Am I Adopted?

“Are they adopted or am I?” was a line I frequently said growing up, referring to my siblings.  Most of the time they would drive me crazy!  Yet we have so many wonderful memories together.   Here are just a few . . . I mean a lot.

·      About fifteen years ago Jackson and I had one of our many “I hate you days.”  I posted a sign on my bedroom door inscribed, “No boys allowed, except for nice ones.”  Jackson posted a sign on his bedroom door, which read, “No girls allowed, except for nice ones.”  Clearly neither Jackson nor I fell under the “nice” category.

·      Jackson, Saydi, Harrison, and I would get some type of toy car that we could put stuffed animals in, retreat to the corners of the living room and on “three” push them into the middle of the room, watching them crash and our stuffed animals go flying. 

·      Riding our bikes and/or big wheels around Sparrow Ct. about a zillion times with our neighbor hood friends.  It never got old.

·      The only year we all tap-danced together.  Our tap teacher choreographed a tap dance just for the Ostlers.  We were a hit!

·      Mom and Dad had a surprise for us at Costco.  They told us it went outside, and it was big. We couldn’t figure it out until we went down the trampoline isle.  We haven’t stopped loving our trampoline (I think we’re on our third one now). 

·      The day before Jackson was set a part as a missionary, we somehow found seven pacifiers around the house (or maybe Mom bought them in memory of Jackson).  We all had a pacifier in our mouths that night.

·      Mowing lawns.  Enough said.

Even girls mowed lawns

·      Watching a basketball on the Caribbean Island, Exuma.  We were pretty excited to watch a bunch of island kids throw the ball around. 

·      Listening to Benson’s impersonation of Studio C’s “Bisque” character.

·      Planning our annual New Years Eve party, complete with prizes.

·      Blowing things up at Seaside every 4^th of July.

·      Shucking corn on the deck every summer.

·      Trying to find the perfect New Years Eve outfit with Saydi.  We found these adorable dresses.  I’ll never forget the identical disappointed looks on our faces when we came out of the dressing rooms.  They were both an inch too short.  Later at JC Penny’s we saw a model with a cute cream sweater on.  It didn’t take us long to find it.  I’ll never forget the identical “are you kidding” looks when we came out of the dressing rooms.  The sweaters made us look frumpy.

·      Pulling each other on the sleds behind four-wheelers into the late night (you only get a good snow every once in awhile in Tri-Cities.  We always made the most of it).

·      Going shopping at Marices with Saydi.  I won’t go shopping there with anyone else.  That’s our store. 

·      Bahoonkie!  (Ask Saydi).

·      Riding our bikes around our kid friendly neighborhood.  I’ve wondered from time to time if our mom ever worried about us, or was just glad to get rid of us for about an hour. 

·      Our memorable Nativity reenactments.

Complete with the missionaries! 

·      Hauling small playground rocks up to the top of the “swirly slide” at the park behind our house, and watching them fall down to the bottom of the slide.  We came home with black hands and feet.

·      One year we tried to reenact a commercial we had seen on TV of a shirtless guy with meat strapped to his back running through the woods being chased by wolves.  We had to improvise on a few things.

That's Jefferson if anyone was wondering. 

·      Scripture study has always been interesting at our house.  You just can’t fully describe it. With Harrison reading in a monotone voice, to Saydi reading in an Indian accent, to Wilson screaming his head off for who knows what reason.  At least we read our scriptures!

·      Making tents in our living room and then sleeping in them. 

·      The birthday present Wilson made me.  It was supposed to be a “cup holder.”  It was a piece of wood with nails hammered into it. 

·      Jackson’s first date.  He took me to Howard Amon Park.  We doubled with our mom and dad.  We had a scavenger hunt, and then had hot chocolate and s’mores over a camp stove.  We also discussed who Jackson had a crush on.  I don’t think he ever did that with any other date J

·      The summers of tubing. 

·      And last but definitely not least.  Who can forget “The Wilson Pose”?

Sometimes I still think they are adopted or I am.  But I gotta love my crazy siblings. 

Happy National Sibling Day!