Girls Gone Sideways

Getting "Sideways" at Kalyra winery.

This weekend I left the boys on their own while I went on a trip to Santa Barbara for my best friend's bachlorette party. It was a glorious 46 hours of no diaper duty! It was a totally eclectic blend of personalities and stages of life. We had "no plans to get married" a few "just married" and of course the "I'm getting married" guest of honor. We had staunch Republicans, Republican-Libertarians, Democrats and Un-Declared. We had hard core adventurist, triathletes and "I'm not walking that far again". I filled in the stay-at-home mom niche. Despite all the differences, we all got along so well and had a blast.....especially after we agreed to stop talking politics after breakfast. Instead, the conversation kept returning to "broken vaginas". Don't ask!


Jessica, Natasha - Bride-to-be, Me, Dawn, Molly and Jenny at Blackjack Winery.


Rideau Winery


Natasha acting sober while she paints away at Artiste winery.


Molly painting with her teeth.


Bride - To -Be : Princess Natasha


Jenny, 7 months pregnant, boozing it up at our last winery (but not really).

After our day of wine tasting, we went to dinner at Ca' Dario and then out clubbing. That's when we got all the truly scandalous pictures, unfortunately not on my camera. I'm sure if you go to TheDirty.com or GirlsGoneWild.com you might get a glimpse of Natasha up on the Go-Go Dancer stage with the very nearly naked go-go dancer. We only got as far as Wildcat before Natasha ended up in the bathroom and then back to the hotel.

Martin and Nolan did great together and had some good male bonding time. Even though I had a great time over the weekend, I missed them both and I was so happy to be home.

Our Little Johnny Appleseed

Today, Nolan and I went to the Avila Valley Barn to pick apples. Nolan was absolutely thrilled. First, they drove us out to the apple orchard on a tractor bed past rows of corn, raspberry vines and a pumpkin patch. Once we got to the apples, Nolan was given a bag to fill with as many apples his little heart desired. He was loving it! He pulled at those apples so hard he ended up rolling in the dirt most of the time. Nolan noticed all the other kids had begun to eat their apples so he promptly looked to the ground for a pre-munched, crawling with ants apple and shoved it in his mouth before I could stop him. Right idea .... wrong apple. Don't worry, the apple he is eating in all the pictures is one of his freshly picked clean apples.
Nolan picking apples.


Eating his apple on the tractor ride back to the barn.

For the first time Nolan wasn't scared to feed the goats or even the sheep. We spent the rest of the day chasing roosters, playing with the water faucet (oh the mystery of mud), eating apples and climbing hay bales. Not bad for a Tuesday morning.

Nolan feeding the goats.
Proud Mommy Moment: Nolan finds broccoli in the bin. "Mommy...Bob-li... Mmm" In front of other parents no less! That's my boy!

Cutie Cousins

Martin's brother Russell, his wife Noelle and their baby Makena all came for a visit on Saturday. It was so awesome to see Makena and how big she's gotten. She is 7 months old, sitting up and although she hasn't officially started to crawl she is rocking back and revving up! Most times we see her it is around so much family that she spends the whole time being passed around. I loved seeing her on her own and in action. Nolan took to her very well. He wanted to hold her and hug her and kiss her. She was a little overwhelmed by "mega-baby boy" but she handled it well.

When Makena got fussy, Nolan tried to be helpful and put her binky in her mouth.

Daddy was holding Makena and Nolan want to be a part of the action too.

He's just soo cute! Makena watches and learns.

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Noelle & Makena

Uncle Martin & Makena

Nolan endearingly looks at Uncle Russell while they play together.

San Francisco & Monterey

I just snagged my mom's camera with all the good pics of our weekend away in San Francisco & Monterey. Somehow we only ended up with 2 pictures on our camera....hmm...I wonder if that has something to do with chasing a toddler around.

We went with the Grandparents to S.F. to meet up with one of my mom's good friends and check out a craft fair. "Craft fair" is a horrible name for the event, it was really full of amazing and creative art work. Nolan got to take a ride on a trolley for the first time. He was pretty scared at how loud it was at first, but in typical Joyce family fashion...we kept on until he loved it. We also ate at an amazing restaurant in Chinatown. Let me tell ya, it pays to go with people who know where to go! Dim Sum Yum!

We made our way into Monterey...eventually. The hotel we reserved overbooked and left us with nowhere to go at 11:00 at night with 4 adults and 1 baby. All of Monterey was sold out, well almost, there was that one room with only one bed at the Hilton going for $500. We booked the last room at the Best Western in Marina for twice the going rate, but heck...two beds and still cheaper than the Hilton.



Let me just say, I felt like such a huge kid at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was amazing! I didn't want to leave and I couldn't believe how kid friendly it was. Half of the 2nd floor was like a toddler Mecca; there were tunnels with fish tanks embedded in the walls for Nolan to crawl through, sea creature costumes he dressed up in, a slide to play on, a bunch of water tubs with boats, a trampoline that was kind of like a water bed and open tanks that he could touch starfish and a bunch of other weird stuff. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!



Nolan going down the slide in his Seahorse costume.

Nolan touching starfish in the "touch pools".

Cool Jellyfish displays going on there right now.

Dinner. Okay, I have to say...I did not do this to my child, he did it to himself! Like most meals, Nolan got a sampling of every one's plate for dinner. Well, he decided to throw sardines, anchovies, tomato, and garlic bread in one pile and then heap clam chowder all over and take huge bites of it and then show us his tummy. The whole experience was a bit frightening.

Just A Bunch Of Blimey Brits

We spent the last of our holiday visiting Grandmum and Grandad, as well as some cousins that are visiting America on their holiday. We sat around and chatted while we drank tea in true English fashion.

Schoolmaster Nolan Says, "Class Is In Session"

Little Makena ... not so little anymore! She is now almost 6 months old and so beautiful. Her eyes are so expressive!

A bunch of Brits + one French/Mexican. (Yes, that was the OMG geneology discovery... we're French not Irish)

Cross-Country High School Reunion

Back Row: Alumni (see me and Nolan to the right)

First & Second Row: Current Cross-Country Team

This Saturday we went to an Alumni Run with my high school cross-country team. I didn't go to my 10 year reunion so it was really great to catch up with some of my old running friends. They're the ones I'd really want to see anyways ... and it didn't cost Martin & I $90 a person to go! We ran our old home course, which was totally different for me (thank God, the old course was much hillier!), had BBQ and then they actually let me stand up in front of impressionable teenagers and impart my worldly knowledge on them. Yikes!

The current coach, Annie Ebiner '96, ran on the team at the same time I did. Back in the day we use to joke that they "bred Ebiners" for running because she came from a family of 15 (?) and I think almost all of them were runners. Annie was our superstar who was a media darling and deserving of evey minute of press she got. She never let it get to her head and was always such a cohesive element to our team. I was so happy when I found out she was the current coach for our Alma Mater. The more girls that woman can have an impact on the better.

Just like the old days, I saw Annie coming across the finish line just seconds after I had passed the two mile mark. Jeez, that girl can still fly!

Marie '96, Annie '96, and Me '95 sharing memories before the run.

Me and Coach Landry

I can still remember Coach Landry pulling me off varsity in Track and refusing to put me back on unless I gained 10lbs during an adolesent weight freakout. Good for you Coach Landry, you knew how to get me back in line!

Natasha and Me BFF

"The woods are lovely dark and deep,

but I have promises to keep,

and miles to go before I sleep,

and miles to go before I sleep."

Robert Frost

And yes I did sleep. Come on, 15 and 16 year old girls are really fast! I wasn't running alone because I was in front.

Nolan And The Bee

A few weeks ago, Grandma & Grandpa Wacko took Nolan to the Renaissance Festival. They had a fantastic time riding the bus, eating ice cream and going for a pony ride. At one point in the day a bee came buzzing around Nolan and decided he was just too sweet to leave. This brought images of bee stings, allergies and hospital emergency rooms to forefront of the grandparents' minds. So they did what any loving grandparent would do.... they freaked out, swatting the bee and waving their arms. I don't know if it was the hysteria or the scared cries of our poor Nolan that scared the bee away, but it eventually left the scene. A thorough check was done to make sure he was not stung and all was well... or so we thought.

The next day Nolan stood in the kitchen petrified, unable to move and crying hysterically at a fly buzzing around. "BEE, BEE, BEEEEEEE!" I tried to calm him but to no avail, he was convinced that all flies were bees and should be feared. Over the week it got to the point that we would walk outside and a black speck on the floor would send him running for me. He would wrap his arms around my legs and look up at me, pointing to the speck, "Bee?"

A healthy fear of bees is good but we had moved far beyond "healthy". So I went into action with really no clue how to solve this problem. First, my neighbors (thanks Steve & Melissa) lent us "A Bee Movie." Nolan and I watched it together and talked about what bees do and why they are good. We also talked about why we should be careful around them and only look at them with our eyes. After we got about half way through the movie we went outside for a "bee hunt". We came up on some plants that are always swarming with bees and we watched them visit the flowers. Nolan & I talked some more about the bees and he was so brave. He'd point to them and looked back at me, "No No" (as in "don't touch") and I agreed that was a good idea. When his confidence began to waver I let him know that all he had to say was, "Bye-Bye Bee" and then walk away. He looked a bit skeptical but gave it a try "Bye Bee" and then proceeded to the park. On our way back home he stopped again to watch the bees and then said "Bye Bee" and kept on going.

I am noting this as an official "Proud Mommy Moment"