Flashback Friday: Celebrating 18 years of Hopey.

Last Sunday was my sister's 18th birthday!  I meant to post this then, but I was waiting on a few family members' input.  While I try and get over the shock that I have a sibling that's an adult, here are some great pictures of Hope-through-the-ages, as well as some of our favorite Hopey memories:

Baby Hope!

Dad: As I was trying to come up with a story, I kept thinking about the funny way Hope said certain words when she was little, so I'll give you those instead of a story.
computer - pacuter
raisins - rainies
napkin - nawny
Baby (specifically Spicer) - Bot
Lauren - Wowo
Grammie - The Grammie Girl
Karen - Karnen
Nipples - Buttons.   Ok, there's a story behind this one, but your mom may not want you to share it. [Don't worry, I got her permission to share this one!]  I forgot how old Hope was, but she was pretty young.  Mom was getting dressed one day and Hope came in the room and looked up at her chest and said, "Are those your buttons?"

Classic.

Playing with a starfish at Seaworld.

Hopey and Natasha on their potties at Grammie's house.

Ti: "I lovest thou as a fat person lovest cake, and I misseth thou as the fat person misseth the cake after he hath devoured it." --Hope Carr

At the punkin patch!

She's kind of a nerd...

Mom: What can I say about Hope?
Probably one of the most memorable times was her arriving at Grammie and Grampie's when we moved there, and the first thing she said was, "Grammie, we saw the Big Hole!"  In reference to the Grand Canyon!
She also referred to Spicer as "The Bot" as she couldn't really say baby.  It eventually morphed into Icey.  She loved to hold the bottle for him--and wear his little tuk hats.
Hope has grown into a beautiful young lady--she has always been conscientious--as in I've never had to remind her to do homework and any projects she just started right into.  Which she has continued through this day--always studying!
Hope has always needed her sleep.  As a baby she slept through the night almost from day one.   And as she got older she always let us know she was ready for bed.  Once she came in and said, "If we aren't having prayer right now, I am going to bed."
I love that she has always kept the standards--her dress, her words, and her actions reflect her desire to do what is right.  Sure love that Hopey Dopey, Soapy on a Ropey. 

So sweet!

Hope and Bronwyn, BFFs.

We are bugs.  Animal Kingdom, 2007.

Jack: I will miss Hope's dress when she is gone [to college].  [We're not really sure why or what that means...]

Hope and her hunky Welsh Soccer Coach.

With Spicer, Ti, and a new friend at the alligator farm in the Keys.

Sisterly Love.  St. Augustine, 2008.

Lauren:  Hope is the greatest little sister ever.  She was hardly ever annoying, and even though there's four years in between us, we still managed to spend a lot of time together playing Barbies, having "girls nights," putting make-up on Spicer while he slept, being Harry Potter nerds...sometimes I even let her hang out with me and my cool high school friends. =)
Like Mom mentioned, Hope enjoys (and needs) her beauty sleep.  That being said, she has never really been a morning person.  When she was little, she would sit at the breakfast table, scowling at whoever dared glance at her.  She wouldn't speak a word to anyone, but would communicate with points and grunts what she wanted for breakfast.  If you attempted to converse with her and pull her out of the depths of grumpiness, she would fix you with a glare so terrifying, you wouldn't believe a two-year-old capable of producing it, all the while pointing at you menacingly.  We enjoy to tease her about this now.  Only not in the mornings.  Life just wouldn't be the same--or nearly as much fun without our Hopey.  I love you Seestah!

Family Reunion at Magic Kingdom.  2008

8th Grade Banquet!

Sharing a laugh at my wedding!

Brooke and Hope.  This spells trouble.

Family Reunion at St. George. 2010

Bertie Botts at Wizarding World of Harry Potter, 2011.

The family athlete.

Spicer: My favorite memory of Hope is when she saw a craw fish in the pool in Florida and said, "Hey guys, there's a LOBSTER in the pool!!"  We told her, "Hope...that's a craw fish."  Love Hopey Soapy on a Ropey!

Doing one of her favorite things!

Special thanks to Mom for the old photos (and some of the newer ones), and a big thank you to my family for sharing just a few things we love about our not-so-little-anymore Hopey!