Alec turns 13 and the Twins turn 6!!



Nov. 27th is a busy day for the Davis clan.  Alec, Mairin & Teagen, and Aunt Pam all share the same birthday.  It is also Grandpa Bob and Grandma Darlene's Anniversary.  Alec and the girls always celebrate their birthday on Thanksgiving since we have the whole Gold side together.  Alec made Minion cupcakes this year because that is what Mairin and Teagen wanted instead of a cake.  He did a great job.  The pictures below tell the tale all by themselves, but we'll narrate for you anyway!!

 

Picture #1:  All is well, the singing has begun and we are all happy!  As this unfolds notice Teagen in her own little world, completely oblivious to what is happening next to her!!

 Picture #2:  Alec leans in and blows Mairin's candle out. . .and she ain't happy!!!!  Teagen, on the other hand, gears up to make a wish!!

 Picture #3:  Mairin leans in to blow out Alec's candle for revenge. . .but he is laughing so hard he could care less.  Teagen is like' "Yipee, my wish will come true!"  Don't worry, no birthday wishes were dashed in the making of this birthday memory!!

 Alec's Minion cupcakes, notice in the above picture that Teagen has the purple crazy Minion, she requested it, so her Alec buddy made one just for her!

We all had several good laughs and presents all around, it was a great birthday!

Going a little Horse Crazy!

Olivia has been exercise riding and helping to put the gears on Caspian horses for awhile now.  She loves her days at Maefield Farms home to Azad Caspians.  The trainer that Olivia works with is a gem and has taught her so many things.  Some people call them ponies, but Caspians are actually small horses, NOT ponies, as Olivia will be the first to tell you.  These horses are trained as jumpers and sold as childrens show horses.  They are sweet and intelligent little things, but can still get frisky and toss you if they want to!  Below are a few that Lou is currently working with. 

 Hank

 Hank close-up!

Lilly, Olivia's favorite girl! 

 Louise

 Ricky

 

Before you all go thinking that Olivia is the only horseman in the family, not true!  Here is Ryan riding Montana in a show for a friend.  He loves it just as much, as evidenced by the smile on his face!

Olivia and Ryan have learned a lot about horse ownership and most of it has to do with fixing fence!  They are out of the house several days a week either at Maefield, their grandpa's or their Aunt and Uncles doing the maintenance work that comes with owning a horse.  It's hard work but it's good for them.  They have spent a lot of their summer in hay fields as well, bucking bales in order to feed their friends throughout the winter.

Olivia finally gets a Horse!!!



Olivia has begged since she was small for a horse.  Well, she finally got one.  Annie is the newest member of our family.  She is an off the track Thoroughbred who is a sweetheart.  Olivia is excited to train her in jumping and dressage and do some fun shows with her next spring.

 

 

Taylor Turns 21!!

 

Tay turned 21 and instead of the usual 21st happenings, she decided to make the day about everyone else.  We loaded the van full of 12 family and friends and  spent the day doing intentional acts of kindness, 21 to be exact.  It was a lot of fun!  She started the day by giving her dad a set of commentaries he has been eyeing and a few other Bible helps books.  She sent her mom and two friends out to lunch, dropped off books and treats at the library, the ambulance houses in our town, took slushes to everyone working in the hospital ER, left crayons and treats in all the hospital waiting rooms for children of all ages, helped people take their shopping carts back at the store, left change taped to all the washers and dryers at the Laundromat, taped popcorn bags to several Red Box kiosks, taped candy to ATM machines, taped encouraging messages to the mirrors in public restrooms, took her grandma a surprise and a few girls from church got treats and surprises as well.  We had a great and fun filled day ending with dinner with our friends the Melton's! 

 

 Tay and her Dad

 Teagen and Ry along for the fun!

 At the bank

Leaving little things for little guys to do at the hospital.  We also took flowers to several floors and asked the nursing staff to find a patient that needed a pick me up for the day.  The nurses were touched and eager to help us help someone else.  The whole day was funded completely by Taylor, who said it was the best birthday ever!

Let It Snow, Let it Snow, Let It Snow!!

 We finally got snow!  Well, more like snow, ice pellets and more snow.  The kids hurried through their school today so they could go out and play.  I snapped a shot of Ryan, who I thought was shoveling the back walk.  All of a sudden Alec pops out of the pile.  I have no idea what bargin was made between these two brothers so that Ry could bury him in the snow.  I am sure I'll hear about it later ;-)

 Here is my Jack, ready to go sledding!

He said he felt like Randy from A Christmas Story with all the layers!

Alec, Jack and Josiah are spraying their sleds with cooking spray and letting it freeze on their sleds so they can go really fast down the already steep hill!  No limbs were broken in the making of this fun!!

 

 

Ryan and the boys built an igloo and Alec and Josiah are determined to sleep in it tonight.  They each have several sleeping bags, about 4 layers of clothing and tarps.  To their credit, their igloo is actually very snug and warm.  I told them I'd leave the back light on to the basement door incase they got to cold to hack it!  Oh to have the enthusiam of youth going for you!!  Tune in tomorrow to see if they actually make it!  Tomorrow will be another early school day for us so we can meet friends to go sledding at the big hill in town!  I LOVE the snow!

Remembering My Uncle Bill

 My Uncle Bill Passed away towards the end of last year.  My parents slavaged his rifles and gave them to my kids.  So we decided to go target shooting and check them out.  It was Bobby, Oliva, Jack and myself and we had a great time.  Bobby is a very strict range officer, so the kids are extremely cautious and know how to handle guns with respect and safety always.

Olivia, who is a crack shot, always tends to hit her target in a nice tight circle.

Ryan usually gets more range time in, so he does out shoot her sometimes.

 Jack

 Olivia

 Bobby

 We shoot across the pond into the bank where we have targets in place.

Even I can hit the target, sometimes :-)

Olivia and her Cowgirls!

Olivia used some of her Christmas money to buy the twins cowgirl outfits for when they go riding with her.  The girls LOVED them!  Now all they want their mom to buy them is a horse!  Olivia's big surprise was finally revealed to her.  She will be getting 2 new horses in the spring.  A two year old filly and a stud colt yearling.  She is excited to be able to train them from the ground up and have them for her very own.  She has been learning a lot from the trainer she works with once a week.  Her riding is really improving and she has been learning how to train young horse from the beginning.  She is really doing a great job.  Her dad and I have no doubts that these two horses will be amazingly trained when Lou is done with them :-)

Davis Side Christmas

 Here's a few pics from our Davis side Christmas gathering!  Of course it wouldn't be Christmas without Olivia and her horses!

 

Olivia & Star

 Aunt Sandy, Jack, Olivia, Courtney, Andrew and Grandma Darlene

 Aunt Pam, Austin, Uncle Brian, Ryan, Alec, Taylor & Aunt Sandy

 Cousin Andrew and Grandma Darlene

 Olivia and Cousin Courtney

 Cousin Austin and Alec

Courtney, Andrew and Aunt Pam

We are all excited because Aunt Pam and uncle Brian are expecting their first little one in April!!

Christmas Craziness

It's been too long since we last posted.  Christmas was fun at the Gold side as always.  Ryan and Papa Tom were the Grill Masters and they did a great job!

Ryan and Papa Tom

 Aunt Sandi and Alec

 Papa Tom and Taylor

 Aunt Tricia and Uncle Mickey

 Alec, Mamaw Bard & Jack

 Olivia and mairin

 Mairin and her Conga Line!!

 Mom & Aunt Kristen

 

The Three Stoodges!!

Bobby, Ryan (Yes he is finally taller than his dad, but not his papa!!) and Papa Tom