Happy Birthday Nic!

Today is my sister Nicole's 30-somethingth birthday. I'll keep it a secret in case she doesn't want the whole world to know exactly how old she is!

So since I haven't sent her birthday present yet, I thought I'd try to make up for my slackerish ways by blogging about her instead. So here's 30-something things I LOVE about my big sis!

1. She is my best friend. We talk at least once a day. Our husbands have no idea how we have so much to talk about but we somehow do.

2. I can tell her ANYTHING and know she will not judge.

3. She gives great advice.

4. She is an awesome mom. She makes having 5 kids look EASY.

5. She is a great friend.

6. She gives awesome gifts. She has a knack for finding really unique and perfect gifts!

7. She is a great scrapbooker. She not only keeps up a family album and albums for all her kids, she gives them as gifts too. And she is sometimes even caught up (gasp!).

8. She loves me so much that she has me programmed me as two of her five free numbers on her cell phone. My cell phone and home phone numbers! {have I mentioned that we talk a lot?!}

9. She is super adventurous and is always trying something new.

10. She has a great relationship with her husband Jon. They have taught us a lot about marriage. They always make each other a priority.

11. Her house is beautiful. She is a great decorator!

12. She has really great fashion sense and is always dressed really cute with fabulous accessories.

13. She loves kids clothes as much as I do. We talk about this a lot :)

14. Never once in my ENTIRE life have I felt an ounce of competition from her. I'm pretty sure this is rare in sisters but it is such a blessing. It is such a safe, comfortable relationship for me.

15. She came to visit me for a week when I lived in Connecticut just for fun. It was such a GREAT trip and I have many fond memories of that time together.

16. She is in awesome shape. You would never know that she's had 5 kids by looking at her. She's a really good example to me in putting fitness as a priority in life.

17. She gets me. I don't know how else to explain it.

18. She is a really good cook. We are forever swapping yummy recipes. She doesn't like to cook but she is good at it!

19. Traveling is one of her favorite things and a huge priority in her life. We have some fun upcoming trips that we're planning together.

20. She is very generous with her time and means.

21. My dream in life is to live near each other. Maybe someday.

22. I think it would be dangerously fun to live close to one another. She is a great shopping buddy.

23. She is a very laid back mom. Much more so than I am. I have a lot to learn from her about that.

24. Her kids genuinely love her. It is neat for me to see the developing relationship between her and her older kids. They WANT to be near her. I pray that my kids are the same way.

25. Family is very important to her. She makes lots of sacrifices to spent time with her family, especially since we don't live close.

26. The year that I lived in Seattle, only a couple hours from her, was one of the best of my life. It was so fun and reassuring to have family nearby.

27. She is genuinely interested in my kids.

28. She babysat my kids for 10 days when Al and I went to Hawaii in 2006. Bless her.

29. She is great in her callings and church and always, always supports her husband in his busy callings.

30. She taught me that it is OK to leave my kids sometimes. They will survive and even have FUN without me!!

31. She keeps me sane.

32. She has more energy than anyone I know. She is always on the go.

33. She always has something fun planned when we are together.

34. She is the best sister a girl could ask for!

I could go...and on. Suffice it to say, I love my sister a lot!

Happy Birthday Nicole!! {PS, if we were together today, I'd take you to lunch, out for a pedicure and maybe top it off with some shopping!}