The Grand Old Birthday Book

My family owns an old leather-bound journal brimming with nice things said by parents and siblings on birthdays. Several times each year, Mom pulls out the brown book and the family takes turns telling stories, giving advice, and listing admirable qualities about the spotlighted person. The pages are dotted with flecks of ancient ice cream and smudges from sloppy penmanship; it is the most beautiful book in the world.

These are just a few recent highlights I found.

June 13th, 2004:

Kristian: I'm looking forward to spending more time with Shirsti before she gets hitched.
Gavin: What the--?
Kristian: Hopefully not too soon.

Soren: Shirsti's nice twice.

Father's Day, 2004.

Jos: Famous dad quotes include the following:
"Who wants to play kissy tag"
"Does Libby miss her daddy?"
"Throw the cat out!"
"Silence is golden."
"I'm eating, hon."
"Well Shir, how many sandwiches did you make today?" (during a brief job at Subway)

July 16, 2004
Mom: Jos can change a bathroom into a garden walk and anything else you can imagine. It's a good deal for all of us that Martha Stewart is out of the way...

Kristian's 24th
Kari: Kristian is nice. I'm glad he's my brother-- not as mean as Gavin. I admire Kristian.

January 22, 2004
Mom: When Sasha was in seventh grade I would take her to school in the mornings. She would make me stop at the top of the street and look at how beautiful she is.

July 16, 2005
Soren: I like it when she gives me food and helps me pronounce names.... "Jossy." Her hair is lovely, (dictated by Linds) and she looks at me when I'm too cute.

Mom: Jos never wet the bed.

Morgi: I always thought she was intelligent.

Mom: It's unusual at 16 to have your own culture-- kind of artistic, romantic, and a kind of Victorian ability to see and observe, decorate, write, and read. Every year she gets better.

Kristian's 25th
Soren: "Ping-pong!" Kristian is an airplane.

2006 New Year's Predictions:
1. Kevin and Sasha will end up in Idaho.
2. Shirsti will get two new lip glosses and be engaged by Christmas (made by Koseli, who was engaged by New Year's Day.)
3. Mom will not exceed 105 pounds.
4. Kari and Cambria will still stay indoors at their Brooklyn apartment and get even paler during the summer.
5. Jos will have a Tour Romance
6. One of the girls will decided to go on a mission.

Kristian's NYC departure:
Kos: Take time to sip a hot mug of pero with whipping cream on top.
Jos: Take advantage of Grand Central Station and the public restrooms.

Mom turns 58 years young:
Shir: Scooter, Mommit, Squats, Grandma, Mama Roach, Toad, Bird, Navajo Momma, wife, daughter, and friend...

June 13, 2006:
Kos: Kitchen girl! Cut your own ice cream cake, dang it!

July 16, 2006:
Kos: Advice I wish I would have heeded my senior year:
1. Take showers often.
2. Only date boys you like.

Shir: Joslynn, I like your legs.

Kristian's 26th birthday:

Jos: (Why did I go first?) Kristian is very, very, very... kind.
Nobody beats the blob.

Kos: He is a warm pig in a bath.

Keena: What I love about Kristian is his tight New York skinny jeans!

Gav: I had the privilege of bringing Kristian up by hand while Kari was languishing on the bed drawing monsters and speaking Dragon.

Kari: He's nice.

Mom's 60th:
Famous quotations:
"I wouldn't eat that, it's not good for me."
"Should we pray?"
"Have you checked yourself?"