Winesday Wednesday!

This blog thing is tougher than I thought! As the middle of the week already is almost gone, I realize I had to write up Winesday Wednesday before the day passes! Emily works late on Wednesdays so it's me and Stella (and Chloe) hanging out. I think I found a little window of opportunity to write, as Stella seems to have calmed down after eating an enormous amount of formula! She definitely gets her eating habits from her dad.... Now onto the wine of the week- one of my all time favorites, Root 1 Carmenere. The entire Root 1 line is fantastic. They also have a Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, and a new Pinot Noir. By far my favorite, is the Carmenere....

What we're drinking tonight: 

Root 1 Carmenere

Region:

Colchagua Valley, Chile 

Blend:

100% Carmenere

Aromas:

Fresh red berries and cherries

Flavors:

Rich flavors of plum, blackberry and spice

Pairs Well With:

Root 1 Carmenere pairs well with pastas, soups, spicy entrees and rilled meats

SRP:

$9.99

I had never heard of Carmenere the first time I had this. Carmenere is a grape that used to be used mainly as a blending grape in France, but disease essentially killed it off and it was forgotten until recently Chile rediscovered the grape and began planting it. It now is basically exclusive to Chile and continues to grow in popularity. It has a big plum flavor on it with a smoky overtone which is different from a lot of red wine I have tasted. Any red wine fan has to give this a try. I found it goes best with anything on the grill, and gets better with each glass. Emily on the other hand isn't a big fan.... but we are still working on getting her to like dry red wines. For the price, Root 1 overdelivers. You should be able to find it most places for around $10. If you give this a try, don't hesitate to try the other wines in the line as well!

Baby Daddy Bry's Wine Rating- Root 1 Carmenere:     5/5

Fun Wine Fact of the Week:

The U.S. is the 4th largest producer of wine in the world, and growing- behind France, Italy and Spain

Next Week.....

Skinny Girl time!

10 weeks & the past few weekends

You are 10 weeks old baby girl...so crazy! Everyday gets more and more fun! You love to smile and It's just the biggest, cutest, best smile ever, melts our hearts every time! I may look very silly but I will do anything to get a smile from you!!! Just in the past few days you have started to notice your four legged sister for the first time, you now will sit and stare at her it's so cute! Before long you are going to be grabbing her tail and crawling after her!  You love standing up when we hold your hands, those lil legs of yours are so strong. I think you are going to be a dancer like me and a jumper like your daddy!  The past few nights you have slept for a 5 hour stretch get up to eat and then fall back asleep for 3 more, so much better mommy and daddy can handle that:) You are still sleeping in your momma roo but I know soon we will have to start putting you in your crib, that day is going to be very hard for me:( but I know we need to do it! You've meet lots of new friends lately and you've been a shopping machine with me and Gg! Man do we have so many cute things for you for next summer, we just can't seem to say no when they are such a good deal;) We can't imagine life without you Stelly, you are just the sweetest little thing ever and you bring so much joy into our lives!!!

Happy Girl

The past two weekends have been busy but so much fun! Last weekend Bry and I went to Jax for our anniversary dinner and after meet our friends out for a going away party for my girlfriend Becky! She just got a job on the Romney campaign and we couldn't be prouder or more excited for her, she's going to do awesome!!! Then Sunday our friends came to visit and she got to meet Baby Kinsley for the first time! She's such a sweetie, we can't wait for the play dates when they can actually play and not just stare at each other haha!

Anniversary dinner

Estella meeting Kinsley for the first time

 This past weekend we had a play date on Friday with my girlfriends from work and their little ones and my friend Miranda came to meet Stella for the first time. Saturday we had a wedding.  Lil miss came with and she was a champ, she did so good the whole night! Everyone couldn't believe she slept through most of the dance...we could she loves loud noises and to be held and boy was she held, Stelly wasn't put down once all night!!! Now with me being a germ freak it was hard watching my baby girl being passed around so you know the first thing I did when we got home even though it was 11pm was give her a bath ha! I felt much better after that! The next morning we headed to Jess's baby shower and Stella did great there too! It was a super cute fun shower and great to see some of the girls that I haven't seen in forever:) We can not wait to meet Jess's lil man (Stelly's Bf)

Auntie Nat couldn't get enough of you:)

mommy to be Jess,  Stelly was sitting on her  bf here haha!

Winesday Wednesday!

Hey everybody. Bryan here again for week #2 of Wine Wednesday. I feel like everything that has to do with this entire blog is full circle right now, as Estella is sounds asleep on my chest as I write this, with a glass of red wine next to me.... Doesn't get much better than that! This week I'm writing about a sparkling wine from California that I absolutely love, Mumm Napa Cuvee. Mumm Napa is a sparkling wine house in Napa, CA with roots that trace back to the Champagne region in France. They have 3 main sparkling wines in their Signature line- Brut Prestige, Brut Rose, and Cuvee M. 

What we're drinking tonight: 

Mumm Napa Cuvee M

Region:

California (Napa)

Blend:

Muscat and Pinot Noir

Aromas:

Elegant, rich and complex showing yellow and white stone fruits with subtle hints of wild strawberries

Flavors:

Slightly sweet, with peach and pear and a creamy caramel character

Pairs Well With:

Spicy entrees or cream desserts

SRP:

$21.99

Mumm Napa Cuvee M is a great wine for anyone. Is has a nice balance of sweetness on it making it a fun summer wine. When you think sparkling wine or Champagne, what comes to mind? Just about everyone either thinks of New Years Eve or that wedding you went to not long ago. What most people don't realize is how fun sparkling wine can be for all occasions and even paired with food! Mumm Napa Cuvee M in this case, is fantastic as a dessert wine or with Asian, spicy dishes. Dry sparkling wines (Brut) are amazing with seafood! The funny thing is, I actually am not a big seafood fan. On the same trip where I visited the Coppola Winery, I also got to visit the Mumm Napa Winery. Emily has always given me shit for not being a big seafood eater, and I found out before I left that when we visited Mumm Napa, we were getting to have a giant lobster cookout. I was excited to expand my food horizons. Ive always wanted to get more into seafood, and I know pairing the right wines with the right food would help tremendously! Enter Mumm Napa Cuvee- We had a tour of the winery and then sat down for the lobster dump. The wine paired perfect with what was being served, I was amazed at how sparkling wine enhanced the meal, and even better how much I was loving the lobster! I recommend to anyone who enjoys sparkling wine to try Mumm Napa Cuvee M! (Or the Rose or Brut) The quality and rich history of Mumm Napa is of the best, and you the wines reflect that. So pop that cork and drink up! 

The lobster dump!

Me enjoying my real first crack at lobster!

Baby Daddy Bry's Wine Rating- Mumm Napa Cuvee M:     4/5

Fun Wine Fact of the Week:

Sparkling wine cannot legally be called and labeled 'Champagne' unless it comes from the Champagne region of France. The term Champagne is used loosely in America to describe sparkling wine when in fact it likely is not actual Champagne

Next Week.....

We're heading to Chile!

LiL Miss is 2 months old already!!!

It's hard to believe we have a 2 month old....where has the time gone??? LiL Miss you are getting bigger, stronger, & more smiley everyday:) You got your first set of shots today. It was so sad, but you were a rock star only cried right after and have been sleeping ever since! Way to go baby girl:)

Weight & Length: You are 10lb 15oz and 22in long, your weight is in the 37 percentile your height 26% and head 25%

Loves:  You love being held and getting lots and lots of snuggles, I may not get much done during the day because of this but I wouldn't want it any other way! Your snuggles are the best! You still love bath time, your facial expressions are too funny, you look and act like this is the life I'm just going to relax and chill here for a bit:) You love being outside and going for walks. Sitting in your boppy  is you favorite spot on the the couch.You and daddy sit and watch tv together(don't worry we don't let her watch for to long)  You also like your play mat there is a mirror that hangs down and you love to look at yourself and you love love to stare at daddy especially when he sticks 
his tongue out and you try to copy him....it's the cutest thing

Eating: You are on soy formula it's helped some but I've  been researching some of you symptoms and it seems like half are lactose intolerant and half are acid reflex so your Doctor proscribed a medicine today and we are hoping this does the trick to make you feel better! You are eating between 3-4 oz at a time! You definitely let us know when your hungry. You cry like we've been starving you but the second we put your bib on (poor thing you live in one because you spits up a lot) you start making this funny laughing noise that sounds like beavis, and we laugh at it every time.. your too funny little girl! 

Sleeping:  usually one 4 or 4 1/2 stretch at night. I can't figure your napping out some days are great and others you hardly sleep a peep all day and those days don't seem to make a difference in how long you sleep at night

Fun Facts: Your a mover and a shaker , your legs are always kicking and your arms are always moving. Everyone always comments on how strong you are. At your 2 month appointment today your doctor put you on your tummy to watch you do tummy time and you were so close to rolling over. Your Dr. couldn't believe how strong you were. Besides everyone telling you how cute you are, most people always comment on how much hair you have, how long your fingers are and that you have big feet for such a lil peanut haha!!! You are the most smiley in the morning and that makes waking up a lot easier! You are such a happy, smiley baby when you feel good it just breaks my heart to see you in pain so we are praying the meds will make a huge difference for you! 

 Clothes:  You moved up to size one diapers and now wear 0-3 and some 3 months depending on the brand, I'm having so much fun dressing you up:)  

Firsts: You celebrated your first big holiday the 4th of July, you attended your first wedding, you took your first bath out of the little pink bucket the hospital sent home, and you had your first cold it was the saddest thing ever! I know I'm missing some because everything is a first but these were the big ones.   

 Life is so much FUN with you baby girl, someday's may be crazy but we wouldn't have it any other way! It's been so amazing watching you grow & change, we can't wait to see what this next month has in store for you:)

WE LOVE YOU SOOOO MUCH ESTELLA,

Love Always & forever, mommy & daddy 

Happy 4 years!!!

I'm one day late but I've had a busy week since I started back to work!  Yesterday was our 4 year wedding anniversary! How time flies when your having fun.. right?  It's crazy to think that day was four years ago already and this has been the BEST year yet!  Happy 4 Years to a great husband and an amazing daddy! What a fun year we've had, I can't wait for the next 50 more to come!!!!

To celebrate we are going to our favorite steak house Jax on Saturday! We go there every year and it's also where Bry proposed! With all our expenses we've had lately we decided no gifts other then the card and mcdonalds chocalte shake I got bry (they are his favorite) and he kept the tradtion going for my flowers. I get a gerbera daisy our wedding flower for every year we've been married. My dad started the tradition, he gets my mom a long stem rose for every year and they are going on 34 now so you can imagin how big the bouquet is! I thought it was a really cute idea so I gave plenty of hints to Bry so he would keep it going:)

HAPPY ANNIVERSY BABE

I LOVE YOU ALWAYS & FOREVER!!!

My 4 daisy's for 4 years,
It's going to be so fun to see the
bouquet grow each year:)

Winesday Wednesday!

Hello to all the baby blog readers (I'm assuming most of you are women). This is Bryan- Emily's husband or as I like to go by- her baby's daddy. First off I wanted to say thanks to everyone who has found an interest in reading Emily's blog and following the story of our beautiful Estella. Emily has enjoyed posting her pregnancy and pictures of everything and I think it's great how everyone enjoys reading about other people's journeys with their babys/new families, and about most if not all about people they have never met. She loves following all of your blogs as well and it has been fun seeing her take such interest in it.

So why am I on here? Well, Emily wanted to do something fun to mix things up on her blog and thought it would be fun for me to do a weekly "Winesday Wednesday." I work for a Wine & Spirits distributor here in MN as a Wine Sales Rep. I love my job and feel lucky I get to do what I do and work in the industry I am in, and even more importantly, I love to drink wine! My plan is to feature a different wine every week that is part of the portfolio I represent, talk about it's flavor profile, what to pair it with, etc, etc. Hopefully it is something fun and different for those of you that read Emily's blog, and who knows, maybe you can find these wines and enjoy them too! Cheers!


What we're drinking tonight: 
Francis Coppola Diamond Label Claret


Region:
California (Sonoma)


Blend:
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petite Verdot,
5% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc


Aromas:
Berries, plum, and allspice


Flavors:
Cherries, currants, cassis and vanilla


Pairs Well With:
Steak, Grilled meat (burgers for me), Pizza, Spicy Cheeses


SRP:
$18.99




I have a soft spot for Francis Ford Coppola wines, especially their signature Diamond Collection. Coppola was one of the first wine brands I represented when I started my job, and I still rep them today. The quality of the wines seem to get better every vintage, and the Diamond collection wines are all fantastic. I am mostly a red wine drinker myself, especially bigger, heavier wines, so the first time I had Coppola Claret, I was hooked. To this day, it is still one of my favorite wines. Claret is a French term to describe a red Bordeaux style wine, mostly for varietals authentic to the region (cabernet being the main). It is used a little more loosely here in American wines (surprise, surprise). If you see a wine that is labeled 'Claret', expect it to be a dry, red blend. The package on this wine gives it a classic, yet stylish look. The gold netting makes it look even better and I have seen dozens of people buy it as a gift for that reason! I have found myself going through a bottle of this no problem because it drinks so well and tastes so good. Now that I think about it, it's never much of a problem for me to blow through a bottle of wine..... My red wine drinker friends love this as well, and hopefully I can get Emily hooked too! (I'm working on getting her more into red wines, as she likes lighter sweeter wines right now)

The Coppola Diamond collection offers many other types of wines- Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pavilion (sister white blend to Claret), Syrah/shiraz, Petite Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Alicante Bouschet, and Pinot Noir. I am serious when I say this, every single one of these wines are amazing and I highly recommend, you will not be disappointed! Next time you go to a friends house/party and are bringing a bottle of wine, bring Coppola Claret and look like a rockstar.

A few months ago I was lucky enough to get to travel out to California wine country and tour the Coppola Estate with some co-workers. We drank wine, checked out to vineyards, drank wine, had a big dinner on the property, drank wine, and then drank some more wine. Here's a few pictures I took while there...

The property is open in the summer to visitors and includes
a giant pool to make it family friendly. 

Although the vines are bare in March, I thought it looked
was a sight to see, especially living up in the cornfields known
as Minnesota

Time to taste!

Baby Daddy Bry's Wine Rating- Coppola Diamond Claret:     4.5/5

Fun Wine Fact of the Week:

Although red wine can only be produced from red grapes, white wine can be produced from both red and white grapes

Next Week.....

We're getting bubbly!

The dreaded week!

IT'S HERE!!! The week I've been dreading for the past 8 or I would even say since the day I found out I was pregnant....I have to go back to work BOOOO!!! I knew eventually I would be ok with this because I'm only going back very part time 14 hours one week and 21 the next, but she is still so little I hate to be away from her for more then a few hours. I just wish we had one more month since we are finally feeling healthy!!! Most of my leave we both have had one thing or another (tummy problems, mastitis horrible colds) it's a great feeling to feel good again:)...that is why I want just a few more weeks of not thinking about having to do anything but be with my baby girl!!!
Since it's going to happen whether I like it or not I must look at the positive, I get to hang out with my work girls! These girls are the reason work is so fun and I have missed them so it will be great to catch up:) Also I know my clients will want to see pictures and hear about Estella, so I will get to talk about her all day and lets not forget about the paycheck I had an unpaid maternity leave so it will be nice to get paid and have tips again. That means more money to spoil my stelly with;)  I feel very lucky it's not full time, and that my mom can watch her.  Stella will get to spend a few hours of alone time with gg and Bry will pick her up on his way home from work and they will get to have some father, daughter bonding time! It really couldn't work out more perfect, I just need to keep reminding myself this come Wednesday!!!

Stylin Stelly:)

Who would want to leave this
sweet face to go to work?

7 Weeks Red, White & BABY Blue!!!

One of my Favorite Pictures:)

My first Big Holiday @ 7 weeks

My baby girl is getting so big, 7 weeks old already! I can not believe where time has gone...I know I say this every week but it's so true and I'm sure I won't stop thinking that! Thankfully we are finally starting to feel better but both of us are still stuffed up, I'm looking forward for this to be gone so we can feel 100% again! We have officially packed away all the newborn clothes. 0-3 and 3 month are still kinda big but I know she will fill them out before we know it! Lately she has been a lot more interested in her play mate she loves to stare at herself in the mirror and she trys grabbing for the toys. This has been nice to have a solid 10 min to get something done quick! Everyday we get more and more smiles and they are just the BEST!!!

Big smiles playing on her play mat staring at herself in the mirror

She loves sitting up in her boppy 

Chloe and Stella Bffs

Our family Friend got my mom this and

 I thought it was too funny but so true!!!

A big first for Stelly was we got to celebrate our first big holiday with her! My favorite thing has been dressing her up in red, white and blue, she's got a few outfits in these colors....hopefully they will fit in a few weeks so we can dress her up again during the Olympics to cheer on team USA! Bryan and I can hardly wait for the games to begin,  one day we hope to go to them as it is one of our top things on our bucket list! Anyway yesterday was just spent relaxing and trying to stay cool because can we say Holy heat wave!!! It has been in the upper 90s all week and yesterday was the hottest day yet. It's kinda hard to do anything with a baby when it's that hot out. I'm looking forward to it cooling off a bit this weekend so we can get outside and go on walks again. Yesterday I was also able to get a little me time in and go shopping while daddy stayed home to play with Stelly! I was gone 2 1/2 hours and he did great, I only got one text that said she peed on the couch haha! I scored some great deals with all the 4th of July sales going on and so did Gg she spoiled baby girl like crazy:) For dinner we met my parents at the TPC, we've done this for the past few years. Not far from the golf course there is a  huge sports complex where they have a big fireworks show, it's a perfect spot to watch because if it's to hot or buggy you can sit inside and still have a great view! Overall we had a great day spending lots of quality time together, Bry's been really busy at work lately so it was nice to have the whole day together! We hope every one had a Happy 4th!

Who needs fireworks when we've got our own firecracker ;)

Snuggling Gg

Grandpa can't get enough of her

They had a giant bouncy set up inside because
it was to hot out! The kids were going crazy over it 

I love my stelly girl

Auntie Stacy, poor stelly her skirt is up to her neck haha!