Sweet 16 for my sassy sister!

Hmmmmmm....what to say about Rylee Bean?  More like what is there not to say about this girl?  She is quite possibly one of the most hilarious people on the face of the planet earth.  I love how every time she calls me her sentences start out with "OH MY GOSH, GUESS WHAT?"  I know I'm always in for a dramatic tale that will no doubt have my cracking up by the end.

We are different in pretty much every way possible.  She can find things to talk about with complete strangers while I tend to be more shy.  She is always dressed cute and all done up when I would much rather put on some basketball shorts and a t-shirt.  She knows everything about everyone when I am completely oblivious to everything going on around me.  She can sit and watch Project Runway and Say Yes to the Dress when I would rather stick forks into my eye sockets, but these differences are what make our relationship so magical.

It wasn't always that way though.  When we were little Rylee would follow me around everywhere I went.  She always wanted to be right there with me and my friends, listening to all our conversations and playing games with us.  It drove me insane.  I would complain about it to my mom almost every single day.  Finally mom was tired of hearing me whine about it and told me that "one day you will be grateful to have a sister that wants to be my friend."  That day came a long time ago.  She became the person I could talk to about everything, my personal hair stylist for all the high school dances, and was one of my biggest fans.  I only wish that instead of complaining all those years about having her follow me around that I would have enjoyed the time we had because I would kill to have her by my side constantly now.

Love ya kiddo.  Have fun on your first date tomorrow and tell Trent that if he pulls any funny business I will have to hurt him :)

Car

Anticipate the pass!

I have decided that blogging and college don’t really mix, especially when your major consists of writing all the time.  So basically the last thing I want to do when I finish up the day is write a blog post.   However, today is special.  We are celebrating yet another birthday at the McKeon house and since I’m in a completely different state, I am sending my partying love via the web.

I won’t tell you exactly how old my dad is…but he is one year older than the Super Bowl if you want to figure it out.  I have had the grand privilege of being his daughter for the past two decades (which have been the best decades of his life I’m sure).

I was thinking of what I could write about when I started to reminisce about some of the best conversations me and my sibs have had with my dad.  I can still here him yell from the stands to anticipate the pass while playing defense, but here are other convo's I have yet to forget:

Convo #1: This stretches back to when we lived in AZ.  My dad firmly believes that a family that works together, stays together.  Even when it is 157 degrees outside.

Me: “Dad, how come we are the only kids in the whole neighborhood who do chores?”

Dad: “Why would I pay someone to mow the lawn, clean the pool, weed the yard, or do the trimming when I have 4 José’s who live under my roof?”

Me: “Well how come we are the only people who mop our garage?”

Dad: “Because it looks nice.”

Queue our neighbor, Bernie Zepper.

Bernie: “Hey Howard, I’m going to call that child services on you for working these kids like that.”

Dad: “How can I not work them like this when they do such a good job?”

Bernie: “Good point.  Send them over to my house when you are done.”
Thanks, Dad, thanks.

Convo #2: This little gem took place after Rylee discovered my Dad was rockin’ the cul-de-sac.

Rylee: “Dad why don’t you just grow out your bangs to cover up your bald spot?” 

Dad: “Good idea, Ry.  I will try that.”

Convo #3: Derek and I enjoyed torturing Rylee when she was little because she only weighed like 38 pounds until she was 12.

Derek: “Hey Car, lets tie Rylee up with a jump rope and put her down the laundry chute.”

Me: “Yeah, ok.  Good idea.”

We proceed to capture our prey, tie the rope around her body and begin to lower her down the laundry chute just as Dad came walking down the hall.

Dad: “Hey what are you doing?”

Me: “Ummmm, playing with Rylee.”

Dad: “Where is she?”

Derek: “We are trying to lower her all the way down the laundry chute.

Dad looks at us for a second.  We start to get nervous because we are for sure getting in trouble for this one.

Dad: “Well pull her up, you are doing it wrong.  Let me show you how to do it.”

Dad then proceeds to help us get Rylee stuck in the chute.  Good times, good times.

Convo #4: Following a basketball tournament, my dad let me drive his precious Acura home.  I didn’t have my license yet, so I was still learning how to drive before taking the driving test.

Me (referring to basketball): “I’m not very good at driving down the middle of the lane.”

Dad (referring to who knows what): “I think you are doing just fine.”

Me: “I missed like three.”

Dad: “On your test?”

Me (getting irritated): “No, I missed three different times when I was trying to drive down the middle of the lane.”

Dad (very confused): “How did you miss three?  Did you go over the line?  Like three points on the test?”

Me (mad because he is NOT listening to a word I am saying): “What test? What are you even talking about?”

Dad: “Well what are you talking about?”

Me: “My basketball game!”

Dad: “Ohhhh, sorry I thought you were talking about driving….cars.”

Only you understand the magic of this one, Dad.

                As demonstrated above, the man is way cool.  He always wanted the best for us, worked hard to provide for our family, and made us laugh along the way.  Whether you know him as Coach, Boss, Uncle HoWEIRD, Hitler with a Heart, or ‘The Blanket,’ he has always been one thing to me—my Dad.  My life is going to forever change here in a couple of months and I don't know everything the future has in store, but I do one thing.  I will have my dad on my side, preparing me along the way, and helping me "anticipate the pass."  Love you, Pop.  Happy Birthday and go Cougs!