Greg and I flew back to California with Jen and the girls on Martin Luther King weekend. Matthew's home town of St Helena is beautiful. We were told the weather was exceptionally nice for January! The Heils were the perfect hosts and treated us to brunch on Saturday. Matthew's brother Dominic and his girlfriend Leah(now fiance!) joined us.
When in Napa, one visits wineries. The Castle Winery was a breathtaking combination of medieval design and modern winery technology. We toured and tasted happily.
We had a picnic lunch at Santui Winery where Matthew used to work. It was great to be dining outdoors in January!
Jen and Matthew have a nice location. Their home is within walking distance of town, and there's a park across the street.
Lydia loves playing in the pantry.
The Heil home in St Helena.
On Sunday we went to Mass at a chapel near St Helena, surrounded by vineyards.
Matthew gave us a great tour of St Helena and environs, with interesting historical detail.
We enjoyed a festive Sunday dinner hosted by family friends of the Heils.
On our way back to the airport we took the scenic route. San Francisco Bay( and Alcatraz) are in the background.
You can see the Golden Gate Bridge behind us. We had a ball and enjoyed our break from winter. Thanks , Jen and Matthew!
We were very happy to share an Easter Sunday with our family. At Mass we heard the best Easter homily ever- "We need Easter Sunday, but we can't have it without our Good Fridays. When we carry our cross joyfully, we will have our Easter Sunday."
A Brown family portrait.
Getting ready for a big egg hunt!
Gabe sampled the treats hidden in the eggs almost as fast as he collected them.
Monica took a breather from searching for eggs to catch some sun!
Success!
These Easter egg hunts require dedication.
Resting after the search!
Our next door neighbors came over for some driveway racing. John Paul enjoyed his lead!!
There's nothing like a big wheel race to get your blood flowing!
