I Don't Just Love My Family. I'm IN LOVE With My Family. Take That However You Want.

It always makes me really happy to see people I love making positive changes and acheiving goals in their lives. So since I don't indulge in cheese anymore, and it's pretty much the only thing I miss as a vegan, I'm gonna have to get my metaphorical fix through this blog. HEY FAMILY! I LOVE YOU AND I'M VERY PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS! mmmmm, that smelled like smoked mozzerella....

My oldest brother David has just graduated from college with his AAS in building trades. He's 31, and since moving to Montana a few years ago, he has really picked up the pieces he'd been dropping for a long time.

Growing up, David was my hero. He never treated me like I was 8 1/2 years younger than him. When I was going through my akward/insecure/ugly duckling phases throughout my adolescence, David was my confidence booster. He always told me that I was smart and beautiful, he always took me to hang out with him and all his friends (which kind of made me everyone's little sister), and he made me feel cool by letting me drink beer and smoke a little weed here and there. Only as long as I maintained a B average, though. The responsible way to be an irresponsible older sibling ;). He always got me little gifts here and there just because, and he threatened to beat the living shit out of me if I ever repeated any of the mistakes he made. He was my therapist, my confidante, and my best friend when I felt like I had no one.

The point is, he was always so much better to me than he was to himself. Once I started getting older and finding my own way, I became broken hearted at the fact that I couldn't help him in the ways he had helped me. He had to do it on his own, for himself. I was terrified that he maybe never would, and even more afraid that if he didn't dig himself out of the hole he'd created I might lose my best friend forever.

But against all odds, he did it. It's so amazing, and inspiring. It's such a relief, and at the same time so exciting. I'm so happy for my big bro, and I can't wait for him to come back home now so we can hang out as adults with clean slates. It's gonna be a whole new chapter.

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU DAVID!!

Sometimes he's got a grill, and he shows off his true OG nature...

Sometimes he looks like Jesus. If Jesus was a cop. A scary Jesus cop.


It's good to have older brothers to look up to.

My little brother Jesse is graduating from high school in a couple weeks. He's 19 (yeah, he's a super senior. Go ahead, say something. *nonchalantly opens and closes switchblade* Didn't think so) and he's finally got his ass in gear and stopped the party train (or slowed it down a bit), got a full-time job, did his homework, and now he's getting his diploma. Not that he's ever been a slacker by any means, he's just always applied himself to physical accomplishments in the past.

He's been participating in rodeo competitions since he was like 5, started out riding sheep and went on to take the bull riding state championship TWICE. I hate rodeo's, and I don't support any kind of exploitation of animals, but I still rock Jesse's state championship belt buckle. It's like a giant silvery-gold pizza with jewels and a cowboy riding a bull on it, and I wear it with pride. I'll do lots of weird things to show my love for my brother, including embracing a little hypocrisy.

He was also captain of his high school's wrestling team for two years, mainly because he wanted to learn how to keep me from kicking his ass I think. When we were kids, I was always trying to *murder him* help him build character, which I think really helped toughen him up for his rodeo accomplishments. So if he ever gets any money out of that, I think it's fair that I claim 10%. Just sayin'. But once he got into wrestling and learning all these fancy moves I suddenly didn't stand a chance. I had a very "knock-you-down-and-sit-on-you" approach to fighting with Jesse, but then he developed a "tie-you-up-in-a-knot-with-your-face-to-the-ground-before-you-know-what-hit-you" technique that I just couldn't compete with anymore. Touche, little bro. Touche.

So Jesse's always been a motivated little guy, just usually in ways that cause himself or others pain and humiliation in a quest for belt buckles and trophies. So it's great to see him getting all balls-to-the-wall about his education. CONGRATULATIONS JESSE!!!

So proud of my badass little bro. Shut up, conscience! I'M PROUD!

It's always been plain to see that he was capable of acheiving greatness.

:)

A few other congrats:

Gramma: You finally got your new hip. You've been brave and strong and stepped out of your comfort zone, and I'm so happy you got it all done and overwith. We are gonna have a great summer :)

cousin Ashley: You're graduating college. You kick ass in life. You are such a dedicated over-acheiver go-getter strong woman, you have to teach me these skills. In exchange, I will teach you to crochet. Deal? ;)

cousin Lara: You finished your first year of grad school. You're an awesome and inspiring independent woman. You're not afraid to move around or follow your dreams or make a positive mark in the world. You don't get held back or held down, and you do whatever you want, whenever you want, and you don't apologize to tradition for kicking it in the balls. Plus you're all down-to-earth and funny and fun to hang out with. I totally look up to you. I don't know if you knew that, but I do.
I was like "aw, bummer. I don't have any pic's of me and Lara" but then I found this one of her and the cutest little old lady ever, so I'm satisfied.