Weekly Smile; Proud Mama, Love My Family!

On January 28, 2020 By DianaIn Family is important, Living life, Love being Grandma, Smiles, weekly smile5 Comments

*My weekly smile goes to my daughter! She is promoting at the end of this week. I am so incredibly proud of her and all her achievements!*

I am a proud mama as in a few days we are heading up North to Vandenberg AFB, where my daughter will be promoting to Major in the Air Force. I can’t express how proud I am of all her achievements! ❤ Not only is she an Air Force Academy grad, she has excelled in the Air Force with her career in Space. We are excited to be heading there to help her celebrate her promotion. I started this blog post as a weekend coffee share but this last weekend got away from me and I did not have time to write. So I have turned it into my weekly smile! 😀

I don’t know what happened this last weekend. It was a roller coaster of emotions for me which isn’t like me at all. I am pretty rock steady. Looking back it seems a bit over reactive of me and it all stems from our future. I am wanting to be more focused on our plan to move to Arizona and well, it is very difficult to get all the pieces of the puzzle in place to make this happen and for some reason I was just really emotional about it all. It doesn’t really matter all the particulars, certainly not worth rehashing but by the time it got to Sunday I knew there was no way I could write a coffee share.

It started out to be the most gloomy of Sunday’s, very overcast and foggy out and the temperature outside never rose above 60 degrees. It was chilly out and as the day wore on it became incredibly sad. I don’t usually write about the news and stay completely away from politics, but the accident involving Kobe Bryant was so incredibly sad and I am not even a sports person. It just got to me because I think I was feeling sorry for myself and right before my eyes, as I listen to the news, were not only his family but other families who loss their lives in a blink of an eye. What a sad day.

I am writing this to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart. I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, for being here and for smiling along with me. 😀 You all help me, and I hope in some way I help you look at life and SMILE! Certainly, we are very lucky to be here to enjoy another day. I am also very thankful and grateful to be able to celebrate with my daughter and my family! ❤

*My family in Arizona is always on my mind. I can’t take a new photo so I’m re-sharing a photo I took when we were there a few weeks ago!*

LIFE! is full of choices, it is full of fun, grief, happiness and sadness. We all have to make what we can of it and I refuse to just sit back and take a back seat. I want to feel life, the good and the bad. I will do my best to make it the best darn life I can make it and so this is a crazy smile this week but its a culmination of a very strange weekend. Thank you for visiting and for smiling. We are all so very fortunate to be here to enjoy our SMILES together! 😀

Grateful, family loving Grandma!

~Diana ❤

Tribute To My Parents ~

On June 27, 2019July 4, 2019 By DianaIn Family is important, Living life, Memories2 Comments

I have been thinking a lot about my parents. I do not talk about them often and to be completely honest I do not think about them like you would normally think about your parents because it can be painful to think about, I miss them so. I am being brutally honest as I think it is time to chat about them, to remember all the good times and remember how much I LOVE them as they made me who I am today. I often see me doing or saying something either one of them would say. I know I have sayings that I learned from them that my children wonder where did that come from? But we are what we grew up with, and I want to remember the good times! So this is to my parents and everyone’s parents in the here and now or up in heaven as it were. I am hoping they are looking down and smiling! ❤

This year in particular has made me realize I should and could do more to celebrate my parents. I think through this blog and reading other blogs has made me want to put my emotions and thoughts on paper ~ or type on my computer how wonderful my parents were, such truly special people, they taught me so much. I have always thought that having a big heart is so important and I got that from them. Such heartfelt human beings that would give their shirts off their back to those in need. I am humbled by my parents and all they accomplished. I could write a novel about their life, hmm…. For now I will just write this blog. 😀

*This photo was in my father’s wallet. It has a scratch on it, but still worth sharing. Hi Mom and Dad! I Love you to the moon and back!* **❤ ❤ ❤**

There is so much I can write about my Mom and Dad. But as my thoughts wander the reason I decided to write about them now is because on June 25th my Mom would have turned 91, my Dad would have been 87 this year. They have been gone 16 years now and of course I think about them every Mother’s day and Father’s day. My Dad’s birthday was in March so through the Spring they are always in my mind. My Mom loved to garden and I can remember her talking about one day wanting a big garden. She would have loved to have had a green house to grow many things, she never got the green house she wanted but she did have a green thumb. Awe, memories are so wonderful. I remember the artichokes in our backyard and my favorite, gardenia! I have been wanting to plant gardenia to grow in my garden, I must do that this year! ❤

My Dad bless his heart was always by my Moms side. He worked up to the very end to help make ends meet but the two of them were inseparable, the way it should be I think. He was a Psychiatrist and an accomplished pianist. I am not a doctor but work in the medical field and I am an accomplished pianist as well but not as good as my Dad. He was so inspirational, we were so very close and I think I was one if not the one, his favorite. Thinking about him now brings tears to my eyes, awe Dad….. I just miss them so…. (See how hard this is to write and think about them? Ugh, but it’s all good. I want to honor them with this post. They deserve to be remembered with ALL MY HEART! And hopefully I will write more about them, it’s my plan.)

*In honor of my parents, my Mom loved gardens and flowers!!*

I had a vision of what I was going to write and now that I am writing it has morphed into something a little different but I am loving this post. I am loving feeling the LOVE of my parents, to think about them in a positive way and not the sad, I miss you so much way. I know that last sentence was rather goofy, but I think you get the jest of what I am trying to say. To shine a light on my overpowering emotions, here’s a little back story.

When I was growing up I would freak out whenever my parents went on a trip. It didn’t matter if they were going to be gone the weekend or a week or two. I, as a child thought I would never see them again. I thought the plane would crash or something terrible would happen to them. In other words, I was dreadfully attached to my parents missing them more than a normal person should. Then once I met my husband and we started having children I ended up asking my parents if they could be my babysitter as I needed help working full-time. They landed on hard times and needed a place to live (a very long story) and so they lived with me and my family for almost 20 years. SO That is why I am so emotional. This is so cathartic and thank you for reading my story about my parents. I am feeling warm fuzzy feelings with every word I type.

I am hoping to share more in the future and to celebrate my parents and remember them. I hope you all have the best parents too. I know this isn’t true for all and pray for all who don’t have that special relationship. My husband is taking care of his Mom who will turn 90 this October. She has some dementia, but is still living by herself. He is an amazing man taking such good care of her, he is her only child. We have had such different lives growing up him and I, but that is for another blog post. Thank you for celebrating with me. I wish you could have met my parents, they were amazing people!!

With all my Love, to you Mom and Dad!

~Diana

Weekend Coffee Share – Family and Smiles!

On May 17, 2019 By DianaIn Family is important, Living life, Love being Grandma, Smiles14 Comments

Weekend Coffee Share is a time for us to take a break out of our lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new)!

What kind of coffee would you like? I can’t drink black so I always have a flavored creamer, the one in my fridge is Italian Sweet Cream. I can get you some tea if you would like? If I drink tea, I like ice tea or green hot tea. I am sooo looking forward to this weekend as my family from Arizona is here visiting. I can’t wait to see them all, especially my granddaughter Alice! ❤

I started my weekend by a good walk around my neighborhood. It was a brisk 53 degrees, very cool air on my face during my walk. I am glad I wore a pair of jeans because I could feel the cold through them a bit, I don’t like it when it is too cold. I know, I know, 53 isn’t considered cold but for this southern Cali girl it was a bit chilly. Haha, I am who I am and a fair weathered person it is for me here in Norco! 😀

*The view this morning as I walk around a big block!*

*I live across from the Junior High School. My kids someday if they read this will have lots of memories from this school. Norco, Home of the Bobcats! The last part of my walk home.*

I have been living in Norco with my family for 14 years and living in the general area almost 20 years. I have lived in California my whole life, except for the first 2 years of my life. I was born in Suffern, New York and my parents moved our family to Colorado Springs, Colorado and then to Southern California where I have remained. It’s been crazy to see all the growth here, the traffic is horrible. But the weather is awesome, no wonder it’s so crowded! How is your coffee? can I get you another cup? I get off on tangents. But thinking back is making me SMILE, I have so much to be grateful for with a beautiful family and wonderful family I grew up with! Lots of smiles and hugs to all my sister’s and brother and their families. 😀

*My home sweet home. This is at the end of my walk the sun came out to warm me up! ❤*

This is what it is all about right? Family, a home, Love for all which puts nothing but smiles on my face which is what I wanted to share for this weekend. I get so giddy thinking about my granddaughter. She fills my heart and soul with her spirit and her contagious smile! I can’t wait to see her, and its always a little hard for me to say good-bye. One day I will live closer to them, I will figure it all out and make it happen one way or another but for now I’m super duper happy for our visits. ❤ ❤ ❤

*I know I’ve shared this photo before, but its so good and fun to see again! She’s a cutie patutie!!*

Thank you for sharing some coffee or tea with me this weekend. I hope your weekend will be full of smiles.

Love being Grandma, Loving Life, Hugs and smiles!

-Diana

Family Visit’s, Busy Days!

On March 6, 2019 By DianaIn Family is important, Living life, Memories8 Comments

*California poppy’s are blooming everywhere! This is at Chino State Park.*

It has been a crazy, busy last two weeks. It seems as I get older instead of slowing down I am getting busier and I seem to try and cram in all I can in one day, or in this case two weeks. But it is all good and I hope all the family that I saw in the last two weeks enjoyed our time together as much as I did, especially because we got to see and do some very fun things. Breaking bread together is on the top of my list of favorite things that I enjoy, probably because I LOVE FOOD! ❤

I am going to share some food photos I did take as we ate at a yummy Mexican restaurant, Anchos in Riverside and my oldest sister treated us and it was absolutely delicious. They make homemade tortillas and we all got some sort of fajitas and with those homemade tortillas making soft tacos, oh goodness, my mouth is watering just thinking about all the good food we shared together! We also ate Sushi two times with my other sister who was here too, the last dinner she treated, Thank You both – sister’s rock! ❤

*Shrimp fajita’s, with jalapeno butter for dipping! Best taco’s I’ve ever had!*

*Sushi which I LOVE! This is actually my sister’s plate as her’s looks the best. ❤*

As I write this things have settled down. I had two sisters (out of 4, and I have 1 brother) come and visit for different reasons, but there was an event we shared together and that was to go to my Aunt’s 90th birthday party. What was fun is that we were able to celebrate my oldest sister’s birthday as her birthday is close to my Aunt’s so we were able to take her out to celebrate before she had to fly home. And we were able to eat great food with yummy dessert’s, we all had a piece of pie instead of cake for her birthday! It was a wonderful day and we had a great time at my Aunt’s festivities too. ❤ Do you have busy family days? Sometimes the busy gets crazy busy, but am thankful we all made it work.

I was so thankful that my sister’s came to share my love of my horses. Intermixing each other’s schedules, trying to make it all work, one of my sister’s is a horse back rider and use to own Zack which I adopted when she moved to Idaho. My other sister is not a horse person but spent time at the stables visiting while we went on a short trail ride. Here is a photo of my Aunt who is doing well, and looks good at 90 years old! ❤

*My Aunt Rene who turned 90 in February, 2019 ❤*

*Sally is on Gracie, Sharon on Zack riding one of a few trail rides this weekend!*

*My sister Bonnie sitting, and Sharon is standing as we visit at the stables!*

*The view leaving Chino State Park, such a beautiful view!*

I take so many photos and I want to share so many, but I also want to share my story as so much has happened in the last two weeks. I am just touching on my busy days, no use boring everyone with all the details. Suffice it to say that there was a lot of decision making in trying to figure out how to fit everything in we wanted to do together. Amazingly we made it all work which I am proud of and I am hoping my sister’s enjoyed their time here in Southern California. 😀 I think I’ll just write another post about my visit to Arizona to help my family there and most importantly I got my granddaughter’s hugs in which I cherish. ❤ I can’t help myself, one more photo! Thank you for spending time with me and reading about my busy weeks! 😀

*She melts my heart, my granddaughter and me! ❤*

Family crazy times, visiting sister fun and grandma joy!

-Diana ❤

Christmas Adventures!

On December 26, 2018December 26, 2018 By DianaIn Living life, Memories, My Life as Grammy7 Comments

I am enjoying my Christmas adventures this year as I started out by baking cookies and goodies for a few friends and coworkers. I had fun baking and wish I had more time to bake more fun things. I was limited by time though, with work and everything I needed to get done it gave me little time to squeeze in baking, but I did get it done and I tried to make a few different goodies! 😀

*Super easy all in one bowl brownie being mixed.*

I ended up making everything from scratch, brownies with some extra chocolate adding a cup of chocolate chip cookies, butterscotch blonde brownies, oatmeal cookies with craisin’s, white and dark chocolate chips, and ginger cookies. The butterscotch brownies were really good and do not taste like butterscotch really since they melt into the brownie and it is delicious!

*I forgot I took this photo of my extra added chocolate. This recipe is from Hershey using*
*Hershey’s cocoa powder. It’s called Hershey’s Best Brownies, just google to find recipe!*

I have read that a blog or writings should stick to one theme and I have a rather large encompassing theme called my life and so my writings might start out as one thing or on one topic and I do try to tie everything together and wrap up my thoughts and feelings in a way so that I think I make sense as I really find my writings rather therapeutic and to be honest it really is all an adventure no matter what we do right?

As I sit here writing this it is Christmas night and I can’t sleep. You see we will be leaving in the morning to go back home to California, so as I toss and turn I know my heart will ache to say goodbye to my family here in Arizona. I am so fortunate as my whole family, all three of my children with spouses in tow all came to Arizona where my son now lives so we all could celebrate Christmas together. We had a great day, enjoying the gift giving and wonderful food and even more special, time together.

My heart goes out to my daughter-in-law as on our first day here we went out to a mall to do some last minute shopping and with all of us together my little granddaughter looked like she was walking up to her auntie but then turned like she might walk into the street so her Mom rushed to grab her and slipped and fell and twisted her ankle and also got a hairline fracture near the end of her tibia. She has been in a lot of pain and bless her heart as we invade her house, well not invade, as she and my son have always made their house feel like our home too….. But I have to just say, prayers for a fast recovery and for the pain to subside soon. ❤ ❤ ❤

*So peaceful Christmas morning as I sit waiting for everyone to join me!*

*She is an only child and an only grandchild so I don’t think it’s too many gifts! 😀*

*She is ADORABLE, they all are at this age!*

We had so much fun watching this cutie pie open all her presents. She is 3 years old and she is really speaking well so this is a really fun Christmas as she knows what is going on. It is so fun to see Christmas through a child’s eye, this is just a really fun age. It will only get better the older she gets, and I know I could share a ton of photos but these suffice and I just LOVE her so very much. She just melts my heart! ❤

I am trying very hard not to be stressed out about our move to Arizona. But of course it is natural to feel this way as it is a big move not only for house and home but for my two very large creatures, my horses. I absolutely love where I currently board and we have done some searching here for horse property but it is turning out to be pretty expensive and I am not opposed to boarding in Arizona as it will help with new friendships and possible riding friends. I would also have connections at a boarding facility for farriers and veterinarians. I know I can find these things if I kept the horses on my property, but we are thinking it may be a stretch for us to afford horse property in the area we want to live. We are not done looking and we should really reach out to a realtor who knows the area. I see many trips to Arizona in the coming months to pin down everything and make these crucial decisions!!

*Arizona sunsets I am told are a daily thing!*

*Same photo as above only I zoomed in which isn’t too bad from my phone camera!*

*Absolutely surreal, I just can’t believe these Arizona sunsets! LOVE them! ❤*

I have so many wonderful photos, I am thinking I will have to write again soon or maybe it isn’t too bad having a lot of photos on one blog? You are certainly welcome if you’d like to comment as I love sharing my photos and I know I have been told to keep them coming.

This particular blog has a lot since I am compacting two weeks into one blog post. But I will definitely write again soon and I have one last photo I want to share as it just puts a huge giant smile on my face. I have to say it’s my family that makes my brain work on overdrive trying to not freak out about everything and to just take one day at a time and I know everything will work itself out one way or another. And I don’t mean my family freaks me out it is my motivation for my family that makes me want to get to my final destination, they are all so important to me and I know I tell them all the time!!

*This is what puts a huge giant smile on my face, my daughter and granddaughter. I just want to squeeze them and hug them all day long. I’m crazy like that!*

Thank you for reading this rather crazy put together blog. I wanted to write last weekend about my love of baking and I don’t want to miss the holiday season so I will just make this a little longer than my normal blogs. I so enjoy writing and interacting with who ever would like to comment. I also know that even though I can’t control everything in this life there is a lot that we can and even though there are decisions that are difficult, they will happen and all in good time. Bless you all and I hope this holiday season has treated each and everyone of you well. ❤

Lovingly,

Diana

Fun with Family!

On November 23, 2018November 24, 2018 By DianaIn Living life

Arriving in Lompoc on Thanksgiving day and the moon is full. We enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal I prepared earlier with all the fixings at home, always too much food but we love the leftovers. This was the smallest gathering ever for us on this day, so a first and a first for me traveling in the evening on Thanksgiving day. What a good day to travel in the evening, roads were clear and it only took us 3 hours total, AMAZING!

The table as small as it can be for just the four of us, a small gathering with a big feast!

I was not a good photographer on this day, but my kitty was so cute sitting on the chair near the table while we ate! I could not resist this photo or two. ❤️

We got up this morning and my daughter is such a great cook with her especially loving baking. She made us homemade chocolate donuts, I helped and made the chocolate frosting. Yummy! And then she made waffles, cinnamon waffles that were delicious. Nothing like a good cup of coffee to go with these delights.

Then off to town for lunch at Alfie’s, a fish and chips place here in Lompoc, so good! 😀 Then we went to Linea’s work at Vandenberg AFB. I was able to take a few photos, some we were messing around with the selfie modes on my phone, haha! FUN!

The front of her building and walking out I loved this big tree! Makes for a pretty photo.

Our silly selfie’s, with James arms behind my head, he’s being silly but we all were! Haha!

Here’s another photo in an old room in the building.

We also went to the BX exchange and bought a few things. Linea really wanted a new coffee maker which she found there on sale. I bought some new shoes and this all may be really boring but that was the extent of our Black Friday shopping! Lol – we were worried about the crowds and so we did not venture into any other stores.

I love writing this blog, a way to share my thoughts and feelings and it’s turning out to be a great way to share with my friends and family. I wasn’t sure what this would be like, how well it would be received and if anyone even would care to read. I would like to say I’ve been over joyed with the friendliness I’ve found, the new friends I’ve made and how much everyone enjoys my writings. I look forward to not only reading other’s posts but to then be able to write mine. I found this to be a gift, and for those of you taking the time to read, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

As I’m writing this I think often of connections as I’ve written often that my family is spread over 6 states now, and I’m thankful for technology as it helps us stay connected. You see my sister’s and one brother (there is 6 of us) have a group text we started some time ago and we keep this text going as we share events or just saying Hi. I’m so thankful and grateful for this connection.

As we pulled out of our driveway to make our way to Lompoc on Thanksgiving evening I looked up at the sky and saw a full moon! The first thing I thought of was my family, all members big and small and how each and everyone of them could look up at the sky and see the same moon.

So I texted my sister’s and brother in the group text “Beautifull full moon tonight, I wish I could take a photo, but we can all see it unless you’ve got clouds” and my sister sent me this photo –

Colorado moon!

And she sent this one a bit later as the moon rose higher in the sky getting even brighter! That just melts my heart, and the feeling of being connected keeps me strong and fills my soul. To be a thousand miles away and in an instant share a photo of the same thing you are looking at just amazes me. We take for granted these luxuries, so I’m thankful we can stay so connected.

Love you everyone! And I’m hoping all a very happy holiday weekend! ❤️

Diana

Weekend Coffee share; Arizona Fun

On October 30, 2018November 2, 2018 By DianaIn Horse stories, Living life, weekend coffee share11 Comments

I am enjoying an excellent cup of coffee and am reminiscing about driving to Arizona in my sons car with his kitties helping them move to Arizona! How exciting and below is a photo of a house for sale in Arizona that is in a beautiful town not far from where my son and family are living. Just up over the hill is a town called Cave Creek, Horse town. Wait, what? did you say horse town? YES, now this is my kind of town! I took so many photos of this beautiful place. I love the area, the elevation is 2,126 ft and its about 30 miles from Phoenix and is where we want to move with my horses. My husband and I have talked it over and this is our plan which will take some months to come to fruition and we have a family of animals, not just horses and my youngest son will move with us as well! I am SO EXCITED! I am so enjoying my coffee today! Would you like a cup? or tea?

This is a house for sale like I’ve mentioned. It really has that Arizona character and it is horse property but does not have any stalls or barns. We would like to find one with those amenities if possible, as buying pipe corals and the like can be expensive. I know, I have an expensive LOVE and hobby and we have seen property turn-key with stalls and even small arenas for sale. We are not ready to buy, so we must wait until next year when we get our house in escrow, basically sold to buy in Arizona. ❤

We were able to drive around while we were there and drove to Cave Creek and what a gem. It is so beautiful there with lots of trees and vegetation. With it located further north the temperature is about 10 degrees cooler than Phoenix which is fine with me and even though it gets hot in the summer months, it is the same heat as where I am currently living in southern California. The only exception to this is I have found photos and videos of snow there and I am sure it melts fast and doesn’t snow often, but how cool is that? I think that is awesome to actually get some weather now and then! I also think it will be drier there and so I am hoping will be better in the winter for my horses with arthritis and for my healed but once injured arm. I already feel the ache of the cold nights here, and it isn’t even that cold, but there is moisture and coolness and the ache in my wrist is present this winter. If not, the winters should not be worse than where we are so I am not worried. I just have to share more photos!! Here are some cool iron horses on a corner in Cave Creek!

This middle photo is my favorite! It’s quite a big scene, such amazing art work with this medium.

I just love these iron horses depicting a battle of yesteryear. I have to be honest and say I’m glad I didn’t have to go through these times in our history. All very scary I would think, but to put this scene all together is AMAZING! AND I love the sky in the photos, the blue with the beautiful white billowy clouds, what a gorgeous day! I think I’ll pour myself another cup of coffee to have with my toast. I hope you are having a great start to your weekend! What are your plans? resting? or are you adventurous? I am going to spend time with family and my horses! 😀

There are many stables in Cave Creek and these are photos of two ranches we drove by. The one on the left is a boarding stables that I might board at until we buy a house. The photo on the right is a stable that breeds Arabians. I am not sure if they board, but it is beautiful. Maybe I might buy an Arabian someday from this barn, and then I can do endurance riding right? Cave Creek is right next to a National forest so there are trails everywhere! It’s just a thought……

AWE, Miss Alice my granddaughter on our drive to Arizona. We were chatting while her Mom and Dad were in the food mart getting drinks and a snack. I told her I wanted to take her photo, she is so cute usually saying cheese before I ask and I don’t always ask. Lol – She doesn’t sit still long enough to snap a decent photo half the time but this turned out cute I think! ❤

I’m enjoying my Weekend Coffee share’s, this is my second one. I find myself thinking about how hard decisions are in this life we lead. I am praying we are making the right decision, which I believe in my gut that we are on the right track moving to Arizona. We have been wanting to move for many years, towards family or in a state where family is living. So the decision doesn’t surprise me, and we have moved many times over the years just not to another state. Just different cities or counties not more than 80 miles from one area to another.

We are in our 6th house in our 34 years of marriage, but this will be our first move to another state! Pretty exciting, but scary and stressful too. I do not have a job yet in Arizona, something I’ll talk about at a later date as it will become extremely important in the coming months. My work knows we will be moving and so I am hoping they will keep me in the “family” and be able to offer me a job in our Phoenix location. Fingers and toes crossed, prayers said, all I can do is to continue to work hard and take one day at a time. I wanted to touch upon this decision-making process as we all have to make decisions, big and small. I know this decision affects many folks, friends and co-workers; my love to all. ❤ (if I could I would make this heart bigger!) Thank you for sharing coffee with me today. Here are a few more hearts. ❤ ❤ ❤

Loving Life, praying for good things to come!

-DIANA

Weekend Coffee share -Needing R&R

On October 26, 2018 By DianaIn Living life, Memories, weekend coffee share2 Comments

I can’t wait for a nice cup of coffee, to sit down and relax. What a busy month, each week I think to myself it can’t get any busier and it’s busier. How can that be? My work has been crazy as there are employees taking vacation after vacation with some being on vacation at the same time. So that makes my life busier than normal since I am the supervisor of my department. I have to fill in where I can if needed. Things will settle down in November at work, I am hoping anyways. Can I get you a cup of coffee? or Tea?

I am new to Weekend coffee share and am thankful I have Friday nights off so that I can relax and enjoy the weekends. My weekends lately have been busy as we have been helping my grown children move! My daughter has moved to another town. She is in the military and she works at Vandenberg AFB which is a huge base on the California coast. She was living north of the base and decided to move south. I mentioned this in my last blog, I thought I’d share some photos of her new digs. It has a nice big kitchen with a great room or family room right there so she can cook or bake and enjoy company. I love her new home she is leasing. ❤

We are unpacking but this is a nice kitchen with plenty of counter space and cupboards. I was able to help her open and empty all her kitchen boxes. She was then able to make us a fabulous dinner and then breakfast the next morning!

The perfect size house for my daughter and her hubby and guinea pigs!

In Lompoc there are many buildings painted with these cool murals. Such wonderful artwork! And the other photo is a view of Lompoc from the top of the road near my daughter’s house.

I hope you are relaxing like I am and enjoying the weekend. I really needed some R&R, rest and relaxation, ah, so nice to put my feet up and think about my travels. This last weekend we just returned from Phoenix Arizona where we helped my son, his wife and daughter move into their new house. They are leasing until they can save up enough money to buy their own home. They are in a nice big house, 4 bedroom, enough room for visitors as us grandma’s will be visiting often. I took a few photos to share!

Arizona! They are north of Phoenix and it is beautiful there! This is from their upstairs balcony, such a pretty sunset. The sun was not my friend but I took the photo anyways of the truck in their driveway. Lol

My husband and I took a drive around Phoenix to check out possible places to live, yes, you heard right, we want to move to Phoenix! This photo of these iron horses are all over Cave Creek!! HORSE TOWN! My kind of place. More to come on this subject! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

I must say I am so enjoying telling you all about my adventures. I traveled up the California coast through Santa Barbara to Lompoc then to Santa Maria and then back to Lompoc to home. Then 2 weeks later we drove 5 1/2 hours to Phoenix Arizona. We flew home. Can you blame me for resting? Haha, its been BUSY! Just crazy busy, but in a very good way. I hope you are enjoying your weekend and enjoyed my photos of my adventures. I’m going to add a couple more photos as I sit back and think about my travels. 😀

Thank you for sharing coffee with me! What are you doing this weekend? I hope you are enjoying life or just relaxing and getting some rest. Either way thanks for spending time with me!

Crazy busy Mom, Grandma, Wife –

-DIANA

Moving in the Air!

On October 2, 2018October 2, 2018 By DianaIn Living life, Memories, My Life as Grammy5 Comments

I am home alone! I don’t know when the last time I was home alone, I can’t remember. It’s so strange, I am always with someone and have never lived on my own and alone. I know there are many people who live alone and I have to say I have never experienced this and have always been surrounded by family of some sort. I have never thought about that until now. The reason I am home alone is because my husband and youngest son left today to drive to Santa Maria, CA to help my daughter and her husband move from there to a city to the south called Lompoc. They decided to rent a newer house on the other side of town, so they are moving this week. They already picked up the truck this afternoon! I’m so excited for them as even though it’s a pain to move, I know they will love a newer house with a nice big kitchen. My daughter loves to cook and especially bake, so this will be so nice for them! 😀

I can’t wait to visit too! I will be here for another day and leave Thursday morning to drive up there to help her unpack. My hubby and son there will spend one more night so we will be together and then they will come home Friday and I will stay til Sunday. It will be so nice to get away and spend some time with my daughter, I wish I could take more days off but at least I will have a good three days or so. It is about a three and a half hour drive up to Lompoc with no traffic so more like a four-hour drive as there is usually some traffic, but we do try to travel during less traffic times which is usually the middle of the day or later in the evening. We will be doing day driving.

This is my daughter Linea and her husband James who we are helping move this week/weekend. This photo is a few months old as we see each other about every other month, I need to take more photos!! I have to tell you that this week is busy and FUN and in two weeks from now my son Harrison and his family is moving to Scottsdale, Arizona! I am a proud Mama as he has been hired at the Mayo Clinic as a Medical Physicist Assistant. It is a bit stressful for them as they are waiting to hear if they are able to rent or lease a house that they put a deposit on as they were out there last week looking for housing. He reports to work there October 22 and his wife was able to get her job transferred out there in Phoenix too, which is great news. My husband will be helping them move including driving there in two weeks! Such a busy month for everyone, crazy days. I pray all goes smooth for them as there is so much to be done for their move to Arizona. I have a photo that I actually LOVE of them and I hope they do not mind me sharing on my blog. They are such a great family! ❤ ❤ ❤

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Life is full of changes and changes I have to accept no matter how hard they may be and one of the biggest things I am going to miss is this cutie-patutie there sticking her tongue out! Her HUGS, her LAUGHTER, her stories, her innocence and seeing the world through her eyes. I am so VERY THANKFUL for the last three years. I have been able to spend so much time with her and hope to be close to them in the future, just need to figure everything out here before we get things moving into the direction of moving. But they are only an hours flight away and I know I will be visiting often. It is a five-hour drive which isn’t bad, but there are many flights almost every hour to Phoenix so I will probably fly mostly. I have to share a few more photos, I may have shared before but it is worth sharing again. So darn cute! ❤

Haha, up close and personal!! She is so funny as I try to do a selfie and she was being so silly. OH, HOW SHE IS GOING TO MISS THE HORSES!! I am hoping that one day next year some time we can make the move to Phoenix. I worry about Chloe as she has a bad back leg and am not sure if she can make the trailer ride for five hours to Phoenix. I will have my vet check her out and see what he thinks of her situation but I can’t stress out about all the details. We need to just make sure we get this young family safely moved and then we will see what will happen next year. Love my family, love my life, lots of changes. It will all work out and I know everyone will love their new digs!! 😀 😀 😀

Crazy moving family days!

-Diana

For the Love of HORSES!

On September 15, 2018 By DianaIn Barn stories, Horse stories, Living life15 Comments

This weekend is my younger sisters birthday. Actually her birthday was Friday 9/14 and she was born in the best month as fall approaches, I LOVE fall, probably my favorite time of year. It’s a toss-up between fall and spring with the other two seasons right behind. I would not mind living where there were more distinct seasons, a colder winter, maybe even a little snow. It would be great fun to live where the pace was slower, a bit more relaxed and not so crazy like it is here where there are just waaayyy too many people in Southern California!

Happy Birthday Sharon! As I ramble on about other things, how my mind does that as I try to put thoughts down, and I do it in person as we were changing subjects today when my best friend and I were enjoying each others company at the barn. We ramble on from one subject to the next and then back again! Haha, I think it’s a girl thing, so I apologise to those who find my writings crazy or off topic sometimes. I do edit, and try to fix it if it’s too off topic but I haven’t written in a while so I have lots of stuff ruminating in my mind! My sister Sharon and I have had a love story for horses, I know she misses me as much as I miss her and we shared so much together and one of the biggest things we shared were our horses!! So I dedicate this blog to my sister Sharon as I envisioned her on our beautiful trail ride today with my best friend Sally. The weather was amazing, sunny and just right and I want to share with you the photos I took of this blessed day in the saddle! 😀

I just stare at this photo, the LOVE for my girl Miss Chloe is hard to describe. It is a lot like owning a dog, as they display unconditional love like dogs do and the bonds you form are the same as they see you walk onto the property they whinny for you as they walk around their stall anxiously waiting for you to take them out for what ever you will be doing with them for that day. They are so willing to please, and consistency is so important with these large animals. She knows we will go to arena for a turn out or a turn out and a trail ride. Today was trail ride day, she knows I have apple treats as she reaches for one in the next photo!

She is so adorable, fun, trusting, pretty as a princess! Her and I are like peas and carrots, knowing each other like we can read each others minds. Actually, they can read your body language, very, very well. So we head out on the trail and Sally and I on her pretty mare Gracie walk along our trails as we catch up on our busy week we had. We talked about how many trail rides we have been on over the last 40 years we have known each other and we figured it to be something like 5,000 trail rides!! That’s just so awesome! ❤

All us mares and girls on the trail!

Haha, Sally and I selfie!

I have probably written before about how I have adopted Zack and today I rode him on the trail by myself as I have two horses and Sally only has one. Occasionally, I am able to hook up with another rider at our barn, but the timing didn’t happen today so I just went on a second trail ride alone on Zack. I did not go as far on Zack, but I took some photos as I thought it would be fun to share and since it is my sister’s birthday weekend, he was her horse for many years. I adopted him from her since she moved to Idaho. She didn’t want to bring him for several different reasons one of the biggest was he was diagnosed with EPM. He is all healthy now as he has been treated and is doing great! He and I have formed a nice bond too. It will be three years soon that I have owned him and Chloe and Zack are best friends too!!

He is such a handsome boy, he is looking for treats too. Okay, I know I spoil my horses but they are easy to spoil. I do it in a way where we still have mutual respect for each other. Here he is looking like he is winking at me, I think he chews the side of his tongue and lately a lot of my photos I’m catching them with them blinking. Oh well, I’m going to share anyways! 😀 😀 😀

Zack and I on the trail!

ME! Haha, I’m not good with selfies!

For the love of horses, they are amazing animals. I absolutely love everything about them. I can groom them for hours, I love the smell of the barn, the hay, the leather in the tack room. I could be there all day, cleaning tack, cleaning stalls, I am not there all day but I can spend a good half a day there on my days off. I could easily get back into competitive riding, but I do not own horses that are able to compete. I know I have that drive in me, but I am also very happy that I am able to do what I can with the horses I own and trail riding and light arena riding is doable and absolutely FUN. They truly make my life rich, and I feel like I am living a dream. Thank you for reading my fun-filled day with my ponies and my friends at the barn! I know my sister is having a wonderful birthday weekend enjoying it with her family up in Idaho. LOVE you sister, love to all my family who live all over these United States. I hope you all had a great weekend too! ❤

Loving Horses forever,

-Diana

3 Day Quote Challenge – Day 3

On May 2, 2018May 2, 2018 By DianaIn daily posts4 Comments

“If you climb in the SADDLE be ready for the RIDE” – Blackmtnranch.com

MY PASSION – HORSES

I was born ready to ride. I will never run out of things to say about riding horses, my love for them, how they make me feel, how free I feel when sitting in that saddle. I have ridden in a few different saddles in my years. I started riding English – Hunter/Jumpers and was in training with some mighty fine trainers that taught me so much about equitation, hunters and training them in general. I worked as a groom for several horse trainers back in the day, my how fun it was and hard work too…. I have a photo I will share of my show days, astride my show horse Norwegian Wood, stable name Chester. We had such a blast, sometimes winning blue ribbons, sometimes not, but it was all good times!

“Dressage is the basis. If there’s something off here, there will be something off with the jumping.” – George Morris

Brings back so many fond memories, I truly miss those days. I try to ride English in the arena on my Warmblood, Zack. He is a fun ride in the English saddle and it gives my core a workout as I post around at a nice trot. He needs this exercise too, so it’s good for both of us. But unless I buy a new horse to get back into showing, my showing days are mostly over. Things could change but I am happy riding Western on trail and huntseat for the arena, I am lucky I can do both! This girl Chloe, who I just happened to snap this photo as she stuck her tongue out (probably licking her lips after a horse treat) is the perfect trail horse! With her injured back leg she is perfectly happy walking all over the trails in my town and she truly loves going out, and it helps keep her in shape and so its a win-win for us both! ❤

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway” – John Wayne

I use to say I’ve never been scared, funny how you grow up and things change. I really am not scared to death but have a healthy fear and I pick and choose what horse I would ride. Back in my younger years, my fears did not really exist. To be young again! But I’m older and wiser and I feel like there may be some horses that are just not meant to be ridden, or not meant to do a certain genre or be trained to do something it’s not capable of doing… etc… I could go on and on about horses, their personalities and what some people do or don’t do with them. I’m fortunate enough to have enough experience to be able to use and take care of my horses to where I believe they are healthy and HAPPY!

I’ll conclude with a couple more quotes, oh there are so many good ones it’s hard to choose!

“Every second, you’re either schooling or unschooling your horse. There is no in-between.” – George Morris

“I didn’t have talent, but I had great ambition. I still have ambition.” – George Morris

❤ ❤ ❤

It’s Friday, sharing my horses

On April 27, 2018May 1, 2018 By DianaIn Horse stories5 Comments

I never get tired of these two. I know they never tire of each other, they always spend some time grooming each other every time they are turned out together. They have the best relationship, it is fun to watch them and even though Chloe is the leader of the two of them, I feel very fortunate they realize that I am the leader of the two of them when I am in the vicinity. I’m so thankful for the relationship I have with both of these lovely horses. They both listen and watch me, looking for cues. They are both so eager to please and in return they get groomed, exercised and well fed. Maybe too well fed, but fed with the best intentions. I think Chloe should lose some weight but Zack is at a good weight and doing well with his Insulin resistance disease. Chloe is borderline Insulin resistant so I need to keep her exercised and watch her diet and weight. They are so much fun and bring me so much pleasure and joy. Amazing animals! AND I get to share them with my family! ❤ ❤ ❤

I am sharing Chloe with this cutie-patutie and boy, she is in LOVE with horses! I can’t believe how much she wants to “go up there” as she asks each day she is at the stables. I told her today that she is “riding” as she loves to “go up there”. When she is at the stables with me she only rides in the stall which is very large as I walk her around. I am now keeping my bareback pad near my stall as I put it on today and I feel much more comfortable having her sit on the pad. Much less slippery than the bare back of a horse. And with her being so small, its much better and safer. Miss Chloe is a steady stead, she turns 14 years old this year so she has been around the block as they say…. I realize there really isn’t a perfectly safe horse as I always keep in the back of my mind, ANY horse can spook even in it’s stall. But I am always alert, never leave her alone, my radar on high watching every move. I think most horse owners will attest that most horses take care of little ones, even have a sense of handicaps and young people, hence why they are such great therapeutic animals. So I’m probably worrying for nothing, but I’d rather be safe than sorry and Miss Chloe absolutely loves people and kids especially. I think she’s in good hands! 😀

Look how naturally she sits “up there” at home on the back of a horse. I love this photo of my beautiful granddaughter, like she’s musing how lucky she is to be sitting on her beloved horse. These beautiful creatures evoke such deep feelings in me, they make me think of how lucky we are to be here and to be outside with nature with them. When you have this connection with such a huge animal that look to you for direction and what us crazy horse people say “Love” our hearts just melt. I can tell you that even though they neigh loudly when I arrive at the barn each day, yes maybe they may be thinking “oh good, I get to eat!” but my horses are pushing at the gate wanting to get out and they know they have to be out with ME. They do not run to the back of their stall, or look away or pin their ears which displays unhappiness or meanness. No, they are very excited to get out, to run around or go for a ride. They are eager to please and it’s the most fulfilling thing to be able to help them exercise and get them groomed and fed. I know they do not know the emotion of LOVE, but I do know that they enjoy my company and they look forward to seeing me each and every day. That I know is the God’s honest truth, how they look when I arrive the excitement in their whinny, they love the love they receive. ❤

As I think about my week, its Friday and I have had a rich fulfilling week. I work which has it’s rewards, and I babysit to help my son and his beautiful wife and daughter which in turn helps my relationship with everyone. Then I fit in these horses who bring me so much joy, and I also help a few friends with their horses and ponies too! My husband is my rock and the most understanding person I know on the face of this earth. What he puts up with, he is not a horse lover like me, so he has to somehow understand my purchases, my needs and sometimes he has to help me with my horses which he does willingly and lovingly, it’s just not his thang. Ha ha…. I’m so very, very grateful for his LOVE and RESPECT, and I try my hardest to LOVE and RESPECT back. I think it is the least I can do and am thankful for my week. It’s been a great week! I hope you all have had a great week too! ❤

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Mylife-and-Horsestories

Tag: family

Weekly Smile; Proud Mama, Love My Family!

Tribute To My Parents ~

Weekend Coffee Share – Family and Smiles!

Family Visit’s, Busy Days!

Christmas Adventures!

Fun with Family!

Moving in the Air!

For the Love of HORSES!

3 Day Quote Challenge – Day 3

It’s Friday, sharing my horses