A Trip to Oregon Wine Country + Dad’s First Winery!
happy monday!
it was suddenly summer again in portland this weekend with temperatures in the 80s AND my dad came in from colorado! pretty solid weekend. if we are bffs on instagram, then you saw we kicked off his visit at our favorite brunch spot and definitely ordered four entrees between the three of us. amazing, although i would not recommend attempting to run after this because…ugh.
we decided the only reasonable thing to do on saturday when it was still 83 degrees in oregon was to visit our favorite winery, yamhill valley vineyards!
they are in the midst of harvest, which was very cool to witness. there are over 2 tons of grapes in each of those bins below! because of our super dry and toasty summer in oregon, they actually produced 40% more fruit this year! crazy town. i was basically wilting this summer so i thought the grapes would do the same. apparently they are stronger than i am.
linda is yamhill valley vineyard’s fabulous tasting room manager and one of kindest and strongest women i know!
yamhill valley vineyards is so kind to be the new wifestyle’s first official sponsor and super exciting news…they are extending an offer to my smart readers!
they are offering FREE wine tastings and 20% off all your orders by mentioning ‘the new wifestyle’ and talking to linda@yamhill.com!
here’s a pretty reminder because when the wine starts flowing through my veins, my creativity flows as well. their tasting room is open daily from 11am-5pm.
we sat outside and tasted six of their different wines, which were all delicious but they specialize in pinot noir and yum. this was my dad’s first time to a winery and i could not think of a better one to take him too! he officially approves.
my dad also found out more of what it’s like to have a blogger daughter because i made asked him nicely to take about 47 photos of me and the hubs.
sunshine + wine + mossy trees = happy photos and happy lady
he also captured the very mature game we played of “see if i can catch the palate-cleansing cracker in my mouth.” this is only one sided because if i attempted this, the cracker would get lodged in my throat and i would choke and pass out. you can’t take us anywhere.
be sure to go visit yamhill valley vineyards because oregon has a nice wine country nestled here and talk to linda about your FREE tastings and 20% off wine shipped anywhere!
on our way back to portland (this winery is about an hour outside of the city) we passed not one but two dairy queens and it’s only tradition that i chant “DQ! DQ! DQ!” anytime we pass one (which is not too often where we live). it usually results in my husband pulling through the drive-through. it’s magic i tell you!
i think i’m going to cross-stitch in ‘and health blizzards” to my new towel as well. it’s amazing what wine can do for PMS-meanness that came from me that day paired with ice cream. both my husband and my dad confirmed i was much nicer after both.
i am one of those lucky ladies whose family gets along well with my husband. i realize this is not the case for everyone so i’m extra grateful that we can all spend time together or my dad and my husband can hang out and it’s not weird or awkward and both don’t count the minutes until it’s over.
it makes me happy to make my parents proud by the life i’m living and the husband i’ve chosen to spend my life with. isn’t it interesting that we often strive to make our parents proud? i made my dad some pumpkin pancakes (recipe this week!) and he thanked me a few times for making him breakfast since he knows i don’t love cooking. the amount of breakfasts i’ve been made by my parents (amongst thousands of other things) is countless. i suppose i’m now officially an ‘adult child.’ weird.
the rest of our weekend was spent watching ‘frozen,’ walking along the waterfront and sitting around chatting.
this time it was not as hard to say goodbye to my dad because i get to go play in colorado later this week and leave on thursday! i’m going to my soulfriend lindsey’s baby shower (thanks again to those who confirmed my biological clock isn’t necessarily broken) and get to spend time with my mama too! i can’t wait. i’ve already started packing.
since both my husband and i will be gone this next weekend, we decided to celebrate sugar’s birthday while my dad was still here. that’s in another post but here is how excited she was about us putting a birthday bow in her hair:
don’t let a little red bow ruin your day.
questions:
1) have you ever been to a winery before? what did you think?
2) does your family and spouse get along pretty well?
3) lady question: how terrible does your PMS get? (mine gets baaaad. to the point where my husband says he must reserve love for me during that week.)
Lindsay @ The Newlywed Notebook
October 6, 2014 at 10:48 am
What beautiful pictures – and a beautiful place! Eric and I haven’t gone to a winey yet, but it’s definitely on our bucket list!!
Lindsay @ The Newlywed Notebook recently posted…Confessional Friday | October Edition
chelsea
October 6, 2014 at 11:11 am
it was insanely gorgeous out this past weekend, lindsay! usually it’s 80s in the summer but definitely not fall! if you ever come to oregon we shall take you here 🙂 glad you have visiting a winery on your bucket list-they are so fun!
Lindsay @ The Wife in Training
October 6, 2014 at 11:18 am
Congratulations on your first official sponsorship!!! That winery is stunning, I’m only a little bit upset that you didn’t invite me. Your dad looks so happy, and you and Ryan are basically the cutest couple ever.
Lindsay @ The Wife in Training recently posted…Throw Away the [Writing] Scale
chelsea
October 6, 2014 at 2:25 pm
thank you for all of your comments lindsay…i appreciate your enthusiasm and persistence to get that dang comment through! i’ll delete your other two-sorry it was being a pain!!! you must come play in oregon and then we shall all venture to beautiful winery because it really is spectacular. i think having a winery as a background makes any couple cuter 🙂
Brittany
October 6, 2014 at 11:36 am
Actually my husband and I went to Australia to visit his family this summer and while there went on a wine tour. So my husband is from Melbourne and spent most of the time there with his family but had gone a couple other cities (Cairnes and Perth). I had met his Mom many a times and we get along really well.. I love that lady. She is awesome! While there I got to hang out with many other members of the family I have not had the pleasure to spend as much time with. They are some of the nicest people ever. So I get along really well with my husbands family, and I find myself extremely lucky. I know its not always that way. Nate and my family also get along especially with my brother in law and dad so, pretty lucky all the way around. But back to the winery.. while in Australia we went to a few other cities one being Perth, which is a beautiful city and I recommend along with all of Australia. Anyway we did the Swan Valley wine tour and it was amazing. I have been to many a brewery but this was the first time going to a winery. It was an awesome tour of 5 wineries, a brewery, and chocolate store. I loved the wineries that were a bit smaller and have a really welcoming feel. We went to some larger ones as well, but they seemed a bit more industrial. I love the tastings because I usually make it a rule to chose my wine based on the picture on the front as I am not very well educated in the world of wine. I think it is a nice way to spend the afternoon as well as learn a bit more about what you like. What a great way to spend your 80 degree weather! Here in Florida it was a bit cooler so we too were enjoying the outdoors.
chelsea
October 6, 2014 at 2:31 pm
that is so amazing that you got to venture to australia this summer, brittany!!! i didn’t know your husband was from australia-wow! we are headed there next year (perth for sure and not sure of the other cities yet) so i may to pick your brain (and his) because i’ve heard what a remarkable country it is!
love that you get along so great with your mother-in-law! we are lucky because i know that isn’t the case for everyone.
swan valley is being added to my “pleeeease let’s do this while in australia” list! 5 wineries, brewery AND a chocolate shop?! amazing. i also base my wines on the label (and alcohol content…let’s be real) so i agree it’s nice to have a bit more education around them. glad florida is treating you well too!
Brittany
October 7, 2014 at 11:51 am
Of course.. ask anytime. I can let you know what we did and what we learned and plan to do the next time we go. It is a beautiful country and so many things to do there.
chelsea
October 10, 2014 at 10:40 am
thank you!!
Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties
October 7, 2014 at 5:59 am
loooove visiting wineries! Wish I was out near that winery because I’d totally go and take advantage of a free tasting! Booooo. How about you team up with some out here in Rochester??? 🙂
Ashley @ Saving Money in your Twenties recently posted…An Ode to Soup
chelsea
October 7, 2014 at 8:09 am
yay for winery fun! well come to oregon and i will see what strings i can pull in rochester, ashley 🙂
Stazi
October 7, 2014 at 10:33 am
For the first, I’ve never been to a winery. I’m lucky that my boyfriend gets along with my family – he has been hunting with my brother several times and to the mountains with my sister and I several times. Also, we live with my mom so thank goodness she likes him!
For pms – I am soooo lucky not to really get it. When I had my IUD in I was a hormonal wreck, but after I had that out, back to smooth sailing. For five months pregnant I’m also doing well with only one emotional outburst under my belt, though I maintain that was stress and not baby ‘mones. I do remember reading that PMS has a genetic factor, so it may be worth polling family members about!
chelsea
October 7, 2014 at 10:57 am
doesn’t that provide a huge relief and also make you happy that your boyfriend and family all get along?! glad your mom also likes him, especially since you all live together 🙂 also very impressive you’ve only had one emotional outburst even while being 5 months pregnant!!! i have like 5 a day when PMSing ugh. some of my family does get it bad too but i have yet to find a solution for it. i do know that i must exercise during that week or i will be the devil.
congratulations on your pregnancy and hope you are feeling great, stazi!
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