Girls' Lunch - Happy Birthday Lisa!

Happy Birthday Lisa B!

I am so grateful for such a great friend. One who is an example in so many ways even in the face of trials. Thanks Lisa! And thanks to all my friends who went to lunch. So fun to have some time away.

I really am spoiled by so many good people around me! I think that has been one of my greatest blessings in life - good friends, Lompoc, Elon, BYU, neighborhood, and past jobs.

And thanks Michele for sharing your pictures with me! Watch for more pictures coming soon! My awesome, beautiful, amazing friend Dani is going to send me some! :)

Update on work situation

Since some of you have asked ... Not much news to tell at this point. Steve is still working hard to finish the technology at his current company with hopes to either get the necessary investments and/or get a revenue stream. He really believes in the value and potential of this technology and wants to see it succeed. He is looking for other employment and has a few potential opportunities that are in the air but obviously no offers yet. We're doing ok. Steve is handling it like his normal self, with confidence that it will all work out. Me, I'm my typical self, emotional and frustrated with the lack of a specific set-in-stone future. Thanks to all of you who have been my friend and listened and supported me!

TAGGED!

ONE WORD ANSWERS

1. Where is your cell phone? Charging
2. Where is your significant other? home
3. Your hair color? brown.
4. Your mother? Vicki.
5. Your father? Robert
6. Your favorite thing? computer
7. Your dream last night? friend
8. Your dream/goal? peace
9. The room you're in? office
10. Your hobby? fun!
11. Your fear? Failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? church
14. What you're not? Perfect
15. One of your wish-list items? laptop
16. Where you grew up? coasts
17. The last thing you ate? shake
18. What are you wearing? jeans
19. Your TV? Off
20. Your pet? fish
21. Your computer? HP
22. Your mood? Thoughtful
23. Missing someone? Friends
24. Your car? Van
25. Something you're not wearing? Socks
26. Favorite store? Multiple
27. Your summer? Italy
28. Love someone? yes
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? afternoon
31. Last time you cried? afternoon

If you haven't done this consider yourself tagged.

My girls love to sing

This weekend, I was folding laundry in my bedroom and from upstairs I hear two little voices singing. It was Jess and Tay. They were just belting out different songs. As I stopped to listen the one they were singing is a children's song from church (primary). I didn't even know they knew the song, especially Jessica since she is still too little. The song isn't the common songs that we sing around the house or even at church. Its about baptism. The first verse goes:

Jesus came to John the Baptist, in Judea long ago
And was baptized by immersion in the River Jordan's flow.

It was so sweet to hear these little voices singing about Jesus Christ being baptized. Jess would stumble a bit over a word (hello - Judea and immersion aren't easy for a 3year old) and Tay would say, no ... stop, stop start again. Then they'd stop and giggle and start again. But I also realized Jess knew the words and as teasing Taylor because she'd take them out of order and laugh. This went on for about 2 or 3 minutes. Eventually they switched to other songs and went on with their playing, but I thought it was just cute. I wish I had been quicker to grab the video camera to record them.

Really though, all 3 of our girls love to sing and I often find any one of them (by themselves of with their sisters) singing a song. Sometimes they are made up - especially Alyssa - but usually they are pretty close to accurate. I hear lots of humming and other noises too. Today Taylor showed me that she can play the ABCs on the harmonica "without saying the letters". She was so proud of herself. This is of course, after she chased Jessica around the entire house trying to get the harmonica because Jessica was playing her own little song. Then they decided to share - with mom's strong warning of "Otherwise I'm taking it away!" I love that they love music. I love that they are so happy.

From my friend, "Isn't it crazy?"

This is copied from my friend, Jennifer Milne Bickmore. She is a friend from when I lived in California. We never kept in touch when I left, but have become good friends again now with the age of technology (facebook and blogs). Thanks Jennifer! This is so true, I loved it and wanted to remind myself and others the same thing. I was actually talking to a friend on Friday about how some recent happenings in my life have helped me even though it has been confusing. I think I called it "my battle with me" but its my issues and how I view me.

From Jennifer: HOW WE SEE OUR SELVES IS DIFFERENT THAN HOW OTHERS SEE US? Think about that! Time and time again people say the nicest things to me and I sit there and think are you crazy? Because I don't see that at all!!! Or think anything near that about my self! I have thought a lot about that over and over. Especially lately for some reason. And I think ALL my friends near or far are AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, TALENTED, ETC ETC !!

But I know that we all don't usually think the same about our selves! Why is that? For this week I think we all need to give our selves props and look at who we really are and that what others see in us is truly who we are. I think we put our selves down far to often. I know I do all the time. So I challenge you this week to take a look at how amazing, beautiful, talented, awesome, SPECIAL you ALL are!

They may be Jennifer's words, but they are my thoughts too!!

Beware all!!

I'm in the scanning old pictures mood. Don't be surprised to see pictures of you pop up on my blog ... especially those of you I've known for 10+ years! Most of them will go on my facebook because a lot of my old high school and elementary friends are on there ... a few will show up here though!

Who do they look like?

A friend sent me recent pictures of his 4 kids. As I looked at them, I thought about who each one looks like. I could see him in one child and two of the others have his eyes. Then I thought about my kids. So now, you get to decide. Who do they look most like? Mom or Dad? I've added a few pictures of all of us at different ages. Sadly, I don't have many pictures of me as a kid - my mom still has most of the ones from when I was little, but I was able to scrounge a few. And the scans of Steve and I are a little messed up, but hey, you get the basic idea.

Steve

Donna (me!)

Alyssa

Taylor

Jessica

So, who looks most like Steve and who looks most like me? Post your vote! : )

Over the years ...

I don't have much new to post so I thought I'd do some fun looking back ones. Steve and I when we were engaged ...We were so skinny back then! First there are two.


Alyssa at aboaut 6 weeks old. Taken in early August 2000. Yes, she really was that big ... the outfit was probably a 6-9 or even 9-12 month outfit, but she really was only 6-8 WEEKS at the oldest in this picture.

Now there are three! Because of the complications for both Alyssa and I after she was born, this was probably the first picture we took of all 3 of us.
Taylor joined us almost exactly 3 years later. She is about one month old in this picture. Taken July 2003.
Next comes four! Our family has grown a bit.
This is Jessica ... again at about a month old. Can you tell what month she was born - Valentine's all over! This was taken in March of 2005.
And now we are five!!

No, there isn't a 6th coming! The only babies around our house now are those that belong to someone else or that are swimming in our aquarium!! I've got about 16 baby fish right now, and that's all I need. :)