Mandy

Mandy is the second born in our family. That's it.

Just kidding.

Mandy reads my blog everyday because she loves me so much. Okay, maybe that's a stretch, but she does read everyday. She even leaves comments- which I love. If any of my sisters would start a blog, it would be her. She has thought about it, but hesitates because she's afraid it would get her into trouble. She's the one who suggested I blog about my family, but warned me to be careful about it.

I spoke to Mandy yesterday and asked her what I can/should say about her. She said she's honest and I can type about how crabby she is (well, she used the b**** word, but I'm trying to keep it family-friendly here), but I don't see her as crabby. She tells it like it is. Anyway, she gave me permission for full disclosure.

Mandy is the other red-head. Out of the four of us, we have a strawberry blond, red-head, dark blond and brunette; two of us have brown eyes and two of us have blue eyes. Mandy is two years younger than me.

Growing up, Mandy was the biggest tomboy of us all. She loved Laura Ingalls Wilder books and the Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea books. She used to wear her long, thick hair in two braids.

When she was around 4, we had these flannel shirts. We'd put them on, tie bandannas around our faces and play Jesse and Frank James. Don't ask me why. We also had matching Cheap Trick t-shirts that I loved.

We used to visit the boarding stable next door to us when we were little. We liked to ride our bikes over there because our driveway was gravel and they had a huge paved area that we could ride in. One time, the owner had taken their birdhouse down from the pole and Mandy ran into it with her bike. She didn't damage it, but it had a bees nest in it and she got attacked. She was okay, but a bee had stung her right on her face and lodged itself right up her nose.

What else can I say without getting into too much trouble?

She's the one that our Great-Uncle Bob called "Sam" for like, what, 26 years under the false assumption that her name was Samantha rather than Amanda. That one still makes me giggle.

Mandy likes to be just a little different from everyone else. She doesn't like to conform. She had her bedroom painted black for a long time and she even had a fake coffin in her room for a stint. I had been in a school play- a farce about Dracula and his family moving to Beverly Hills (When the Nerds Bit Beverly Hills)- and it was one of the props. Very goth, even though she'd never dress that way.

Mandy went through a mad-at-the-world period from about 15 to 17 years of age. There wasn't much you could do or say that would be responded to kindly. I think it was a combo of hormones and all of the things we had all been through in the previous years (Dad dying, moving back to Ohio, trying to figure out where you fit in as a teenager). She did come out of it, though.

Now, I would describe her as a nuts and bolts kind of person. She's very practical and will do anything for you. If you're my DH, though, she WILL NOT wave at you everyday when she passes you on your way home from work. (I had to throw that one in for Mike, Mandy. *wink*)

Mandy married her high school sweetheart (No, Jason, I don't think you're a sweetheart. It's just an expression.) and has two red-headed boys. They also have the reddest lips- just like Mandy did when she was little.

Mandy is a great Mom, Aunt, Sister and friend. She is great to sit and joke around with, too. Who could ask for anything more?