Re-post: Go Nicki, It's Your Birthday

It's my sister Nicole's birthday today, and I want to remind everyone as to why she is the best big sister in the world. I posted this top 10 list exactly one year ago, and the only thing that's changed is that Nicole is even more wonderful and we are even closer, despite the thousand miles between us. And I didn't think any of you would mind seeing the picture of her in a box once more.

In honor of my sister's birthday on February 23rd, I have created a list of the top 10 reasons why Nicole is one of the two best sisters in the world. Keep in mind that there are thousands of reasons, but these are some of my favorites. Here goes...

1.) When she was a kid, she went over to our neighbor's house to see if her friend could come out to play. When the Mom told her that she wouldn't be able to play that day, Nicole sulked away, found a dead bird on the sidewalk, returned to the house, knocked on the door, threw the dead bird into the house, and ran away.

2.) She is the best hostess in the world. Whether I visited her at college, in San Diego, or in DC, she always planned out the entire trip so that we would have a memorable time. It's amazing what we packed into one of my 4-day trips to San Diego... Laguna Beach, Disneyland, Tijuana, Encinitas, Mission Viejo, and the list goes on...

3.) See picture below.

4.) She stuffed a box of raisins up her nose when she was itty bitty, forcing Mom to pull off the interstate and perform emergency raisin-removal.

5.) It was her and Tony's move to San Diego that inspired me to be gutsy enough to move to Austin.

6.) She participated in sister/cousin plays when she might have been a few years too old for it. Well let's be honest, we were all probably a little too old for it. She directed and produced several unforgettable performances, including "Do You Have Any Shoes?", "Detective Ray", and "The Coolest Thanksgiving Play Ever". Oh wait, can't forget the performance voted least popular by the family, Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People". Bad idea. But hey, we were living in an MTV world.

7.) She is 29 (now 30 - woohoo!) and still gets extremely hyper = hilarious.

8.) She jump-started my adventure in Austin with me by driving me all the way from D.C. to Texas. She made the trip much more exciting (see #3 and #7).

9.) On top of her having the most fun and beautiful wedding EVER, she also had a risotto bar at the reception.

10.) She is up for anything. Whether it be moving across the country, planning a Cinco de Mayo themed party in September, riding every single ride at an amusement park, attending multiple Britney concerts, "pulling an international" by trying out an Ethiopian restaurant (never again), making several trips to Tijuana for reunions with Froy and Pancho, or jumping/singing/dancing/crying to Bette Midler's "Going to the Chapel" with me and Dee the morning of her wedding, she is in it to win it.

And that is why I love her!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE!!!!!!!!