Family Shrub

I have to call this a family shrub because by no means is it complete. But I'm off today (I'm actually off until Sept 19th - how about THAT!) and I felt the need to drum up early morning nostalgia. I haven't even had coffee yet!!

Let's take a look at some of the mug shots over the years....

Couple number one (note - in this sense the term "couple" reinforces the fact that no Strayer sister managed to have a child out of turn of another. Ex - Kathy had Dayna & Debbie....done! Next Gin-Gin has Valerie & Stevie....done! and etc...you know the rest. If you don't, you are Andrea - the lady I work with who loves our family site - and I will school you on our tree in between meetings one day!!) Wow. That was a big "note". Ok, back to business ----

Couple number one:

Look at those smiles! While Debbie's is fairly sincere, Dayna's is rather suspicious. I think she just got done doing something she maybe shouldn't have!! I also love how Dayna resembles Molly Ringwald in "Sixteen Candles". But in all fairness these girls are both in that "awkward" stage of life, so we can't be too hard on these glamour shots. And Debbie - let us all know when you finally grow out of that awkward stage, OK? We'll throw you a party, haha!!

Couple number two:

Ok - how precious is that buck-toothed beauty on the top???!!! Lovin the locket. And of course, never to be outdone by ANYONE, the perfect gentleman that he is (with his always perfect teeth) looks absolutely stunning in his circa 1922 ragtime bowtie. To this day Stevie spends more time getting ready than his sister....and now his wife, too!

Couple number three:

Are these girls too cute or what??? Matching white bows - totally an Aunt Reenie idea. And the curls are (as they still are today) to die for.

And gee - more good teeth.

I will have to talk to my mother about my jacked up bucks, since we know it's NOT from my father!!! I'd have NO two front teeth if I took after him!! I love my dad.

Anyway - yes, the Cardona girls are wicked precious and they still are today.

Couple number four (still with me??)

Has Q lost his baby face - NO!! And he will never. However, I found this picture of Brianna from like two years ago and I almost fell out of my chair because WOW - she does NOT look 14!! Brianna may end up to be the family supermodel. America's Next Top Model, here she comes - AND.....she's rockin one leg! (Note - inside joke that only me, Brianna, Stevie & Chelsea will get. We love SNL!!!)

THE CHEESE STANDS ALONE!!!

First of all - notice any similarities to any other cousins? I do - Pauly has that same, suspicious smile that Dayna has!!! Hmmmm - how fitting that these two look like they were just up to something! And I love how he's the lone ranger - makes him mysterious.

He's so cute!!!

Last but not least - couple number five!


To answer your question, yes...this WAS taken on a day when Allie had blue hair and yes...this was the same day that Ted showed up with human hair taped to his armpits. Gotta love these two - they truly personify the quirkiness of a "Strayer" and fittingly so since these are the only two cousins that can boast the family name on legal documents!

I wanted to be done, but I have to throw a shout out to the lady who made this post possible - without birthing me, who would add such fun to a Thursday on the Strayer Blog!! Certainly not stalker Brianna - who reads it ALL THE TIME but never puts up a post. COME ON, BRI!!!


Check out this dollface:

What a hot momma!! She'll kill me for putting up an old school pick, but I don't care. I think she's BEAUTIFUL!!! Love you, Mom!!!

And to insure you leave this post with a gut splitting laugher erupting through the room: