Tag: #thankfulness

Reflections, Smiles and Horsey Fun!

On By dprastkaIn Horse stories, Living life, weekly smile12 Comments
A view across the hills where I live in California!

I decided to label this post “Reflections” as I have been thinking a lot about how this year is almost half over. Next week will be June 1st and I know I can say for everyone, what the heck happened to this year 2020? I think it is a big WOW! and it almost feels like we are all in a movie and someone will come along and say “cut, that’s a take!” I think this because I am a big movie buff, to think we are living history when they look back and pick apart all the good and the bad ideas or things that happened during this pandemic. I think we are already seeing the looking back part within these last few months as we start pulling ourselves back into reality, or hopefully back to some normalcy. As I am writing this my hubby is saying let’s eat lunch out in a restaurant! Something that we truly miss even though its been great to eat more at home, something we should keep doing going forward. We lead very busy lives, so this all has been a real eye opener to slow down and reset, at least that is how it feels and hopefully we saved many lives in the process. ❤

I don’t think “normal” will be back. I think we will have a new normal, something akin to what it was but I believe there will be many changes that will stay with us for a very long time. Some of these changes I believe will benefit things like the normal flu season that always comes and goes, as one would think this last flu season got snuffed out a bit with all the social distancing and closing down. I pray we get the schools going again , sooner than later and I know this is a HUGE subject so I am only going to touch upon it by saying let’s all get back to work (carefully) and let’s get this country up and running again. I want to be able to look for a job in Arizona so that I can move my family there one day, sooner than later if possible. (I do believe it will be at least one more year, praying for next year to make this happen!)

As I reflect, I want to thank all my new followers and all my blogging friends who follow my blog. 😀 This has been a journey of sorts for me starting with what is blogging? I thought I would just write short stories, I suppose this can happen with wonderful photo prompts that I want to engage in someday from fellow bloggers. I feel like I have a yearning to mold my blog into what it’s titled My Life – And – Horse Stories. I stray sometimes from my model, and struggle with my brand sometimes. I am learning as I go and I have met some wonderful, beautiful, kind, amazing – really super fun people. I thank you for all your comments and I have grown as a person writing and sharing my thoughts with ya’ll. You make me humble, and very appreciative. Thank you for reading all about my reflections today, it makes me smile so much so I think I will use this as my smile post this week!

Zack and Chloe this last weekend. They are completely settled in to their new stables!
Enjoying the trails before the heat. Summer is here as we warm up into the 90’sF (32C)

Let’s switch gears to HORSES! YES! My passion, my muse they truly bring me such joy and happiness. I have recently moved them to another boarding facility in our horse town, it is across town and they have settled in nicely. It has been a month since I moved them, my how these weeks have flown by. We have been enjoying the trails, as I ride Chloe and pony Zack riding with my girlfriend on her horse Gracie. Chloe is 16 years old this year and doing GREAT! So happy with her as she has a bad back leg with an old stifle injury (this would be her knee). I can tell she has little to no pain in it any more which is wonderful. Zack is the white horse, he is 25 years old this year. He is starting to really show his age as gravity draws down on their top-line (this is where they sometimes start looking sway back) and they lose muscle tone. I am trying to keep him active and moving. Gracie turned 28 years old this year. She has been really showing her age, but is doing good.

After our ride they both got a bath! More horsey fun on a beautiful day!

I take so many photos of my horses. They look forward to my company as much as I look forward to theirs. They truly like getting out and about with me and since I have moved them I always take them out together. I want to start separating them a little bit more. They are herd animals and so it is very natural for them to be near each other and do things together. They do call to each other if you take one too far away, this is called herd bound and it is nice if you can take one off the property say with a friend without the other going nuts, as they wonder where their stable mate went too!! Chloe is not herd bound as much as Zack. Since they have each other and I do not go to horse shows, there isn’t a great need to break them up and make them be apart other than riding just Chloe without Zack is a bit easier… I’m getting really use to taking them together, so its all good.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I always welcome your thoughts and I just had to share mine as I like to reflect now and again.

Reflecting Grandma Cowgirl,

~Diana ❤

My Weekly Smile; May 20, 2020

On By dprastkaIn Smiles, weekly smile19 Comments
I am smiling at these beautiful flowers!

Welcome to this weeks smile post. A very nice horse woman bought me these beautiful flowers as a thank you, but there is a story behind the thank you. It was a very busy week last week and at the beginning of the week, I was at the barn and I helped save a horses life. I’m so very happy he is A-okay, but he was in a lot of pain when I arrived at the barn.

Horses can get very sick called colic. This horse was in a lot of pain, and with help from friends and the owner a vet finally arrived and thankfully he survived and is looking great today. I am smiling at a great outcome and what a sweet thing for her to buy me these flowers as a thank you. Certainly not needed but I do LOVE them. Sure made me SMILE! As last week went along, it thankfully got better but was very busy and it is busy this week too and the busy place is my work!

Me at work with a splash of color mask! And all the samples from Monday night! All those tubes are animal samples tested and ready to be libraried. Super Busy!

I am glad we are busy because it is job security. We are so busy that we don’t have enough people employed to get the work done in a timely manner. This causes many departments including mine to get done later and later causing over time which can be frustrating. I’m sure things will settle down, and/or they will hire more help. It’s ironic that a month ago when it was really slow we worried about lay-offs and now we need more help! Go figure…. I am thankful and blessed, as I smile all the way to the bank. I pray for all who are unemployed.

I also have to be thankful because I am getting really use to my hair color. I know this is random, but I use to color my hair (I did it myself, no salon because I’m too cheap) but I’m finding I like it and actually have some natural highlights! Haha, that is making me smile! Hence why I included a photo of myself. I definitely have low lights or dark under color and I am getting some gray hairs. I feel like I have earned them! 😀 😀 😀

A couple of photos of a horse I owned many moons ago! Chester and I showing in 1978 and 1979. I showed extensively through my youth!

I am smiling as I went through my things at the barn. I am taking these photos home and never showed them to a friend there. I ended up taking these photos and sent them to her, so silly. I have a photo album of all my jumping photos I need to find. I think I packed it away. I hope you enjoyed my smile for this week. Helping people and their horses and trying to stay sane with a busy amount of work – at work – and smiling with memories!! What are you smiling about this week?

Happy smiling Cowgirl,

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; A Very Busy Week

On By dprastkaIn Family is important, Love being Grandma, weekend coffee share27 Comments
Thinking about my Grand babies every day! I can’t help myself, he’s my lead in to my coffee share!

Welcome to my coffee share where we share the weeks happening or what we will be up to this weekend. I have had such a busy week, I think I am getting busier instead of what most people have been doing and that is staying inside and probably fighting boredom. I am not trying to defy the staying at home orders and those that follow me know that I am a essential worker and work full-time in a Veterinary Lab and I own two horses. So I am always on the go and I enjoy my gardening too! Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea? I just had to share baby Teddy again, to be able to hold him in my arms, oh my, just thinking about that makes me sad (because I’m so far away) and joyful all at the same time! Love you grand babies!! Missing Alice, my grand daughter too. ❤

I have so much to share! I have my tiny garden which is in containers this year and I am having really good luck and so far nothing is dead and things are flourishing. I am going to share some photos as I should get tomatoes and hoping for some bell peppers too! I am really excited.

This is my tomato and bell pepper container. The photo on the left I just took this morning and the photo on the right was taken last week. What growth in one week! I am so excited they are thriving!!
Photo on the left is my tea rose which hasn’t bloomed in a few years! It has been going crazy with blooms. On the right my container of flowering perennials. Pretty!

I got help this last week with weeding. My hubby gets out there with his weed wacker and boy, he makes tedious work go much faster by using this tool. He has a nice gas powered one which he tackles all areas where we have tons of weeds that grow. Then I tend to the roses with pruning and I water too. At this time we don’t have too many things growing that need watering. We use to have automatic timer watering but that was back when we had a front lawn. We are definitely conserving water since the lawn is long gone. We are going to landscape eventually with a water friendly decor. Not sure what that will be, or when this will happen, haha, something on our to do list for our house!

How’s your coffee, need a refill? I forget for some it may be dinner time, but then I know many that drink coffee with their dinner! I would be drinking ice tea with my dinner, speaking of dinner I need to figure out what’s for dinner? I digress, I really wanted to share my busy week with all the horse back riding I’ve been doing. 😀

I have been asked by a really nice horse woman at the barn I left recently to help her with her horse. She is around my age and new to riding (hmm.. I keep forgetting to ask her background with horses, I must ask her the next time we meet) but needless to say she has had some scares, falling off a time or two and has some fears and does not feel confident especially riding the trails. NO PROBLEM I tell her, I will help you gain confidence and tackle your fears!! She has hired me to ride her horse and give her lessons. I am taking on more, but it is something I am very passionate about, HORSES!

This is Ava, my clients horse. I am not in the training business but will help when people ask and this mare is a ton of fun to ride!

I am having a ton of fun riding this pony. This photo was the first day I rode her and after this day I lengthened my stirrups as they are rather high for western, I had to ride her “English style” in the western saddle. The horsey people who follow me should understand. I think I will just write another blog post about my horsey fun and training, and giving lessons to this super nice lady who just wants some help with her horse. She wants confidence and I told her I would love to help her. The little extra money I will earn will go directly to my horses, their grains I buy and shavings for their stalls. It will mean some extra time out of my days off but worth it I think!

Crochet linen place mats for my daughter! So FUN!

I keep so busy, if I am not at work which is night shift, at the stables most mornings, tending my garden mid-afternoon, I am probably crocheting before I head to bed! I need to fit in sleep on my work days but some how I manage. I Love crochet and my daughter bought this yarn and it is fine so I can make these pretty place mats. When I visited my daughter last weekend we went online shopping and she found this yarn in pretty pastel colors. Perfect for her house and I may need to make some for my house too! I’ll have to buy more yarn! FUN!

I’ll finish up by saying that I am enjoying our beautiful Spring weather. We have had only one heat spell where the heat spiked and now it is much better. We have had mild heat this month and I am very happy about that. I was able to visit the ranch and ride out on the trails today with my girlfriend. I’ll close with a couple of photos of my silly horses. Fun, fun, fun! I hope you are having a good if not great weekend. I’ve so enjoyed having coffee with you and sharing my busy week and am getting in some relaxation this weekend!

Haha! Love my horses! Miss Chloe and Zack giving ya’ll a lick! What a great shot!!

Happy Grandma Cowgirl!

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Mother’s day weekend!

On By dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life, weekend coffee share15 Comments
Happy Mother’s Day to all you Mother’s out there! A rose from my garden!

Weekend Coffee share is a time for us to take a break out of our busy lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new). Please grab a cup of coffee or tea and share with us!

I am so excited about this weekend as I am sitting here with my coffee and some cinnamon rolls ready to tell you why. I didn’t realize when I made these secret plans (shhh, don’t tell anyone but my son and I drove up to see my daughter this weekend) it is Mother’s day weekend. I had no idea and it was just a coincidence but a super, cool, wonderful, fantastic coincidence! We have been very good about keeping social distancing, and please, no judging as there was just the three of us at her apartment as we enjoyed visiting, helping her with some projects in her apartment and breaking bread together!

While we are here we only went out one day to see if we could find a dryer which she needs for her apartment. She already has a washing machine and really needs a dryer and so we went to Lowe’s and found the right model and it turns out she can buy it online. (She was hoping to get a military discount. But the dryer is on sale so they won’t apply another discount so she decided to just order it online). While out we went by our favorite ice cream store and we figured it would be closed, but it was open!! YAY, we had to eat it in the car and there was no tasting of the flavors, but we were very grateful it was open! A super good day.

We rearranged the family room area, and her two guinea pigs taking a nap! Adorable!

I so needed this break as my work has been very stressful lately. We have actually gotten very busy at work and I think it will stay this way for awhile. I think it is great, for many reasons including job security. We are there helping pets and animals from across the country, and so I guess everyone that needs to see the vet are heading there which is good for everyone! Anyways, it has been so wonderful to spend these few days with my daughter and son. We video chatted with my other son in Arizona!! I’ll share a few photos I took.

My grand kids! My grand daughter is 4 1/2 and the baby is just 2 months old! ❤ ❤ ❤

It was GREAT FUN to video chat with them. We were going to do zoom, but decided to just do video chat instead. It worked out great and my son in Arizona put us on their TV and my grand daughter was just jumping up and down, so excited to see us practically larger than life! Haha, when he showed us on the TV it was a crack up. At least I thought it was. I’m old remember, so seeing all that technology does always amaze me and it was great fun. What a WONDERFUL way to spend Mother’s day weekend. I am in Mom Heaven!!

I have been reading this book my daughter has near the bed I am sleeping in, Lagom – Not too little and not too much. The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced Happy Life!

The Swedish people have it right and I am half Swedish! If I can find that balance of loving life, loving my family and loving myself no matter how silly, foolish, or crazy I can be sometimes than I will be one happy person. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. To my Loving husband who puts up with all my animals and my horsey lifestyle, bless him as I probably spend too much money each month on those giant beasts. To my children, all grown up with family and busy lives of their own. I am one lucky lady, Mother and Grandmother. I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful weekend, and for all the Mother’s out there, a Happy Mother’s Day!

Love, Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Hope and Dreams

On By dprastkaIn blogging, Living life, weekend coffee share21 Comments
Weekend Coffee share is a time for us to take a break out of our busy lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new). Please grab a cup of coffee or tea and share with us!

As I wrapped my scarf around my neck with my Fitbit on and my phone in my pocket I headed out the door this morning for my first walk in a week. It has been raining so much this week that it was difficult to get in my walking. I did some morning stretches and then did some stride walking stretches to help my self loosen up as I headed up the hill listening to the peacocks scream, or cry! Their piercing screams reverberate through the silent morning as the sun tries to break through the soft clouds.

As I walk down the hill I see the huge water puddle that the storm drain just can’t handle. We live in a hilly area so this valley between the hills always floods and floods the small park that is closed. I took some photos of the flooded area and am enamored with water and its amazing mirror qualities! I forgot to offer you coffee, but I am not home yet from my walk so am hoping you can wait for my return?

This is the flooded street! The storm drain is near that fence post along the trail.
My beautiful mirrored photo! This park always floods, the lighting is perfect this morning!

As I walk by this park after I took some photos I could here so many birds singing. And then I heard the morning doves cooing as they softly do but definitely loud enough that I could hear their beauty. The crispness in the air was so refreshing as my creaky bones are moving more smoothly as I rise up the next hill and then turn the corner I spy all the soft clouds in the sky. They looked like cotton candy this morning. I could not believe how soft they appear as if someone was trying to paint the morning view and got frustrated and took their fingers and just smeared all the clouds together! Completely different clouds than the big giant white cotton like clouds that we often see.

View of our Norco hills and the soft, cotton candy clouds!
The sun trying to burst through, blueish cotton candy, yes!

On my walk I felt the hope that what we are doing is working. I have read some reports that scientists are doing studies especially concerning the interesting developments in our state, California. There is a belief and hopefully studies will show that there is already some herd immunity that started way back in November of last year. Thousands upon thousands of people from China visit California every month, and they brought with them this virus that has made its way to many people here. I can count at least 5 people that believe has had this virus in Nov and/or Dec of last year. Same symptoms, and even though not tested if I know 5 people and you do the math there may be thousands if not more that have been exposed.

This could explain the nature of how things are panning out in our area. I am seeing some hope and pray that things will return to normal, whatever normal will be in our future. As I walk I am feeling better and pray for those souls lost and pray for all affected. I am home now, can I get you that cup of coffee or tea? I wanted to share a flower, I saw some blooms on my walk. I know we will have tons of blooms with all this rain!!

Happy Easter! Looks like a little bird ready to take off at the top of the flower!

Thank you for visiting my coffee share. I dream for our country to get back to where it was and I dream that all that are unemployed get employment back soon, very soon as I worry about what is happening to this country and to those affected by no work. I pray for hope and happiness, that those suffering with anything and everything, disease, money, survival. I hope we can look forward to a wonderful future, that we can all get together for Love and happy gatherings. Someday…. This will happen again!

Dreaming, Hoping, Staying Strong,

~Diana ❤

Upside down is Beautiful!

On By dprastkaIn Barn stories, Horse stories, Living life6 Comments
A break in the rain, pretty ponies in the water! I love the rippling in the water and the clouds in this photo! ❤

I had a wonderful morning with my ponies. I donned my mask, put on my rubber boots and headed to the feed store to buy shavings for my horses stalls. Here at this stables and most in town, only the box stalls come with shavings. The paddocks are dry parcels and depending on the boarding facilities the owner of the horses supply their own shavings or bedding. We use these pelleted shavings and/or fine pine to help soak up the water and aide in a dry area for the horses to stand and eat and/or lay down at night. It’s worth every penny to put down some bedding to help keep a dry area during these wet days. I was able to turn out the horses and I believe that my two may be the only ones at these stables that thoroughly enjoy the lake in the corner of the arena!! Silly ponies! 😀

My girlfriends horse Gracie! She rolled a couple of times in the wet sand. She is so silly and was feeling so good today, trotting and running around the arena! You can see the small lake in the corner of the arena behind Gracie.
I am enjoying these cool photos with the ripples and mirror images from the water! I just have to share all the photos I took today, SO MUCH FUN!
Zack looks like he is looking at himself in the mirror!! Haha!
Close up as they meander in the water. Love the ripples and I am too close to get their whole body in the mirror.

It felt so very good to be outside. It has not rained all day but it is very cloudy out and more rain will be here soon. It is to rain all day long tomorrow and then ease up into Friday with the storm blowing away by the weekend. I heard some thunder rumbling in the distance when I finished up at the barn today. Stormy clouds all around with the sun breaking through here and there and I was so happy I was in the arena when the sun shone enough so I could get some really excellent photos. I saved the best for last. When I took the photo I did hold my phone upright instead of sideways and I snapped this photo. When I got home and I viewed my photos it was upside down! Wait, what? I believe it is partially because of they way I took it, but I decided to use it even though I could flip it around. I thought it was a really cool and BEAUTIFUL PHOTO!! One of the best reflections yet!! I hope you enjoy. 😀 😀 😀

Upside and beautiful! Fun with photos, and my pretty ponies!

There you have it! I thought the mirror image so very cool I wanted to share as it is ~ so exciting and so much fun!! I just keep staring at this photo, it’s so interesting. They all had some good exercise and then a good grooming as they ate their lunch. I really needed this time outside and am so grateful for my ponies. They bring me such joy and relaxation. I hope you all have a good week!

Crazy, Horse loving Cowgirl!

~Diana ❤

Weekend Coffee Share; Horses and More…

On By dprastkaIn Living life, Smiles, weekend coffee share14 Comments
Photo from Kauai, Hawaii last month!

Weekend Coffee share is a time for us to take a break out of our busy lives and enjoy some time catching up with friends (old and new). Please grab a cup of coffee or tea and share with us! What’s been going on in your life? It’s been crazy in this world, right?

I wrote the above last weekend and I think the craziness is even crazier than ever. We are not only worried about getting sick but we are worried about our economy and how hard hit we all are going to be. At least I am worried about all of this as we had plans on getting the house on the market to sell and move to Arizona. That has all been put on hold for now and maybe, just maybe we will bounce back faster than I think but I may be dreaming. We are working as we speak on our house, new paint inside!

I forgot to offer you some coffee or tea, I have both with my favorite creamer, Italian Sweet Cream! Or you may want some ice tea? I have green tea! We went to the grocery store and it seems like we keep going back to fill our kitchen with food. My hubby usually does the shopping and he went with my son and this last week was able to get some meat we froze. But he doesn’t think like me and I felt like our cupboards were fairly bare. I know what I need for some good old comfort food and needed some canned soups for easy sauces in the crock pot and frozen veggies. I bought some fresh veggies too, that I will chop up and freeze for future use and some dried package goods. The one thing I thought I had at home was flour, so I bought more sugar! YIKES, when I got home I am almost out of flour! AND now I have a ton of sugar. UGH! 😀

There was only 1 bag of flour left at the grocery store. I wish I had grabbed it but thought no, I have an extra bag at home. But I didn’t actually check it at home this is just my memory. Darn memory, WRONG! Lol 😀 I can’t believe how frustrated I was that I am almost out of flour and I am sure that store was out since there was only one bag. FRUSTRATING, I can’t believe I am writing a blog post about flour and how scarce it is…. crazy days!

I put together a box to mail for my kids in Arizona, my baby blanket I made for baby Teddy, the cute Hawaiian shirt I bought for Alice plus a few more gifts for Alice. Once we got the box together and mailed it we stopped by a different grocery store. NOPE! That store was completely out of flour! Darn it all…. the frustrations are real. But I know they will restock, just crazy that stores are completely out of so many things. I pray it’s not the new norm!

I wasn’t planning on writing all about this stuff but it is what we are facing and each day is something different and new. What has happened in one week is AMAZING! But we will survive. I am going to dedicate the rest of this post to my photos. I just can’t help myself. The stables is a place I can go and feel safe and be outside with my horses! They just make me smile and laugh, LOVE IT THERE! ❤ ❤ ❤

It has rained a lot this week so we still have a small lake in the arena! My ponies love this water!
Haha, caught her licking the water. Not the first time! Silly pony!
Hi Zack! Love his personality.

How is your coffee or tea? Need a refill? I have toast or crackers. I was able to buy cream cheese to go on the crackers and its really good with my hot sweet pepper jelly. YUMMY! I can’t believe how obsessed I have been this last week about food. In my head, I am thinking the good ole USA should not run out of food. AND I hope I am right, right? But the anxious part of me looks in my cupboards and think go buy more food! I have worried about my ponies food too. I am writing this trying to calm my fears, as this has been a rather fearful week. What is HAPPENING!!!

My girl Chloe! Look at the clouds! Lots of weather this week. RAIN! lots of rain!

It’s been a rainy week, seems like it will never stop. I am always saying we need the rain. I LOVE seeing the sun as the sun is warmth, and makes me smile. Somehow it makes me feel better. I am anxious for some sun which we may not see for another week. More rain predicted next week and then maybe it will start to warm up and feel like Spring. I am literally typing what is running through my mind this weekend. I guess that is how I usually write, but I always try to stay positive and write uplifting (hopefully) FUN posts.

I always try and put a positive spin on even the most dire situations. I think we need to somehow find the good, even in uncertainty. I try and won’t stop trying to see the good and some of this seems silly, like not finding flour…. but its reality! I am trying to smile, and some of this is almost laughable, but its the truth. Hoping maybe I am bringing a little smile to you as well! 😀

I enjoyed having coffee with you today. I hope in your part of the world you are able to get what you need and are able to stay safe with what ever protocols are put in place. I pray for all who are affected with the virus and I am hoping next weeks coffee share we will be at a different place, a better place!! Take care and stay safe. ❤

Staying Strong, hopeful and am thankful!

~Diana ❤

My Weekly Smile; Feb. 5, 2020

On By dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life, weekly smile16 Comments
What makes you smile? I so enjoy sharing and I have to thank Trent who hosts the Weekly Smile so we have a place to meet and share!

Proud mama weekend! I had the best weekend this last weekend being able to see my daughter be promoted to Major in the Air Force. How she has excelled and her dedication to serving this great country is humbling and I admire her determination and fortitude. I know I shared last week but the cup runneth over with gratefulness as I sit here thinking about this last week. As I share we have a lot happening as we have a planned vacation with her to Hawaii next week! (So EXCITED!) Lots to smile about! I’m smiling from ear to ear! 😀

Major Greener with her father. Smiling big, so very proud! ❤

We had a nice time up in Orcutt, CA which is next to Vandenberg AFB. We explored a bit and I took a selfie of my family, minus my daughter who had unfortunately got a 24hr flu bug before she was promoted. She was home resting and of course made it to the ceremony but it was a bit stressful for her but it all worked out and she is thankfully feeling much better. We had great weather while there and thought I would share that photo too!

Me, hubby and brother!

As we headed into this week we had really strong winds. These winds can be so bad, up to 25 mile gusts and it just makes being outside miserable. They were cold winds as well, and so I really missed riding this week. It is calm outside today so I think I will be able to ride. I took the next photo of my trail ride on Sunday afternoon as it was not windy and we made it back in time for me to see my ponies. My obsession with them will never cease! They are my therapy, my muse and what helps keep me smiling! 😀

Beautiful day with my horses. Zack is here too walking by my side! I’m smiling!

Thank you for visiting my smile for this week. Can you believe its February? I probably will say this every month as these months just tick by. Haha, time just flies but I have to say that this blog has helped me slow down and enjoy each week. It makes me think back and be more observant which makes me appreciate each day. What makes you smile? Anything happening in your neck of the woods?

Thankful Proud Mom,

~Diana ❤

Weekly Smile; Proud Mama, Love My Family!

On By dprastkaIn 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 ❤

My Weekly Smile; Kitty Swap 2020

On By dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life, Smiles, weekly smile11 Comments

We are one week from our family kitty swap! This week my smile is for a smooth transition and for HAPPY CATS! All of the swapped kitties are settling in and all is peaceful which was the goal of kitty swap 2020!

The run down of what happened in case you didn’t read my previous posts. There were 2 kittens available to adopt. My daughter had one brother, Wolfie born last year around May. The other brother went to my son’s house who they named Dublin. They are part Siamese and amazingly look almost the same. (My daughter-in-law had a family member who’s cat had kittens and is how the brother’s came to be available). My son already had 3 cats so Dublin = 4 cats. My daughter’s cat was a handful, so much so (long story) she asked me if I could take him as I had put down my kitty so I became cat-less. I was able to take in cats and LOVE THEM and have always had cats, dogs (and I have my horses too!)

As this was happening my son’s cats were not all getting along. For whatever the reason the dynamics of the 4 cats the spraying and even fighting was getting worse each week. They did try many things to get them all to get along but they were not having any of it and so we came up with a plan. It is working out great and I do not need to find kittens to fill my home as I now have the sister’s! The drive with all the cats went so smoothly. They were mellow, a little meowing but nothing bad as it is a 5 hour drive to and from Arizona. Here are some photos of these pretty kitties, first are the sister’s that now live at my house!

This is Duchess and she is not bothered by anything or anyone. She settled in the fastest like she has lived here forever. She is a solid, calm kitty which helps calm her sister. ❤
It took them 3 days to sleep together again. They have done this since they were kittens with my son and his family! ❤
This is Dinah enjoying the sun! I like how it is lighting up the back of her head! She is a beautiful dark gray and the sweetest of the two of them. She still looks around as she was the one being picked on when she lived with my son and the other 3 cats. ❤
I was going to edit this photo but I really like it as this is my family! My son is drawing a treasure map and his daughter had so much fun with it. My other son is on the couch with the 4th kitty, Penny. This orange tabby was the one fighting with the dark gray Dinah. Silly kitties, wishing they all just get along. We fixed all that!!

Once we arrived in Arizona, Wolfie was kept in the bedroom where my hubby and I stayed. I shared photos already of this in my last post but those brothers immediately knew there was a kitty on either side of the door! They were so cute, playing with each other under the door. They had this low growl – or weird growl they both would make. I can’t say what they were saying to each other but they were playing what we called paws! You would see these long kitty legs sticking under the door, hilarious!! They have since been introduced slowly and are doing great!

The brothers back together again! Dublin is in front, Wolfie behind him. I can tell because Dublin has a spot on the right side of his nose, Wolfie has the spot on the left side of his nose! Aren’t they just the most handsome cats? I Love them!!

What makes you smile? I sure do love sharing my smiles each week. It makes me think of things I love or just to be thankful for as we go through this crazy thing we call life! I hope you are having a wonderful week and I hope you will share something that makes your smile!

Cat bliss Grandma,

~Diana ❤

My Weekly Smile; Jan. 1, 2020

On By dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life, weekly smile7 Comments
Happy New Year! My sister loves sunsets, and takes many photos of them where she lives in Northern CA. She took this photo of the last sunset of 2019. It made me SMILE and she said I can share with you all! What makes you smile? This is my weekly smile hosted by my blogging friend Trent! I just love to share!

I can’t believe it is 2020! I can remember back when I was in my teens the year 2000 was so far away, a date that people talked about and the scariness of what will happen when we hit the year 2000! Of course, nothing happened but it is I think wondrous to think we are well on our way into this century as we start this new decade. The New Year can be so revitalizing, a time for us to start anew, maybe rethink our future and/or start working on that resume to find a new job. Or maybe it is a time to reflect and see how far we’ve come and look forward to new things that may be coming into our lives. I think this rings true for so many people around the world. My smile is the future and what it will hold for me and my family. My smile is also for family as that is what I LOVE so much about the holidays. 😀 😀 😀

I have a lot to smile about and this is my family’s Christmas tree in Arizona! It is beautiful!
My granddaughter and her Papa! I Love them so and we had a grand time visiting! 😀
This is Dublin the brother to Wolfie which is here to live with him. He is in a room and will be slowly introduced back to his brother. We will be taking 2 cats home with us, the sister’s.

I have so much to be thankful for and I don’t know if any of my family members read this (I know my sister’s read my blog and I so appreciate their support and kind words) but my immediate family may read from time to time, I am not completely sure but I do know I tell them all the time how much I LOVE them and how much I support all that they do and it is important to me that they know I want nothing but happiness for them.

I am straying from my smile, as I get to rambling on and on sometimes. I just want to say that how can you not smile coming into the New Year? I suppose if you are struggling (there are many things that one can be struggling over) just know that a smile can brighten your day. Everyone at any time can smile, and it will bring some peace if you just take a moment to smile. I am bringing in this New Year with a huge SMILE, AND I am really excited about this New Year! Lot’s coming up this year in my family and it will be fun to share. I’ll end with a photo of Wolfie who’s in the bedroom with us in his transition to his new home. He is really cuddly, sleeping practically on my head! Not really, but on my chest and then in between my hubby and I as we keep him very warm. I will share photos of my new kitties soon!

Wolfie in his new home; this is New Year day morning! I will miss him but he is with family and we will see him often! ❤ ❤ ❤

Thank you for visiting my smile!

~Diana ❤

Christmas Tree is Decorated!

On By dprastkaIn Family is important, Living life7 Comments

I said I would share my Christmas tree decorated so I ended up taking about 4 photos and they all came out a bit different. I am just going to share all of them. The lights on the Christmas tree are pretty new, maybe only a year or two old and they change colors which I think is kinda cool. As I took the photos the colors kept changing from all colors to just white! It makes for a fun look I think. This has really put me in the Christmas spirit, maybe it will help you too? We haven’t gotten any presents yet this year, the time is ticking! YIKES!

This is the colorful lights. The other half of the 20 bears I have collected are all around the fireplace. Yes, I counted them and we stopped buying them after the 20th bear!
Another close shot of the colored lights – I accidentally cut off the star, too close! Lol
I like the softer colors of this photo even though it’s a little dark near the fireplace. This is the white lights as they change!
Same tree but with the lights white, pretty cool as I really like this photo and the lighting!

Now, if I can figure out what to get everyone for Christmas I think I would be good. I still need to buy the Christmas cards I wanted and then we are picking names for immediate family. This will help with the Christmas shopping this year! For me, my present is just being with family and enjoying each others company. THAT IS THE BEST PRESENT OF ALL! ❤

To Happy Holiday!

Love, Diana ❤