Welcome to the Circus!

To help you somewhat understand my family, I will give you a short list of fun facts for the Montgomery's:
1. My dad answers the telephone (even when answering important telephone calls): "Reptile house, king snake speaking"
2. My dad brings home various strange items on a daily basis to add to the decor of our home. Some of these items include (but are not limited to) A giant (10ft) whale from a miniature golf course, a mechanical horse (like the kind you would ride outside Walmart), a tiki hut, an entire collection of Pee-Wee dolls (freaky I might add), oh yea, and there's a pool table in my kitchen!
3. My brother and I "decorate" our 75 year old neighbors yard with funny things like lawn flamingo's, 100+ ceramic ear sculptures, African paintings from a garage sale, etc. (Just for the record... My neighbor, Roy, actually finds this hilarious and retaliates by "decorating" our yard... It's an ongoing battle)
4. My mom picks up on my "lingo," if you will, and will let certain words and phrases slip out that seem out of ordinary for someone in their 40's. (This is actually quite funnier than you may think..)
5. I recently bought a duck while away at college.
(Yes, a real duck.) When I brought him home to my suburban neighborhood for the summer my friends thought this was odd. My family, however, didn't find this shocking, and welcomed Waffles into the family. We take him to my brothers lacrosse games, and on walks around the neighborhood. No leash required (impressive or what?)
6. The first time my dad met my boyfriend, he said (awkwardly) "Hi, I'm Jay. I just escaped from prison"
My boyfriend was confused. My dad has an odd sense of humor... but I get it.
7. My family has an obsession with a particular ice cream store's mascot named Mr. Whippy. We have our pictures taken with him (in costume) on regular occasions. This is serious business. No joking matter.

My family has never been very serious. We truly are like a circus. There are honestly many nights that I opt to stay home with my family, because I know I'll always have a good laugh. I attribute most of the craziness in the household to my dad. My dad has a very random sense of humor, and I have no doubt in my mind that he is source of my humor, my craziness, and my outlandish personality.

But every family has their struggles.
Even though my family is generally all about pranks, jokes, smiles, and laughter... we have had our share of rough times.
Up until I moved to South Carolina for college, my father and I butted heads a lot. Though it wasn't just me that had problems with my dad... it was also my mother and my little brother. The fighting got so bad by the time I was in fifth grade that my mom tried to get us into family counseling... which didn't get us too far, besides showing us the underlying reason behind my dad's anger, which was that he was what our therapist called a "dry drunk," or rather, a recovering alcoholic that is able to remain without alcohol, but still has some of the side effects that they would if they were under the influence (i.e. being an angry drunk). Anyway, long story short... my dad has a lot of issues, many stemming from his past alcoholism. Maybe he masks his problems and insecurities with his sarcasm and his jokes? Newsflash... maybe I do as well? never really considered that...

My mom and I have a great relationship. I call her "Mombo." She is my best friend, and we only seem to get closer as I get older. She has a very good attitude about life, and I admire her for that. She has taught me that life is all about being happy, and not to dwell on the little things. She has taught me that I don't need a man in my life to be happy, and that I can get by just fine on my own. It is because of her that I don't let stupid little things get to me. It is because of her that I believe that I can be independent.

So basically... my family is a circus!
And I love it!

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