Diana's Birthday

Hi Peeps:

June 28 fell on a Sunday this year and turned out to be a day when most of the family could attend to celebrate my 67th year on this earth. We were missing Ashley, Dan and boys and David, everyone had work duties.

Most of the attendees at Ashley's wedding were there and family-like friends, Dan and Lezlie and Dana and Christian, Britt was in San Francisco. Because it was 108 degrees, we moved our park plans indoors and had a top notch party and didn't get hot.

Emily and Cliff drove from Utah to be at the party and stay a few days and were following our visit with a trip to San Pedro to visit Linda, Gary and kids and their latest great grandson, Kennedy.

Visits from them are so much fun, emotional, sentimental and full of updates and all the details of our lives. They are the only part of the family who have known me since day one and our families have lived on the same streets and sometimes in the same house on different occasions. Our history is a strong and positive background to what has been a five-star ride for me and is still going uphill.

Thanks for all the fun and good wishes, great presents and a memorable day.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Diana

Awful Annie's with Friends

I know, another chance to put my photo up but also wanted a nice one of Maureen and Kathy, my long term friends who transitioned from my old street in the Bay Area and moved to Lincoln.

Kathy and her husband Wes have an awning business and Maureen lives with them about ten minutes from me.

Maureen and I have a standing date on Wednesdays at 11:30 and today Kathy had a day off from Macy's, her other job, so it was extra fun with her along.

Maureen had quiche with fruit and Kathy and I had the Crunchy French Toast special with the french toast rolled in almonds and cornflakes and served with strawberries and bananas and whip cream. This will set me up to fallback on current health kick but well worth it.

Later,
Diana

More Family Photos from Wedding

Hi peeps:

There were some extra special photos from the wedding that I wanted to add to my blog.

I have to commend Ashley, Dan and the whole family for such a well co-ordinated and planned wedding in the colors, the details, the environment, choice of reception and the open and relaxed feeling to the day, making it easy for us all to visit and have visiting time with you.

The pictures show the spirit and tone of our being together.

XO
Diana

Dan and Ashley's Wedding

Saturday, May 30, 2009 was a momentous occasion for the Monteith family as my brother John's youngest daughter, Ashley was married to her love, Dan Rouhier. The location was on an ocean bluff overlooking the Pacific, a stunning coastal scene.

They shared traditional vows with plenty of family and friends on hand in support and approval of their decision to marry and begin their new life together.

We left the beach and drove up Hwy One to the Valley Ford Hotel to an open patio setting decorated with flowers, bows, seashells, candles and festive highlights and shared a delicious buffet, sentimental and emotional moments and laughs and dances and toasts to Dan and Ashley.

What a time of emotion and well wishes and love and friendship. Every aspect of our day together will be remembered and added to the closeness we share in our family, being there in the sameness of the feelings of hope and happiness.

Cheers to the bride and groom. A joyous marriage with best wishes. Love Aunt Diana

Carri, Mom, Mom-inLaw on the Links

It is been a tradition for the past few years, since I moved to Lincoln, for Estelle, Carri and I to do an activity on Mother's Day and the guys stay home and fix a nice dinner for us to come home to.

We have done ice skating, bowling and this year, miniature golf. It was a challenge as no one had recent experience at this game and not at this course. We got to Hole 5 and Estelle hit her ball through the chain link fence onto the hill going down to Route 80, no way to retrieve it, so we had to go get a new ball and took a drink, pizza and churro break and try and get our grip.

It was also getting hot and crowded so we went back to Hole 5 and ended at Hole 9 and felt we did great and it was a complete enough experience for us. We went home and Eric made a perfect meal, ham, string bean casserole, mashed potatoes, salad and strawberry shortcake. Brian did a drill demonstration with his rifle in the back yard and Cory and Kaela were there with gifts for us.

It was a "top ten" day and each year seems to get better. Love to all of us and our family's Moms. Diana

Ashley's Wedding Shower

My niece, Ashley Monteith is soon to be married and we were invited to a wedding shower put on by her sister, Amber and hosted by Cindy, their Mom. We had a diverse group of co-workers, friends, relatives and a cameo visit by her soon to be husband, Dan, who the family loves.

My favorite game was "Create a Wedding Dress" with toilet paper and much to my shock, I wasn't the winner. I thought my partner JC did an outstanding job with my headpiece and veil and I was the perfect model. Lo and behold, Janell turned out to be the winner, unbelievable, she looked like a real bride. Rats.

Ashley got a combination of personal, practical and fun gifts and the decorations and food were outstanding, including the dessert parfaits.

It is the best time of my life to participate in and watch all my nieces and nephews create their paths in life and find life partners to love and celebrate with.

My greatest wishes and ongoing support, Aunt Diana

Annual Susan Komen Breast Cancer Walk

This year, as we have for several years, the ladies of our family and some of their children, gather to walk in the fund raising, breast cancer walk at Cal Expo. This year Janell ran in the timed 5K and then joined up with the rest of our team to finish our walk.

We have named our group "Team Eloise" in memory of mine and Dorene's Mom and the race is always held the day before Mother's Day and Carri created a picture sign of her to walk along with us and it always gets recognized by the announcers. It keeps us close to her and our great memories of life when she was here.

After the walk, we go out for breakfast and get current on everyone's activities. This year, Dana, Brittany's aunt, came with us and hopefully she will be part of the yearly fun.

It is and was this year, a "feel good" occasion and the highlight of our day.

Cheers to all for being there for each other.

Love you guys,
Diana

Nor Cal ROTC Competition

Brian performed in a semi-annual ROTC inspection and competition with other high schools in an armed and un-armed drill at McClellan AFB on Saturday. This was the first I had attended and was impressive in all aspects because of the dedication and practice it took for the students to attain their goals for this day.

Whitney High School where Brian is beginning his first year of school and being a cadet, took seven (7) trophies and a sweeper trophy and had an historical mark on the event and all in attendance.

We are always impressed by the end result of all the meetings, classes, training, drills, after school activities, caring of uniforms and the never ending elements of getting to the conclusion but when the boys are over the top with enthusiasm and the obvious results of being winners, that's priceless.

Many kudos to all on the teams, each and every one made sure their role was perfect.

Love to Brian from Nana

My Great Nephews

Saturday was a babysitting event for Josh and Parker and their grandparents, Dorene and Jeff and luckily for me, they shared some time at my house with chinese food and then to a local park for running around time and socializing with some new kids.

My great nephews are not shy but very adept at new experiences and new people and have no problems getting into any activities that come their way. This is a lot of fun to watch as their personalities surface with every opportunity, including other kids that are pushy, who don't get to square one, especially with Parker, thanks to a lot of training from his big brother, I imagine.

It was a quick but sure time for being closer to my sister and her grandchildren who are growing and advancing so quickly. Thanks for stopping by. Aunt Diana

Visiting Family on Easter

Hi to all:

Carri and I decided to make the rounds to see our loved ones on Sunday and since Eric and Brian offered to have a dinner ready upon our return, we happily drove off.

First stop, Dorene and Jeff's, getting caught up on home improvements and talking about family events, Dorene's scrapbooking room is quite a production and to be envied for its organization and pleasant environment, perfect for creative thinking.

Second to John and Cindy's who were deep in preparation for a lot of company for dinner, Cindy making a mile high potato salad and John getting BBQ ready. We got a look at the fun and big baskets they had prepared for Dan's boys and Jillian and Cameron. A few hugs and off we went.

After stopping by Kaela's apartment, complete with white picket fence, we decided to grab a snack at a very unique, all brick coffeehouse with a wide variety of customers including a very upset homeless guy who yelled all the way down the street.
Cory and Kaella are looking for a new place that will accept Tella, the dog and there seem to be plenty of vacancies downtown.

Back home we had a ham, potato, asparagus, salad, rolls dinner with my special mustard and chilled Pinot Grigio. No dessert or candy as Carri and I still quite dedicated to watching pounds disappear. I just wish the visual of my annual dark chocolate covered coconut egg would completely leave the dream area of my brain.

I will post a picture from each visit, in no particular order, that's too hard for me to do and you can share our family love.

Diana

My BFF Maureen

Maureen and I have been friends for about 25 years, since the Bay Area days when we lived in the same neighborhood on Barbara Drive, three doors from each other and our husbands (who have moved to their eternal neighborhood) were best friends too.

This picture is of us at IHOP for a late breakfast, our standing date is Tuesday at 11 but if neither of us is "quite right" we change it, usually on a whim. Since we have been through a lot of the ups and downs of life and know each others business and some secrets, we are close and glad to be living only about 7 minutes apart.

We make the rounds of downtown Lincoln and since Maureen is a top communicator, the proprietors and various characters know us, like Debbie at the Bookseller, Kathy at The Wardrobe, Raj at the Smoke Shop, the bartenders at Gillian's, the UPS store and many others.

It is a great surprise when you think goodbyes have been said and doors closed, only to have them re-open at a later date and you pick up right where you left off and get to continue to enhance life because of it.

Cheers to having good friends who know you!

Diana