Hello from Yakima

It's been quite sometime since I have posted on my blog.  It seems like blogging has gone out of fashion but I still enjoy it even though I haven't kept up with it regularly for a few years.  This is my attempt to try and start back. As of this date, July 23, 2018, my husband and I are still enjoying our retirement in Yakima, Washington.  As you might remember, back 12 years ago we both retired from our positions with companies in Bellevue, Washington on June 30, 2006.  Greg retired from Weyerhauser (formerly Willamette Industries) and myself from Symetra Financial (formerly Safeco Life).  At that time we were making plans to fill our dream of living in Mazatlán, Mexico.  We fullfilled that dream on August 13, 2006 when we made the move to Mazatlán with the plan to live there full time.   We are so grateful we had the opportunity to live in another country and experience the culture and adventures it brought to our lives.  After a few y...

Unfortunatley, it has been over 2 years since I've posted to my blog.  I think Facebook has become the norm these days and just got away from blogging.  Since my last post, February of 2015, we were blessed with our 13th grandchild.  A grandson, Kyle Jacob was born on June 4, 2016 and is now 1 year old.  We haven't had as much time as we would like to spend with him but hope to spend more time with him and his brother, Kasen and sister Kaylyn and of course their Mommy and Daddy.  We feel so blessed to have 13 grandchildren and 6 children that are doing a great job of raising them.  

Well it's been almost a year since I posted on my blog.  Guess it's time to catch you up on our life here in Yakima, Washington. 2014 was an incredibly busy year with the renovation of our new home.  It turned out just beautiful and we are enjoying it so much.  Our view of the Naches River is ever changing with the seasons of which we just love.  We are also loving retirement!!  Free to do whatever we want.  Such a great feeling.   We moved into our new home April of 2014 and sold our condo here in Yakima shortly after that.  We were very lucky to sell it so fast and move on with our life in our new home.  We still miss certain things about Mazatlan and are hoping to go back on our 20th wedding anniversary in 2017.  We would like to go down around Carnaval time and Valentine's Day which is our anniversary.  Of course, we will stay at Torres Mazatlan where we were married.  As for now, we are just enjoying our new home and s...

As of this date, February 27, 2014, we are deep into the renovation of our fix-r-upper home we purchased in December 2013.  With some unfortunate delays, our approximate move-in date is now mid-April.  The renovation has gone fairly well but more projects and planning than I had anticipated. Greg is doing an incredible job but I think, he too, would admit more was involved than originally thought.  It will be a beautiful home when finished.  The view is just spectacular!!  Also, Greg has retired "take two" as of January 2014.  Hooray!!  Here's the timeline for the completion of our home: Tuesday, February 26 - Kitchen appliances were delivered Wednesday, February 27 and 28 - Electrical and plumbing for master and guest baths/rough in Monday, March 3 - Electrician starts in kitchen Monday, March 10 - Lighting in master and guest baths Wednesday, March 12 - 14 - Kitchen cabinets and applicances installed Monday, March 17 - sinks and faucets i...

On January 30th, our 12th grandchild, a grandson, Kasen Jacob was born to Jake and Jackie.  We are so very happy to welcome Kasen to our family.  Kasen is now 3 years old and loves being a Super Hero.  Never know who he will be, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man......Definetly a little boy Super Hero in disquise. 

On January 18th, our 11th grandchild, a granddaughter, Justene Marie was born to Joel and Joyce.  We are so very happy to welcome Justene to our family. 

On November 24, 2013, we flew to Mazatlan to close on the sale of our condo.  We stayed at Torres Mazatlan, our timeshare, celebrated Thanksgiving there while we awaited the day and time to go to the notorio to sign closing documents.  As it turned out, the date was December 3rd at 5:00 pm.  Both the buyers and their realtor, our realtor, as well as, an interpreter were present.  It took 2 hours and our condo was in the hands of a new owner.  We felt very good about the Mexican couple who purchased our condo.  They were very happy and we wished them much happiness in their new home.   It was with bitter/sweet emotions that we closed this chapter of our life.  We are now on to new adventures, starting with the purchase of a 3,600 sq ft/1 1/2 acre fix-r-upper home in Naches Heights, Yakima, WA.  It will be alot of work but we think it will be well worth it in the end.  We wiill be living in our Yakima condo until the renovation is com...

On October 13, 2013, when we arrived home from a short trip to Seaside, Oregon, we found our  realtor in Mazatlan had been trying to contact us.  We had an offer on our condo!  The offer has, since then, moved forward and we'll be flying to Mazatlan the end of November.  We don't know, at this point, exactly when we'll close on the sale but it should be the first week of December.  We will be staying at Torres Mazatlan.  We're so very excited about this news that we've been waiting for since we put our condo on the market in the spring of 2010 when we moved back to Yakima.  However, it is with much bittersweet emotions too.  We have many wonderful memories of adventures and friends when we lived there.  We're just so grateful we had the opportunity in this life to have made these memories together that will last the rest of our lives.  We plan to still visit Mazatlan, as we have our timeshare at To...

On July 30, 2006, we retired the first time and moved to Mazatlan, Mexico.  April of 2010 we left Mexico and moved to Yakima and have been working since.  However, after a stressful two years of a full time job I've had enough and have retired once again as of July 31, 2013.   I'm so relieved and happy and so very thankful and grateful to have such a wonderful husband that is so understanding.  Unfortunately, he will be working probably for another year and a half.  I'm trying very hard to support him in any why I can to make his life as stress free as possible by taking care of all our needs at home.  I love being home, planning meals, keeping our home clean and organized and pursuing some of the passions I've put on hold for a few years.  I'm loving having time to get back to yoga and walking.  Here is a picture of us celebrating my retirement at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

Well the sale of our condo fell though.  So it's still on the market and hoping that it sells sometime this year.  We'll just have to wait and see what is mean't to be. 

Well as of this date, June 2013, we have 3 parties interested in purchasing our condo in Mazatlan, Mexico.  http://mazatlanrealestateguide.com/detailcondo.php?id=139 We are very excited about the interest in our condo and feel confident we will sell it this year.  If you know of anyone interested in a beautiful condo on the beach in sunny Mazatlan, Mexico see the link above. 

I had a wonderful 63rd birthday thanks to my husband.  We went to "Twigs Bistro & Martini Bar" for dinner after he let me open my presents after work.  He surprised me with a new microwave, spatulas, cutting board & chip clips.  I thought perhaps there was a theme with these gifts but there wasn't.  Very nice gifts but where was the little box?  Finally, it surfaced and he had gotten me some beautiful diamond earrings. :)  He is such a wonderful, wonderful husband who is the love of my life.  Then, we headed out to the bistro and who came to dinner with us but Scott & Deannie!!  It was such a nice surprise when they came walking in.  Deannie & I had salmon.  Greg had enchiladas and Scott I think a burrito.  Food was delicious!!   Had to try the martinis.  Greg had a Key Lime and I had the Mucho Mango.  They were so very yummy.  Just a great birthday with lots of birthday wish phone cal...

Hope everyone had a safe New Year's Eve and are waking up this morning with positive thoughts for  2013.   We have a major goal for the new year and that's to sell our Mazatlan condo.  Here is a link to the real estate that is handling the property for us in Maz. http://www.walfre.com.mx/walfre/venta/375-condo-las-gavias-308b/ It's a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo on the beach.  Let us know if you might be interested in seeing it.  We will be going down early this year to check on things. Happy New Year!!!!

             

This time of year I always start feeling some guilt about how I raised my children.  We didn't celebrate Christmas due to our religious beliefs.  When my children were 15, 10, 8 & 5 years old I divorced and my spiritual life fell apart too.  We began celebrating Christmas.  As years have gone by and my children now have children of there own, they are expressing feelings of resentment because they do not have childhood memories of Christmas.  This seems to be expressed mostly by my oldest son.  I guess it makes sense since he has absolutely no childhood memories of Christmas.  The others have some memories since they were younger.  I know as they raise their children and see them experience the holidays, it comes home, even more to them, what they missed out on.  I struggle with this, realizing there is nothing I can do to make it up to them.  Sometimes, I want to go overboard with my grandchildren, maybe it's my way of trying to mak...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year at Josh & Kristi's home in Moses Lake.  We enjoyed the company of my 4 children, their spouses and our 7 grandchildren.  They are such a blessing and we are so thankful for all of them in our lives.  Here are a few pictures from the day.    

Just thinking about when I created this blog and how we felt we were about to start living our dream.  Well, 6 years later we aren't quite living the dream we planned for but we did get a chance to live it for a while in Mazatlan.  Maybe one day we'll return to that life but for now, and for me only 2 more years, we must work and bide our time. We are still grateful for the life we have, as we have 6 wonderful, healthly children and spouses that have blessed us with 10 beautiful, healthy grandchildren.  Also, that we have one another to share our life with.  I love my husband for all he is and does for us.  I couldn't ask for a more loving, considerate, handsome guy! Something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving for sure. Happy Thankgiving to all!!