Give as good as you get...

I enjoyed a great childhood. My parents were good to me and taught me the best they could as well as did their best to show me some of the world and what it has to offer. They made it a habit of going for drives in the country side, camping and getting out into nature. They also took me on my first trip to see Mickey Mouse at Disneyland when I was about 6 years old.

I also have four siblings, three sisters and one brother, all happen to be older than me, enough older that when I came along I was a bit of a surprise. This had certain wonderful benefits. I have great memories of things I've done with each of them when I was a child or a kid.

My sister Leann, I recall spending time with her when she was having her own family. I had so much fun spending some of my time there playing with her daughter and going on errands, it didn't matter what we did being together was fun. She was big on healthy foods and I learned some of my favorite snaking habits from her, frozen yogurt treats on hot summer days and to this day parmesan popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. Holidays were wonderful around Leann's they hold special memories for me, I liked being part of a bigger family but when my sisters got married and I got to know the families of these new brother-in-laws my family simply expanded.

My brother J always held a special place in my heart, he taught me to fly a kite, he bought me my first pair of jeans (I disliked always wearing dresses and skirts.) He has an adventurous spirit (he wants to sail around the world), he lived on a boat sometimes, and he is brilliant with plants. In the summer when I wasn't under the thumb of some random babysitter I loved going to where J's boat was docked. I'd watch the minnows swim around and I always hoped to find J's cat Sharky around the boat. He liked those minnows as much as I did, I'd never seen a cat before who would willingly jump in the water, only difference in how we liked the minnows is obvious he liked how they tasted I liked how they swam.

My sister Leslie, to me she always seemed fearless and so involved. She played church sports, she danced at church shows, she went to Germany on a mission! Leslie was also influential when it came to foods she came back from that mission abroad and she made the most amazing cookies and pastries. I think I can also credit her with my love of Greek food. I don't know what gave her the interest but I remember her learning to fix some Greek foods and then having us over for dinner to try these new dishes. I also recall Leslie taking me for a picnic over in San Francisco, I even remember she had celery and pineapple cheese spread, yum! I can thank her for several trips over to SF, the picnic was one and later on I took Bart over to see her at work and I think I got to sell Fudge Easter Eggs there as well. I think I sold the second or third highest amount in the school! Thanks Leslie!

Larae she's my next older sister, I was her little tag along for several summers when she came home from college. She let me tag along and watch or retrieve balls when she played tennis. She and one of her dates let me tag along when they went out, I think thats when I first learned about bowling. (And I think that date is now her husband.) Larae is also a wonderful baker and cook, we made cookies regularly, she has shared this recipe with me and to this day it is still my favorite. Larae also danced in the church shows, this was in the age of disco, I don't think I could do it now but I know I learned the hustle from Larae and Leslie. They had the best bedroom in the house and I would hang out there whenever they let me. I'd watch them get ready for dates, for work or sometimes watch them practice dance steps. Occasionally we'd have games of monopoly that we'd play up there, those games could take days to complete.

Leann and J were the first to move out of the house, I don't remember much from when they still lived there. I vaguely remember J having the corner bedroom which became mine. But since they were the first to move out that left me home with Leslie and Larae more. I hope I was a good little sister to them, but to be honest I know there were times I had to be trying at best. Teasing them about dates, blurting out things in front of dates such as "if you don't marry him I will." What they must have wanted to do to me. I can't help myself now I'm laughing, I was little, I was your sister and you couldn't get rid of me. I loved you and I know you loved me in spite of how pesky I could be. I realize now how hard you all worked to get apartments, go to school and there were times I didn't help you along that road. Pleading and begging for the cute poster of the chimpanzees, and who knows what else along the way.

You were all loving and tolerant and occasionally gave into my whining and pleading. You all did such nice things for me, I've never forgotten that.

Since those days there have been times now when I've gotten to play with my sisters children and indulge them or spoil them occasionally in small ways. Now for some of them I'm hoping for the chance to spoil their children's children as they are growing up. But I've found that when family is far away that I'll still find children to pass along these fun times to.

Once I was in college it may have been that I picked up my friends children and took them for lunch and then to their mom for a haircut. In Georgia there were a few times we'd have our friends children spend an afternoon or even a night while their mom and dad were out. Videos, drawing, playing legos and eating popcorn seem to come to mind from some of those times. Now in Florida I've had occasion to "borrow" the neighbors children and take them out for fun times too, sometimes that might be bowling, a movie, swimming at the local pool, or even painting pottery. We've had loads of fun.

I know how much fun I had growing up, so these days when I can I try to give as good as I got. Thank you to my sisters, my brother and my nieces and nephews.

Till the mood strikes, see you later allig8tors.