Happy Birthday, Aunt Donna!

Aunt Donna is my Dad's sister. She holds a very special place in my heart. After my parents and I moved to Oregon I would spend my summers and other various holidays in California. In Modesto lived my mom's parents, Alice and Steve, and my mom's sister, Aunt Candy with her kids, Beau and Jessica. Who also lived there was my dad's sister, Aunt Donna with Uncle Richard and their kids Aaron, Joey and Nicole. I loved visiting to spend time with my family.

My aunt is really one of a kind! She manages Uncle Richard's business, is always volunteering, a Creative Memories consultant, and a friend to just about anyone she meets. She is very active in her church with teaching, VBS, Pathfinders, and the homeschooling program. She is an amazing saleswoman. I joke that she could sale fly paper to a fly! She has babysat tons of kids, taken in stray teens, and has had numerous study abroad/exchange students stay with her. I can't think of one summer that she hasn't had plenty visitors! She is always graciously hosting a party or dinner.

Did I mention she lives on a farm? Really it is a petting zoo because they are vegetarian, so they don't eat the animals. They just provide them with a comfortable place to live. She has (or has had) sheep, goats, cows, horses, chinchillas, various birds, chickens, rabbits, a raccoon, sugar gliders, hamsters, cats, dogs, fish...I'm sure there is more! One summer before I arrived they had picked up some drop calves at auction. In the morning Joey and I would get up and feed the calves powdered milk. I attached myself to a red Hereford named Penelope. She's a little thing, but for 15 + years they have kept her alive and well. She's had 13 babies!

I made Aunt Donna a Capri Sun purse. I lined it with pink Hibiscus flower fabric and put a pocket inside. My dad managed the Kraft plant that produced Capri Sun. They had a shipment of faulty pouches, so he sent me a couple hundred.

Happy Birthday Aunt Donna! I love you!!