Nicknames: Family and Friends

These are the people in my world. If you'd like to know more about them, just enter a nickname into my “search this blog” . Most of them have their own post, others are mentioned multiple times in regular posts. 

I try to respect the privacy of my family...TRY. So if someone doesn't have a post of their own, it doesn't mean I love them any less.

The Engineer: my husband, electrical engineer by day, mad inventor and experimenter by night, and able to DIY just about anything. You know all those jokes about engineers and their personalities? Yup. All true. In spades.

The Transporter: formerly known as Jake, our almost 16 year-old who has his precious permit. I'm a princess-cup-holder now! He drives me everywhere at the drop of a hat, and always wants to stop by our favorite coffee drive-through. Of course, we drive ANCIENT cars, none of which have cup-holders. Yes, they do exist – cars with no cup-holders. Except me. He says I'm an excellent cup holder. He's an excellent driver, and I'm so grateful. I'm driving phobic since the car accident in 2007 which totaled my car. Life is Good. 

Update: Should probably delete the above, but it's such a part of our relationship I just can't.
Now 17, with license, he just got back from a weekend road-trip to Utah to purchase our latest old Volvo (mine now needs a new engine. No, it wasn't my fault.  Old cars wear out. So we got a brand new used car instead.)  Drove over 1000 miles in two days.  Runs all my errands.  Just finished switching the tachometer from one car with the clock from another...great, natural mechanic.

OYT: Stands for Our Youngest Teen, and formerly known as YellowBoy, who now at 13 thinks the YB makes him sound “baby-ish” and so he picked this nickname instead. He's excelling in school, but has inherited his mother's extreme medical worst case scenario situation so it's been tough going lately with concussion, closed head injury, neck injury, and a never-ending sinus infection. Told you this was an update. I plan on doing them more than once a year.

Update: Just can't erase that either.  He was on the robotics team at his school in it's pilot year and his team did extremely well.  He's now a track manager.  Where did the shy kid go????  Now he's Mr. Extra-Curricular activities.  Good thing The Transporter does the transporting...

The Swede: my Dad, 100% Swedish. Author of eleven books, retired language teacher, speaks, at last count, eight of them, and retired Volvo top executive. Columnist in our local paper. I get my “special” sense of humor from him.

The Nutritionist: my mom, American. She was an RN. However, you can't have a conversation with her without the topic of nutrition coming up. I don't feed my kids enough veggies, just FYI. She has a heart for the elderly and spends most of her free time volunteering around the community at assisted living centers and visiting the shut-ins from our church. YellowBoy gets his big heart from her.  The story of how The Swede met and married The Nutritionist is a good one.  Maybe they'll let me tell it.  You know, there's that whole Atlantic in between...

Swissie: my little sis, who FINALLY moved to my state in 2007. We're very close. She's one the most generous people I know, the one who always finds THE perfect present, and can never wait for your birthday or Christmas and just gives it to you. She spent 15 years in the bio-tech industry running a lab, and had enough. Moved here, and now is a licensed daycare professional. She works at a private daycare and the kids cry when their parents pick them up.

Windex: Swissie's husband who works for an airline and thus generously has provided flights for us for over 20 years.  That's where all my flying stand-by stories come from.  So thanks also for the blogging material, too :-)  His love of windex rivals the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, so it's the first nickname which came to mind...sorry dude, but it's funny.  And it's you.  Love you man!

DataBoy: my baby brother who is brilliant and successful and also generous. He likes to upgrade to the latest version of the latest toys out there. We get the cast-offs. That's how I got my first iPhone! Works in software.  He loves golf and his wife, and new baby daughter. I'm nominating him for Father of The Year. Watching him with his baby girl makes me weepy...

YogaGirl: married to my brother, but was my dear friend before that. Nice when you're friend becomes your sister!  Introduced me to yoga which saved me from another foot surgery. I'll be forever grateful. 

BabyViking: their baby daughter. Most adorable child on planet. Not that I'm biased or anything. I got her a knit viking hat, complete with horns and big braids.  

GorgeousGirl: my favorite cousin. Her brother doesn't mind that I say that. He and I grew up a generation apart. She also finally got smart and moved here two years ago. She's a make-up artist, who met the man of her dreams and is deliriously happy. I'm so happy for her.

The Marine: This would be the man of her dreams. Can't say enough good things about him. Honor, integrity, intense work ethic, fun to be around, and isn't afraid to kick some a$$ on my kids in chess, or anything else for that matter. Gotta respect that. He loves motorcycles, takes good care of his aging parents, and we love having him around.

Amazing Aunt Risky: The Nutritionists' baby sister and mother of GorgeousGirl.  Adrenaline junkie, rock-climber, ski-patroller, paramedic, takes my boys on snowboarding trips, owns horses, which she rides almost daily.  Taker in of strays, including whole families.  Generous beyond belief, patient, kind, hysterical and would win the Gold if the Olympics had a story telling competition.  Ageless.

SMK. Stands for“Sister Mary Katherine”. Don't laugh. She's nowhere near a nun, though her mother called her that as a child HOPING it might influence her. Instead she's an in-home daycare provider (bless her heart – I don't know how ya'll who do it, do it...) and lives across the street. Over the 12 years we've been in this house, she and I have gone from neighbors to acquaintances to friends to dear friends. I'm truly blessed to have her in my life. A post all about her is coming up soon. I did write a poem about her...here's the link if you're interested.

Farmor and Farfar: Swedish for Father's mother and Father's father.  They are my paternal grandparents.  We lived a ten minute literally "through the woods to Grandmother's house we go" and often did.  Then we moved to America. They came every year around Christmas time, so we did get to see them throughout our childhood.  Also, Swissie and I had the privilege of spending many summers with them.