The Life of Gabe and Mandy

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night..." Psalm 92:1-2

Thursday, May 22, 2008

14 months later...

My, what a random way to start blogging again after being gone for two months more than a year. I kind of forgot how to do it... Pictures are always fun, right?


Gabe took me to the Pine Tavern for my birthday. He also gave me that silver bracelet I'm wearing which has little diamonds in it! (Oh, and he gave me the shirt that I'm wearing there too.)


Well, it's been 11 months of happy blissful marriage. Life with Gabe is more wonderful than I ever pictured, imagined, dreamed. He's so sweet, thoughtful, caring, loving, fun, precious, tender, romantic, creative, bold, brave, wonderful, amazing, incredible, awesome... oh the list goes on and on but I'm sure that's not what you had in mind, Joanna. ;)

We've been busy, busy, busy. Gabe's been working full time along with 2-3 other guys, and it's good, but it's also sad because now I have hours alone in the house. I'm not sure how to handle it, but I know one thing. God is using this time to teach me to lean on Him more and I'm grateful for that!

We've been trying to get our yard in shape, little by little. A few months ago we started into it and one day we had the use of a Bobcat. Gabe dug a fire ring which we later finished with our nieces and nephews. We also started a burm in the front which we hope to finish soon. And we set up a drip system so that if we hang flower baskets we'll have water to them. Today was a good day! I was able to edge 2/3rds of the front lawn. It's not too easy because I have to dig the grass and weeds out of the rocks that line the lawn. Yesterday I picked up a rock and suddenly discovered a frog looking up at me. I screamed a little, it just surprised... then I stood there hoping nobody heard me or saw me jump... This afternoon I finally ended up tearing down the whole wall and then going back over it and digging up the grass and pulling the weeds and pine needles out, then I went back and rebuilt the wall. Phew! It wore me out! But I'm so happy to do it because it surprises Gabe, and it's one less thing for him to have to do when he's not at work.

Here's kind of what it looks like before

Here's what it looks like after... now I need to mow the grass.


When Gabe had the Bobcat he decided to take the "little" rocks out of the grass that were always getting in the way of our mower... they turned out to be not so little!

This rock was barely a tip showing up in our lawn.


I had a baking morning. I made a bunch of mini braids for Gabe's lunches. It makes it so easy to pack a lunch for him when the main part is all ready prepared! I've been making tuna bundles, and he liked them so much that I decided to try some other ones. So today I made Reuben braids and Spinach Sausage braids, and then I made Calzones... it was fun!



I love keeping house! It's such fun. On Saturday we went to some yard sales together and got some cute decorations, place mats, a pitcher that I'd been looking for, Tupperware, canning jars for a quarter each, a Pampered Chef tool turn-about, a little cabinet carousal, a thermos, etc, etc, etc, we had too much fun doing that! Good thing we're busy this next weekend or we might go yard sailing again!

Like the new place mats and cloth napkins?

Well, I'd better close, we're supposed to have company this evening and I go help Gabe get the last things ready before he does it all himself!

Hope you enjoyed the update.