Holiday Books for your Children & Grandchildren

Happy Halloween!!

I'm so glad you stopped by my blog today!

As many of you  know, I have lived in the same house for almost thirty years. Although our house is just fine, lately I keep getting the urge to move.  But... whenever we go looking at houses we end up coming home and realizing we still love ours as well as our location close to town.

This year I have been organizing and getting rid of a lot of "stuff" we no longer need.  One thing I have not been able to get rid of is my treasured collection of children's books.  In this digital world we live in, I fear real books are becoming obsolete. There is something about flipping the pages of a book that I love, so I am keeping mine! Seriously, some of my best memories of being a mom involve reading books to my kids.

I had to laugh when I was asked to read a few books written by Soraya Diase Coffelt. Being an empty nester and having adult children, it's been a long time since I've read a children's book. Anyway, they have been sitting on my coffee table for the past few weeks.  I finally read them the other day and I have to tell you that they are awesome!

It's Not About You, Mr Pumpkin is a Love Letter About the True Meaning of Halloween. Honestly I didn't even know the origin of Halloween and I learned so much! It teaches children that Halloween is a lot more than just trick or treating and candy. It teaches them about what is really important.

It's Not About You, Mrs. Turkey is a Love Letter About the True Meaning of Thanksgiving. The author teaches children the historical background of Thanksgiving and that it is so much more than just eating a big meal.

It's Not About You, Mr. Santa Claus is a Love Letter About the True Meaning of Christmas. It explains how gift giving began and the true origin of this most important holiday.

Whether you have children at home or grandchildren that love having stories read to them, I highly recommend these books. The illustrations are beautiful and the stories make you stop and reflect about the true meaning of these very important holidays! Thank you, Soraya Diase Coffelt for sending me these books! I cannot wait until the day (God-willing) that I will be able to read them to my grandchildren.

Soraya Diase Coffelt is a widow and the mother of two sons. A lawyer and former judge, she has volunteered and served as a lay children's minister for many years. God has given her many creative ideas for ministering His Word to children, and her books are among them. In 2012 Soraya established the non-profit corporation, As the Stars of the Sky Foundation, Inc., to assist with the physical and spiritual needs of children. All proceeds from the sale of her books go toward the foundation. 

A Sunday Song... No Longer Slaves

I heard this song at church today and immediately fell in love with it. I've been playing around with Calligraphy, so I decided to write out the words. I listened to the song no less than 20 times while writing.

xoxo

This is on a certain California Girl's fridge now... 

You guessed it; my favorite daughter!

Dune Days // Sunset Nights

First Annual Family time at Naze & Joe's Dune Days and Sunset Nights.

My brother, Chris looking especially handsome!

Love these girls so much!

Our Fall 2015 Napa Trip in Photos

The wine we "blended" won't be ready to drink for 2 yrs.

We toured this beautiful castle.

Best picnic sandwich from the famous Oakville Grocery

Such beauty.

What a view! 

Nothing like a road trip in a convertible.

Got a free tasting from a fellow "Spartan." :)

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah leaves. Learned so much!

Our private "blending" and Bennett Lane Winery.

A cheese plate to remember.

Our perfect mix for our very own bottle.

Linc corking his own bottle.
65% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Merlot
25% Syrah

My perfect blend.
85% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Merlot
5% Syrah

Our Adorable Cottage in Calistoga 

My notes...

• angbaylis {8.14.15} Goodbye wine country, Napa Valley. We learned so much about you. Here are a few of our take-aways: We visited many of the over 600 wineries in the valley. They produce some of the best red Cabernet Sauvignon because of the warm days and very cool evenings. Each year's wine is affected completely by the weather. They usually stop watering 3 weeks before harvest. During the day it can get up to 100 degrees and go down to 50 degrees at night. Tannins (the skin) are what make the rich deep colors and texture of the wine. Most wine is not made from 100% of the grapes on the wineries' property. They combine theirs with some of the best grapes from San Jocamo (sp?) or other locations and can cost from $7,000 to $40,000 for a barrel. Each barrel of wine makes about 288-300 bottles of wine. One cluster of grapes makes about one bottle of wine. People are rarely allergic to sulfites that preserve the wine; some are natural and some are added. We blended our own wine at Bennett Lane winery in Calistoga, the most northern winery in the valley . My "perfect" blend was 85% Cab; 10% Merlot%; 5% Syrah. Linc's was 65% Cab; 10% Merlot; 25% Syrah. It will be ready to drink at it's best in about 2 years. We learned and experienced "palate fatigue." We ate a ton of good food and a lot of cheese and plain crackers. We learned so many new adjectives to describe wine's similarity to fruit, textures such as velvety, silky, smooth or course; and full bodied or light bodied, blackberry, cherry, black cherry, elderberry, black currant, smokey, oaky, vanilla, cinnamon, mahogany. Chew your wine like food and feel it on your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth. When people smell their corks they smell for old socks or musty. Some people think they just don't like a certain wine, not realizing it could just be bad cork. Wine is stored on it's side so the cork does not dry out. Wine is completely about personal preference and is not right or wrong. I'd like to think we are a little more discerning about the quality of wine. We are still by no means snobs and we like it that way! We can now use our new vocabulary! Thank you for a wonderful time! #nofilter

We left our hearts in San Francisco last month.

Somebody told the hotel he wanted to re-create the moment he proposed. He managed to get the best room in the place! ;) Fairmont Hotel San Francisco

What a view!

Breathtaking view from our room. 

Another pic from our room.

Favorite photo of our trip! :) (We laughed our heads off!)

Our walk.

Loved that Meghan was able to join us for the weekend! 

Loved these boats.

So happy Meghan flew up for the weekend!

Rode our bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge

Redwoods at Muir Woods

Pretending to be a photographer! 

Favorite Song... Good, Good Father

I cannot get enough of this song these days. I love the words... so much.



No matter what kind of father we all had growing up, we have a good, good Father in Heaven who is perfect in every way; who knows what we are going through; has all of the answers we are searching for; and who reminds us that we are never alone.


Oh, I've heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You're like
But I've heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You're pleased
And that I'm never alone

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

Oh, and I've seen many searching
For answers far and wide
But I know we're all searching
For answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need
Before we say a word

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

Cause You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it's love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
Into love, love, love

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

You're a good good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am
You're a good good Father

You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways