Sorry for being MIA again, work has been crazy and I have slept about -2 hours for the past 2 weeks. Anywho, so while we’re reminiscing on Anna’s good ole days, I figured I would throw in my 2 cents. We all know that I am the little sister, (by age not so much by size), and let me tell you life around the house during Anna’s teenage years created some verrrry interesting memories. Granted, I was just getting out of elementary school and beginning middle school when Anna hit the golden years of high school, so my memories are a bit blurry, but there are some doozies. Without further ado, I present to you……..

KAREN’S TOP 3 FAVORITE MEMORIES OF WHY BEING THE LITTLE SISTER WAS FOR THE BEST (OR THE WORST!)

I kind of miss him

1. New Year’s Eve, circa 1999, I was 12 years old. Anna’s friends were all over at the Clark household for a New Year’s Eve party. I’m almost certain they were watching Carson Daly’s New Year’s Eve bash, and I would bet my life that the Backstreet Boys were performing at this said bash. I was wearing jeans and my most coveted BSB shirt, of course, I idolized my sister and her friends so I had to be cool too! The clock struck midnight and the champagne started a flowing, responsibly mind you, my parents were there ya know. But I grabbed mine and began to down it quite steadily while no one was looking, I mean I had to keep up with the cool girls. Thinking that I was the total sh*t, I didn’t notice until way later that the room was getting significantly warmer and my face was about as red as a lobster. I thought I was breaking out in hives, and the room was spinning. I had to excuse myself to go sit outside because I got over heated. While all the other cool girls were inside downing their champagne, I was outside in the garage having a mini heart attack thinking that I was having an allergic reaction to alcohol. I spent the next 4 years believing that I was going to have a miserable college experience because alcohol makes me break out in hives. Little did I know, I was really just experience my first buzz and I was an extreme lightweight. Oh, so young, so naive.

A: OMG, you make it sound like Mom and Dad got us loaded on champagne that night at 17 and 12 years old! For the record, everyone just had one glass. I think it was like 2 bottles split between 8 girls. You do the math. And yes, you are a lightweight. And still are

Backstreet Boys: Getting girls in trouble since 1997

2. March 1999, I was 13 years old. The new Backstreet Boys album just dropped, (yea I said dropped), and Anna was DIEING to get it before it sold out. So she and her friends thought it would be genius to sign themselves out of Spanish class with forged excuse notes from their parents and head to the mall before the end of school so they could be sure to get the coveted “Millennium” album by the BSB. It seemed like a golden plan at the time and Anna was almost home free…until she got home. Enter the mother. See, I was home from school sick that day, I was really faking it because I more than likely had a test that day that I hadn’t studied for, (hey, Anna was the studious sister, I never laid claim to that title). Anyway, I remember how excited mom was about getting the new BSB album for Anna. She knew how much Anna wanted the album and how worried she was that it was going to sell out, so she threw me in the car and we drove to the mall to get the CD for Anna. I wanted the CD too, but she only bought one. Just one. I was “sick” too for Christ’s sake, but no CD for Karen! Anyway, we drove back to Anna’s school and mom was so excited about calling Anna out of her Spanish class to surprise her with the CD in the school’s front office. Well, low and behold when mom got to school, heehee, nooooo Anna. She was one pissed mama. I couldn’t wait to get home. I think mom had figured out that I was totally faking my sickness by that point and was angry at me, but my punishment would have to wait because my perfect older sister skipped school, yes I thought about offering to take that CD off my mom’s hands since Anna would probably be grounded, but I figured that I wouldn’t press my luck, and that it would be pretty low. Seriously though, Anna was quite perfect in high school, it’s just the one time she tried to skip school, it backfired in her face. That tends to happen to us Clark girls. Womp.

A: Dammit I remember that too! We passed her in the car on the way to the mall and I ducked. What are the odds of this happening??? The ONE time I skip class I get caught. Cursed as a goody-goody for life man.

PS: I knew you were faking!!

“So, that’s one for you…..and 5 for me!”

3. October 5, 2002, I was 16 years old. And I was visiting my big sister at college for the first time. And we were having a sleep over! I planned for this trip for like 2 weeks. I had all my clothes picked out well in advance, I was determined to be the cool little sister. I really wasn’t fooling anyone, I was a really big nerd and still going through those awkward middle school transitional years…..and I was still in high school. Let’s face it, I was an ugly duckling. Anyway, so the day arrived that mom and dad were going to drop me off at Anna’s dorm in the minivan. Strike one. Oh the minivan. Fast forward, we have dinner at some chinese restaurant that night I think, and then head over to one of Anna’s friend’s apartments to “hang out.” And by hang out, I mean me and Anna playing Kings for 3 hours with her friends and “splitting” a 6 pack of smirnoff ice. Somehow though, I ended up drinking like 5 of them, I mean that stuff is like lemonade mind you, and then having to go to the bathroom really bad. And it was at that very moment, as I stumbled down the hallway to the sketchy communal bathroom that I had a revelation…….”I’M NOT ALLERGIC TO ALCOHOL!” Praise the Lord, my college years are not ruined! The rest of the night is quite the blur. There was a long walk to Sigma Nu, several drunken frat boys yelling at me, “YOU’RE NOT 16!” Um, yes I am, shall I show you my provisional can’t drive after 9pm without adult supervision driver’s license? I tried to dance on the bar at Sigma Nu, but Anna dragged me down before I made a fool out of myself. I’m pretty sure squirt guns made an appearance at some point. I think we went to PIKA’s party house and danced on the top of some bench? And then I woke up on my sister’s couch bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning with no hang over at all. Such a little trooper! Anna felt like crap though, haha.

The list could go on, and I may continue it tomorrow, but these were some of the golden points from my life as Anna’s little sister

Do any of y’all have similar sibling stories to share?

A: Yes you lush! I bought you a 6 pack thinking, “Ohh she’s never had a drink in her life, she’ll drink like 2 of these.” Not. I had to go hunt down more. But it was a good preparation for college. And yes by the end of the night there was dancing on some piece of furniture and you passing out on my friend’s couch.