Sonoma trip
Watch our Sonoma Outtakes that Scott put together, either on YouTube (below) or if you want a higher quality video you can download the original here.
Beautiful Sonoma wine countryside
Welcome home (temporarily). Many people walked through these doors during our stay here.
Scott and Tracy's room
Scott's idea of a great vacation involves relaxing and reading.
We also had a swimming pool in the backyard.
The first day was sunny and warm, so we made good use of the pool.
The diving board was very entertaining.
We had lots of good food and wine. Here we eat with Dad and Jackie, and Tom and Meg.
Dad tastes the wine, the first of many times to come.
On day two, the day after his birthday, we finally see Tim! All five of the Goeppinger kids are back together again after all these years (well, 4 Goeppingers and 1 Mikula...).
Tom and Meg enjoy their time together, especially since Tom is currently working in India.
Where there are Goeppingers, there is a grill!
Tom is very excited about his food.
Tracy relaxes with a glass of wine.
On the morning of Tim and Ann's wedding, several of us worked together in assemby line fashion to put together the wildflower seed wedding favors.
Meg pours the seeds as Tracy ties the bows.
Meg and Mom got pedicures before the wedding.
Mother of the Groom!
We all got to meet the new girl in Toby's life--Missy. What a brave soul to stay with us all for an entire week.
Missy gets ready for the wedding.
Tyson also gets ready.
Tyson and his girl, Andrea. Love the glasses!
Meg displays our honeymoon favors for the Bride and Groom...rose petals, and a bag full of goodies (including the Honeymoon wine from Scott and Tracy).
Tim and Ann's wedding and reception was held at the Jack London Lodge in Sonoma.
Toby and Tyson ready to greet people as they walk in.
Tracy and Scott
Andrea
Meg ended up being the wedding photographer; way to step up at the last minute!
Mom and wedding guests
Tim awaits his bride
There's the belle of the ball! Ann is happy to see Tim.
Rings were exchanged...
Hugs (and kisses) were given...
And a new marriage begins! Every journey begins with just one step, whether the journey of marriage or a journey across the universe.
"Nothing's gonna change my world...."
Ann with some of her family. Sadly, her mom was not able to make the trip from Iowa to California due to illness. She was there in spirit, though.
Tim with his Best Man, Harris.
The celebratory cigar
There were lots of smiles to go around...
Tyson and Mom
Tyson and Andrea
Tom and Meg (and Tracy, too)
Tracy, Scott, Tom, Meg
Dad, Jackie, Alan, and Gail talk around a bowl of popcorn.
The wedding reception was originally planned to be outside, but due to rain it was moved indoors. Here are the wedding cupcakes.
Tim and his siblings celebrate his new marriage to Ann.
Tracy is no longer the only married sibling out of the bunch...but Scott always makes her feel like a bride.
Tom and Meg, soon to be next??
Tyson and Andrea enjoy a glass of wine and each other's company. This marks the beginning of a new adventure for Tyson, as he would be moving to Seattle after the wedding, where Andrea also lives. We're very excited to have him so close to us, too!!
Toby and Missy
Dad and Jackie
Uncle Brad always livens up a party!
Tim and Ann start off the dancing.
Tim and Mom dance next.
And us too, of course!
Missy and Toby dance. We were glad to discover that Missy knows how to swing dance!
Meg poses by the fireplace.
This is a picture of all the significant others (minus the Bride, who was busy).
Scott and Tyson
Toby, Tyson, and Tom...distinguished gentlemen?
Tim with two brothers--Tom and Toby.
Yet another picture of Tom and Meg
Dad and Jackie
We steal away for a moment to rest amid the revelry.
The next day's revelry consisted of wine tasting. This artwork was at the first winery, Gundlach Bundschu.
Scott in front of Gundlach Bundschu.
Toby and Missy take their first tastes of wine.
Tracy rests on a bench, waiting for everyone else to finish.
Gundlach Bundschu also had a rose garden.
Next stop: Buena Vista Winery, the "birthplace of California wine."
Tom the bartender wannabe
Tom and Meg steal a kiss
Instead of wine tasting at the bar, we decided to get a few bottles and share them outside. We think this is a much better way to taste wine!
We ate lunch in downtown Sonoma, where we enjoyed cheese tasting at the Sonoma Cheese Factory.
Lunch in the park
As much as we love food and cooking, we decided to make dinner for everyone. We chose Indian fare in honor of Tom working in India: chicken tikka masala and naan.
Tom "helps" with the naan.
Dad pours the wine
Everyone waits expectantly for dinner. After the blessing...
...comes the feast!
Yum
The following day Tracy took the camera with her on her jog. She ran around a peaceful lake.
We couldn't pass up chocolate tasting! We tasted both Cabernet and Zinfandel ganaches. They were incredible.
We also went to one more winery, St. Francis Winery. Seems like we saved the best for last; this one was our favorite.
St. Francis of Assisi, after whom the winery was named. He loved both Christ and nature.
The prayer of St. Francis (if you really want to read it, you can Google it).
Toby and Missy amid mountains and roses
Meg and her phone/Tom
We didn't actually taste wine at St. Francis because we had already tasted it at the wedding--Tim and Ann had several bottles of St. Francis Zinfandel, which is fantastic. So instead of tasting, we bought a bottle to take home. And since we didn't drink any wine, we got complimentary sparkling cider. Yay!
The grounds of St. Francis Winery, a perfect spot for a wedding, according to Meg. It was beautiful! Here she takes a picture with her phone.
The beautiful backdrop
St. Francis Winery grape vines, a perfect spot for pictures
Toby and Missy
We had a great time in Sonoma!