Today is my sister, Denise's birthday! I'll let her tell you her age if she chooses, but trust me--she's still a young lady:)
Let me give you a little history on our relationship. When we were growing up, she was like a second mother to me. Every Saturday morning, we would come to breakfast and be greeted with a list taped to the top of the counter. This list was a chore list, written up by Denise and okayed by Daddy. I hated this list and dreaded coming to breakfast because I knew what I would be seeing. We were not allowed to swim, play or go out until our part of the chores were completed. Here is an example of a typical Saturday morning "list":
Dayna-clean up breakfast dishes, vacuum and mop floor.
Denise-sweep front porch and sidewalk
Dawn-vacuum pool (she got to get sun while doing this, just to remind you)
Dawn-vacuum pool (she got to get sun while doing this, just to remind you)
Dolly-vacuum family room and straighten it up
Donna-vacuum and dust foyer and living room, wash front door windows, vacuum hallways and don't forget to wipe down moldings, vacuum and mop laundry room and sun room, clean out refrigerator, sweep back steps, unload dishwasher....
You get the drift. PLUS there was always an asterisk by my name and the small writing would read, "Make sure I sign off on all of your work before you move on to the next job". What did she have? A vendetta against me?! Uggh!! (said like Napolean Dynamite). It would make me so angry, hence, I came to see my older sister as a mean, bossy, "make Donna do everything" general.
Fast forward a few years and I got to see her fall in love to a wonderful man and have one of the cutest little babies ever, followed by more children. I think once I got married and "grew up", we started to become closer and have more in common. Now I truly consider Denise one of my best friends. She is a great sounding board, a wonderful mother and example, she's very talented, she makes me laugh...we always have fun together! I am so blessed to have her in my life and I know she helped me acquire a good work ethic! And you can bet your bottom that the Graham household will have Saturday morning lists to greet the little ones at breakfast on Saturday mornings in the near future!!
Happy Birthday, Denise! I love you and am so thankful for you and the role model you are to me! (By the way, the cute little baby in the picture is a future slave of the Grahams).
24 comments:
Happy Birthday!!!! I hope you have an awesome day without any chores!!!
That is a funy story, Donna! Question- why was Denise in charge and not Dayna?? Just curious...
You girls are so sweet to each other! Great post- it made me laugh!! Happy Birthday Denise!
This post was SO FUNNY Donna. Although I think you got some of the chores wrong. That's how YOU saw the list but I always hated my jobs too. Those days seem just like yesterday!
Happy Birthday Denise!!! We all love you! I'm at work today but was planning on doing a post about you later this evening. I need to pull out some old pics.
DENISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We sure love you!
Chores-LOL. I'm having cold shivers recalling my chore lists now. You're "one of those" parents, huh? When I was little and sweating away doing my chores, I would pray, "Dear Lord, please help Mommy and Daddy to admit that they just had kids so they could have slaves." NOW, ask JR how she feels about chore lists...a WHOLE other story! No, I'm not bitter. Not to worry, AP will indeed do a few chores herself but I think I'm going to think of a different name for them other than "chores". That's just a horrible word.
What you said HPS is exactly why Donna (and me being second to youngest) always had more chores. My parents and sweet sisters wanted to make sure we didn't get out of anything being the youngest...especially Donna! Donna, I remember some serious fights between you and Denise on Sat mornings over those lists. hahahahah!
Happy Birthday Denise!!! the chore list was so funny!! You had me laughing out loud. I can remember my own chore list, oh not fun days! Any why always Sat? why mess up the best day of the week???
...best day for the PARENTS!!!!!!!!!
Donna! First of all thank you for your nice post on my bday. I am 35 for all those wondering!
SECOND--I am LAUGHING OUT LOUD! So funny! We just all had to work together to clean that moms house! I am still laughing at the list YOU made for yourself on your blog. (Harry Jack just asked me why I am smiling!!)
I cannot remember any fights about chores between us. The good thing about it all was that we have memories of a clean house.
And yes, I have already broken out the chore list with my oldest two, which will be shown soon on one of my posts.
Chores are good, clean houses good, although I must admit it is hard with my many little crumb snatchers.
Thanks for the sweet post Donna! I love you, and you too Dolly, and Dayna, and Dawn and sweet Jenius!
Happy Birthday to YOU, Sweet, Denise. I laughed when I read Donna's blog....so true, but a little exaggerated on her part, I must say. I don't know how or why you got the job of assigning Saturday chores, except that maybe you were the best at doing those things. Looking back, those were good memories, as many things in life are, after the fact. Anyway, I agree with all the wonderful, sweet things Donna wrote about you. You're a very special person, daughter, wife, mother, friend, and I am so proud of you. Have a wonderful day, Honey. I'll be talking to you soon.
What a sweet and funny post, Donna! I can just picture all of your sisters working hard on Saturday morning. And I'm with Hannah.....chores just isn't the best word.
Happy Happy Birthday Denise!!
Wow Donna! Your chore list was the longest! No wonder you are such a great wife and mother and your home always looks wonderful! Happy Birthday Denise!
Funny post, Donna...it made me laugh reading your list. Happy birthday to Denise!! We had chore lists too...ours happened almost daily in the summer when we were out of school. Ugh. The worst one for my sister and me was PICKING RASPBERRIES. It seemed to never end.
This post is HILARIOUS! We also had the chore lists but what makes me laugh so hard with this one is the fact that DENISE wrote up the chore list. See, Denise, you were destined to be a mother of a big brood. How funny!
Yes, you are a great lady...Danny did so good for himself. I hope you have a very special day because you deserve it.
Happy B-day Denise...cute post Donna!! I was LOL. :)
I almost forgot...I think you have some real "ishas" (issues) that you haven't gotten over. Maybe it stems from not getting a rabbit coat so many years ago. Just let it go, Donna, let it go. Ha!
Caroline was a PRECIOUS baby. That hair just kills me.
Happy Birthday, Denise!!! I remember when you fell in love with Danny and when Dolly called me at Billy Joe's to tell me you were engaged! I can't believe now you are on #5 and don't look a day older!
Happy Birthday Sweet Denise!!! You're a young thang...35...I can barely remember 35!
We had a chore list too and to this day we still give my mom a hard time about it. I can SO remember that feeling of walking into the kitchen on a Saturday morning and seeing that piece of paper lying on the countertop with a pen next to it...can't wait to do it to Max! :)
Good trip down memory lane, Donna! :)
Happy Birthday, Denise! and 35 is sooo young!! I can't wait till I have a house full of kids, so I can give them a chore list!! lol
Well Happy Birthday Denise! Where does the time go? I wish you had been here to train my children and me too for that matter, but I think I would have liked Dolly and Dawn's chores...Poor Donna but your slave driving sure made her a great mother and wife. I do remember you running the house when we were there visiting. Come train me please. Happy Birthday!
WOOHOOO! My Mother-in-law commented! Make it a habit,Jane!!
Kristie, I'm laughing at your comment about picking raspberries. That is such a Little House on the Prairie chore to do and the funny thing is, you grew up in Mancado, MN, didn't you?!
What a great post, Donna. You had me giggling about the chore list and gave me a good idea. We don't have a chore list around here yet; maybe that's why I'm tired all the time! Very sweet post about Denise. I know she is a great role model for all of us. Happy Birthday, Denise!!
Donna, you are hilarious. I was reading that chore list thinking of the voice of the Stepmother in Cinderella, "and don't forget the laundry, the sewing, wash the drapes in the hall...." too bad in real life, you can't enlist forest creatures to help get the job done. :)
And, Happy Birthday Denise!
I just faithfully read the last four posts and it's becoming clear that Roy is getting very comfortable getting his pic taken for the old blog. So funny how's he finally warming up to the idea. I'm sure he'll be reading it while he's away. I don't know how you do it by yourself for two weeks! I go nuts when Alex is gone at work for 16 hours. Those close ups of Roy Austin are so sweet. He's got such a contented look and beautiful eyes! What a little man.
hey sweetie...i'm just catching up on the station gossip.
i remember coming down the stairs on saturday morning and seeing the dreaded list. lucky dolly usually had old gib to help her. but then denise started wising up to the fact that i was there almost every weekend and she started giving me my own chores!
but, i really can't complain because i'm "denise" at my house!!
Post a Comment