Friday, February 19, 2010

Happy (almost) Birthday Laura!

Well, Laura is turning the ripe old age of 29 this Sunday and even though the great Diet Coke battle rages on, I couldn't let the day pass without honoring my overly sensitive, poetically inclined, middle sister.

So, without further ado, here are the Top 5 Reasons Laura Roecker rocks:

1. Laura is always up for anything. Seriously. When we were little I used to dress her up as a boy and call her Patrick and she was totally fine with it. And whenever we played Mermaid and Seahorse, she was always the Seahorse in spite of the fact that I outweighed her by a good 15 pounds. So I guess it was only natural that when we had our epic phone conversation about doing something with our lives and I suggested rewriting PRIDE AND PREJUDICE for young adults (so original, I know), Laura was totally on board.

2. Laura is good at everything I suck at. She's really thoughtful and sensitive. She's good at writing descriptions and actual emotions. And she's got wicked poetry skills. I'm too blunt, impulsive and if I wrote a book by myself it would be all plot and one-liners. Oh, and don't even ask about my poetry skills. They're nonexistent. Basically, I'm only half a woman. Laura, you complete me.

3. Laura never gets annoyed with me. I have what some people might call a "strong personality." I'm bossy, crabby, and oftentimes downright bitchy. Shockingly, some people aren't really on board with being bossed around by yours truly. But Laura never complains, she never screens my phone calls and she even lets me get my way. Well, sometimes anyways.

4. Laura never judges me. I can literally tell Laura anything and she just gets it. My three-year-old still sleeps in a crib mostly because it doubles as a kind of sleep cage. When I confessed to Laura she told me she recently read a book that said a crib until three years of age actually supports good discipline. SCORE. Yesterday, I casually mentioned that I'd like to purchase a poster of Zach Efron for my bedroom. Laura agrees that if I didn't live with my husband and two children this kind of thing would be totally normal for a thirty-year-old woman. See? No judgement.

5. Laura is smart. I mean, obviously, she's smart because she's an amazing writer, but she also gives amazing advice. Let's face it, without her insight I'd have a picture of Zach Efron on my ceiling and I'd probably be in the middle of a mental breakdown. Laura just has this way of making things seem OK even when you're bawling your eyes out because you're convinced your children are sociopaths. It's very endearing.

And finally, because I've had many, many requests for some embarrassing Laura pictures I decided to put together a little slideshow for your viewing pleasure. Some of you might remember the humiliation that was my birthday post back in October.

Yeah, payback really is a bitch.


Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: Happy Birthday Laura!

68 comments:

Carolyn V. said...

Love the pictures! Happy B-day Laura!!! 29 is a great age to be!

(Lisa, you are an awesome sister. The only thing my sister did for me on my b-day was....um....nothing. See you are awesome!)

DL Hammons said...

Ohhhhh...somebody is in for it!!!!

Happy Birthday Laura. Really enjoyed the slideshow.

Unknown said...

Happy birthday, Laura!

LOVE the slideshow. And I second what Carolyn said - "The only thing my sister did for me on my b-day was. . . .um. . . .nothing." You ARE awesome!

Alissa Grosso said...

Happy birthday, Laura!

Loved the pictures!

Kim Harrington said...

Great post! Happy Birthday, Laura!

Unknown said...

Ah! You two are great. Happy birthday, Laura! 29 is a great age, but 30's not so bad either. :)

Artemis Grey said...

Love. This.

I'm a little green, I have to tell you. This is because since Fenris is my identical twin, I can only tease her so much before it becomes this strange sort of teasing myself thing...

Happy Birthday Laura! (I beat you to 29 by half a year;)

Frankie Diane Mallis said...

Awww happy Birthday, Laura!!! xoxox

Rachele Alpine said...

Happy birthday...I hope it's a great one!

And uhm...I had a bunch of vests too! My mom's a sewer and she would make me ones out of fabric I picked out at Joanne's...let me tell you, I picked out some scary fabric!

ChristaCarol Jones said...

Aw, so sweet! Happy bday!!!!

lisa and laura said...

I am crying. CRYING. The song, the pics (especially my red mop). And those drunk pictures? Why are they in our family album? Lydia's saying, "again, again Mommy!"

Thanks Lis. This made my morning.

Emily J. Griffin said...

First, I have never seen the Lisa Birthday humiliation, so thanks for that.

Secondly, I think that Swatch Watch sweatshirt was amazing. All you're missing are the complimentary, layered scrunchy socks and LA Gear sneakers.

Thirdly, do you think The Regulator would adopt me? My birthday's March 1st? Is there enough time to sign the paperwork and get a post together?

Kerri Cuev said...

Happy Birthday Laura!!!

I love birthday's and cake and FUN!
Enjoy your day!

Great pictures!

storyqueen said...

Okay, those boys are totally checking Laura out in the "classy lady" photo...


Happy Birthday, Laura!!

(And personally, I don't really have a problem with the vest....)

Christine Danek said...

Happy Birthday Laura! Wish I was 29 again:) Great slideshow and post. Made me laugh!

Loretta Nyhan said...

Happy birthday, Zen Laura!

Love the photos, particularly the one where you're wearing the black "Bjork at the Oscars" dance ensemble.

Enjoy 29!

Elana Johnson said...

I love those pictures! They're absolutely adorable! I think I have a vest like that too, though, so no worries. ;-)

Happy Birthday Laura! You're my favorite middle sister. *hugs*

Lou said...

Really sweet post. It's hard being the oldest sister. I'm tired of doing stuff first. Sorry, I just made this about me.

Valerie Geary said...

Yeah!!! Sisters rock! Happy birthday Laura!!! Adorable photo montage!

Stephanie Thornton said...

Awwww... How sweet!

Although the seahorse thing did make me laugh. And 29 is fun, but I'm not so sure about 30. That one is looming in August for me.

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Heidi Willis said...

Happy Birthday Laura!!

What an awesome tribute!! Sniff, sniff... it almost makes me wish my sister blogs...

until the slideshow.

:) LOVED it!!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Laura! And Lisa? I suggest hanging the Zach Efron poster on the inside of your closet door. That's where my Britney Spears poster is. What? Did I say that? That's not true. It's a Jessica Simpson poster. Huh? Wait, that's not true either. It's Kate Beckinsale. Yes. There we go. That's a bit less embarrassing to admit. Kate it is. Yup.

And, um... happy birthday again, Laura. :)

Tara McClendon said...

The mermaid and the seahorse made me snort. It hurt. Happy forever birthday.

Tere Kirkland said...

What a sweet and thoughtful tribute to your sister, Lisa. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Stina said...

Oh that was sooo sweet. Love the slide show. I got stuck with a brother. No sweetness there. :(

Because I loooove your blog, I gave you two the Sunshine Award. :D

Happy Birthday Laura!

lexcade said...

happy birthday, laura!

if it's any consolation, my sister always made me he-man when we played he-man and she-ra, and i was always link when we played link and zelda...

that slideshow was the cutest thing ever!

Katie Anderson said...

awww this made me wanna cry - until I laughed at the swatch watch sweatshirt!

Happy Birthday Laura!!!!!!!

And great job Lisa Lisa!

Love you guys :-)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

You two have the greatest relationship! I love you guys. Happy birthday, Laura! :-)

casiecook said...

Happy Birthday to my dearest friend. Love you tons!

Rebecca Knight said...

Awwwww! :) I totally have pics of myself with the leotard-underwear thing happening, Laura, so it's all good.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! We all can't wait to read the book, too! :D

Christina Lee said...

I guess this means you aren't fighting anymore--hee hee!! sisters are the BEST!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Anonymous said...

Well said!

Happy Birthday, Laura! :)

Sherrie Petersen said...

Oh man, great slide show!! It's so touching to see the love between the two of you :)

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Mariah Irvin said...

Yay for sisterly love! Great pics, too! Happy Birthday, Laura!

Keri Mikulski said...

Awe.. Happy Birthday, Laura! :)

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Slide show heaven! You guys are the best sisters. Happy Birthday, Laura.

Marsha Sigman said...

I actually teared up...I wonder if my sister is speaking to me again? I may have to call her.

Happy Birthday Laura!

I was 29 for a few years...if you are anything like me you will blackmail your family into putting Happy 29th Birthday on everything for the five years.

Just because you can.

Sarah Wylie said...

Aww, I LOVE this post and those pictures! Happy Birthday, Laura!!!

K. M. Walton said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!!!

There is nothing like a sister to shine the light on your most flattering photographs - I have three younger sisters and we jazz each other all the time!

California Keys said...

Happy Birthday! That was a hysterically funny card!

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday Laura. Loved the slide show.

Donna Gambale said...

Cute and hilarious and oh-so-sisterly. Those pictures were amazing. Happy Birthday (on Sunday), Laura!!!

Lori W. said...

What a sweet post. Happy Birthday to Laura and great slideshow! That purple outfit was hilarious. Love reading about your sister bond. I hope you write many, many books together.

Sarah said...

Happy Birthday Laura! As an impartial bystander, although it was lacking footage from your wedding reception and childhood dance recital, I’d say the drunken belly-tee and red mop shots even the score. This made my morning. Honorable mention goes to the disgruntled look on Lisa’s face in the shot of all sisters pre- recital. That's priceless.

JESSJORDAN said...

Leave it to Laura to look hot even when she's drunk and flashing her belly.

Did I ever tell you you're my hero? Everything I would like to be?

No? Hmm.

kah said...

Happy birthday Laura! And for the record, I loved the vest AND the swatch watch sweatshirt. Very classy.

And very sweet (yet funny) Lisa.

Katie P said...

Happy birthday, Laur! Perhaps that vest can make a cameo in your next vlog. And Lisa, maybe you could dig out that Petite Sophisticate number from Ken!

Kristy said...

Happy birthday Laura! (Awesome blog Lisa!)

Unknown said...

ok. is it sad that the video choked me up? really well done! happy birthday laura!

Little Ms J said...

Thank the good Lord above that you had funny pics to The Wind Beneath My Wings because typically when Bette starts up with her velvet wind pipes I typically imagine Barbara Hershey dying and need a roll of toilet paper. Lovely photo collage.

Laura, you are my favorite middle sister too.

Happy Birthday!

Unknown said...

Happy birthday, Laura! I'm a middle sis, too. I don't think my sisters would bother to put together an awesome slideshow and send it out into the world.

You guys rock!

Kimberly Franklin said...

Awww... I love those pictures. What a sweet (evil) sister you are!

And I don't see anything wrong with a Zach Efron poster above your bed. I have my autographed Edward picture on my bedside table. That's not weird, right? ; )

XiXi said...

Happy birthday, Laura!

You two are the coolest sisters ever. I've probably said this before, but you make me wish I had a sister. (Instead, I only have a lame brother. Life is unfair.)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!! :) You're so fabulous, it hurts to look at you.

LOL, sorry, I had to throw that in for all of the little My So-Called Life references you two make! :)

erica m. chapman said...

Happy Birthday Laura! Hey I'm going to be 29 too - well, not really *sigh*, add a few years... Awesome job Lisa - great pics ;o)

You guys are totally entertaining - and what nice things you say about each other - you're a great team!

Amy Lukavics said...

Aw..hells to the yeah!! Happy Birthday Laura. You're made of awesome.

Ryan S. Kinsgrove said...

I'm such a sap, I almost cried during the photobox thingy. lol.

Anyway, sisters are awesome!

Happy Birthday Laura!

Shelby said...

happy bd!! :) slideshow is super swell.

Hardygirl said...

Awwww. SOB!!!!!

I have three little girls, and I just . . .sob . . .uh . . .sob and yeah . . .sob . . .

sf

Unknown said...

Happy birthday! Loved the slideshow! <3 Enjoy your day!

lisa and laura said...

Thanks for all the birthday wishes everybody! You guys are freaking awesome.

Jackee said...

Happy birthday, Laura!

A whole lot of love floating all around here. (And pay backs.)

Krispy said...

Perfect song for the slide show. Happy Birthday Laura!

Unknown said...

I'm glad that all the pictures I took of you guys over the years are coming in handy. Let the record state that I had nothing to do with the Laura wilderness shots!

Kathy McIntosh said...

Happy Birthday, Laura.
Love the slideshow.
Cherish those moments.

Courtney Barr - The Southern Princess said...

i love this!! so sweet... happy birthday! I just turned 29... its fun!

Kimberley Griffiths Little said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURA!!! Hope it was terrific! And you got lots of presents . . . :-)

Suzette Saxton said...

Happy b-day!!! Gosh, you are so young! Hope it was a good one. :)

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