Lindsey

Lindsey will forever and always be the big sister.  She was always the one that got to do things first, knew the best makeup and hair styles, went off to college and I always thought she was so brave and cool to do everything she did.

I remember when she first got the eagle talon from Grammy and thinking, she really deserves it and being so excited for her.  When I learned to drive I came to have an even better respect for her that she pretty much learned to drive on a stick shift...I still can barely do one, and that is if there are no hills in sight!

When we were little Lindsey would love to do our make up.  Sometimes I resisted mainly because I thought it was so hard to get off after she put it on.  And even after I scrubbed my face and I am sure it was clean, I felt like I could see make up on there for a few hours afterwards.  I would finally let her do it if and only if she didn't use mascara.  When she was finished I remember her always saying, mascara is the best part.  I really wish I would have taken more tips from her back then because I still stink at makeup...maybe since she live close now?

Lindsey was always ready for an adventure and was usually the organization of the whole project.  She was so good at lists and making sure everything got done.  Everyone will remember the "Miss America" followed by the "Miss Universe" Contests.  Let me refresh your memories:

Miss America was the first contest we held.  We worked on it so hard.  I remember Miss Universe a lot better, but with both contests we invited over our grandparents and made a big deal with invitations and costumes.  I won Miss America.  Our grandparents, parents and Ben voted and probably since I was the least "girly" they thought it might help if I took my hat off once in a while and that winning might just be enough motivation.   So I won Miss America.

Flash forward to Miss Universe.  I am not sure how close the contests were, but probably within the same summer.  We all chose a country in which we were from.  Lindsey had us make a poster, and since Taryn was staying with us she was our campaign manager.  She would make sure we had practices and run through.  I was at the age where I really was into the contest and was excited about completing.  We all practiced our talents and prepared for the big day.

Well, the same day of the pageant was also Hike Bike.  Hike Bike was a program where you got people to pledge money for how many miles you could ride on your bike.  I remember Danny did it with us too.  Well, part way through the Hike Bike, around the fish hatchery, I remember a car was coming and I tried pulling off the road into the gravel driveway.  Somehow, I flipped by bike.  I remember getting up and Lesley asking if I was ok.  I remember spitting on the ground and thinking I ate rocks.  Danny and Ben turned around and came back.  I think I was bleeding pretty bad because we flagged someone down to come and pick me up and drive back to the church.  Then they called mom and picked me up early.

I remember never crying till I was in the car and Mom asked me what happened.  We were just past the Hooleys and headed towards the highway.  I remember starting to cry so hard, and saying, "Now I'm not going to win the Miss Universe Pageant!"

In all I chipped my tooth (front) and it is still chipped today, just not very noticeable   I am sure I was taken to the dentist but I have no memory of that.

Later in the evening we had the pageant.  Guess who won?  Me.  :)  Sorry Lindsey and Lesley.  I am sure Mom and Dad pulled you aside and told you why I won them both.  Watch the home videos for more details.

Lindsey was also the best at forging mom's signature.  To this day I am sure that she could do it perfectly and no one would know the difference,  We all tried this at some point in our lives. Well, one time in eighth grade we were going on a field trip and I forgot to have mom sign a permission slip.  It was too late to call home and ok the trip.  Plus, they had to have written proof.  I remember being so upset and trying to forge the signature myself.  I then thought of Lindsey.  Somehow I was able to go over to the High School.  Lindsey was in Mr. Little's class.  I remember knocking on the door and asking to see Lindsey.  When she came out I was almost in tears and she just asked me what it was.  I think she thought something terrible had happened.  Then I showed her the slip and she asked me if I thought it was something Mom would have signed anyways.  Of course I said yes, and she signed it perfectly!  She was a real life savor and I am really sure Mom didn't mind.

Also, when Lindsey was in High School she always did choir.  Around Valentine's day she was in a special group where people paid the group to go around and sing Valentine's grams.  It was the coolest thing to have the group come and sing to the class and then at the end of the song they hand the card to the person who was receiving the gram and I felt so special.

After Lindsey went to college and was home on a break she would tell us all these cool stories of the people she met and the things she was doing.  One time she picked us up from mutual and Derek Neilson needed a ride home.  On the way home she was telling us about a kid name Ryan or something, but he spelled it super different.  All the way to the Neilson's house we laughed and made made silent-p names and all these different spellings for common names.  We thought it was so funny then, but now I am sure there are actual names like that.

Lauren