I Love Fair Oaks

I Love Fair Oaks This is where Fair Oaks shows up for itself. Local stories, good people, and everything worth knowing about this town. Since 2009. This is not advertising.

About I Love Fair Oaks

I Love Fair Oaks is a locally owned media platform and digital community website, ilovefairoaks.com, that has served Fair Oaks, CA, for over 15 years. Our site is a trusted resource for thousands of local residents each month who come to discover what is happening in the community, explore local favorites, and find reliable information about the people and businesses that m

ake Fair Oaks special. We publish original stories, features, and community coverage that highlight the heart of Fair Oaks. When a business owner or organization is featured, it often becomes one of the first places locals discover them when searching online, thanks to the long-standing visibility and trust our platform has built. We also support select local businesses through our Local Legends program, an application-based community visibility partnership. Local Legends are featured through editorial storytelling, community presence, and trusted visibility across the I Love Fair Oaks media platform. It is about showing up consistently and becoming a recognizable, trusted name in the community before people ever need your service. If you are a local business owner who wants to grow your visibility in Fair Oaks and be part of something meaningful in the community, you are welcome to inquire about becoming a Local Legend. Let’s see if we are a good fit:
https://ilovefairoaks.com/local-legends/

I came prepared to judge salsa. I did not realize I might need salsa first aid. 🌶️😂Yesterday, I had the honor of judging...
08/16/2026

I came prepared to judge salsa. I did not realize I might need salsa first aid. 🌶️😂

Yesterday, I had the honor of judging the Orangevale–Fair Oaks Helping Hands Salsa Cook-Off, and what a day!

There were so many creative salsas, from bright lime flavors to an avocado salsa so refreshing I could have drunk it straight from the cup. And honestly, by the end, I pretty much was. Who needs chips when you’re a professional salsa judge? 😉

Then I tasted one that was delicious but HOT. Out came my emergency milk, followed by horchata and pretzels from the salsa maker while I tried to recover. He offered me an even hotter one next.

Absolutely not, sir. I had reached my limit. 😂

His salsa went on to be one of the winners, so apparently setting the judges on fire is a winning strategy!

The entire event was wonderful: beautiful weather, a great band, folklórico dancers, local vendors, incredible volunteers, and people filling the grounds. I was so proud of Sydnie Anderson and everything she has built through Orangevale–Fair Oaks Helping Hands to support local seniors.

This day was personal for me, too. Since recently losing my husband, this was my first real day back out in the community. I walked everywhere, talked with so many people, laughed, listened to music, and spent time among my people again.

I needed this day more than I realized. ❤️

I didn’t take many pictures because I was too busy being in the moment, so thank you to Mary Ann for letting me borrow this one.

Congratulations, Sydnie, and thank you to everyone who made this beautiful community event possible.

Now I need to find the woman who made that avocado salsa and convince her to start bottling it. 🥑

08/11/2026

Who’s ready for some salsa? 🌶️

This Saturday, August 15, the Orangevale Grange hosts its Salsa Cook-Off from 10 AM to 3 PM. I got a preview from Sydnie Anderson, and the short version is: there is going to be a LOT of salsa.

I’ll be there as one of the judges, so I have the very difficult job of tasting my way through the competition. Someone has to do it.

Expect salsa tasting, vendors, food, and entertainment all day. Come hungry and bring a few friends.

Best part? Proceeds benefit Helping Hands OV, which supports low-income seniors and people with disabilities right here in our community. ❤️

Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.

📍 Orangevale Grange
🗓️ Saturday, August 15
⏰ 10 AM to 3 PM

For tickets and details, visit Helping Hands OV. Come say hi if you see me.

So sweet! Go get some fresh flowers. 💐
08/01/2026

So sweet! Go get some fresh flowers. 💐

When someone dies, you don’t grieve only the person. You grieve the life you had together and all the small, ordinary th...
08/01/2026

When someone dies, you don’t grieve only the person. You grieve the life you had together and all the small, ordinary things connected to them. Your routines. Your plans. Your sense of home. Your financial security. Your confidence. The person waiting for you when you walk through the door. Even the simple question of what to make for dinner.

Yesterday, something deeply upsetting happened in my real estate business. I was already feeling vulnerable, and I called my friend Mark, who is also a loan officer, in tears. He listened to me and said plainly, “That was a sh*tty thing to do. It wasn’t your fault. They should have known better than to kick you when you’re already down.”

I needed someone to say that. I needed someone to remind me that I wasn’t imagining how hurtful it was and that I didn’t deserve to be treated that way.

That is another one of grief’s roots. Your confidence is more fragile. Business disappointments feel heavier. Things you might normally be able to brush off can knock the wind out of you because you are already carrying so much.

Today, I went to lunch with a friend and walked around Fair Oaks Village Park. It felt good to do something normal. Then I came home, and no one was here to greet me. I’m still learning what evenings look like now, what to eat for dinner, and how to care for only myself.

Brad came home with two gallons of milk the day he died. Pouring them out later wasn’t just pouring out milk. They represented all the ordinary days we assumed were still ahead of us.

I am so grateful for the friends who answer the phone, listen, check on me, sit with me, tell me the truth, and help hold me up when I cannot quite do it for myself. Their love cannot replace what I lost, but it reminds me that I do not have to walk through all of these changes alone.

Grief has roots. Some are obvious, and some reveal themselves quietly, one ordinary moment at a time.

Eight DaysIt's been eight days since I lost Brad. (He is holding our cat.) I lost my husband. I don't know that there ar...
07/17/2026

Eight Days

It's been eight days since I lost Brad. (He is holding our cat.) I lost my husband.

I don't know that there are words big enough to describe this kind of grief. People tell you it's hard, but until you've lived through it, you can't understand how someone you've spent nearly three decades with becomes part of the rhythm of your life. They aren't just your spouse. They're part of your everyday world.

These past several days have been filled with phone calls, paperwork, arranging his military burial, contacting the VA, and taking care of everything that has to be done. Somehow, life expects you to keep functioning while your heart is completely shattered.

Even Bailey, our cat, is grieving. He's quieter now. His little meow has become so soft it's almost a whisper, and he spends much of the day curled up sleeping. It's heartbreaking to watch because grief doesn't just touch people; it changes the whole home.

A few nights ago, I reached a point where I honestly didn't know how I was ever going to feel okay again. I prayed and asked God to help me make it through.

Since then, little moments of hope have started finding me. A conversation. A message. A video that appeared at just the right time. Friends checking in. It hasn't taken away the grief, but it has reminded me that I won't have to carry it alone.

I've even started imagining little pieces of the future. Turning Brad's room into a welcoming guest room where family can stay. Bringing my dining room table back so people can gather, share a meal, laugh, and remind me that this home can still be filled with life.

One thing I've realized through all of this is just how much this community means to me.

Years ago, I started I Love Fair Oaks because I believed every community deserves someone to tell its stories, celebrate its businesses, and bring neighbors together. Brad believed in that dream, too. He was so proud of what I was building, and today I'm experiencing something I'll never forget: this very community has wrapped its arms around me when I needed it most.

Every donation, every meal, every prayer, every message, every hug, every kind word has reminded me that I am not walking this road alone.

Thank you for carrying me when I haven't had the strength to stand on my own.

From the bottom of my heart... thank you. ❤️

If you haven’t heard, I lost my husband, Brad, on July 9.For 28 years, he was my best friend, my biggest supporter, and ...
07/15/2026

If you haven’t heard, I lost my husband, Brad, on July 9.

For 28 years, he was my best friend, my biggest supporter, and my ride or die.

He was the kind of man who quietly took care of everyone around him. He worked hard, loved deeply, and never asked for much in return. He was so proud of everything I accomplished, and he encouraged me every step of the way.

Many of you knew him as Santa Claus during our Christmas portraits in Fair Oaks. What started as me convincing him to put on a Santa suit became something he absolutely loved. Seeing children run up to hug him, listening to their Christmas wishes, and collecting their little letters to Santa brought him so much joy. Those are memories I’ll treasure forever.

He also loved karaoke, spending time with family, and simply being part of this amazing community that has wrapped its arms around me during the hardest days of my life.

To everyone who has called, sent a message, brought food, prayed for me, donated, or simply checked in to see how I’m doing… thank you. Your kindness has carried me when I wasn’t sure I could carry myself.

I’m taking life one day at a time. Some moments still don’t feel real, but I’m slowly finding my footing. I know Brad would want me to keep moving forward, to keep building the life and the work that he always believed in.

Thank you for giving me the time and space to grieve, and for loving both of us so well.

I miss him more than words can ever express. ❤️. Thank you for the love you’ve shown our family. ❤️

If you’d like to help, the GoFundMe link is in my bio. https://gofund.me/b494bd2e5

For more than 16 years, I've had the privilege of sharing the stories of this community. I never imagined I'd be sharing...
07/11/2026

For more than 16 years, I've had the privilege of sharing the stories of this community. I never imagined I'd be sharing my own.

Many of you have reached out asking how you can help, and your messages have meant more to me than I can ever express. After a lot of hesitation, I created a GoFundMe to help me through these first months after losing Brad.

Beyond the funeral and immediate expenses, I'm adjusting to life without my husband and without the income we depended on together. I'm committed to rebuilding my life and continuing the work I've poured my heart into for years, including I Love Fair Oaks and the community I care so deeply about. Right now, I'm asking for help getting through this immediate season as I grieve, manage the unexpected expenses, and learn how to navigate life as a widow.

If Brad's story touches you and you'd like to help, every donation, every share, and every prayer truly makes a difference. Even if you're not in a position to give, sharing the fundraiser with others is an incredible gift.

Thank you for being part of this community, and thank you for being here for me during the hardest time of my life.

❤️ GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/7f4c550ff

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Fair Oaks, CA
95628

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+19163202663

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