2025 Recap..

Welp.

Yet another not great year.

I always hate to start out the blogs like that, but man - we've taken a beating this year. Our country is in shambles. Every person I talk to is going through something. Something not great. I feel similar to how I felt after the 2020 year - just beat up and spit out. Lots of exhaustion. Unfortunately lots of struggle and sadness. I feel the need to be very raw and honest about this recap. 2025 really was just a brutal goddamn year. It's ok to talk about this. It's ok to acknowledge when things just suck.

 

The 1st six months of the year we were in the traumatizing battle of seizures with our poor Poe. Losing him in July was absolutely devastating. I'm still not over it, and sometimes think I'll never get over it. I can't even begin to explain the toll it takes on a person. Sleepless nights, constant anxiety and fear, that feeling of being so out of control and not able to stop this horrible disease from attacking such a perfect sweet soul. And in the end to fucking lose.

 

I also can't even begin to fathom the absolute shit show that our country is in right now. It's almost unbelievable yet here we are. The hatred. The anger. The fact that our country is being run by a demented piece of shit man child and nothing is being done about it. All year, I see Dems, people in power, hell even alot of republicans at this point saying "It's not ok. Fuck this guy" Yet NOTHING IS BEING DONE. Like ok people - we know - he sucks - he's horrid - BUT WHAT THE FUCK DO WE DO TO FIX IT?! I'm exhausted. I have no fight left. If anyone - and I mean ANYONE - tries to get into with me I leave the situation or sadly in some cases have left the relationship. No. There's no more excuses. I refuse to hear them. Fuck off with your conspiracy theories. Fuck off if you still support the current administration. Just fuck right off. I'm done. Like SO FUCKING DONE.

 

We lost some great people this year. Like a lot. Like a lot of tragedy.  David Lynch, Gene Hackman, like one of the best Popes we've ever had, Ozzy, Robert Redford, Jane Goodall, Diane Keaton, Malcolm Jamal Warner and then the horrible murder of Rob Reiner and his wife. Like WTF. And that's just naming a small amount of the wonderful people we lost.

 

Oh and let's step back and look at the friggin world right now. The many wars going on. I just can't. It's not great.

 

So where do we go from here? I don't know. I'm not going to lie. I'm scared. I'm tired. But I'm trying. I'm trying so hard to find the joy where I can. To spread kindness. To be a good person. Because I guess right now that's all we can do. Turn our focus back inward and see what you can do to better the little circle that's around you. Hopefully that can grow and spread just like a ripple in a pond. And when it gets to hard or to shitty - grab a drink and grab a friend or 10 and commiserate together. Because the one thing we are not is alone. Reach out. Get therapy. Talk to people. Speak up about feelings and kindness and good.

 

And here we go - 2026.

Already on the horizon - Pat and I turn 50 this year. 50. WTF. There's a trip on the books. I want to write more. Geocache more. Battle this oh so bullshit thing we call menopause. Move more. Help more. Do my damn best. So here we go....  

 

 

There's not many highlights in 2025 but there were a few. In May - the one and only time we had a small ray of hope that we were actually going to be able to get a handle on our poor babies seizures, we took a great trip to Paso. I love it up there. It's so damn good for the soul. We also took another great trip with some dear friends again in October. We're sharing a wine club membership at Austin Hope and figured let's see if we travel well together when we get our pickup  - and we certainly do!

 

Tianna and Scott

Another highlight was our Thanksgiving trip to Joshua Tree. This trip was very special because we found my Papa's desert house! It was a great few days away.

 

But the biggest highlight of the whole year was our trip to Zion. This was truly the one stand out of 2025 that was just amazing. It was a few months after we lost Poe and I wanted to get a trip in to somewhere that we wouldn't normally be able to go if we had a dog. So Zion was it. We tacked on a Vegas stop over eating at the delicious Hell's Kitchen. Then spent a glorious beautiful few days in Zion. We booked it a bit last minute, so spent a bit more than we would usually on a trip but it was worth every penny. From the E-biking through the canyon, hiking the narrows, waking up to the sight of the mountains, I could go on and on. This went into my top 3 vacations I've ever taken in my life. It was just perfect.

I've been doing really good keeping up my monthly blogs, dropping in photos of that months happenings. I love to go back and see all the great memories we've been making. It helps my old ass remember and re-live the good times. And although this year is one that I'll happily not think back on too much - there were many wonderful moments spent with friends, family and finding joy.

 

As we start this new year, I wish for nothing but joy, laughter, happiness, and just fucking goodness for you all and us. 

 

Happy New Year Friends! 

  

  

 

December Fun...

And here we are.

December! 

I'll be posting my 2025 Re-cap Blog soon!

 

Here's all the December Fun!

 

Christmas Fun:

 

 

I love my tree!

Mom knows how to decorate!

Happy Krampusnacht!

Rascal likes the Candy Cane Ropes

Loving my new lights!

 

Yes, basically I love to post pictures of drinks in front of my tree!

 

 The fur fam and friends:

 

Saw a stunning sunrise one morning

This jackass has skin allergies and has to now sleep in a onsie at night to keep him from licking his underbelly

He's not in love with it

 

Winter break has begun!

 

Daddy's Boy

Pat and I hit up Temecula for our Wine Pick up!

Corkfire Kitchen Brekkie!

Seriously probably the chillest winery ever

So peaceful

There's a new sign on Rancho California!

One of my favorite Christmas Traditions is Knotts Merry Farm with mom! Albeit it was a rough start that morning, we had a really great time as always!

 

I took her to Jardin for brekkie!

Taylor got to hang with us for a tiny bit!

Showed us the hidden Krampus Ornament 

 

We threw our annual Holiday Open House and it was a huge hit! Love doing this!

Literally how it started...I always wanted to have a reason to make Mulled Wine

Tried to move people out of the kitchen so we set up in the garage too!

And made a photo op!

 
 

Susan and Lib

The last crew standing

Heather and Jo

Noel with The Gallo's

The pool crew

Jack and The Dorman's

Me & Bobby Dean

Alex, Elysse and Angela

The McCoy Fam

T, Jules and Cynthia

The Avery Fam

Then my other favorite tradition around this time of year is the Winter Sawdust with Julie! Had a lovely time and even took and art class!

Julie and I got there too late to sit together...

Our "GingerBread" houses

I cannot love this woman more!

Got some hiking in:

 

Our friend Sarah had an event at her house to raise funds for a friend. Your ticket got you a couple of glasses of wine, a picnic box and a tour of the SparkleBall neighborhood! It was so lovely getting shown around one of our favorite neighborhoods in a golf cart!

 

Rascal seemed fine in the Golf Cart!

Thank you Danny for being a great tour guide!

The lovely Sarah!

 I had my monthly brunch with Maria and Jen! Festive posing this time around!

"Spritz and Giggles"

Jen and Maria sandwich

 

Pat loves the wine glass Jen gave me for Xmas!

Got out to the cemetery with mom:

 

Our work had their holiday bash. It's gotten a bit lame, but Trang - our  newest employee was so excited we had to get a picture in! Plus Maria and I always try to as well!

Most of the Systems Team

 

Christmas Eve morning I had breakfast with Hailey and Libby then Libby and I wandered in the rain for a couple more. Such a great way to start the holiday!
 

Libby hates umbrellas

The rainiest Christmas Eve Eva!

 Christmas Eve we had Dad, Lori, Shane and D over for dinner. We made the same thing we made for ourselves for Thanksgiving. Huge hit! Sadly I again forgot to take pictures of the evening but it was lovely. Christmas Day was our usual silly fun over at mom's house. Then Jeanne and Ted came over that evening for Christmas Dinner which I also forgot to take pictures of.

Rascal loves to get weird with Gramma

Games!

I won this game!

Daddy's Boy

Rascal loved his presie from Gramma

Our attempt at a Family Photo

Griswold Family Christmas

 We had a very wet last few weeks of December, and Pat and I enjoyed sitting out on the porch enjoying the rain.

Mom got me this great new cozy throw for porch sitting/drinking and love my new wine glasses from Shane/D!

 Lots of out of towners this time as well! 

Why yes I'll have a Christmas Mimosa even though Christmas is over

Keri and Wendi were both in town after Christmas!

Twisted Vine

Bob Tully is visiting as well!

Glad we got a lunch in just us so we could catch up!

 New Years Eve was quiet. Pat and I stayed in and he made Lobster Ravioli and we watched the finale of Stranger Things. Celebrated the East Coast New Years then passed the hell out.

 So that's it folks.

Another year of monthly photo fun!