Hey there! Just turned 62 last week and let me tell you, while my mind thinks I'm still a sprightly 30, my body loves to disagree. Welcome to my life, where the family situations are plentiful and the laughter is never-ending. You see, Over the years I've become somewhat of a Generational Marketing sage, using my wonderfully chaotic family as a test market for my materials. But first, let me introduce you to the whole cast of characters that make up my big, boisterous clan.
Let's start with my oldest, Shawn. He a bartender by trade but fancies himself a chef. He's a single father of two: Drew, Drewcifer as we call him because he’s devilish and a comedian, is the youngest of my grandkids, and Emma, the dreaded other sister is our blonde-haired beauty who was my first granddaughter. They live only about six miles away, so close enough for frequent visits but far enough to keep things interesting.
Next up is Michael, my second oldest. He's married to my favorite daughter-in-law, Rachel. Rachel is absolutely gorgeous, and they have two mini-me girls: Harper, Rachel's stunning twin, and Amelia, Michael's little firecracker, Lord help them. Micheal and Rachel run their own business so it’s a good thing they like each other. They live about 20 minutes away, so I get to enjoy their antics as well.
Then there's Megan, my baby and best friend. She gave me my very first grandchild, Alex, who graduated high school just last week. Alex is a handsome dude, he’s kind-hearted and spent the first two years of his life living across the street from me. Megan is my daily dose of joy, sounding board and one of the most awesome women I have ever known.
I live with my mother, Sally, the matriarch of our family. She's a legend in her own right, having worked for Public Works on NAS and then as our church administrator until she finally retired—after only three tries! We're incredibly close, and I am her companion as she's gotten older.
My 6 foot 7 baby brother, Mark, is married to Rebecca, a knockout and one of my all time favorite people….she owns a modeling company, go figure. They live about 3 miles away and have two children: Chris and Jordan. Chris is married to Kendall, and they have a one-year-old named Lance. Jordan has graduated from college, works at the local university, and is now starting her master's degree. We call them the giraffe’s…all except for Rebecca. My other younger brother, David, is the middle child and has a sweet partner named Myra. They too live about 3 miles away so fly-by’s are a thing. They also run two business and are always on the go. David has three kids: Katie, Zac, and Marley. Katie is married to Mike and they have two kids, Lauren and Big D. Zac is married to AnneMarie, and they have two adorable little beauties, Amelia and Maya.
Oh, and did I mention we all have dogs? Every single one of us, except for Megan, who also has a dog and a cat. We are, by nature, a dog-loving family. Everyone lives within 20 minutes of each other, and most are within five. We're loud, noisy, crazy and get together often, including the dogs. You can’t help but notice us between the noise and the heights! The sign hanging in our living room says “ As far as anyone knows were a nice normal family” That about sums us up.
Wednesday nights are sacred. It's game night, a tradition we started years ago before my father passed away last year. My two brothers and I never miss game night unless it’s unavoidable, and during the summer, when school is out, we have a crowd. We always eat dinner then play Uno, and it's serious business folks. It’s a never say Sorry, take no prisoners, cut throat “friendly” game each week. There’s a running scoreboard of winners what dates back years. Everyone antes in with a buck per hand and at the end of the night we put money into our Christmas pot for our annual Saran Ball game—another annual family favorite. I think our largest Saran ball had a circumference of 18 inches, we don’t play around. Due to the high stakes involved we’ve had to implement several rules over the years. No sitting next to your partner being the most important one. Let’s just say there might have been some questionable rolls….
Holidays are always crowded! Birthdays are a big deal. Weddings are a must, and hosting the annual Taylor Family Burrito Breakfast at church is a favorite. We spend a lot of time together and actually really like each other! We grew up in sunny San Diego, California, and moved to Gulf Breeze, Florida when I was 15. Initially, I thought my parents had moved us to “hell” because of the heat. But now, this is home, and we've all stayed close. Even those who moved away briefly always find their way back.
I was a daddy's girl and miss him terribly. Mom and Dad were married for 61 years. He was in the military and then worked civil service for the Navy until he retired. Dad started a Handy Dad company after he retired, which he ran for almost 20 years. Several of us worked with him over the years, and that’s how we all learned how to fix things, from Dad—trial by fire. He was known for his woodcrafting and cork art work and every one of us, and half the town has a piece, or two to this very day.
We've lived through five separate hurricanes—Erin, Opal, Ivan, Dennis (which took my parents home), and lastly Sally (which took out our bridge). We are a cruising family and frequently cruise together. Our last cruise was a burial at sea for my father, fulfilling his greatest wish. He warned us he'd haunt us if we didn't honor it!
Having a sense of humor and not taking yourself too seriously is a must in my family, and every year it gets louder as we grow. Someone, usually David or Mark, is constantly daring the kids to do harmless but crazy things for cash just to see if they'll do it. The great Pickle Slap was a favorite—Marley was the recipient of that one. Alex once jumped off the boat dock in the dead of winter on a dare, and I think Shawn tried, but failed, to eat a whole Key Lime pie at my grandfather's funeral. Pockey would have loved it. He was my mother's father, and Pockey and Manon, her mother, lived with Mom and Dad before they passed away as well. I tell Megan all the time that one day she'll be stuck with me.
Our houses are always busy. Shrimp boils, Crawfish boils, Cookouts at the pool and swimming. We even played a live game of Hungry Hungry Hippo in the front yard at Mark's once, and it was a blast. We've always lived near the water, and boats have always been in the family. Fishing is a staple for most and I believe my Mom still holds the record for largest Yellow Fin tuna between she and my dad. My nephew Capt. Zac is well-known in our area as a fantastic sportsman and has won many fishing competitions.
We're a tall family by nature, averaging from 5'8" to 6'7". We tend to stand out. Because our family is so large it’s impossible to go anywhere in town where someone doesn’t know someone in our family. I’m either known as Mark’s sister, David’s sister, Sally’s daughter, Michael’s mom, Shawn’s mom, Zac’s Aunt, Chris’s Aunt (Chris is renown for basketball, as is Mark), Cliff’s daughter, Jordan’s Aunt, Rebecca’s Sister-In-Law, Megan’s Mom or Alex’s Grandma. But no matter who you are, you always know me as Weezer. Unfortunately that’s my family name, thanks to my brother David. I’ll spare you the long story, let’s just say we had a dog when we were teenagers named Weezer….I’m sure you can figure it out from there. Nothing like brotherly love.
So, there you have it—a peek, a very long peek, into the wonderful chaos that is my family. We laugh, we play, we support each other, and most importantly, we love each other fiercely. And as I continue to navigate the joys and challenges of getting older, I know I have my incredible family by my side every step of the way. To endless game nights!