Robert's travel schedule has been insane.  At least it felt insane to me.  Added to that schedule was many, many Saturday day camps, a bunch of weekend campouts/hikes, one large camp trip for Austin and Ethan's week scout camp.   Call me nuts, but I was starting to feel just a little (a lot) stir crazy.  The thought of another impending trip was enough to make me break and at a very last minute, call Gina up and ask her what she was doing that weekend.  Two days later I was on a plane to California.  Gina picked me up and we drove to her house to pick up luggage, kidnap Bella, and head out to Calistoga.  No time to diddle-dawdle.  I was in a major hurry to do nothing!

We got to our hotel and worked out a very detailed plan for the next few days.  Each day consisted of waking up, sitting by the pool, deciding what we wanted to do, maybe doing it-maybe not, and going out to dinner.  It's a gruelling schedule, but we were up for the challenge.  The weather chose to be absolutely beautiful.  Cool breezes on warm days.  Such a great escape from 110 degree weather!

Here are some things that we ended up doing.  We went to the little petrified forest (or more accurately, petrified couple of trees.)  

We shopped up and down Calistoga (one street long but we hit every shop)

I took a morning run around the vineyards (the big babies didn't join me)

 We visited a winery made to look like a castle.  We just walked around the ground because I couldn't make myself pay over a hundred bucks to look inside.  Besides, I've been in a hundred real castles in Scotland and England, and you know that this was just going to be a very expensive imitation of one.  However, the grounds were gorgeous and definitely worth the visit.

Look how I'm bigger than my little niece!

Sneaking in the back door.

After spending all day shopping, we found out from one of the locals that there was going to be a fireman's BBQ/dance about 30 min. away in the absolute middle of nowhere.  We were game to go, so we followed her vague directions.  (down this street about 20 min.  Down the next one through a tiny town.  Down windy roads until you are absolutely sure that you are lost...then-as they say in Scotland-ya cannie miss it.)  It was a lot of fun to mingle with the locals and dance to the live country band.  The band hand some 'interesting' songs.  Most were pretty catchy, though.

We also hit the mini old faithful.  Was it worth the 10 bucks?  Sure.  Why not.

Here we are at a fancy little lunch place where Bella got hit on by the waiter.  He wasn't too subtle with his, "You are so tall and beautiful."  That was funny.

We also spent time at the pool and one afternoon at the Calistoga Spa where we took a mud bath.   The best part of all of it was that I didn't have to take care of anybody for about 4 days straight.  I can't even explain how much I needed that break.  When I got back home everything seemed just a little bit easier and less overwhelming.  I think a break like this might need to be a scheduled affair at least once a year.  Next time I want to relax in San Diego or Santa Barbabra with Lora.

Speaking of...I thought of Lora on trip when we went to this little shop....

Until next year...