June Rodil began her career in the industry at The Driskill Hotel under the leadership of Chef David Bull.  It was during that time that she fell in love with the food and wine world and made an abrupt change in career paths.  She left a path headed for bar exams and dove into a different kind of “bar” exam, Sommelier certification.  She wowed TEXSOM in 2009 and continues to wow in the top restaurants in Austin.

From the Driskill, she went to Uchi to work under Tyson Cole, another star in Austin and in the national realm.  She then returned to fine dining with David Bull at his next endeavor, Congress.  So where does one go from there?  To work with Top Chef winner Paul Qui, of course.

Qui, which will open this Spring, is one of the most anticipated restaurants in Austin right now.  Paul is currently involved in East Side Kings, which will continue serving creative cuisine to the trailer crowd.  Qui will take it up a notch (or three) with his flagship restaurant.  Rodil will be in charge of pairing his eclectic menu with wines and spirits.

June Rodil is no stranger to awards.  She’s been named “Texas’s Best Sommelier” by Texas Sommelier Association, Rising Star Sommelier, and Best New Sommelier in 2011 by the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas.  This month, she has also been chosen, along with eleven other Sommeliers, to attend the 2013 Sommelier Symposium at Ridge Vineyards.  During the two-day event, they will visit the historic Monte Bello vineyard in Cupertino and Lytton Springs in Sonoma.  They will be given the opportunity to learn from 2013 Winemakers’ Winemaker, Paul Draper, tour the properties, and participate in barrel and vertical tastings.  The Sommeliers will experience first-hand the commitment to excellence and sustainable practices that are Ridge Vineyards.

Jealous?  Me too.  And although we won’t be able to do vertical tastings and dine with the winemakers, we can participate.  For the first time, the people at Ridge are making it available to the other Somms, SAHMs, and wine lovers.  Through the wonders of social media and live streaming, we can learn alongside of the country’s top Sommeliers.  Check in to the Ridge Blog, You Tube, or Facebook for videos and chat using #RidgeSomms on Twitter.  The event will take place in May 20th and 21st.

I hope to visit Ridge in person when I visit Sonoma this summer.  In the meantime, I’ll pour a glass of Ridge wine and enjoy the opportunity to learn more about what is in my glass.  Congratulations, June and I hope to see you at Qui this spring.  Cheers!

Heavy green leaves,

Encircle the delicate flowers

Subtle bells, white and pure

Beckon with soft allure

The Lily of the Valley grew

In patch beside our home

“Don’t they smell sweet?”

“Yes, Mama,” I think, “Just like you.”

Crimson and Yellow

The Maples alter their hue

Sharing their beauty

Changing the view

All around us

The leaves are changing

“Aren’t they beautiful?”

“Yes, Mama,” I think, “Just like you.”

We stand at the base

Looking up

The Sequoia tower

Majestically above

A growing family

Sprouting each day.

“Aren’t they strong?”

“Yes, Mama,” I think, “Just like you.”

A patchwork of color

The wildflowers spread

Beauty and light

All along their path

We drive along the

Empty road, taking it in

“Aren’t they amazing?”

“Yes, Mama,” I think, “Just like you.”

If you have been drinking wine for any period of time, you’ve likely come across the idea of terroir, the expression of the land found in wine. Now, there are debates over this, but I’ll leave you to research that for yourself. I am more interested in the general idea of comparing. If you open a Pinot from New York and expect it to taste like one from California, you might be taken aback. If you open one from Burgundy and expect it to taste like one Oregon, you may (or may not) be surprised. Regardless of your expectation, if you don’t take the time to stop comparing, and enjoy it for what it is, you are likely going to miss out on something special.

The other night my brother-in-law made a fish dish, Halibut with Balsamic strawberries. I opened a Pinot from New York, hoping it would work, but it didn’t have the level of acid I was looking for. My husband suggested one of our “flagship” Pinots but I knew that it would be too big, too much black fruit for the dish. We opened the 2010 Stoller Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills and it was just right. Gorgeous cranberry red, red fruit, spice, a bit of fennel. Lovely.

Each Pinot had its own personality and it would be hard to compare them. One was great with fish while the other paired nicely with mushroom risotto. The other wine is big and beautiful, but it would have overpowered the dish. You just need the right wine for the right dish.

After a long day of mothering, a dear friend and I went for a walk last night, after dinner was served, dishes were done, while our husbands gave the children a bath. She was feeling pretty beat up. The worst offender? Herself. You see, she is a fantastic mom, but she doesn’t see it. She only sees that another friend never seems to lose it and she has THREE kids. She wonders how I find time to write and I have TWO kids. She thinks that she is not allowed to have a bad day and that she has no excuse for not get everything done because she only has ONE child. Which is funny, because I look at her super clean house and see how she’s so good and playing with her son and instructing him. I see that she’s in fantastic shape and takes him to the park and museum while I send my kids out in the yard so I can have 30 minutes to write.

Being a mother can, at times, feel like equal parts of joy and suffering. Comparison likes to rear its ugly head in both arenas. Comparing the successes and milestones, comparing the challenges and woes. This Mother’s Day, I challenge you, I challenge myself, to see the coming year through different eyes. How different would our day look if we choose grace, love, and mercy, not only for children but for ourselves? If instead of “doing more” we find peace and satisfaction in the “being?”

Brené Brown talks a lot about comparing in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection. In the book, her friend reminds her that “Comparison is the thief of happiness.” Isn’t it though? She reminds us that comparison is “paralyzing” and prevents us from being creative. If creativity is an expression of self, and we are worried about how we measure up to another’s standard, how can we be fully ourselves? If we try to mother our children in the way our neighbor does, is that really best for our child? There is always more to learn, ideas and inspiration to gain from others. But if we aren’t living authentically and being true to ourselves, living “wholeheartedly” as Brown say, then we are not fully living. You are the best mom for your child. You in your whole, complete self. Your whole and complete self can only be found by giving ourselves the space to be different, the grace to grow and fail.

Motherhood is full of “doing.” There is always more to “do.” But do you also value the being? There is a danger when our focus is on the “doing” rather than “being.” Life becomes exhausting and “it” will never get “done.” Is your value tied to what you accomplish or do you believe that who you are is enough? Being available to question while they explore? Being an example in your career or at the grocery store? Being a constant in their lives? A source of comfort? Isn’t that just as important?

Our children are a reflection of us in so many ways-in appearance, in behavior, talents, and challenges. Sometimes the reflection can be a little hard to take. Sometimes, it reflects something beautiful. It always reflects a unique image, an image that IS enough, just right for your child, just right for you. Do you appreciate its unique beauty or are you too busy comparing?

Addie Broyles of the Austin American Statesman interviewed me this week for pairings with a Mother’s Day brunch. One question she asked was what I wanted for Mother’s Day. In the pre-coffee fog, my immediate response was to not do dishes and to have a few moments of peace. Now, I still stand by that, but with some time to think, I have an additional response.

This Mother’s Day, I wish all of my friends, those that are mothers and those that are not, peace. Peace with oneself, peace in your home. May you come closer to understanding your fullness and not feel the need to compare. Enjoy what you can, let go of what you don’t. Do the dishes, don’t do the dishes, but keep it in perspective. Rejoice in the successes of others and strive to find your own success, with your OWN definition. Love big and with grace. And enjoy what is in YOUR glass, right here, right now.

I need to add a big Happy Mother’s Day to my own mom, a woman who always loved big, who was always there, and has never fully seen all the beauty in her own reflection. Cheers!

I had the opportunity to talk with Kolin yesterday at the Austin Food and Wine Festival.  Kolin grew up in British Columbia where he earned his culinary certification and began his career.  He moved to San Francisco to work with Gary Danko and spent eight years honing his skills in the city before heading to Healdsburg to work at Simi Winery.

I asked him how working at a winery differs from the restaurant world.  If you’ve spent any time in the industry you know that the hours can be daunting, so that is one benefit the winery offers.  In a restaurant, the chef creates the dish and then you seek out the wine that will work best with the food.  At the winery, the opposite holds true.  He is creating a dish that will best highlight the wine.  In the creative process, adjustments often have to be made, but Kolin has learned a few tricks that we can easily apply.  For example, if the wine is coming across “hot,” add some acid, lemon or salt.  If the wine seems to be falling flat, add savory notes, herbs perhaps.

At the festival, Kolin was pairing the 2010 Sonoma County Pinot Noir with Crispy Chicken Skin, Mushroom Purée, and Dried Cherry.  And what a pairing it was.  The mushroom puree accented the earthy notes in the wine.  The dried cherry echoed the red fruits and the ginger salt highlighted the spice.  Delicious.

So what food and wine combinations have surprised Kolin?  He now enjoys pairing seafood with reds.  Catalan stew, Cioppino, Acqua Pazza all have ingredients which create depth and spice and they need something heavier, spicier to compliment the dish.

And what is his current favorite pairing with the Simi wines?  The Landslide Cabernet Sauvignon is both bright and rich.  Great fruit is balanced by fresh earthy notes.  Full, but not heavy, he enjoys pairing this wine with one of their specialty pizzas with charred radicchio and gorgonzola.  Yum.

My brother is also a chef in the Bay area and about the same age as Kolin.  I’ve watched him go from creating complicated, multi-ingredient works of art to a much simpler approach.  Find good food, in season, locally sourced and you don’t need to do much to it.  The food speaks for itself.  Your job is to find the combinations that work well together and let the natural beauty of the food shine.  From talking with Kolin, it is apparent that he has gone through a similar transition.  Eat what is available, fresh.  Play with it, but keep it simple.  Returning to his roots, this style of cooking is a natural fit for Kolin.

Although the restaurant is not generally open to the public, they do have private events and are working to make his dishes more accessible.  During summer weekends, pizzas and other rustic Italian fare are available.  They are looking into creating dishes to be enjoyed at home and “pop-up” dinners as well.  If you can’t make it to Healdsburg, Simi Wines are readily available and Chef Kolin has shared many of the recipes for his favorite pairings on the website.  Now to find the time to execute them…Cheers!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a pass to the Austin Food and Wine Festival in order to write this piece.  The opinions and thoughts are my own.

I was introduced to the group by Jo Diaz, the executive director and a fellow member of another group, Women Wine Writers.  I was recently the fortunate recipient of samples from P.S. I Love You.  This gave me a great excuse to bring a new group of wine lovers together to help me sample and learn more about Petite Sirah.

I taught in a multi-age setting and I still love the theory behind it.  Surround the learner with those that are farther ahead in one arena and those that are behind.  Ideas become solidified as you share and support others.  You are challenged to grow as you see new ideas practiced and applied.  All people have different gifts.  We excel in one area and need help in others.   These ideas don’t stop in the classroom.  Or perhaps our entire experience is one big “classroom.”  Either way, the same theories still apply.

Although the Petite Sirah gathering was only scheduled two days in advance, the group could not have been better planned.  One guest had more technical and production experience.  Another came with a palate trained through years of cooking.  Yet another spent years in Italy and fine dining so he brought his own unique angle.   I invited friends that love wine and the learning process and I learned from their unbiased perspectives.

I got a head start on the sampling the night before so that I could come into it with some prior knowledge.  Plus, it gave me the opportunity to try another pairing.  On Thursday, my brother-in-law made grilled Balsamic pork chops which I paired with roasted sweet potatoes and a kale salad.  We opened the 2011 Rock Wall Jack’s Dry Creek for the meal.  This wine was beautifully balanced with tons on blackberry and spice.  Hearty enough to hold up to the balsamic and pepper on the pork, smooth enough to drink by itself after the meal.  A very nice wine.  We also opened the Petite Petit by Michael David Winery.  Trust me, there is nothing “petite” about this wine.  Huge fruit, punctuated by the Petit Verdot, this one really needed some food.  Next time I plan on having some cheese with enough muscle to hold this one.  After a sampling of both ends of the PS spectrum, I felt more prepared for the full tasting.

I read a lot about pairings and asked the producers to share their favorites. We started with a cheese plate.  For dinner, I decided on venison meatballs with marinara, garlic bread and salad.  That way I could bring in the game and the hearty tomato in one dish.  Also, I could do all the work before guests arrived which is always preferred.  I chose six wines to taste that night.  I have found that, after that, my palate becomes saturated and I can’t properly evaluate a wine.  Plus, that leaves me a couple more to pair in the future.

In retrospect, I may have changed the order, but based on what I knew, courses, and price point, I put them in the following order:

1) 2010 Bogle Vineyards $11 Cheese course-Big black fruit, tar, spicy pepper, full-bodied

2) 2011 Concannon Central Coast $10 -Cheese course-Red and black berries, leather, medium-bodied. Would have served this before Bogle. A great value.

3) 2010 Stanton Vineyards $45- Served with Main Course-Absolutely delicious.  Complimented the meal nicely.  Perfumed nose. Integrated red and black fruit, balanced, big and complex.

4) 2010 Pedroncelli Dry Creek Valley$17 Served with Main Course-Super complex.  Red and black fruit, some eucalyptus and spice.  Hearty and rich layers. Full bodied and a fantastic value.

5) 2010 Wooden Valley Winery $19 Served with dessert. Cocoa and Cassis, round vanilla and almond notes.  With the addition of Zinfandel, this wine is fruit forward and approachable.

6) 2010 Earthquake $26  With a name like Earthquake, I assumed this wine would pack a big punch and needed to come last.  I was right.  Bold, hefty, in your face tannins and fruits that doesn’t quit.  Consider yourself warned and pair with something that would rank high on the Richter scale.

So what did we learn for our course in Petite Sirah?  Also known as Durif, this grape is typically used in blending, but is lovely on its own.  Depending on growing conditions and production techniques, the grape can produce very diverse wines.  We learned that this wine is made for food, specifically hearty foods.  We learned that there are some great values in Petite Sirah.  Layered, rich and under $20?  Yes, please.

The best learning is done is a safe environment.  When wine flows, conversation follows.  Questions arise, points of view differ, but, in the right setting, you all come away richer, and hopefully wiser.  Thank you P.S. I Love You for providing the opportunity to learn.  Thank you, dear friends, for teaching and learning with me.  Most importantly, thank you for creating an environment in which learning is possible.  Cheers!

Disclaimer: These wines were provided as samples by the producers affiliated with P.S. I Love You.  The opinions are my own and those of my dinner guests.

There was something magical about the place.  A two-story sandstone home in the background, a windmill towering over the grapes, green and plumping.  I allowed myself a moment to take it in.  I wondered about life there, a life I’ve often yearned for.  The daydream was interrupted by a quick wave to the gentleman in the field and we were off.

Taken July, 2012, from the side of the road

Fast forward to last week.  Jennifer McInnis of the San Antonio Express published a piece on the town of Pontotoc and the family behind Pontotoc Vineyards, each with its own storied past.  I was instantly fascinated and elated that it was going to be a stop on my journey west with Texas wine writers and friends.  Jennifer did so well at capturing the essence of what Carl Money is building and the inspiration behind the vision that it would be redundant for me to retell, but I highly recommend stopping here and heading over to her piece.

So how are these stories connected?  I didn’t know myself until we began the tour of Pontotoc.  We arrived around 5pm and were warmly greeted by Frances Money and her lovely daughters.  In the Tasting Hall, we met Carl Money, his Uncle and Vineyard Manager, Ronnie Money, and Don Pullum, the Winemaker.

After introductions and a few nibbles, with Mason jars filled with the 2011 Tempranillo, we made our way around the property.  The Tasting Hall was once the General Store.  The rest of the Sandstone strip once included the Post Office, the Barber Shop, and a Movie Theater.  By October, it will also house Dotson-Cervantes and Akashic Vineyards, Don Pullum’s own boutique winery.  The movie theater will become a performance venue for music, plays, and old movies. We continued to the farmhouse.  Built in 1872 , this two-story home was crafted from the local sandstone by the German Emigration Company to house immigrant families.  Four bedrooms, several families, and countless stories began here in Pontotoc.  If Carl Money has his way, there are many stories to come.  Each piece of art, each piece of furniture has its tale to tell.  Carl is giving them an audience.

Don Pullum, Ronnie Money, and Carl Money

We went out through the back porch to the vineyard.  As the sunlight began to soften, Ronnie told us about the different plots, the different strains, and the trials and successes they have faced thus far.  We walked to the well, and that is when I realized the connection.   The tractor, the windmill, the farmhouse came rushing back and, with much gratitude, I realized I was standing in the very vineyard I’d admired the year before.

Another Point of View

We walked back to the tank room and began tasting samples.  We compared the 2012 Tempranillo, bright red fruit, raspberries and cream, as compared to deep black fruits in the 11.  We tasted the red cherry in the Cab and the fresh fruit and clean earth in the Mourvedre.  Don introduced the Alicante Bouschet, a grape I’ve long admired in Wellington Vineyards Noir de Noir.  This began with dried apricot and faded into raspberry truffles.  It is a hefty red-flesh grape with tons of potential.  And then he blended them.  With little effort, Don took a little of this, a little of that and created a blend that silenced the room.  Wow.

Carl in the Tank room

There is a saying that has become a bit cliché.  To say that a person, place, or experience “feeds your soul” can sound almost trite, but as I reflected on this past weekend, it seemed the best way to describe the trip.  A balanced dish, a balanced diet needs variety.  A little acid, a little spice.  We need energy to fuel, vitamins to heal.  When it comes together with the right mix, your body gets just what it needs to continue.  Each person brought what only they could.  Like the wine in each individual barrel, each contributed something to blend.  Shared stories and wisdom, humor and vision.  Tranquil and alive, with a history and a budding future, Pontotoc and the people I was with fed my soul.

M. Robert Kidd is said to have named Pontotoc, which means “the land of hanging grapes,” after his home in Mississippi.  He could not have known then what Carl Money would be doing now.  When I stopped on the side that day, I knew the spot was special, but I could never have imagined that, within a year, I would be toasting friends, old and new, on that same plot of land.  It is a magical place indeed and one I hope to return to frequently.  Many thanks to the Money family and Don Pullum.  We could not have asked for more gracious hosts.  Thank you Denise, Jessica, Jennifer, and Margaret for making it that much more memorable.

A Toast to Our Chef, Don

It has been a brutal winter for many of you, so I hesitate to share that we have had a few days in the 80s.  When the thermostat begins to hit that range, it generally means I get my first cravings for Sauvignon Blanc.  Our grill died last fall and my husband finally had time to go pick out a replacement on Saturday.  So, I headed to the store for something to grill and some SB.  I don’t know about you, but I pick fish based on what is wild and what looks the freshest.  I had a preparation in mind, so I had already gotten the sides.  My shopping buddy also thought the Coho salmon was the “shiniest” so that’s what we chose.  (BTW, I didn’t even tell him what to look for, he’s got the instinct.  His uncles would be proud.)   He also did well with the Sauvignon Blanc label picking.

I started with the Israeli couscous so it had time to cool to room temp.  I browned it in sunflower oil for about 5 minutes, boiled for 15, then drained.  I added olive oil and salt so it wouldn’t be sticky, then started on the fish.  I  drizzled with olive oil, added salt and pepper, chopped rosemary and oregano, and lemon zest.  For the salad, I used bibb lettuce, toasted pine nuts, shaved parmesan, and grilled raddichio.  While the boys grilled the fish and raddichio, I tossed parsley, oregano, lemon juice, and the extra pine nuts in the couscous.  On the side, I had Castelvetrano olives.

Since my brother-in-law moved here, we’ve shared many meals and he’s been very complimentary.  It means a lot to me since he went to culinary school.  This was the first time, however, that he’s said, “If you gave this meal to professionals, they would not tell you to add one thing.  It is perfectly balanced and complimentary.”  Who-hoo!  Love it when that happens.  Especially with a meal that is healthy and easy to throw together.

The wine I paired it with was a 2012 Doña Paula Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc.  Bright fruit, a bit of herb and a lot of grapefruit.  This paired perfectly and, priced around $12, it is a wine you can drink anytime.

If you want something a little more elegant, the 2010 Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc would work nicely too.  It has the lively citrus and herbal notes, but the addition of 6% Semillon and 5 months in oak soften the wine a little.  The wine has some briny, savory notes that would play well with food.  This wine retails around $20 and was provided as a sample*.

Saturday was in the eighties, Wednesday was in the fifties.  Transitions are like that.  A few steps forward, a few steps back.  Progress, regression.  They can be slow and daunting, or immediate and undeniable.  Regardless of the results, the process, the learning, the discovery often has its own rewards.  Some are intrinsic and some are as simple as a delicious meal with people you love.

*{Disclosure: I was provided with the Robert Mondavi wine from PR Firm, Folsom & Associates. All statements and opinions expressed in this article are my own.}

The Drink Ribera campaign visited Austin for the first time this past weekend and treated us to a great information session and some fabulous wines.  The Ribera del Duero region is one of the three main DOs in Spain and, although only officially recognized in the early 80s, they have been producing wines for thousands of years.  With high elevation, warm days, and cool nights, the climate is ideal for viticulture.  The region is named for the Duero river which traverses the region and provide soils of silt, clay, and sand.  In the higher elevations, you find limestone and chalk.

The main grape in the region is Tempranillo, also known as Tinto Fino and Tinto del Pais.  There are no recognized white wines, only rosados and tintos.  We looked at the various designations and sampled both modern and traditional styles of winemaking.  First a quick definition of the designations:

Cosecha: This includes “Joven” wines that do not typically see any oak and “Joven Roble” and “Joven Barrica” which are aged in oak for 3-6 months.  These wines are bright and easy to drink.  They are meant to be enjoyed while they are young.

Crianza:  These wines are aged for 24 months, with 12 being spent in oak.  These wines have a little more body, softer feel, and more depth.

Reserva: Aged three years with a minimum of 12 months in oak.  Full bodied, structured, bold and layered.

Gran Reserva:  Aged 5 years, a minimum of two years in oak, and often additional time in the bottle.

Rosado: Minimal skin to juice contact to great a bright, light rosé.

The Ribera region uses both American and French Oak.  The ratio varies depending on the winemaker.  We often describe wines as Old World and New World, but that line is getting a little fuzzy.  You have winemakers in the states adopting the Old World techniques and the same holds true in Spain.  Some winemakers are making fruit forward wines, styled more like what we’ve come to describe as New World.  You will find a 3rd or 4th generation winemaker that has built a modern facility, but still gives reverence to the techniques that were passed down.  The history and technology combine to give us clean, affordable wines which maintain a sense of place.  Regardless of style, the wines that are coming out of the region are impressive as they are varied, as unique as they are accessible.

Even more impressive is the quality of wine for the price point.  Some wines I tasted, and loved, were in the $8-10 range.  A rich and complex Reserva came in at $24.  I was a big fan of Tempranillo before I arrived.  I love its diversity.  Sampling these gems from Ribera only solidified my affinity for the “Noble grape.”

A few favorites:

Valdubon,  10 Cosecha and 07 Reserva

Vina Arnaiz, 09 Crianza and 08 Reserva

Bodegas Valparaiso, 09 Roble and 08 Crianza

Bodegas Y Vinedos Ortega Fournier S.L, Alfa Spiga 06

Many thanks to Drink Ribera Campaign and The Wine and Food Foundation for the invitation to this lovely event. Photos courtesy of Drink Ribera.

1) Quality counts

If Fast Food Nation didn’t scare you into thinking twice about what you put in your mouth, well, I both envy and fear for you.  Personally, I get a little crazy about food stuff sometimes, especially meat.  (BTW, did you read this?  Hilarious.) So we just have a lot less of better quality meat.  That being said, I don’t mind paying a premium for grass-fed filets.  And, yes, they are worth it.  If only for my peace of mind, but additionally, the flavor is really fabulous.

2) Waiting has its rewards.

When I first opened the wine I chose for this evening, it was dry.  The kind where you can imagine your tongue shriveling as you take a drink dry.  But I decanted and waited. And it was lovely.  Cranberry red with a touch of violet.  Notes of cherry, woodsy vanilla, and some allspice.  The fruit and tannins were subtle, dark fruits, cocoa bean.  Both deep and light, which sounds contradictive, but that’s how it came across.  The 2010 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was a great pairing with filets and mushrooms.  It is common for a young Cab to need  little time out of the bottle, so keep that in mind when you plan on opening one.

3)  Just Enjoy It

I am really bad about, or maybe really good about delay of gratification.  I save that lotion for a special occasion.  But then I wind up throwing out ¾ of the bottle because it has turned. I don’t put on a dress I love because it isn’t the right occasion.  And I found I’ve only worn it a few times and it’s out of style. I judiciously measure the custard in an éclair to make sure that there is enough for every bite.  But then I get to the end, and there is too much custard for the petit choux.  Now, that sounds like I eat éclairs all if the time.  I haven’t had one in years.  But tonight, that is what my BIL wanted so that is what we had.  And I realized a pattern.  Frugality and measure has its place and its merit.  But so does enjoying something while you can.  I think I’ll use my “special” shampoo today.

4)  You need to be in control 

When having a dinner party, we will often feed and bathe the kids, get them quasi-settled and then have dinner around 8.  But when we have company staying with us, the kids sleep in the same room.  When we have more company, they sleep in our room.  After all, they generally end up there at some point in the night anyway.  The added excitement and partner-in-crime factor does not bode well.  And when I am really D-O-N-E for the day, I don’t always respond well.  My husband can somehow ignore the direct disobedience when convenient; I cannot.  As most couples do, we fall into “good cop, bad cop” sometimes.  So after many reminders I went into my room with a glass of wine and sat on the floor being “bad cop” until they settled down.  Generally, I slip into mother-martyrdom, an inner dialogue filled with “always” and “nevers.”  I silently fume and fuss and just want them to listen and GO TO SLEEP.  ( I spared you the expletive.)

5)  You are not in control

Remember that glass of wine?  I thought twice about bringing it into my room.  After all, we recently redid the room and bought a white duvet.  When they were finally slipping into dreamland, I leaned down to kiss my bunny’s cheek, JUST as she decided to rollover.  The duvet JUST caught the base of the wineglass and splashed the wine on the WHITE sheets and duvet.  Which meant that I had to quickly remove the cover to spray it with stain stuff.  Which meant I had to awaken the just-drifting cherubs.  Which meant I needed another glass of wine.   So much for taking control of the situation.

So , perhaps the bigger lesson, from all of these mini-lessons, is that sometimes, you need to let go, stop trying to control everything, and enjoy yourself.  You know the phrase about being bottled up?  The same vivacious and friendly spirit that I love in my children, makes it hard for them to settle down sometimes.  My husband’s ability to ignore some things and enjoy himself is as enviable as it is infuriating.  It is also one of the reasons I fell in love with him.  The firm tannins and bold flavors you need for a steak, can be a little harsh just out of the bottle.  But when you JUST WAIT, it is exactly what you want with a filet.  It is a lesson I’ve learned before as written about in Time to Breathe, and the evening was a reminder to give the same grace and space to my husband and my children.

*{Disclosure: I was provided with this wines from PR Firm, Folsom & Associates. All statements and opinions expressed in this article are my own.}

So, just a little note to tell you that tomorrow is the last day to vote for wine blog awards.  I’ve heard mixed things about the judging qualifications etc., but if you are playing around on your computer today, and you like what you’ve read here, consider nominating in whatever category you deem worthy.  Thank you for reading and sharing.

http://wineblogawards.org/