halloween 2009

the festivities included dressing up....

Bria was Penny (from Hairspray) and Matt was some kind of dark knight with a sword

these are our adorable neighbors

this is such a sad photo...Bria got a little freaked by the scary house. Poor thing!

I love teenagers that are not too prideful to have fun! Kanan is dressed as Mr. H and Nate is the Nacho Libre wrestler....

fun on the slide!

way too much candy

I Heart Saturday AND....fall stuff

I bought these apples having no idea how AMAZING and YUMMY they are! Honeycrisp is my new favorite. I think this is the apple they use to get the juice for the Green Apple Jolly Rancher candy.







Awww....they are so cute! These guys did most of the work on their own pumpkins this year. Matt really likes his and Bria is all about that little peace signs this year so I guess her design was very appropriate!

Cricket diet COLA

Diet Coke is one of my most favorite things in the world. I really, really love diet coke. Recently I ordered a diet coke at a fancy lounge....

Very cool hang out.

Well, the bartender brought me this...

Cricket diet Cola. It is made with Green Tea. You know what? I really liked it. Not love. But like. I googled it and can get it at BevMo. I just may try to replace my little vice with a healthier version. Down side is it is not cheap.

Can I post another picture of the Harvest Inn in Napa? It is just so pretty.

Here is one of my favorite patio areas. It is at a hotel called Solage in Napa Valley.

I Heart Saturday AND.....yountville, ca

How could you not love walking up to this building? Pumpkins, brick and pine trees and I am in love.

Yountville is the kind of town you spend time walking through and come across not just one or two little cafes or amazing restaurants, but several .

This quaint little building houses something not so quaint.

It's Chef Thomas Kellers' French Laundry - named "best restaurant in United States" by some fancy restaurant magazine and several chefs you watch on the Food Channel have said that it was the "best meal of their life." Takes a long time or you have to "know" someone before you can get in.

A few blocks away I walked to Bouchon. Thomas Kellers' bakery/bistro. I got a pastry, coffee plus a few chocolates.

Walking the town and came across this winery store. I liked the name- something I would have picked if God had willed me a vineyard.

This was the fancy-shmancy hotel I stayed in and was the subject of my work trip. It is the kind of place that makes me nervous. So afraid I will break something, forget to tip one of the many people waiting on me (sorry lady who brought me my diet coke at the hotel lounge). Love the trees in Yountville!

See, I was really there. Those are my funny feet, relaxing before my interviews. Ahh. Only thing I was missing was my honey. Next time.

I Heart Saturday AND.....this article and Mike and Matt

THE NOBEL PRIZE TO OBAMA: EUROPE'S BID TO RE-COLONIZE AMERICA

Shared via AddThis


Matt and Mike Scioscia - here's to hoping they make it through the week!

your local hotel travel planner.....

When I am not homemaking and homeschooling, I am a hotel real estate appraiser and consultant. This work often happens from home, very late at night or very early in the morning.

I am often asked about what hotels to stay in by friends and family in case I have recently been to an area and know of a good hotel. After 14 years, I have actually seen enough to know that I will never just stay at a Marriott without first looking at other choices.

Holly asked about a hotel in the Seattle area and I immediately thought of this one...

the Best Western Pioneer Square. I had to warn her that the neighborhod was a little "rough" but it is historic and just a block from the Pugent Sound ferry where the locals come back and forth to work - it's just cool.

Most of the time, I am working on local, franchised hotels, like your typical Comfort Inn, Ramada or Holiday Inn Express - BORING.

But for the best value - franchised hotels, I like the Hampton Inn and the Ayres Suites the best. The Vega family can tell you about Ayres Suites - it's now one of their favorite hotel brands.

Here are a few of my other favs....hope you can visit one of them some day.

Favorite Island hotels...

El Cordova, Coronado - their first floor Miguel's restaurant is so great and they are right across the street from The Del. This hotel was formerly the home (mansion) of the dude who built The Del.

The Catalina Island Inn, Catalina - super sweet family-run business. Near everything in Catalina and great ocean views...but affordable (for Catalina) :)


Favorite Surprise - 'cause it is out in the middle of NOwhereville






Riverlodge in Bordman, Oregon - awesome restaurant overlooking the Columbia River.



Favorite Experience Overall (Texas of all places)








Sheraton Gunter, San Antonio - if you are going to the Alamo and spending some time along the Riverwalk, this is a great place to stay. Off the lobby is this adorable bakery.


Favorite Under-construction Hotel

Opening November 2009 - The Padre Hotel, Bakerfield

I love that Bakersfield is getting this trendy, funky, cool hotel. The developers are so innovative - I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Favorite Romantic Get-away Hotel






The Cambria Pines Lodge, Cambria is just my speed and I love the lodge look. Lovely. Ask for the newly renovated rooms - they are amazing.

If you have a few extra dollars and want to find a different, but well-managed California hotel, bookmark this hotel company
Joie de Vivre
Their hotels have a unique feel and give a lodging "experience".

Oh, if I was to show pictures of the crummy hotels I have inspected and been required to stay in - eeeek...not always the fun part of the job!

give away day at 4RE!

I would love it if I win! If not, it is uplifting to browse Sandy's blog - so go enjoy!

what makes her happy - part II

being SECOND on the list at recital - she get's very nervous if she is first...

getting permission to use her calculator to CHECK her math....
I love catching her with her wide-mouth grin :)

what makes her happy- part I

kids 2009 school pics

I Heart Saturday AND.......dog costumes

being at my aunt's

is so different from our life at home. She lives in the midst of vineyards in Central California and has goats, chickens, farm fresh eggs, berries to pick and one of our most favorite things - a front porch.

oh, and lots of music too