Porch Pounder

 Today's outfit for wine tasting in San Louis Obispo's Edna Valley region was inspired by 

a lookbook on Shopbop's website…

I loved this denim on denim in dark/grey tones with a statement fedora and booties look...

These coated jeans I swear have great quality and wear durability and yet they are from F21!

 You like my little photo shoot spot at the vacation home we are staying at? 

The family is not all that keen on my blogging and taking self photos so I sneak out this deck from the kids bedroom and snap the shots quietly. 

Hat, Denim Shirt, Coated Jeans & Necklace - Forever 21

Belt - Target

Booties - Steve Madden

TODAY:
We all had breakfast and got the kids ready and the car situated for the grandparents to drive 4 children and left for a day of wine tasting with my husband's older sister and her husband. They hired a driver so it was great. And my sister in law had been here before and she likes to take charge anyway so we let her run the show and pick the wineries. It was a blissful day tasting a lot of Pinot Noirs and Chardonays which is what the region is known for.

Giving Thanks

 Thanksgiving Day Outfit!

Inspired by Shop Ruche's (may be Fall 2013?) lookbook:

I loved this combo of sequin skirt with a tucked in striped top and black collar and sleeves… I needed comfy shoes though for an all day of cooking so decided to go with flats and I was too cold to go bare legged.

 I barely had time to get dressed and do a little make-up so didn't really get to polish up my hair.  Oh well...

Sweater, Skirt, Belt, Tights - Forever 21

Blouse - Newport News

Flats - Tilly's

Necklace - J Crew

TODAY:

Woke up early since our schedule is all off from our 3:45 AM wake-up the morning before. Had a nice pancake breakfast with family and started to get going on one of my dishes but a sudden decision was made to go down to the beach to launch this rocket my husband bought for the kids. Which would have been fine as I would have just thrown on some leggings and a sweater BUT it was also decided we would do a family photo while we are there! 

My in-law's bought matching T-shirts for everyone for this photo (not my favorite idea, but I went with the flow) but I didn't even have time to do any hair and make-up so not sure how it all came out. 

Then the rocket launch had issues so after fiddling with it for 20 minutes had to come back home to trim the rocket at which point I just decided to stay and continue cooking while they went back out. I heard two rockets were successfully launched and the kids loved it!

We all cooked together while snacking on appetizers and sipping wine so it was fun. Although no one is really that adventurous eater except my son and I so I feel my ratatouille dish could have been somewhat of a wasted effort. 

But the meal was great and my brother in law made this amazing turducken turkey which involves duck breasts inside a de-boned chicken which is stuffed inside a de-boned turkey with stuffing in between these layers. He had to literally sew the bird shut. It was very entertaining to watch last night and it tasted great today.

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT OCEANO BEACH (by Pismo Beach, CA)

 Sand dunes galore….

The Four cousins… Don't they look so alike? 

The Rental Beach House

Turducken all layered before it is sewn shut:

Today after cut in half out of the oven….

THIS MORNING AT THE BEACH in the Family Tee's….

 She has been finding sand dollars which she calls 'mermaid money' and says they are the proof that mermaids are real!

The men trying to get this rocket going...

Obviously not the best shot of everyone but here it is…. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!