Christmas Eve 2009

On Christmas Eve every year we celebrate with the Pina family. For the last few years we've gathered at the winery. This year it was a casual finger-food feast. The party started early enough in the day that the kids could play outside. They enjoyed the bocce court, horseshoes and the new "VIP" Deck.


My gorgeous nephew, Dallas.

The very handsome, Mays.

Grace jumping "SO HIGH" on the deck.

The best I could do for the Gimme Five photo.

Once we came inside my camera battery went dead. The rest of the pictures were taken with Grampa's camera...

What a Week!

This whole Christmas season is tough! Not only is work crazy with so many people buying gifts they want shipped to arrive before Christmas, we've also had holiday events every night for the past week.

It started with the Silver Oak Christmas party last Saturday. For the first time it was an adults-only party which meant we left the kids with a babysitter overnight for the first time ever! They've only ever spent the night with their grandparents. Cynthia has been babysitting them since Grace was a baby, so I wasn't really worried about it. Jason and I had a good time watching everyone in their 70s outfits for the Disco themed party.

Sunday was the Christmas party at church. We started with getting our Christmas tree in the afternoon, then had dinner with Grammie and Grampa. After dinner we headed to Church for carols and cookies.
Monday evening Jason and Emma had a father-daughter date. They did their Christmas shopping and then went to Applebee's for dinner.

Tuesday Emma Jo's Girl Scout troop had their Cookie-Making Holiday event. All the girls and their families were invited to decorate and bake cookies. Emma Jo and Grace had a great time covering their creations with as much sugar as possible.

Wednesday is Awana night and this week was caroling for the big kids and movies for the little ones. We didn't get home until after 8:30 that night.

Thursday was Windsor Christian Academy's school Christmas play. Emma Jo was the reporter on camera and a member of the chorus. She did a fantastic job!

Friday was Pina Napa Valley's holiday party. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the Casino night. Katherine made a great meal and it was fun playing Blackjack with Jason, Mom and Dad.

Saturday Grammie and Grampa were nice enough to watch the kids while Jason and I finished our Christmas shopping. We finished quickly after just three stores, so we went to John Ash for dinner to finish off the night.

Today was church and the Silver Oak kids party. Thankfully it was at Twomey West and was a low key cookie decorating party. The kids enjoyed putting as much frosting and sprinkles as possible on their cookies and then eating as many as possible. Santa came to the party and each child got to sit on his lap. Emma Jo was "too old" but relented when she realized it was the only way to get one of the $25 Target gift cards he was passing out. Grace eagerly told Santa how she wanted a Barbie for Christmas. Cooper was terrified and wanted Grampa to save him. The longer Santa was there the more relaxed Cooper became, but he still definitely did not want to sit on his lap. Finally after everyone else had a turn, I took Cooper and plopped him on Santa's lap. He only hesitated a moment before he was all out crying trying to throw himself at papa. Jason said it was torture, but I'm sure we have pictures of all the other kids crying on Santa's lap, it wouldn't be right to deprive Cooper of his opportunity. Later on tonight Cooper was telling us that he sat on Santa's lap and told him that we wanted a race car.

Pina Napa Valley - Employee and Volunteer Appreciation Day

On Saturday in the 100+ degree weather, Pina Napa Valley hosted their first ever Employee and Volunteer Appreciation Day BBQ. There was food (BBQ Ribs, Chicken, Hot Dogs, Grilled Veggies, salads, fruit, Corn on the Cob), drink (Beer, Wine, Water, Soda) and fun (Corn Hole, Bocce, and a water trough). Misters outside kept it bearable to play games and get food. The cellar was a welcome reprieve from the heat. The food was great and I think everyone had a great time.

Is it time yet? Cooper John waiting patiently to go to the BBQ (and see Daddy).

Cooper enjoying the water trough Grampa brought to the party for the little kids. It was the perfect sized swimming pool. (Notice that he got his hair cut on the way to the party).

The ribs were delicious. Thank you Jason for cooking for everyone (as always).

Cornhole

Ranndy brought Cornhole to the winery. It is a game popular in the south and goes by many names. You might know it as washers, bean bag toss, bags or baggo. It is a lawn game similar to horseshoes. You use bean bags filled with dried corn and toss them at platforms made out of plywood that have a hole cut out of them. In regulation play the platforms are 30 feet apart, you get to throw four bags four times, add up your scores and declare a winner. At PNV we estimated the distance and had a tournament with a Magnum of wine as the prize.

Ranndy our Cornhole expert.

Official Cornhole platform.

Cooper John watched intently for his opportunity to run out there and grab the bean bags.

Emma Jo and Grace watching the game from the coolness of the misters.

Grampa John C. trying his hand at the game.

Emma Jo concentrating then showing the Pina form.

Getting Excited

The excitement level is rising at our house. First for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. The kids especially are looking forward to seeing not just one, but two sets of cousins! Justin and Riley should be arriving tonight from Oregon (with Stacy and Juancho). Emma and Grace just love them and can't wait to play with them. They only see each other a handful of times a year so this is a real treat. Then on Saturday, Mays and Dallas are going to be at Grammie and Grampa's. The girls are looking forward to introducing Justin and Riley to Mays and Dallas. Justin especially loves babies. Mays and Dallas can't be counted as babies anymore (since they are 2.5) but they sure are cute!
On Saturday the whole gang is heading to Pina Napa Valley to bottle our 2nd vintage of Gimme Five. Gimme Five is a family wine grown on Grampa's vineyard and named after the five Pina grandchildren. We've have a bottling party at the winery where everyone will get in on the action. There will be a little work, lots of food, wine and fun. Afterwards we'll all head back to Grammie's for swimming, more food, wine and fun.
Today Emma and I have the day off of work and school and it is already feeling like the weekend. In fact, it already feels like summer. Emma Jo only has one and a half weeks of school (6 days). I can't believe how fast this year as passed and I know the summer will fly even faster. I've been looking at my calendar and we literally have at least one thing scheduled for every weekend until school starts again at the end of August!
For now I'm going to try to slow down enjoy the weekend and enjoy having friends and family surrounding us. It might be a little chaotic tomorrow with 12+ kids swarming the winery and 10+ kids in the pool, but I'm going to try to enjoy every minute of it.

Random Picture Challenge 5.0

Hopefully Brittany over at 4 Little Men and Girly Twins won't mind that I'm a day late this week. Here is the 5th picture from the last from March 2008.

It seems a little ironic that I was working at Silver Oak's Release Day yesterday and this random picture chosen by Brittany is of Grace working at Pina Napa Valley's Release Day last March.

Emma's pictures

Here are a few pictures that Emma Jo took with her camera.

Paella from the Silver Pass event at Pina Napa Valley

View from the parking lot at Pina Napa Valley

Pictures

Here are a few pictures from the Silver Pass event last weekend.

Silver Pass Weekend - Piña Napa Valley

Piña Napa Valley announced yesterday that they are again participating in the Silver Pass Weekend with the Silverado Trail Wineries Association. The event happens every year over the Veteran's Day holiday weekend. It is always a great event with lots of wine and food. Usually guests can talk one of the brothers, or winemaker Anna, into barrel samples and even older vintages. I've heard rumors that Jason will be making his famous Paella again. The event happens on both Saturday, November 8th and Sunday, November 9th. The kids and I will probably only attend one day, not sure yet which.

Check it out!

Ranndy has started a new blog. It is all about the wine industry and growing up in the Napa Valley. You can find it at http://www.pinanapavalley.blogspot.com/ There is also a link in my "favorite blogs" to the right.