Jan & Dan

**Warning, this particular entry may not be understood by non-family members. I apologize and you may consider yourselves lucky (ha!!).

Yesterday on our way home, my friend Shannon (**shout out!**) and I were having another meaningless and only-funny-to-us conversations. It started off about how much traffic sucks for her and how much my ride on the rails sucks for me. Since she is stuck in her car without the option to sleep, read, or play on a DS (all options I have available to me during my daily commute) I suggested to her books on tape. She laughs even though she knows I'm serious. And I was... completely and totally serious... and that is when it occurred to me......................................................

Ever since I was little they (being my family) always called me "Lil' Judy" (Judy being my aunt, my mom's older, wiser, and gorgeous sister who can bake the pants off anyone!). I never really understood why I was deemed little Judy. Was it because I looked like her (fair and blond)? Was it because I sounded like her? Was it because I acted like her? Perhaps all of these things attributed to the "Lil' Judy" status. But as soon as I made the suggestion to Shannon about the books on tape, I knew I was in fact "Lil' Judy".

Our love of books is not unusual. I think it's the fact that we would suggest books on tape to others (in fact, she had recommended I listen to books on tape during my commute just a few short weeks ago) and think it was a totally normal, not-nerdy thing to suggest. However, despite my great efforts to help a friend in need during a crap commute, I'm being laughed at. At that very moment an idea sprung into my head.....

I wondered if Aa could be Uncle Donald to my Aunt Judy... I thought Halloween... I thought family costume party... I thought "WE'D BE THE HIT OF THE COSTUME PARTY!". I'd just bought my very first pair of Crocs (albeit flippy-floppies... not the clogs, but thus thrusting my "Lil' Judy" status further into real life) so I already had that part of the costume down! Aa has the height... it would totally work and it would be HILARIOUS!!! Even when I brought the idea to Aa, he laughed and said it was a good one (surprising because he always kind of just nods and smiles to appease me). Anyone up for having a family Halloween party???

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And because Aunt Judy and Uncle Donald have such a great sense of humor they would find them being someones Halloween costume hilarious. But despite poking fun in the most loving way, I'm proud to be coming into my own as "Lil' Judy"... so go get your books on tape and settle in for the long haul. And if you need help picking out a good one, I've got a ton of suggestions... and if I can't think of one, I'll go to my wise book-loving Aunt Judy!