 oz young green beens, cooked (I usually just use a bag of frozen green beans and microwave them ahead of time)
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put a sheet of aluminum foil in your baking pan and spray cooking spray on your aluminum foil.

Combine lemon juice, chile sauce, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste. Transfer a small amount to a separate bowl and set aside for later.

Sprinkle fish with slat. Place fish in baking pan. Divide the chile mayonnaise between the three filets so they are coated on their up facing side with chile mayonnaise, then even divide 3/4 c of panko crumbs between the filets, sprinkling the chile mayonnaise covered filets with crumbs. Drizzle filets with the melted butter and bake for 20 minutes.

In a warm skillet, mix green beans and the remaining panko crumbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium low, until green beans are warmed up and crumbs start to stick.

Serve green bean mixtures and fish with remaining chile mayonnaise.

Nutrition Info per serving:
349 calories, 19 g fat, 56 mg chol, 384 sodium, 18 g carbo, 4 g fiber, 26 g pro

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

How to deal with anxiety relating to Pilot Training - The Spouse's Guide

Any current or past UPT spouse will tell you that though this year is exciting and wonderful it can also be ridiculously stressful. Since my hubby started, we have had our shares of ups and downs. Lately, I've actually been feeling pretty confident about UPT. That apparently should have been a red flag that something had to change...

My hubby has informed me a month out from our Track Select date that he has completely changed his mind on what kind of plane he would like to fly. The current track choices are between T-44's, the C-130 trainer and UH-1's (I think), the helo trainer. This is a far cry from his original thoughts. Since these thoughts my were revealed to me, I had a little bit of a freak out/melt down moment, but have since moved on. This is not the only stressful moment UPT has thrown at us and I'm sure it won't be the last, so I thought I would offer up my thoughts on how I deal with the anxiety that comes with UPT.

#1 I rationally discuss the stress with my husband at a good time!
It's never good to let yourself stew just because you don't want to stress your husband during UPT. You're a couple and couples have to communicate, so as my mom always tells me when I call her freaking out, talk to your husband about it first!

#2 Have someone who doesn't live here that you can call and talk to.
For me, this is my Mom. She always understands, always listens, and when she offers advice, it is great advice. Plus, it's nice to know that what I tell her will never get back to anyone on base (First because she's totally trustworthy and second because she lives 14 hours away and doesn't know anyone else on our base).

#3 Have someone TRUSTWORTHY on base you can talk to.
I have a couple go to ladies on base who I can always confide in. They are wonderful and are going through the same stuff as me.

#4 I am continually reminded of this and have been trying to think of it first more often - PRAY about it!
I'm a Christian and I really believe in the power of prayer and God's ability to guide us. So, right now as I go through a stressful situation, I keep trying to remember Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Paul wrote this verse to remind us that even in our really tough moments that God can do more than we ask or imagine. We just need to believe and ask and know that sometimes what we think we need and what we actually need are two different things. Plus, God works in his time, not ours. In my Bible Study,  one of the speakers we watched, Priscilla Shirer talked about this verse and about how God can go beyond our beyond. I just keep trying to remember that.

My last advice is a little superficial, but still beneficial:

#5 Drink a glass or two of this after a long day
Don't be afraid to ask a friend over to have a glass with you!
#6 Bake the awesome cookie/crisp recipe I'm going to put up in my next blog!

Just remember to enjoy all the great things this year has to offer!