Viva Diva Sangria

Sangria is a favorite summer time party choice for me.  Viva Diva Wines sent me this fantastic looking recipe featuring their Pinot Grigio.  Maybe a perfect fit for your Labor Day party....white after Labor Day is okay!

Christina Milian, singer, actress and entrepreneur, owns Viva Diva Wines along with her Mother/manger, Carmen Milian and publicist, Robyn Santiago. These three female owners have taken the affordable and tasty Viva Diva Wines to incredible heights and national levels.

Viva Diva Sangria

​Ingredients:
1 bottle Viva Diva Wines Pinot Grigio
1 2 liter sprite (If this sounds too sweet, you can always half it with club soda)
Fresh fruits including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, orange slices and lemon slices
Ice
1/2-1 cup Triple Sec-Optional

Directions:
Fill pitcher with ice about halfway full
Mix equal parts of the wine and sprite together in pitcher.
Add in fruits. Stir well. Keep adding wine and sprite to adjust taste desired.
Add in triple sec for additional flavor and citrus kick.
Pour into an ice filled tall goblet or glass and add in fruits from pitcher. ENJOY

Cows, Heifers and more Cows ~ Only at the Fair

I am just NOW recovering from Fair Time.  Whew.  After a long, hot five days living out of a camp trailer at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, it takes a 40-something year old just a little while to scrape the dirt off, rest and feel 'back to normal'...whatever that is.

From the time school is out, the first part of June, everyone's scrambling, every day to prepare for the fair.  I wouldn't have it any other way though......the kids LOVE it, it's a ton of work and the memories will be forever.

This year things were a little different.  The state of Californina is in the middle of a drought and the Sonoma-Marin Fair was mandated by the state to cut back 25% of its water usuage.  What that meant for the livestock division of the fair was a "Natural Show" which included a "No Wash" policy for the animals.  The kids were allowed to use the hose and nozzle for spot washes along with buckets and sponges and they could also obtain written permission for a full wash to their animals, if needed.

The livestock exhibitors, aged eight to 19, put their big boy/girl pants on, pulled up their boots and went with it.  All of the fair exhibitors followed the rules, cleaned their animals when necessary, conserved water as much as they could and all with minimal complaints from these same kids.

Show day comes early, getting up at 6 a.m. to get their animals ready to show.  Paige was allowed to show a large animal, her heifer, Nina, for the first time this year as an eight year old Special Junior. She and her cousin, Leila, were all smiles ring-side.  So much fun to watch them having fun and enjoying themselves with their heifers.

Now, this is the difference between our two kids.....Bryce is all serious and calm before his turn in the show ring.  Here he is ready with his heifer, Frankie.

We did have a little time for some carnival fun which was very much appreciated by the kiddos.

Concerts every night had Paige rockin with pleasure....Beach Boys, Rodney Atkins and Tanya Tucker.

The Sonoma-Marin Fair hosts the World's Ugliest Dog Contest every year as well and here is this year's winner....Quasi Modo.

Before we knew it, we were all celebrating the last night of the fair and were awarded with this gorgeous sunset view from our trailer and above the dairy barns.

By Sunday afternoon, we had packed up the camp trailer, most of the tack for the animals and waited for the animal release time at 4:30 p.m.