Holly By Golly

One of my most favorite people in the world is

celebrating her birthday today-

my sister Holly. (10th grade)

Last year to celebrate her day I wrote 34 things I know and love about Holly. I could just add one more to the previous list, but I can think of too many to choose just one.

Excuse me if there are some repeats from last year. I'm trying not looking back to see what I already said.

MORE THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT HOLLY

1Holly makes everyone laugh... usually to tears... even herself.

2 She doesn't mind when people laugh at something she did or said because she laughs along with everyone.

3 Even after a funny moment has passed it will stick in her head and she will laugh about it later as if it just happened. This bothers her, but everyone loves it about her.

4 Holly can strike up a conversation with anyone. I wish I could do that.

5 She once let my friend Stephanie dress her up as an elderly lady and we took her to Meijer (the grocery store) so she could play the part in public.

6 She's been to the beach in a swimsuit and crutches.

7 She likes to sleep with LOTS of blankets on her, and a fan blowing at the same time.

8 We talk on the phone at least 4 times a week... sometimes 4 times a day!

9 Our conversations are usually long and done while running errands or doing chores.

10 She is an aspiring professional photographer. she's been 'hired' by many people to take their pictures, but won't take money because she doesn't feel like she's good enough yet (but she is)

11 Hopefully she will open for business soon (**snap**)

12 She's very excited about the photography class she's about to take from blogger Candice Stringham.

13 She enjoys The Bachelor- especially this season. I think it's the one show that she watches faithfully that I don't.

14 She has 3 great kids who are so smart, funny, and independent.

15 She's been married to Nathan f0r almost 13 years. They were married in the Chicago LDS temple. They were supposed to be married on May 10, but realized on the evening of the 9th that they hadn't gotten an Illinois Wedding license yet. A nice temple worker rushed them down to the county clerk's office, but it had just closed. You need to have it for 24 hours BEFORE getting married. They were finally married on May 11th.

16 She researches and understands a lot about medical conditions.

17 She recently discovered that she loves Disney World and Mickey Mouse.

18 She can be cynical... She kind of wonders if Walt Disney had some sinister marketing plan in mind when he created Disney land/World. She wonders if his primary motive for creating places where you feel so good and happy that you can't help but return again and again was purely to make him uber wealthy.

19 She is very laid back and low maintenance.

20 She is a trusted friend and confidant to many women and teenage girls.

21 She lets me come to her house and rearrange it all.

22 She makes any day fun.

23 She will not join Facebook because she doesn't want to be found.

24 One day we had so much fun painting the kitchen in her first house. We were Trading Spaces fanatics back then and were so happy one of us owned a house that could be painted. I think we had 5 kids all together by then and Jillie was probably just barely 6 years old. We had them all behind the child gate as we painted away all day turning the kitchen yellow with stamped navy blue stars.

25 We have been mistaken for twins. She once looked in her rear view mirror and smiled at me in the back seat, except then she realized it wasn't me she was looking at- it was her own reflection.

26 My Jillie probably looks more like her than like me.

27 She is frugal... she actually returned something to Goodwill once because she felt it was over priced.

28 She has been known to stand in for Santa as the need arises.

29 She has a passion for cursive handwriting being taught in school. When their school district decided to make teaching cursive optional, and she realized her 5th grader couldn't read his own grandma's handwriting, she made her voice heard throughout the system!

30 She has visited us so many times that she knows her way around Orchard Park.

31 She loves our grocery store, Wegman's... she bought some of their shopping bags (as if they were souvenirs) last time she was here.

32 She loves vintage fabric and family history items

33 She hand made bags, jewelry, hats, and scarves for many of us on her gift list last year.

34 Our Grandma Nellie had a bell outside the farm house that she would ring when she needed to call Grandpa Cecil down from working in the barn. Holly now has that in her house and she uses it to call her kids upstairs for dinner.

(Visiting Grandma Nellie and Grandpa Cecil on their mission in Nauvoo, IL. Holly is in the center)

35 She loves her sisters and parents and makes us all feel loved and important to her.

Happy Birthday Holly! I know you would rather I got some sleep than stay up late doing this post- but celebrating you is more important than sleep! :)