Its Like Learning To Ride A Bike....

One of my favorite photos from childhood is learning to ride a bike. My dad, who I lost at the all too soon age of 5, removed my training wheels & with a push I was off...and wrecking. He'd pick me up, dust me off. We'd begin time & time again with his racing along side the bike. I'd get balanced and he'd let go..... I WAS RIDING MY BIKE. Of course this often ended with crash! boom! or bang! There was great Independence in the moment, I was riding all by myself. I needed nothing to hold me up and no one to hold on to me while I was going.... I was INDEPENDENT...

And now it has come full circle. I have a little girl with a curl who has found her own independence ~ May she always have the confidence in herself, the courage to try and the ability to pick herself up and brush herself off... May she always find her independence.

READ..... SET.......... GROW................

My Girl With The Curl Is FOUR!!!

Charlie Mae turned four on September 3rd. Tradition is a special breakfast and a photo of yourself before the day begins =) She woke up in a mood... as she typically does A GREAT MOOD.. the kid never wakes up crabby, maybe once and even then I think she was giving it a try, didn't like it and smiled. HAPPY is my girl =D

Charlie Mae invited her bestest buddy Kinley Jo McAnally to her party ~LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN! Kinley Jo's Mom Maya and I went through our pregnancy's together, sharing fears, joys, movements and morning yuck ... It was special to share it with someone and then to have the girls become good friends- SPECIAL! The girls from the start have had a fun and silly bond...much like their mothers =) Kinley Jo stayed the night to celebrate... It was the FIRST SLEEP OVER... and what fun it was!!

The girls got creative after a good nights rest and decided that they weren't going to do their hair, but the were going to utilize the pony bands for SHOES.. They put the bands on and with hair sticking up were on their way to find FUN!

FRIENDS WHO CELEBRATED WITH CHARLIE MAE

Mary Kate, Bella, Tanna, Jeaneal, CM, Ellie, Kinley & Drew

I LOVE CHARLIE MAE SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

So as I looked at the beautiful little girl I gave birth to four years ago, it made me smile...I am blessed with such a vibrant and fun loving little girl. She knows no stranger and is a friend to all. She never hesitates to talk to others or to share and make them feel included. She is kind, loving and so nurturing. Her favorite activities are playing with her baby dolls, she lines them up in a row, on a blanket and covers them up snuggly. She is sweet in the way she makes sure they all have a spot and a place to call their own. I predict that my precious little darling will have a minimum of 5 children! And a houseful of laughter if they are anything like her! And I hope they are exactly like her, for she is an incredible girl full of life & love!!! xoxoxox

Pendleton Round Up 2008

....I love Eastern Oregon. I love just about everything about it, love the weather, the views of the mountains, the river that runs through the middle of my quaint little community, love the people and I love the western influence. The influence brought about in part by being the home of the worlds third largest outdoor rodeo, the Pendleton Round Up. Each year, second full week in September out town comes alive and busts at the seams with people, cattle, and entertainment that can't be beat. And in the midst of all that hoop la, I am captured by the excitement of others, and the thrill that fills the air when a bronc bucks and a bull rears up- kicking up dirt and tossing cowboys. We yell, we cheer and we cringe when that poor fella is flung into the air and tossed on his well leathered backside! We laugh when the rodeo clowns perform and we tear up when the national anthem is played while the Air Force fighter jets zip over head reminding us all where we were on September 11, 2001~ The Pendleton Round Up.

The excitement and fun isn't limited only to those who appreciate the rodeo and the events, there is so much more to the week! There are Parades & a carnival, Main street entertainment and CORN DOGS! Yeah.. that's what its about for me, ok well a large part of it =D And there are the concerts and Happy Canyon, the Indian Villiage and hundreds of street vendors. My daughter she gets excited about the parades and ponies! Her brother was the same, I thought for sure he was going to grow up to be a cowboy..I think he realized that the money that was won also known as "the purse" , usually ends up in the purse of a Doctor or Dentist =O He now has his eyes set on safer ventures, like Pro Baseball or Professor of Math at OSU! THANK GOODNESS!!! It is a fun filled week ... one that comes to quickly and often ends too soon. Let'er Buck!

CHARLIE MAE...

Pendleton's Cutest Cowgirl!!

Kaleb Dylan HANDSOME

My Nephew, Kaleb Dylan Hanson… or as I call him “K K “ or “Kaleb Handsome” …
I melt when I hear him say “HI AUNT DONNA” there is something about it when he says it.. I love it- perhaps it is because he is my only nephew and so when he says it, he has that boy tone in it and it stands out from my nieces. He is my favorite nephew, LOVE that kid! He is the kid who gave me the nick name CRAZY AUNT DONNA...which makes me laugh every time, when I phone and he shouts out "It is Crazy Aunt Donna" and smile when I am there and he introduces me to his buddies "this is my Crazy Aunt Donna" ... Truth is I don't mind it a bit! I hope Kaleb always finds me a little bit crazy, because as long as he does, it will mean he's still hanging out with me and that's a wonderful thing- I hope that I'm always his Crazy Aunt Donna.. I know he'll always be my favorite nephew!

Kaleb is funny, and he likes to be on the go. Active with his friends, playing on his bike, shooting hoops, running up and down the stairs in and out the door, around the cul de sac, surrounded by little friends. And he is a great friend! He is a fun friend. My trait (yep you read that right), being the fun friend… silliness, its what makes the world a happy place!

He is an athlete, loves sports and has an amazing skill! He is a football player -who looks so stinkin’ cute in his gear! Last fall, before the snow flew I was able to take in a game, oh man was it a fun time ~ watching my favorite Nampa guy in action. I didn’t take nearly enough photos…so must go back this year and capture his moment! He is a baseball player too- and a good player as well! Kaleb loves life, loves his family and loves his sports. And I LOVE KALEB!

My So Sweet & So Silly Niece

ISABELLA GRACE
My niece Isabella Grace Hansen…my favorite niece Bella.
Isabella is my sister’s daughter and one of my favorite little people. She is quirky, a wonderful trait in a girl I think - and I think perhaps the only trait she carries that is mine… oh there may be more that come out later in life, Heaven Help Her Mother hee hee
Bella is sweet, she has that soft look about her, but yet has that look that also says BRING IT, I DARE YA!
Creative and clever, silly and sweet, quick witt and quirky…everything I love in a girl. She lives in Nampa, Idaho ~ which is TOO FAR AWAY. Although we try and see one another as often as we can. I love it when I arrive and she sees me- eyes brighten and smile gets silly and arms WIDE OPEN to give me a hug….awwww the best part of being her aunt.
She loves animals and loves adventures, I predict that one day she’ll run the world or a small farm somewhere in the North West. She is so loving and patient, well except on those occasion when dealing with her brother and that’s alright because I was not very patient with mine at times either! She’d be a wonderful farmer, cattle woman- she’s a hard worker! And I know she’ll be a great mom, she has a great example and I have seen her with her Barbie dolls and babies, oh the love she would ooze!
Isabella celebrated her EIGHTH birthday on our trip to Alaska on board the Westerdam cruise ship. SOOO excited to have everyone there and thrilled to have a special cake all to herself, she smiled BIG all day long. One of my favorite days with her, HER DAY… QUEEN FOR A DAY…in my book She is Queen Of Aunt Donna’s Heart every day!!

BELIEVE

It is a rare occasion that I am left speechless, if you know me~ I realize you are thinking "yeah right" ... Today, I can't put my thoughts into words, but I can put them into pictures~ these are not photos I've taken, but photos that tell a story...for me and a very special friend who has shown me that there is reason to always BELIEVE and that finding or being found by an old friend is sometimes something you can't put into words, but what an amazing thing when you don't need words to share it....

You are never too old to enjoy a good box of Hot Tamales or be silly with a friend....

It means everything when you listen to the stories one shares.....and recognize how important the little things are....

Bridges bring friends together when they least expect it

It only takes admitting you goofed it up....not a life time of making up for it

There is nothing more wonderful than the hand of a friend

Under the great big sky, it only takes looking up to realize how small the world is as you look at the same star....

My Hero, Blake Ryan

My son Blake is an amazing kid. He isn't only an outstanding athlete, student, friend, family member, person but he is sincerely the world's most loving son. He thinks of others before he thinks of himself in nearly all situations. He thinks more with his heart than his head. He is a Straight A student~ he has the desire to learn, the discipline to do his school work and the ability to remember everything he has ever been told.... aside from his mother asking him to not leave dishes in the sink, towels on the floor or drink glasses in the family room. Those minor things aside the kids is incredibly focuses!



He has the patience of a saint with his sister. She is a real firecracker and she knows how to push his buttons! In a crowd, he consistently has one eye on her, ready to come to her rescue if needed. The bond they share is amazing.


It doesn't matter if he is on the basketball court, soccer field, baseball diamond or riding the bench, he has the best sportsmanship! He is quick to praise his team mates and lift them in a crisis. He holds his chin up and fights through the rough spots and hopes for the highs. His focus isn't simply winning the game, but coming out of the game as winners. He knows that walking away a good sport is far greater than walking away with a trophy...Ohh don't get me wrong! When he is playing, the kid is OUT TO WIN IT & will do that to the best of his ability!



The kids only intention is to make others smile and feel good about themselves. To believe in themselves & have faith in their ability- he tries to inspire others by being a good person with a fun witty and silly personality.



Blake is a great kid from the inside out, his smile radiates joy and happiness, and sincere love for life. I'm so proud to be his mother- he inspires me to be a better person. Blake truly is, my hero!

Mom & Me Adventure 2008

A Mom & Me Adventure
Charlie Mae and I took a Mom & ME Adventure to Michigan for a week.. We went to visit Gamy & Gampy, also known as the world’s most AMAZING grandparents! They live in the Baby Food Capital Fremont, Michigan. Home of Gerber Baby foods, where my grandfather worked for his entire career. We arrived on Sunday night and spent the evening in Grand Rapids. We woke the next morning to retrieve our rental car, the car that would take us on our adventure through Eastern Michigan and down into Ohio. An ORANGE CHEVY HHR . Yeah, ORANGE. It was almost comical when we walked up to the car, we had joked about getting some sporty little number that would make us look totally cool, and was zippy. Well, I don’t know if we could have looked any sillier in an ORANGE ….ok, maybe Copper would be a better description, Car! But it was zippy! We made our way North to Fremont- small glitches along the way, but we made it! We arrived to just meet my grandparents arriving home. They looked great- they have looked the same to me for many years, and only in the past few has it occurred to me, that not only are they getting older, but I am getting older as well. We made our way inside and began catching up. Always enjoy that!!
We had dinner out at Moon Dance a fun little café in Fremont. Quaint little spot, and the chicken was great! When we arrived home, Gamy and Charlie Mae escaped to our room to read books. I sat with my grandfather & we talked about the political candidates and the new law in California legalizing gay & lesbian marriages…these are not conversations we’d have in a group of people, and I appreciated him sharing his views and a few stories with me as well. After we solved the problems of the world, I snuck up the stairs to listen to my grandmother read. I’ve always shared with my children that when I read, to them or to myself even, I hear my grandmother’s voice. It is one of my fondest childhood memories, having my grandmother come to town and read to us, and play games. I love to listen to her. She has an accent. A Michigan accent and the way she says things is just sweet. It made my heart melt as I watcher my daughter cuddle up to my grandmother, her great grandmother and listen to read her stories, enjoying my grandmother as much as I did (and still do!) when I was little. Tuesday Charlie Mae wasn’t feeling too hot, so she spent the day lying on the couch in the sun room ~ my grandmother and I spent our time playing cards. Spit and Malice. I WON five out of 6 games. THIS IS HUGE in our family, Gamy is QUEEN OF THE CARDS. We love to play cards with her!

Wednesday Charlie Mae woke with a bit more energy. She was set in her ways that she wanted Gamy to do her hair, not having any curly head children, her fingers weren’t sure how to cope with all the curls. Though they tried for braids, it was two darling pig tails that held her hair in place. She looked adorable and my grandmother was thrilled to have the opportunity to do her locks up nicely.

I had decided that it might help her if we could get Charlie Mae out & moving, it was COLD outside, so we opted to hit the local McDonald’s, of which was a first for my grandparents!! They were in awe of all the fun a kid could have in plastic tubes with slides and peek out ports. Fun to watch them watch her. With her energy back in check, we made the drive up to Campbell Lake, where the family cottage is. It is by far one of my most favorite places in all the earth. So peaceful, so beautiful and within the walls of those trees a place where my family was molded. The stories that are shared about events and happenings that have taken place at the cottage, the card games, the baths in the lake, the cook outs, the fires down near the lake. It is just a wonderful spot, and truly as close to heaven as I’ve ever been. The water being too cold, Charlie Mae was only able to dip a finger, but that was just fine with her, as she saw lots of “stuff” in the water and wasn’t sure about that anyway. Lilly pads and leaves from the fall sitting on the tops and bottoms of the water.

We returned home to go to dinner at the Ramshorn~ after dinner it was off to get Charlie Mae’s pink glove and ball out to share with her great (awesome really) grandparents. She and I went into the back lawn and it wasn’t but moments later that Gamy stepped out to try her arm at a game of catch. Not easy with a three year old and an almost 86 year old! But they gave it a good girl try and had fun doing it!! It began to cool quickly, so we scooted inside to sit with Gampy on the porch and watch the deer near the golf course. Amazing how much entertainment deer and birds can be…and a goofy neighbor too! We rose early on Thursday to spend the morning together. It was wonderful to spend time with my grandparents alone. Not that I don’t appreciate the rest of my family, I DO! But when you have them all to yourself, or sharing them with your child- it is amazing how much you learn, how much they share with you, how much you love them even more that you did before you arrived. Typically when we part ways, I get that lump in my throat and well with tears, how nice that this time I was able to say “See you in a week”….We’ll be sharing my (yes I said MY!) grandparents with the rest of the family as we all get together for a week in Alaska, to celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary as well as celebrating our family. You know that saying “My Family Tree Is Full OF Nuts” …. I am most certain that a distant relative must have required the invention of such a quote!

AVA VIOLA February 12, 2008 Ava Viola Hafner was born to Cory and Emily Hafner, also known as my cousin Emily! We were BLESSED with the opportunity to drive to the Buckeye state to meet the precious blessing while we were on the East side of the states. What a beautiful little girl, and such a wonderful set of parents!!

Charlie Mae told EVEYONE and ANYONE who would listen that she was going to see her new baby cousin Ava “Biola”- and couldn’t hardly stand the drive from Fremont to Perrysburg Ohio. When we pulled into the drive to find Cousin Emily, Aunt Kim and AVA VIOLA …she couldn’t un do that seat belt fast enough! And once inside, she wanted that baby in her arms, she didn’t want to look at someone else holding her! We washed her hands and Emily took a deep breath as she laid Ava Viola on Charlie Mae‘s lap. BIG GRIN spreading across Charlie Mae’s face & smiles from Ava Viola. Beautiful baby girl, and her parents…. Doting and proud of course. Her grandparents, they melt just looking at her! And her daddy, puddy in her hands! Very sweet to see how the family transitions from being Just people to people who make silly faces, silly noises and regress back to a day when they too couldn’t speak!!

Uncle Thad and Aunt Kim took Charlie Mae and I to a local park where we stretched and played. Aunt Kim and I catching up & Uncle Thad showing that he is more than equipped to handle all the fun that will come his way once Ava Viola is old enough to venture on to the park with him. I’m suspecting that park will be renamed Grumpa Frankin Park

Friday the GIRLS had lunch in downtown Perrysburg, after a mini photo session for which I was positive that after 75 photos, there would be at least 5 of which could just as well grace the cover of any magazine looking for the worlds most beautiful baby (or baby girls) and although my Aunt Kim doesn’t think she takes good photos, I thought she looked beautiful with HER GIRLS and with MY GIRL TOO

As for Emily, that smile upon her face, it is permanently there…she is SO proud to be a mommy! And after only being with her for 24 hours I am telling you she is already an amazing mother- she has a wonderful example after all!! Charlie Mae and I ventured back up North in our Copper car, to return the car, grab a quick snack and take some time to play in the pool. At the end of the day, all I could do was smile and thank the lord for the wonderful blessing of family, and the extra special blessing in being Charlie Mae’s mommy =)