DollBaby turns 14!

Here we are celebrating another birthday in the Gay household.

Rachel turns 14 today and never forgets to remind me that she will be able to obtain her learner's driving permit at 15 years and 6 months.  I then remind her it's not about age but maturity.  "Yeah whatever Mom," she replies, with the added effect of eye rolling.  Then turns around and asks when can she get an iPhone. 

Since the beginning of time (all of 14 years) Grammy has called her "Dollbaby" and it has stuck ever since.   Rachel has blossomed into a beautiful young lady and she is now taller than I am at 5' 6''. 

When did this happened?  Of course it happened this past year when I blinked. 

Summer 1999 at Cedar Shores Condo

School pictures 2006. Love those blue eyes.

Frisco, NC 2012

Rachel sighting in her new .243 rifle.

 

Happy Birthday Dollbaby!  You are so precious to us and we love you so much.

My Favorite Son Turns Eleven

It's that time again.  Birthdays with Christmas right around the corner. 

It seems like yesterday that Joseph jumped into the world of double digits and here we are, already another year and turning 11.

Joseph is a ball of energy that NEVER stops. Always has a question to ask and a comment to give.  He is growing into such a wonderful handsome young man who can not wait to be taller than his big sister. 

This year I let him pick out three of his favorite pictures and I chose the last one.

Halloween 2006

With Puppy, aka Charlotte in 2009

Of course we have to show-off what we received for Christmas 2009

Joseph could stand here for hours and hours, and he did.  Frisco, NC

 

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

50 Things That Make Me Smile

Posted by Rachel

 Things That Make Me Smile

 

International Coffee House Delight in French Vanilla

Christmas

Gummy Bears

Cape Hatteras

Piranhas Swim Team

Olympic Sized Pools

Snow Days (yes, I LOVE snow)

Texting

Reading

Land's End Down Coats

Making Earrings

 Smells of Christmas

Bonfires

Hallmark Christmas movies

Ballroom Dancing

Championship Swim Meets

Pedicures

Cedar Shores Condos

Fish Tail braids

Playing Pranks with my cousin

Root Beer

Trampolines

Junior High Adventures in Ministry (I'll post on that later)

Ice Skating

Massanutten Indoor Water Park with my whole Youth Group

My cousin Missy

Changing my Aunt's clock in the middle of the night, only to find out she was awake

My Aunt short-sheeting my bed, because we changed her clock

ASentenceWithoutSpaces

New notebooks

Trying to talk my dad into paying for my future Aruba Wedding

Fun House Mirrors

Sweet Frog

Allowance

Spinach Pizza

Trying to find my dorm at JAM

 Trying to learn to use chopsticks

 Made up words

The smell of popcorn

Frosty the Snowman

Dutch Braids

Being an angel in Follow the Star

Figuring out my Christmas present

Christmas Eve
Elise singing "If I Die Young"
My dad
My new .243
Venison Tenderloin
Painting Christmas decorations for church
Thinking of Eternity in Heaven


 



Fifteen Years Ago

This month Dave and I will celebrate fifteen years of marriage.  Let's take a look back in only fifteen pictures.  Trust me, it was difficult to choose. 

Yes, I look like a baby, and at 18 I was.  All dressed up for Halloween 1992. 

Dave has yet to put on his costume ... he was a woman. 

Dave clothed in his Marine Corps uniform, 1992.

All I know is we are in Crystal City, VA, 1993 and I'm wearing a pink sweater tucked inside navy blue corduroy stretchy pants.  Remember it was 1993.

Wedding Day at Emmanuel Baptist in Manassas, VA.  November 8, 1997.

 

This picture makes everyone laugh.  Clearly, I'm already barking orders at Dave.  He's such a lucky guy.

Obviously, we didn't waste anytime procreating, so life quickly begins as a parent.  Here Rachel is barely 24 hours old, December 1998.  For the first four months of her life Dave called her "the Kid".  I finally looked at him one day and said, "Her name is Rachel."

Dinner at Marco Polo for Bob and Margaret's 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1999.

 

Christmas 1999.

Dave was best man at his best friend George's wedding in 2001.

Little did I know, Joseph would look like this for the first three months of his life.  December 2001. And yes I had two babies in December. 

Our niece, Susan's wedding in 2003.

 Another Christmas card opportunity. I can't get over the white tights I'm wearing.  What was I thinking?  Sheer?  Nude?  Anything is better than white tights.

A night out at Logan's Roadhouse with my brother Mike and his family in 2002.  The painted woman in the background always makes me laugh.

Frisco, NC 2012

 

Our silly family picture we always take the last night of our vacation, 2012.  Of course Dave has to totally freak me out with his Tom Petty look. 

 

Happy Anniversary,  I love you!

Five Years, Five Pictures

Elise turns five today.
Five!  I can't believe it.
She's not a baby anymore.  No more crib. No more diapers.  No more packing up diaper bags.  No more spit-up all over me.

I do miss being able to hold a tiny, sleeping, baby, yet I revel in the fact that it is becoming a bit easier to go places.  Gone are the days of packing multiple bags to make sure we had everything for every scenerio possible. 

Elise is such a joy to our family.  She is silly, goofy, sweet, and best of all, she makes us laugh so hard. 

When asked what she wants for birthday she said, "Gum, tape, and dark chocolate."

Here she is at 4 months prepared for surgery at Children's Hospital.  Love those eyes!

I know, I know!  The fourth child to suck on their fingers.  As someone at Grace Church said,"It must be a genetic thing."

This is my all time favorite picture of Elise.

As always, goofing off in Bethany Beach.

A day at the beach in Frisco, NC.

 

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

The Butter Show

Posted by Rachel

Hello everybody.
In the beginning of time, in June 2012, my cousin and I created a video. Usually when we get together we make ridiculous videos of us being ridiculously silly. We decided to put this one on YouTube. The video was made to mimic a certain someone, should I say, a certain chef who is in love with butter.

Check this out.
Enjoy.
We are open to more suggestions for videos.  We will continue going by the screen names Paula and Marg.

Mr. Thomas' Party, Strawberries and More

Considering so many events have occurred since I last posted I've decided to combine then together in one post.  In other words, I'm going to be lazy.

As you know, every Saturday of Memorial weekend we attend Mr. Thomas' picnic which is held at former President James Monroe's house.  Mr. Thomas has been one of Dave's clients for many, many years but has also become a dear friend.  Several years back he invited our family to this picnic and we have attended every year since. 

I've finally arrived.  I was actually allowed to help prepare the food.  In previous years I was always told to not bring anything.  Though Dave has been allowed to help with the chicken wings, this year I was actually allowed to help with the garlic bread.  Seriously, I felt very privileged.

Ok ... so ... I'm dating myself when I say I have NEVER, EVER seen this before.  The orange thing.

I was intrigued.

I was curious.

I needed to know.  

Did this man not have a pocket for his comb?  Did his head itch?  Was he even aware it was there?  So Rachel and I spent a good part of the day stalking this gentlemen as to get a picture.  I felt like a spy.

  Sweaty and covered in baked beans.  Life is good.

Anyone who knows me knows I am deathly afraid of snakes.  I do not like them.  I repeat, I really, really do not like them.  I will do anything to get away.  I will run you over, push you out of my way, climb into your lap, whatever it takes. 

So, in other words this is not my child.  I did not give birth to her.  I don't know who she is. 

Elise has no fear whatsoever of snakes, lizards, turtles, crickets, anything reptile.  This black rat snake was seen slithering through the bushes and everyone wanted to promptly chop it's head off, including me.  But no ... not my husband.  He had to come to it's rescue.  Why he tortures me like this I don't know. 

Fast forward a week or so and it's time for strawberry picking. 

Every year we travel to PA to pick because they taste better there.  Just kidding.  It's a chance to spend a few days with my sister in law, make freezer jam and attend my niece's birthday party.

At the end of June we were able to spend a few days at my in-laws condo in Bethany Beach, DE.  Spending the day by the pool truly is the highlight of the weekend.  I think so anyways. 

This year we've entered into new territory.  I have older kids who want to play in the deep end and little ones who would like to be in the deep end with them. 

You see, I don't swim. 

I can't swim. 

I don't like to be in water where I can't touch.

And I really don't want to have to hold my nose and jump in after them.  I'll leave that up to my hubby, who spent a few summers life guarding at this very pool. Occasionally, I would allow Nicole to play in deeper water but only if she remained attached to a noodle or board.    

Dave and Rachel kayaking in the Indian River Bay.

Another picture of my insane four year old.  Now this snake was found over at Shark's Cove where Dave and Joseph were clamming.  Why they insisted on bringing it home I do not know. 

I did my motherly duty for the century.
I can actually say (and Dave can confirm this) I have come a long, long way since the first time I got in Dave's truck and he said ever so calmly, "By the way I lost a little snake in my truck this morning and I can't find it."

 This is what life's about. 

Rules (of the lady)

It's that time of year when I need to start cleaning out the school room.  Sorting through piles of papers, notebooks, artwork, you name it.  Deciding what to keep and what to burn can sometimes be challenging.  Yes, I said burn, we live in the country.
As I was going through a notebook I came acroos THIS.  Way too precious to throw away and too cute to not post. 

Can you guess who's notebook this is from?

390 lbs., Mother's Day and Other Things and Not In That Order

It's that time of year, again.  Time to order meat. 

Meat, you ask?  Yes, meat.

We purchase our beef from a small grocery store in Delaware.  Why? 

Well, since our family is growing (not in numbers but in appetite) it is well worth it to make a larger purchase up front at a less expensive price.  When buying a "side of beef" (equivalent to half a cow) the cost remains the same for the entire side and not the individual cuts.   Yes, it means spending more money in the beginning but in the long run it saves money because you are left with a little bit of everything right at your finger tips. 

Why Delaware? 

1. Dave's parents own a condo in Ocean View, so it is an excuse to go to the beach for the weekend and this grocery store is right around the corner. 
2. The meat is delicious and we trust them.  We have been ordering from them for over 8 years. 
3. The best part, it's TAX FREE! No sales tax in DE.  I've often wondered if it's illegal to transport so much meat across state lines. But .... right now I really don't care.

So we placed our order several weeks ago and let them know we would pick it up the weekend of Mother's Day. 

This is what 390 lbs. of beef looks like.  It doesn't look like a lot, but it is since the shelves are deeper than they appear.  On a side note, if you're ever shopping for a freezer, buy one with an alarm that will beep when the door has been left open for more than sixty seconds.  Been there! It's not pretty.  Ask Dave about it some time. 
So here is what the rest of the weekend looked like.  Early Friday afternoon the kids and I picked Dave up at work so we could try and beat the traffic.  Arriving at the condo around 5pm we decided it would be fun to head to Rehoboth for the evening.  Of course you can't go to Rehoboth without eating at Nicola's Pizza, it's the law. 

Acting silly while waiting for our dinner.  A little blurry but I couldn't resist posting.

Still waiting for my food, can you tell I'm excited?

Reprimanding Dave for something he said.  I don't remember what it was but I'm sure it was very inappropriate.

Finally, it arrives. Yes, I know Lauren, it's a picture of my food.  You take pictures of two-legged animals and I take pictures of my food.

This is my pepperoni Nic-O-Boli.  It's divine.  It's glorious.  I don't share, so get your own.  I ate the whole thing.  I was in pain.  I also wanted to go back the next day.  The bread is what makes this thing amazing; crispy and crunchy on the outside.  Dave ordered an "everything" with anchovies.  Yuck!

At the time this picture was taken I was not aware my husband was intentionally mashing hamburger into his teeth.  He is soooo immature.  As I am typing this Elise just said, "That is so gross, I can't look at it." 

Saturday gave us some gorgeous weather, so we headed over to Sharks Cove to clam for the afternoon. 

+

Weather conditions need to be low tide with little to no wind.  The key to finding clams is to walk very slow and quiet.  Bringing the dog does NOT help.

This is what we took home the end of the first day.  They were everywhere and relatively easy to find.  Lots of big ones which can be used for Clams Casino and chowder. 

Chowder clam vs. steamer.  The larger a clam is the more chewy and tough it becomes.  The larger clams Dave chops in a food processor and uses them in either Clams Casino or Clam Chowder.

Dave's brother and sister-in-law, Ron and JoEllen and 4 of their grandchildren spent the afternoon with us.  Then later in the afternoon someone had the crazy idea of going over to Ron and JoEllen's house for the evening.  

I'm glad I did.  We picked the crabs that our nephew, Brian caught.  Since he was flying to Belarus the next morning we were glad to eat them for him.  Within the crab trap Brian also caught this. 

Twenty inch flounder, which Dave promptly filleted.   It was yummy.

So, that is how I spent Mother's Day weekend!  Perfect weather, 390 lbs. of meat, crabs, a Nic-O-Boli, and my hubby sticking hamburger in his teeth.  What more could a girl ask for?

Well there is one more thing, I still get to pick out my Mother's Day tree.