what? it goes together!
So yesterday we drove up to Tarara to enjoy their wines and the company of another bloggy mama, Tranny Head. Fortunately, Tranny and Sumo survived the winding Virginia roads and made it there safely. Unfortunately, three of the eight wines on the tasting list were not being tasted (uh, how am I supposed to know if I want to buy them, dummies?…you’re priced a leeeettle higher than my 1.5mL of Livingston Cellars Rhine Wine so I need to know what I’m investing in).

Also very unfortunately, Tranny Head had forgotten her white box to wear on her head

and instead threated Justin with beard-burn from her stubble and allowing a very hungry, very teething Sumo to gnaw on his arm if Justin took and posted any pictures of her. Needless to say, Justin complied. Sort of. More on that later.
But, we all had a nice time. All the kids were pleasant and happy; what few wines we were allowed to taste were fairly good (oh Tarara…they used to be better…and cheaper!…but I will forgive you since you still have your blackberry-laced Wild River Red for my dessert consumption, even if you are trying to dump your tried-and-true Cameo), our wine guy was nice and friendly and funny and very patient considering we were trying to drink while wrangling three small children (although Gavin was actually on his most exceptional behavior…thank you buddy! but I suspect it was because he was nervous around Tranny Head), and us adults had a nice time chatting about our kids because, well, we have no other lives now.
After the tasting, we headed outdoors to let the kids roam around and graze. Literally…Gavin roamed all the way down to the lake, Sumo ate the grass, and Cooper ate a piece of paper. We were also inundated by gnats…well, us adults were, but they left the kids alone. So Tranny Head started circling our little camp in order to create a current that wouldn’t allow the gnats to bother us…I think eventually a few gnats got caught-up in the vortex and were then stuck in the middle with me, which is why in nearly every shot of me, at least one hand is blurred, because dude…nothing sucks like swimmers in your glass of Pinot Gris.
So we all had a very fun time. Gavin wasn’t too scared of Tranny Head because he eventually told me he thought her dress was pretty and he likes Sumo, Cooper and Sumo got along famously, and Justin got a lot of really nice pics of all of us (go look!). Except for Tranny Head. Well, okay…he did get one photo of her and Sumo as they were walking up to our table at the winery…it was before she threatened him. To say we were blinded by her beauty and tranniness would be an understatement.
…
…
…
…
Wait for it.
…
…
…
…
…

To say I’m glad she doesn’t have my home address to come and enact revenge would be another understatement.

P.S. I have another cold…and my voice is now lower than both Tranny’s and Justin’s; you should hear me say the phrase, “I’m a dude!”…I could be my own tranny-head!
P.P.S. Have you checked out this or that? If not, please do so…deadline is this Friday! And these people have lost EVERYTHING…homes, vehicles, jobs, clothing, personal memories, furniture, pets, books, appliances, toiletries, music, the list goes on and on. All money to go to the Red Cross to benefit the victims of the Mid-West floods.

Great combination, huh?

This past weekend we ventured out to Hartland Orchards to pick our own apples (as mentioned by my dear hubby here) with our friends. It was a lot of fun, especially if you were not weighted down by 15 lbs of baby-sling and a baby to go in it.

After we picked our 1/2 bushel of apples (we’re still not totally sure which varieties we ended up with since we just did “hey, this one looks good…put it in the bag!”), we decided to head down to Naked Mountain Vineyard & Winery. Now while the wines were very tasty (I particularly enjoyed Chardonnay-Riesling after several hours of exhausting apple-picking watching), they are not nearly as friendly as the other wineries that we go to. Now it might’ve just been our taste-tester (well, what would you call the guy who pours your wine tasting?), but even the few other folks working behind the counter seemed less than enthusiastic with all the clients they had visiting. My husband, in fact, was so annoyed with their lack of jovial spirit, that he completely did not mention them on his post from the weekend. So Naked Mountain, listen up…if you’re actually reading this…you’d do good to train your staff to smile and act like they enjoy helping people drink themselves stupid and fall down your excruciatingly steep hill (picture does not do it justice–we almost had both big kids* tumble down, as well as both babies** roll down). Then watch for all the flocks of good people coming and drinking your wine!!! Okay…they may not be my readers (since right now I have ZERO!), but my husband has at least 4 or 5 people reading his site. Even tiny itty bitty wineries like MiracleValleyVineyard know that service with a smile goes a long way!

*no, I do not have 4 kids. I have a 3-year old and a 2-1/2 month old. Our friends have a 2-1/2 year old.

**our other friends have a 5-1/2 month old…thus, 2 big kids, 2 babies…and we’re the crazy ones with one of each!