"Dandelion Wishes & Sunshine Kisses"

The weather here has been absolutely "PERFECT"! So, with the warm sunshine, Riley & I have been enjoying spending time outside. Lately, Riley has been into making "dandelion wishes"! She closes her eyes so very tightly, and pauses while making her wish, then blows on the dandelion. I always wonder what she wishes, but never want to ruin it by asking. It is though, a priceless moment! Riley's shadow has also been fascinating her. And please note, I'm not tiny, but not nearly as huge as my shadow appears! Three years old is a trying age, but a magical age as well. Riley is learning so many new things so rapidly, and there are days I wish the time could slow down a bit, just a little bit, you know? She found some old, not so good, bubbles I had bought her awhile back. Actually, they were the worse bubbles ever, but she didn't give up. No matter how much of the slimy bubble water rolled down her arms, Riley kept blowing and blowing through the sad bubble wand! This was a determined little girl! And finally "success", the bubbles magically began to appear. It takes so little to make kids happy, too bad some of the grown-ups around us can't appreciate that. These time are so precious to me. The time I spend with my little girl, knowing that she will grow all too fast and the day will come when she won't have as much time for her Gramma, are so heartfelt. And because of that, for now, I'm not missing a moment, ever!! And I know our weather won't last, as you can tell by my sad looking flower beds, you can tell it is still winter here in SoCal,and it will return soon. It's nice though to have a few "dandelion wishes & sunshine kisses"! I couldn't ask for more!

Compassion & Respect

I always wonder not only when little kids learn "compassion & respect" but when do they sadly lose it? I love to watch Riley role play with her baby doll, "Baby Riley", as she calls the doll I got her for her birthday. I watch her role play with Baby Riley, the compassion she shows, the love she gives so freely. There are days I wish I could shield her against the big, bad world out there. The same wish I had for my own kids when they were little. I'm in love with her innocence, the compassion & respect she shows to her cousin Morgan and her little friends. I'm happy she doesn't understand the news or the tragedies of everyday life that so many people, including little kids, live with daily. As Riley gets older, I know she will grow-up and begin to understand the social injustices so many live with daily. Sadly, she will see the not so good and the ugly in our world. But with a little "hope" in my heart, maybe as time moves on, some how, some way the world we live in today will learn to have just a bit more compassion & respect for others. As Louie Armstrong wrote, "And I think to myself, wonderful world it is".

When Cats Fly!!

Do you ever notice how cats are attracted to something new in the house? Since Bryce now has a baby girl, some of his "stuff" has to be thinned out. He bought these vintage airline seats from one of our dealers at Country Roads. Recently he temporarily put them in Riley's playroom. And as you can see, the cats are ready for "take off"!! And for Jacque and Malisa, there will be more baby pictures up tonight when Riley meets Morgan! Okay, "fasten your seat belts"!

Time in the Garden

"I'm ready Gramma" are the words Riley let out, it's time to water the garden. It's been overcast all week, so it was nice to see our California sunshine!

"watering our new plants"

"Riley waters very carefully, not missing a single spot"


"our sunflower we planted a few weeks ago is now taller than Riley" Gardening is always fun and relaxing, but when you have a little helper like I did today, it was much more fun!