One for You

So, Lysa, since you've been on my case about blogging, I've decided I'm going to dedicate this one to you. Which is what you've been really trying to get me to do, subliminally. Since we all know I love a good list, I chose to list my top 5 memories of my sister-in-law, female version of Cam, Lysa. (For those of your reading this who know Lysa, feel free to add to the list with some of your favorite memories!)

Here we go!

1. I'm going to pull the obvious card and replay for you my first impression of Lysa. I know, not very creative, but a must when it comes to the memory list. The first time I met Lysa I was somewhat intimidated. You see, Lysa sometimes has a 'crusty face' to put it nicely. A look that makes you think, "Oh! She's kinda scary!" Being the out-going and assertive person that I am, this look posed no aversion for me to go right up to Lysa and introduce myself. I think I just snuggled up behind or next to Cam so that I wouldn't intimidate her. (I do have that affect on people.) Lysa was also on bed rest with her second baby, Izabele, when we had our first introduction which probably added a couple layers of crustiness. Even Cameron's high school friends were intimidated by Lysa, which made me feel much less of the wimp I am. The funny thing about Lysa's expression is that (1) she doesn't know she's doing it and (2) she's not at all crusty. Fiesty, yes. Crusty, no.

Which leads me to favorite memory #2...

2. While I was pregnant with Adysen, my first, Lysa was also pregnant with Soyer, her last. We were due within days of eachother. Not only was it fun to have someone to talk to and be pregnant with, but it was awesome to have a buddy who wanted to pig-out as much as I did. There were many late runs to Del Taco for red and green burritos and quesadillas. But I digress.... As mentioned before Lysa is fiesty. Like, firecracker fiesty. In fact, I went into labor before Lysa and while in the hospital delivering Ady I hear that Lysa is at the doctors office demanding that they "take the baby out. Now!!!" But that's still not my memory. The reason why I went into labor prematurely was because Jill and Matt, Lysa and Cam's parents, were moving. Lysa and I were helping them to move. We were carrying boxes up and down stairs, lifting furniture, climbing through crawl spaces...all the things you shouldn't be doing while being nine months pregnant. My favorite memory, though, is of Lysa and I going through Jill's things and sneaking the old, broken or ugly (and I mean uuuggg-lllyyy) stuff to the DI. We would load things in the suburban as Jill was having mini panic attacks not knowing what we had snuck away. And we would giggle all the way to the DI. Rude? I know. But you had to see some of Jill's stuff. And now we or, more appropriately, I am being blamed whenever Jill can't find something. But Lysa was my partner in crime....

3. Remodeling. I have to lump these memories together. And I should clarify that it was more demolishing than remodeling. In Lysa's first house they completely gutted the basement. In that scary old basement was, maybe, a years supply of food storage. From 1930. I swear there were canned eyeballs and chicken beaks. At least that makes the story better, right? Well, Lysa and I had the privilege of carting up an enormous amount of nasty, gross, nauseating canned goods. I remember trying to cart a huge bin of nasty crap and getting the giggles half-way up the stairs. Which would happen often. I also remember the nasty smell as the glass bottles shattered in the dumpster...and Lysa's husband Scott saying, "That would make some good compost..."
We've also taken down wall paper, destroyed a wood burning fireplace, brick and all, and removed a whole lot of carpet and tile. And after a long day of demolishing, we would go outside, pour water over our sweaty heads and jump on the trampoline. Because we're cool like that.

4. Aerobics. Lysa used to be my workout buddy. After having Ady and Soyer we were both complaining about getting back in shape. So, we went to aerobics in the morning together. I remember our first day back, we both looked at each other with red puffy faces and laughed. Only because we were both about to drop dead from exhaustion. There also may have been an incident involving Lysa, the step and tripping. I may or may not have laughed.....

5. Dog Park. With Lysa's four little ones and Puddy, their dog, along with Ady strapped to me in the snuggly, Lysa and I went for a relaxing stroll to Tanner's Dog Park. The entrance to the dog park is a steep hill going down for entering and up when leaving. Right before we went to the park, Lysa and I got spray on tans. (Hot, I know...) Back to the story. We took a good walk around the park, letting the kids and dog run wild. It wan't until it was time to go that we looked at the huge uphill with trepidation. I remember Lysa and I both carrying out 6 month olds on our backs or in the snuggly and trading off carrying Oliver, who was then almost 2. We had Izabele saying, "I can't take another step..." while Senekah, the oldest, was trying to reign in Puddy. By the time we got to the top, both of us were sweating so hard that our spray on tans were streaked with sweat, leaving us striped.

I have tons of great memories with Lysa. Most of them of us hanging out with all of the girls, just laughing and teasing each other.

Lysa, you get on board with all of my crazy ideas, you are always in my corner supporting and lifting me up and most of all you crack me up! Love ya!