Dove Girls

Life and times of the two Dove girls

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Sigh, sad work news for Crystal

Alas, the pharmaceutical industry is having some hard times and Johnson and Johnson is no different. I have been officially laid off as of Friday. Everyone in the whole company had small group meetings where you were told either Yes-No-Maybe. I am in the "Maybe pile", along with about 80% of ALZA and some percentage of another nearby JNJ company Scios. JNJ is calling this group of maybes from the two companies the selection pool. We have to wait up to 45 days to find out Yes or No. Here are more details from our local paper:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/14886768.htm

While some groups are being globalized and/or downsized, my entire area from the VP down unfortunately has been completely eliminated. There is always a chance I will be selected to join another group but I have to assume not. At least my 13 years at ALZA would get me a half-year severance package. I will write more as soon as I know anything.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Fun at the Park

Alex is a good counter weight to the girls. After Rachel and Lauren finished swinging, it was time to give their shoes a ride.

Daddy's Little Girls


All dressed up for Father's Day.

Dizzy Girl

Lauren loves to be spun around and then try to walk around like a drunken baby. Rachel is a bit too heavy for this game.

Toy Naptime

We spend a lot of time putting toys to sleep. Good sleepers sleep on their tummies with a blanket on top. Bad sleepers talk and turn over. Here are the good toys with their pajamas on (Lauren's pants) and blankets covering them. The girls are always the teachers.

Lunch time for the toys


Here are those memory cards again but this time organized the way I like. They became food for all the toys. After they eat all their food, the toys will have a long naptime complete with blankets and being pat on the back - just like school.

Odd Hats


The girls took all of Lauren's pants out of the drawer. Most of the pairs were dressed onto their toy animals but a special two became little hats.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Maybe?!

Lauren has a favorite word to try and get her way which is "Maybe". As in after you tell her, "No you cannot have some medicine just because Rachel got some." She will plead "maybe, maybe, maybe" like another child might repeat please. Not a hopeful maybe but a demanding you must consider her request maybe.

So when Lauren ran away from me last night as I was trying to brush her hair. (Lauren obviously does not like to have her hair brushed.) I started chanting "Maybe, Maybe, Maybe! " She stopped and looked at me and then started to laugh.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Please, Lauren for Great Grandma


If the video does not display properly
click here to upgrade to Flash 8

Here we are visiting my Grandmother, the girls' great grandmother. Not all pictures go as smoothly as the smiling faces would have you think. Lauren often likes to avoid picture time or refuses to pause from drinking from her sippy cup long enough to get a shot.

Myrna and Danny visit

We had a great time and several good meals with Aunt Myrna and Uncle Danny from Florida, Cousin Neal who now lives nearby, and Nana who came down from Sacramento to visit too.

Three Headed Daddy


If the video does not display properly
click here to upgrade to Flash 8

Why go to the park when you can climb the Daddy jungle gym?

Nana's Shoe Collection

The girls love to play dress up with Nana's many pairs of high heeled shoes. We got to watch quite a fashion show.

Blue Pox



Even plain blue circle stickers can be a lot of fun.

Chloe Boye


















The girls both loved Chloe and it was mutual. Chloe was especially affectionate with Lauren. Or maybe it was the steak flavored lip gloss Lauren has been wearing.

In the pool

Here we are in the pool at Grandpa Richie and Evelyn's house. The pool was a cool 72F but the girls still loved it. The adults took a little longer to acclimatize.

Rachel at age 4 and before at 6 months.


Lauren noticed the water was cold much before Rachel was willing to admit it.


Family picture. This is so much better than last year's where the kids were screaming the whole time to get out.


Splish-splash.