1st Birthday Luau Style

On Sunday we celebrated Gabe's buddy, Price, 1st Birthday. It was also a going away party for the Michael family but I chose not to celebrate the moving to Guam part of the party. Anyway, I was so happy for Price. So many family and friends showed up to show their love and support for him. Terrell had family from Texas and family from Louisiana surprised her as well. Don had quit a few coworkers show. With some helping the laughter rise a few notches.

The food was awesome but the best part was to watch everyone celebrate, that a year ago, Don and Terrell had their 1st child. It was bitter sweet for me because Terrell and Price were Gabe and I's first friends in Ohio. It reminded me of the downside of the Air Force-once meeting wonderful people you lose them to moves. However I am hanging onto the hope that we will be able to go to Guam and visit them one day-Price will have to teach Gabe how to be an island baby. Happy Birthday Price!! Now its time for me to get my ideas rolling because in 5 months Nate and I will be celebrating our own 1st birthday party for Gabriel-woohoo!!!!!

The Melting Pot with unmelting friendship!!!

Tuesday night we went to The Melting Pot (first time for us) and had a indescribable great time! We went to celebrate Brandon's birthday. However, I was also celebrating the fact that Brandon and Shelly are pregnant with their 1st and our friendship with the Michael's - whom we will be celebrating their son's 1st birthday this weekend!

Back to dinner, I still can't decide which part of it I liked best-the bread and cheese or the 3 fabulous different chocolates with strawberries, bananas, pound cake, cheesecake, and brownies!! OM Goodness it was all Heaven. Our server was a hoot, made good recommendations on the food, and told us he took the leap to propose to his girlfriend which also happened to be her birthday (she said yes for those of you wondering) that day.

Sitting around the table looking at my friends laugh and talk, it made me realize how very lucky I am! Thanks Terrell, Don, Shelly, Brandon, and Nathan for being part of my life and making living in Ohio enjoyable.

How I LOVE Wolf Gang Puck!!!

Wolf Gang Puck is my hero and I would gladly be a product tester-Wolf Gang, sign me up!! I have his Immersion Wand Mixer (via Home Shopping Network) and this mixer is fantastic. I make Gabe's baby food for the #1 reason being it saves us money!!

To make his food I tried my regular mixer, blender, and food processor. However one or both of the following would happen 1-to loud and often sent Gabe into crying fits and/or 2-they do not get the food to the liking of Gabe's palate. Yes at 7 months Gabe makes it very clear just how thick or thin he wants his Butternut Squash to be.

One morning as I was getting out my ice cube trays (to freeze the food in) I saw in the very back corner the Immersion Mixer. I dusted off the dust, plugged it in, and waa laa-baby food perfection! Days of Baby Food Heaven are here to stay. Well, except for the time where I had Avocado all over the floor and Pina Colda mix all over the ceiling but that wonderful story is for another blog.

So if you are ever watching HSN and wonder hmm do I really need W.G.Puck's Immersion Mixer-YES you do!! It is wonderful for so many other things but right now it is my best friend when it is baby food making day!

Blogs and Crawls - all in one day!

After reading a friend's blog I thought, why not me? So Come What May (thanks Melissa) has been created to share the ups, downs, laughter, and tears of my "RaNaGabe" life! Enjoy, comment, share, but if you are going to hate, move on to another blog. Oh, by the way "RaNaGabe" is like Renegade but it stands for Rachel, Nathan, and Gabriel-thanks Jamie!

7 months and 1 day to be exact, our 1st born has decided to crawl after months and months of acting like a fish out of water. I.E. being on his tummy with arms and legs in the air, flapping around, while he grunts with frustration because he is not going anywhere. Watching Gabe today made my eyes fill with joy and tears as I texted his dad to let him know his son just crawled a few body lengths to get the remote control-ha all the money spent on toys and the little one wants the remote control!

Seeing our son crawl for the first time, made being a SAHM whom is often broke, who can't get together with family this Fall because of being broke, made it ALL WORTH WHILE!!