Hermann Wine Trail Anniversary trip

Every year for our anniversary we go and celebrate somewhere.  This year, to mark the traditional 4th anniversary gifts of "fruit and flowers" we decided it was the perfect year to do the Berries n BBQ Wine Trail in the historic town of Hermann, MO.

Hermann is a quaint little german town nestled in the middle of Missouri, about an hour-ish from St. Louis.  They are known for Oktoberfest and their wineries.  Being big wine lovers, it was shocking to most that we hadn't been yet so when Keith suggested it as our trip, I was in total agreement!  My sister and her boyfriend happened upon tickets as well and our goal for Sunday was to hit up the 7 wineries and have a grand old time!

Stop #1 was Robller Vineyard and we got to eat BBQ chicken tacos with berry salsa while drinking their St. Vincent Rose:

Stop #2 was Bias Winery and we got to eat BBQ pork steaks with a wine marinated fresh berry medley while drinking their Raspberry Weisser Fiedler - we actually purchased this wine as it was so good!:

Stop #3 was OakGlenn Vineyards where we feasted on BBQ brisket paired with their trolley red:

 

Those wineries were all outside of the city part of Hermann so we finally made our way into the city and our first stop in the city was our #4, Dierberg Star Lane Winery which is actually based out of Napa.  There we snacked on grilled bratwurst with a berry slaw, paired with their merlot:

Stop #5 was Hermannhof Winery where we got to explore the cellars and get some cool pictures after we tasted their grilled wings with berry balsamic bbq sauce paired with their white lady wine:

 

Stop #6 was Adam Puchta winery where they gave me what I thought was my favorite drink of the day, a Puchta-rita which is their vignoles mixed with margarita mix - oh yum - and ate smoked carnitas:

Our final stop of the day was Stone Hill Winery, which is one of Missouri's first and oldest and most known.  Unfortunately I did not snap a picture of the pulled pork brushetta paired with a raspberry chipotle sauce and their Kick n Berry wine but more on Stone Hill in a minute.

We had booked a room at the Stone Hill Overlook Bed & Breakfast for our getaway and it was a cute little house that has two rooms available that overlooks the Stone Hill Vineyards.  It was beautiful and quaint:

 

The host was nice and we had free range of the house because there was not other guests in the other room.  He suggested we go and relax with live music at one of the vineyards from earlier then if hungry try the restaurant Wings A Blazin', which is a very popular dining establishment in Hermann.  Oh boy was it good!!  We also drove around a bit more, got to know the town and see the highest point as well as walk along the river.  We ended our night on the porch of the B&B sipping on one of the wines from the day:

Monday was our day to head back but we wanted to do the private tour of Stone Hill before we left which is something I suggest to everyone who might go to a winery.  Our guide, Steve, was very knowledgeable and showed us everything, right down to tasting the Norton grapes that are getting ready to be made into wine:

After walking the grounds he led us in where we got to taste 10 wines and decided to take a few home with us:

One more stop in Hermann for a quick lunch at the Hermann Wurst Haus and we were then on our way back to St. Louis.

We had a great anniversary getaway and plan to go back to Hermann for Oktoberfest.  Can't wait - thanks Hermann for a great memory!

Happy 4th anniversary!

I cannot believe today is our 4 year wedding anniversary!

We have made a lot of memories in those 4 years being married, and the 8 1/2 we've been together.  I cannot wait to make more.

Year #1 we celebrated in Chicago:

Year #2 we celebrated in Branson & the Riviera Maya:

 

Year #3 we celebrated in Puerto Vallarta:

and this year we celebrated year #4 with a winery weekend trip to Hermann, Missouri:

Cheers to many more years!

(come back tomorrow to read about our winery getaway!)

Meet me at the Muny!

...for "Into the Woods"

While it was a hot hot hot night in St. Louis for this show last Friday (honestly our first hot night of the season with Missouri's lovely changing weather) the show itself, I was not a fan of.  It dragged on and on and honestly I saw lots of people leaving around us and didn't return.  We ended up going home after intermission so we tried to stay but it just wasn't going to happen!

This week is Beauty and the Beast with my sister then in 2 weeks the final show is Oklahoma with Keith.

I cannot believe summer is flying by!

Stuff n things!

Its yet another Thursday!!

 

• Today is free tea day at McAllister's!!!  I have a game plan already to get one after my eye doc appointment then there's another one on my way to work.  Might as well!
• This week has been a busy week.  I haven't seen Keith literally all week!
• We have a pretty busy weekend.  Friday is the Muny for In the Woods, Saturday is a friends wedding reception (the one who got married in Florida and wanted us to spend $600 for a couch to sleep on) then that night is girls night.  Sunday we are going on our 3rd mini trip to Hermann for a wine trail for our anniversary (which is the following Wednesday).  Busy busy!!
• The hotel has been H-E-double hockey sticks and I'm not looking forward to tonight.  STL is home to a tap dancing competition and its slated to start this weekend.  Well the organizers of it checked in this past week and have been doubling their numbers on their complimentary access to our area.  Its not been good and the reason they got it for free is because they lied.  More on that later :/
• Jeff (resident cheap skate) sent out a group text today asking if we all wanted to go in and rent a house at either the Gulf Shores or in Florida next summer.  I'm like uhh we can't commit to that right now and of course never heard anything after that.  I will not drive him 15 hours to make him happy next year.  This year's lake trip was enough for awhile!  He owes us all driving for awhile so until that's settled, yep!!
• In about a month, college football starts and we already have purchased our tickets for our yearly Mizzou game - yay!
• I can't believe school starts soon.  Currently I'm stuck in the same position as last year.  Pray that it could change before the year starts.

Have a great Thursday!

Surprise 30th for Kim

Saturday night was an event in the planning for the past few months and it went off without a hitch!

Kim has never had a surprise party thrown for her and she requested to Nate, her hubby, that she'd like one for her 30th.  She was dropping hints left and right, even giving everyone a guest list so we could suggest to him who to invite.

Nate had us all gather at McGurk's to surprise the birthday girl and she had an idea of it, obviously, but didn't know the details.  All Nate told her was they were going to dinner and that he was picking the restaurant.  They walked in and she walked back and she found all us, decorated tables, balloons and buckets of a good time!

After appetizers, drinks and dinner at McGurk's we bar hopped around Soulard, hitting up the Great Grizzly Bear before settling in at Molly's which was our last stop of the night.

I gifted her with a Pinterest idea that I saw floating around and finally had someone turning 30 do it to:

It was a fun night - Nate did good and Kim enjoyed herself!

Happy 30th Kim!!

Meet me at the Muny

...for Buddy Holly!

We had to switch our normal Friday night tickets to Wednesday night because of a commitment we had on Friday.

Oh boy am I glad I did because it was hot hot hot Friday night while Wednesday was a nice, cool night.  We ate dinner before hand and enjoyed the show.

It was the first time at the Muny and it was all music based, not a lot of talking and it went pretty fast.  I knew all the songs and Keith loved it as well.

Next week is the show "Into the Woods" then the week after is "Beauty and the Beast" before the final show of the season being "Oklahoma".

Its been a great season so far!!

Lake trip #1 2015

Our 2nd vacation of the summer has come and gone.  We headed to the Lake last weekend with Jeff and Meagan, Kim and Nate.

The original plan was for us to stay in our family condo.  However this is the year its having some work done and they decided to start the reno the week we were supposed to go and that made it unlivable.  Luckily we had a backup plan of paying into the house Jeff rented so each person got a "refund" from us which made their stay cheaper than it was going to be.  He has a friend who rents their house for $600 which is just too much.  So I broke it down by day and figured out what we'd owe as they were going down on Thursday and I wasn't going to pay for the 2 boys to party that day.

Before they got there Jeff had told Meagan that he couldn't afford her so she would have to pay for everything herself while there and he'd pay for everything himself.  She told him that was fine (more on this in a bit).

Since we didn't have a time frame on Friday, we got up, went to spinning then headed down there.  We stopped for lunch at the new Pappo's Pizza which was DELICIOUS!  Supposedly Pappo bought out a brewery here in STL and is going to incorporate his food with it.  I can't wait!  We then got some necessities and made it to the house.  The moment we walk in Jeff decides to tell us that it was decided on who was driving him all weekend and I already had to have a talk about that because I told him he wasn't the main decision maker and wasn't going tell me what I was going to do.

It was decided on a girls car and a guys car so once the other 2 girls arrived, we loaded up and headed to Shady Gators for a night of food, music and a foam party!

I love to drink the Pain in the Ass - its half pina colada, half rum runner then you add a shot of patron - there is only 3 places in Missouri that make it right and Gators is one of them - I was in heaven!  After eating, we went up to the foam party.  Yes, a foam party!  I hadn't been to one since my sorority days and the others never so it was a blast.  That night at dinner, Jeff decided to pay his and her meals/drinks but however didn't want to leave a tip because he felt he was being rushed to pay the check and that he wanted more beer.

On Saturday, we got to sleep in and then figure out the day.  To stay cheap, Jeff had booked 9 holes at the golf course at Tan Tar A, Hidden Lakes.  The whole reason they came was to golf so it was odd that he didn't book 18 but they were able to add an extra 9 to it at a not so bad rate.

While the boys golfed, we ladies shopped until we dropped (Meagan bought a dress especially to wear out with Jeff on his birthday this night) and Kim and I got to listen to Meagan complain about Jeff and rave about a friend of his, Steve.  Yep - you read right!  Jeff's got a friend Steve who had been in a long relationship until a few months ago.  Jeff had always been his single wingman and now Jeff has a girl and Steve is single.  So Steve started talking to Meagan and they text every minute of every day.  No joke!  Jeff is worried that Meagan is liking Steve, flirts with Steve (Jeff doesn't flirt) and I guess talks to him more.  However Jeff won't ask either one about it.  So on our girls time, we got to hear what would break J & M up (lack of communication and the money thing to an extent) and how M is worried for Steve, yadda yadda.  But she calls Jeff her boyfriend...see how we're confused? (more in a minute).  After golf, the boys met up with us at the pool for a few hours:

That night we headed to Lil Rizzo's for Jeff's birthday dinner.  The food itself was good, and we got to embarrass Jeff and had them sing to him for his bday.  It was fun!  Meagan bought his meal, which was her plan originally before he went all "you pay, I pay" on her.  We then headed to H. Toad's for the music and while it was fun, Kim and I saw some of the texts Meagan and Steve send to each other and let's just say its not what you'd say to someone who is just your friend.

Before we knew it, Sunday was here and everyone, except us, headed back to STL early.  We figured we didn't have anywhere to be, why waste the day driving and we wanted to hang out around Tan Tar A and shop again.  So we did!  We also decided to stop and get a sweet treat from Central Dairy in Jefferson City on our way home - its been a goal of mine every time we go to the lake and I finally accomplished it - and boy we got a treat:

So it was a good weekend, and of course you can't have a weekend without some of the above.  Meagan has never had a boyfriend before Jeff, so I get that she'll go with whatever flirting she can get because, well its human.  However there's a fine line that you shouldn't cross, especially if the person is a friend of the guy you like.  This is only Jeff's 2nd relationship so its not like he's an expert.  He doesn't flirt, he doesn't communicate and he'd rather tell them to pay for everything.  I pretty much told Jeff that now that the lake is over, I'm done with it.  We've told him what he should do (flirt more, text her more, hang out more on single dates rather than group dates) and its up to him if he wants to or not.

It will be an interesting ride...and I'll keep you up to date!

Cheers to the Lake :)

Thursday confessions

Holy moly summer is flying by!!

• Went on our 2nd little vacation last weekend to the Lake.  You know, the trip with Jeff (money problems guy), the girl he's interested in and another couple.  It was interesting...come back for that story tomorrow, ha!
• My brain is going every which way about jobs lately.  I have had a few interviews but nothing is solid.  At the moment I guess I'll be going back and subbing full time again.  Someone mentioned me doing their maternity leave so that'll be nice again.  A part of me just is thinking its time to stay goodbye to trying to get a classroom.  I had it for a year, lost it and can't get it back again.  Are things being said about me behind my back - yet I'm getting kudos left and right in front of my face?  I just don't know but I need a full time salary job, it would help out in many ways.
• We are looking at houses on Saturday.  I think it'll get Keith back into the spirit of putting our condo on the market...or so I hope.  I really dislike his indecisiveness.
• G-Force VBS has been fun this week but it makes you tired!  I'm with the kiddos going into KDG and while I'm use to that grade level, man are they wearing me out.  I've been taking naps during the afternoon (shhhh) ;)
• With that said, I haven't been to the gym all week because my favorite classes have been during VBS or at night when I work.  Tomorrow I'll start back!!
• I'm on a planner hunt.  I have a certain one that I love but this year the company changed it and I'm not a fan.  So I've been all over town trying to find it, hopefully I do!
• Keith watched the 50 shades movie the other day.  He wasn't expecting to understand the storyline but he did and he's kinda irked he has to wait until 2017 to continue the story.  It is a good story if you haven't seen it...and not just about what you think it is about!
• Had to switch our Muny tickets for Buddy Holly to last night.  It was an AMAZING show.  Lots of music and moved fast - one of my favorites!
• I have so many shows on my DVR that I feel like I'd be in trouble if I just sat and watched them.  I may do that today, the weather doesn't look that great at the moment.

Have a great Thursday!!

Linking up with Kristin and Penny.

I'm here (kinda)

Hey everyone!

Went out of town this past weekend for another mini getaway and now am teaching the kindergartners at vacation bible school this week so I'm a bit busy at the moment.

I will write about everything soon - please keep stopping by!!

:)

Blame it on the rain!

1. The Missouri Monsoons have hit again this week.  I'm not kidding, as much as the rain allows me to get stuff done, enough is enough!
2. Our 2nd getaway is this coming weekend to the Lake.  Our plans have changed a bit, however, because our family condo is currently unlivable as they started the renovations early, when they knew we were going to use it.  So now we have to stay at that ridiculously priced house that Jeff rented.  So I figured out the pricing per person and he's been trying to argue it because he feels we should now pay more.  I'm really not a fan of my husband at the moment who told him we were going to stay there instead of staying somewhere else.  This weekend is going to be interesting :/
3. Last night Keith comments that we should have done something else instead of going to the lake this weekend.  He wasn't a fan of me reminding him that he's the one who insisted we go for Jeff's birthday when this would have been the week we were in Florida or elsewhere.
4. We gave our Muny tickets away this week as we'll be out of town.  The show was "Holiday Inn."  Gave them to my parents and it was rained out on the night they could go.  Boo!
5. I am in desperate need of a massage.  I have so much stress and knots in my shoulders its painful at times.  Keith helps by rubbing them for like 30 seconds then he's done.  This was the summer I was going to get one at our all inclusive trip but wait...we aren't going on one right now.
6. Our condo isn't on the market and I'd bet tons of money its not for awhile.  As much as you guys think I'm blaming the husband for a lot of stuff at the moment, it truly is on this one.  This is his bachelor pad and he's not loving any houses right now.  So he doesn't want to sell until he finds one he likes...which is wrong because he doesn't want to buy until the condo is gone.  So even if we did find one he truly loves, we aren't going to buy it because the condo isn't on the market.  He's blaming it on my job situation because he likes to blame me but its not that.  I already know I'll be driving no matter where I work/live.  I just really hope the condo across the hall doesn't go on before ours or I'm sure that'll be my fault too.
7. My job situation - yes I have started considering going outside of teaching.  Do I want to, no, but if it means my husband is happier because I have a salary job, then that's all that matters right?  Its very frustrating finding a classroom again, then the added stress of someone who is supposed to be supporting me, its just a lot.  We ran into someone who has been searching for awhile also and I thought it would be an eye opener for him but nope - just more of a chance to yell about it.  His parents are no help either, that's for sure.  Its a lot of stress.

So much on my mind.  Here's to a somewhat relaxing weekend!

Have a great Thursday!