My Cousin Jouni came to our housewarming party this weekend. I’ve seen Jouni for very brief moments a couple of times over the past year. She used to live in Vegas, and we’d always try to at least see each other, if even for a short time. I was also able to have breakfast with my cousins, Trevis and Carly on one of the trips as well. In the past, 15 months, these are the only relatives I’ve seen. So, I was especially grateful that
Jouni drove the 2 hours each way to hang out with us this weekend (she recently moved to Chicago). Seeing Jouni really made me realize just how much I miss everyone. I don’t know that I’ve ever talked a lot about my family on here, so I thought I’d make today about our crazy ass Alaska family.
My Grandma Mona had 11 kids, and she lived in this tiny house in Wrangell, AK. My mom was about in the middle of the bunch, age wise. Anyway, my Grandma was the coolest. I spent more time at her house when I was younger than I did at my own home. We’d watch t.v., listen to her 8 track tapes, I’d hear the endless tales about my Grandfather (who died when my mom was young), we’d play Go-Fish, and of course all of this would be going on as I’d hear the same story day after day, how Grandpa, Dr. Bangman, and Father (ugh, can’t believe I’m forgetting his name, the Episcopalian minister), would drink that 90 proof whiskey and how Grandma only drank 2% Schlitz. LMAO. She was convinced that stuff was only 2% alcohol. And as Jouni reminded me this weekend that was the first thing I ever drank. We smuggled warm beer
upstairs and all drank some. I puked in a sleeping bag, and shoved it in the back of this endless closet. God knows it was probably still there, when they tore that house down. Anyway, I have so much love for my Grandma.
Unfortunately, she got Alzheimer’s at an early age. She probably started to slowly lose it in her 50’s I’m guessing. When I was in college, I used to pray
for God to take her. It was so horrible seeing her so scared.
I’ll never forget that look in her eyes. Anyway, she passed away when I was a
sophomore in college. I flew home, as did so many. Us grandkids (and there are a billion of us) really, truly loved her.
I have 3 sisters. Dawn is closest in age to me (17 mos). Growing up Dawn and I never saw eye to eye (at least after we were little, little kids). We are as different as it gets. We started to get closer when I was in college and she even lived with me for a short time, then. We esp grew close after she had my niece Jaynee. Jaynee Girl…. Brian and I sure loved, and still love her, so very much. We’re so proud of her. My sister Dawn has the biggest heart you’ve ever seen.
She really does. Nealy is next and she’s always so full of spunk and energy.
For a while, she was the youngest out of all the grandkids. You’ve never seen a kid so spoiled in your life. It didn’t hurt that she was the cutest kid ever (and so is her daughter Charlie Jo). Nealy is so responsible and makes me proud in so many ways. My youngest sister Brooke, in a word, is just awesome. She’s funny, knows what she believes in, is open to trying new things (even eating a vegan diet!), and she’s a great Mom. Brooke’s the type of girl everyone wants to be friends with.
As I mentioned earlier, I have a ton of cousins. Growing up we were all super tight. In many ways, we still are. We don’t talk as often as we’d all like, but we have this bond that’s unbreakable. My cousin Holley is not only blood relation, but she’s always been one of my best friends. She was even one of my bridesmaids. Some of the best conversations of my life have been with Holley. Holley’s sister Melinda is kind of like the matriarch of this family (at a young age :) She’s always making sure everyone’s taken care of. It’s kind of funny how she took on that roll. She is one of the oldest out of us, but growing up I would’ve never thought she’d be the one we’d all go to (she terrorized us as kids, lol). If I spoke about all my cousins, I’d have a whole book. There’s so darn many of us. We’re a family. Don’t get me wrong, we’re bat shit crazy, but we are a great family. We even have friends that have been adopted into our family. My friend Misty has been to many a family function, wedding, etc. Misty is considered part of the family by everyone. Same with Brooke’s bff, Kim. She’s one of us, too. There are a few. I think my poor friend Tammi is becoming part of us, too. She’s probably kicking and screaming against it, but she’s my sister…. She’s in this family now, and she’ll fit right in with us. My cousins always laugh how there are ppl that willingly joined this family. We don’t get it. Haha.
I mentioned a dream I had a couple of weeks ago, about how I couldn’t get to my cousin Jesse’s wedding. This is why. I love him so much. I love all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. so much. It breaks my heart that I won’t get to see them in a week and a half. But anyway, family is totally on my mind, so I hope you don’t mind me rambling about them. I’m proud of this family. I’m proud of all of us. I’m proud that we all know how to love and in our own ways, we even know how to show it. Oh yeah, the picture at the top of this page….it’s of a mint that my cousin Jouni gave me this weekend. I reached in my pocket and found it this morning. That in a nut shell, is why I love Jouni, and why I love this family. We aren’t afraid to have fun. Not many from my family read this thing, but I’m glad to know that Holley will see it and know how much I
love her (even though I know she knows). And if anyone else does, I hope this entry makes them think of huge family dinners, picnics, and the first time they brought their significant others to meet the family. Brian first met me family at a picnic on Elephant’s Nose (family goes all out for the new ppl, haha). It was a great picnic, and quickly a bottle of something, maybe Schnapps was opened. Someone went to hand someone the cap along with the bottle, and my Uncle Mark (who also kept calling Brian, Greg) tossed it, and said we don’t need caps in this family. Everyone laughed while I died inside. But you know
what, Brian laughed too, and he, as crazy as he knows we all are (esp me), is
glad to be part of this family, too.
Food:
6:30 Smoothie (water, flax seed, spinach, banana, frozen blueberries and
strawberries)
8:00 Glass of hot green tea
9:30 Fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, grapes)
12:00 Footlong veggie sandwich on wheat from Subway (avocado, heavy spinach, tomato, heavy black olives, cucumber, small amt of honey mustard dressing)
3:30 Pear
4:00 Iced tea (unsweetened)
8:00 Small baked potato w/ a little bit of Smart Balance, Herb salad w/ lite honey mustard dressing
Exercise:
45 min walk
Lyrics to We Are Family :
We are family
I got all my sisters with
me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got
all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
And we fly
just like birds of a feather
I'm not telling no lie
All of the people
around us to say
Can we be that close
Just let me state for the
record
We're giving love in a family dose, yeah
CHORUS
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
Living life is fun and we've just
begun
To get our share of the world's delights
High hopes we have for the
future
And our goal's in sight
No we don't get depressed
Here's what we
call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go
wrong, oh no
This is our family Jewel, yeah
CHORUS
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters
with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I
got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters
with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Everyone can see
we're together
As we walk on by
And we fly just like birds of a
feather
I'm not telling no lie
All of the people around us to
say
Can we be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose, yeah
CHORUS
We are family
I got all my
sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of the
world's delights
High hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in
sight
No we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden
rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh
no
This is our family Jewel, yeah
CHORUS
We are family
I got all
my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters
with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Jouni drove the 2 hours each way to hang out with us this weekend (she recently moved to Chicago). Seeing Jouni really made me realize just how much I miss everyone. I don’t know that I’ve ever talked a lot about my family on here, so I thought I’d make today about our crazy ass Alaska family.
My Grandma Mona had 11 kids, and she lived in this tiny house in Wrangell, AK. My mom was about in the middle of the bunch, age wise. Anyway, my Grandma was the coolest. I spent more time at her house when I was younger than I did at my own home. We’d watch t.v., listen to her 8 track tapes, I’d hear the endless tales about my Grandfather (who died when my mom was young), we’d play Go-Fish, and of course all of this would be going on as I’d hear the same story day after day, how Grandpa, Dr. Bangman, and Father (ugh, can’t believe I’m forgetting his name, the Episcopalian minister), would drink that 90 proof whiskey and how Grandma only drank 2% Schlitz. LMAO. She was convinced that stuff was only 2% alcohol. And as Jouni reminded me this weekend that was the first thing I ever drank. We smuggled warm beer
upstairs and all drank some. I puked in a sleeping bag, and shoved it in the back of this endless closet. God knows it was probably still there, when they tore that house down. Anyway, I have so much love for my Grandma.
Unfortunately, she got Alzheimer’s at an early age. She probably started to slowly lose it in her 50’s I’m guessing. When I was in college, I used to pray
for God to take her. It was so horrible seeing her so scared.
I’ll never forget that look in her eyes. Anyway, she passed away when I was a
sophomore in college. I flew home, as did so many. Us grandkids (and there are a billion of us) really, truly loved her.
I have 3 sisters. Dawn is closest in age to me (17 mos). Growing up Dawn and I never saw eye to eye (at least after we were little, little kids). We are as different as it gets. We started to get closer when I was in college and she even lived with me for a short time, then. We esp grew close after she had my niece Jaynee. Jaynee Girl…. Brian and I sure loved, and still love her, so very much. We’re so proud of her. My sister Dawn has the biggest heart you’ve ever seen.
She really does. Nealy is next and she’s always so full of spunk and energy.
For a while, she was the youngest out of all the grandkids. You’ve never seen a kid so spoiled in your life. It didn’t hurt that she was the cutest kid ever (and so is her daughter Charlie Jo). Nealy is so responsible and makes me proud in so many ways. My youngest sister Brooke, in a word, is just awesome. She’s funny, knows what she believes in, is open to trying new things (even eating a vegan diet!), and she’s a great Mom. Brooke’s the type of girl everyone wants to be friends with.
As I mentioned earlier, I have a ton of cousins. Growing up we were all super tight. In many ways, we still are. We don’t talk as often as we’d all like, but we have this bond that’s unbreakable. My cousin Holley is not only blood relation, but she’s always been one of my best friends. She was even one of my bridesmaids. Some of the best conversations of my life have been with Holley. Holley’s sister Melinda is kind of like the matriarch of this family (at a young age :) She’s always making sure everyone’s taken care of. It’s kind of funny how she took on that roll. She is one of the oldest out of us, but growing up I would’ve never thought she’d be the one we’d all go to (she terrorized us as kids, lol). If I spoke about all my cousins, I’d have a whole book. There’s so darn many of us. We’re a family. Don’t get me wrong, we’re bat shit crazy, but we are a great family. We even have friends that have been adopted into our family. My friend Misty has been to many a family function, wedding, etc. Misty is considered part of the family by everyone. Same with Brooke’s bff, Kim. She’s one of us, too. There are a few. I think my poor friend Tammi is becoming part of us, too. She’s probably kicking and screaming against it, but she’s my sister…. She’s in this family now, and she’ll fit right in with us. My cousins always laugh how there are ppl that willingly joined this family. We don’t get it. Haha.
I mentioned a dream I had a couple of weeks ago, about how I couldn’t get to my cousin Jesse’s wedding. This is why. I love him so much. I love all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. so much. It breaks my heart that I won’t get to see them in a week and a half. But anyway, family is totally on my mind, so I hope you don’t mind me rambling about them. I’m proud of this family. I’m proud of all of us. I’m proud that we all know how to love and in our own ways, we even know how to show it. Oh yeah, the picture at the top of this page….it’s of a mint that my cousin Jouni gave me this weekend. I reached in my pocket and found it this morning. That in a nut shell, is why I love Jouni, and why I love this family. We aren’t afraid to have fun. Not many from my family read this thing, but I’m glad to know that Holley will see it and know how much I
love her (even though I know she knows). And if anyone else does, I hope this entry makes them think of huge family dinners, picnics, and the first time they brought their significant others to meet the family. Brian first met me family at a picnic on Elephant’s Nose (family goes all out for the new ppl, haha). It was a great picnic, and quickly a bottle of something, maybe Schnapps was opened. Someone went to hand someone the cap along with the bottle, and my Uncle Mark (who also kept calling Brian, Greg) tossed it, and said we don’t need caps in this family. Everyone laughed while I died inside. But you know
what, Brian laughed too, and he, as crazy as he knows we all are (esp me), is
glad to be part of this family, too.
Food:
6:30 Smoothie (water, flax seed, spinach, banana, frozen blueberries and
strawberries)
8:00 Glass of hot green tea
9:30 Fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, grapes)
12:00 Footlong veggie sandwich on wheat from Subway (avocado, heavy spinach, tomato, heavy black olives, cucumber, small amt of honey mustard dressing)
3:30 Pear
4:00 Iced tea (unsweetened)
8:00 Small baked potato w/ a little bit of Smart Balance, Herb salad w/ lite honey mustard dressing
Exercise:
45 min walk
Lyrics to We Are Family :
We are family
I got all my sisters with
me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got
all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
And we fly
just like birds of a feather
I'm not telling no lie
All of the people
around us to say
Can we be that close
Just let me state for the
record
We're giving love in a family dose, yeah
CHORUS
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
Living life is fun and we've just
begun
To get our share of the world's delights
High hopes we have for the
future
And our goal's in sight
No we don't get depressed
Here's what we
call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go
wrong, oh no
This is our family Jewel, yeah
CHORUS
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters
with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I
got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters
with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Everyone can see
we're together
As we walk on by
And we fly just like birds of a
feather
I'm not telling no lie
All of the people around us to
say
Can we be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose, yeah
CHORUS
We are family
I got all my
sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of the
world's delights
High hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in
sight
No we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden
rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh
no
This is our family Jewel, yeah
CHORUS
We are family
I got all
my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are
family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and
sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are
family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters
with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
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