Audrey JoAnn - Writer ● Adventurer ● Storyteller

NAPA + SONOMA TRAVEL GUIDE

January 30, 2019

Hey, hey, friends. It’s been a while! Between the holidays, new year, and preparing to finally go on our honeymoon, life’s been moving fast. Two weeks ago, we were in Northern California to celebrate our marriage and sample a lot of wine on our honeymoon, and it was the most incredible trip. If you’re traveling to wine country anytime soon, I have tons of recommendations for you that we wanted to share!

Luckily, John’s parents are wine lovers and have traveled to the area a few times, so they had a lot of knowledge and know-how to share with us. For example, I figured we would be staying in the towns of Napa and Sonoma, since we were going to…Napa and Sonoma.

OUR WEDDING STORY, PART 2

December 20, 2018

If you haven’t yet, check out the first part of our wedding story that includes details about my wedding anxieties (fun!), the rehearsal dinner, first look, interesting touches in our ceremony, and more.

The Reception

We served tacos, chips, salsa, queso, and a side salad, for those who might think Tex-Mex doesn’t cover every portion of the food pyramid, at our reception. Royal Fig Catering provided our meal, and they absolutely killed it. Everything was exceptional. (This review is based mainly on our pre-wedding tasting appointment, since I was on such an adrenaline high during the reception that I hardly remember eating.)

OUR WEDDING STORY, PART 1

December 19, 2018

John and I got married on a cool, sunny Sunday in October. It had been freezing and rainy for the week leading up to October 21, but when I woke up to go for a head-clearing run on the big day, the sun rose without a cloud in sight.

Everything about the day felt surreal. Before seeing John, it felt like time was moving through a thick honey. And then after the ceremony, everything went faster than the snap of a garter. Or finger. Either way.

So many couples get married all over the world every day. This is what I told myself to calm my nerves and quiet my worries about whether our guests would have fun and enjoy the evening we’d planned for 11 months.

5 WAYS TO GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

December 13, 2018

For some reason, Christmastime can sometimes feel heavy. I so enjoy spending time with family and giving gifts (yeah, okay and receiving them, too). I feel so blessed this time of year to even have family to celebrate with, and now I can call my husband’s family mine, which just adds to my overflowing fortune.

Yet, I always have a period, just a couple days or even just hours, where I feel down. There’s no singular reason, but I seem to fall into a funk at some point during the holidays. I think it’s something about this time of year—with the cheer and festivities and gatherings—that reminds us of how things could have been… If my parents hadn’t gotten divorced, we wouldn’t need to coordinate two separate celebrations at their respective houses. If my mom’s dad hadn’t died when she was a kid, I could have known him and spent this time of year soaking up his stories and presence.