By Kylie Blanchard

Each year the Cashman sisters come together for an event they proudly call CashWoman Weekend. It is a time for Nancy Cashman, Katie Cashman , Missy Cashman, Genny Giese, Amanda Cashman, their sister-in-law, Dina Cashman, and their mom, Carol Cashman, to reconnect and celebrate their sisterhood.

“We really celebrate being sisters,” says Amanda. “We love to make a big deal out of CashWoman Weekend, because it is something we really value.”

The event started in 2007 in Portland and has since changed cities, activities and t-shirts designs, but the purpose remains the same. “The weekend focuses on getting us all together,” says Nancy. “But sometimes we have to be creative and piggyback it on to a holiday or big event.”

The CashWoman weekend was held in Minneapolis in 2008, where the group ran a 5k, and again in 2009, where the sisters shopped for Genny’s wedding dress. In 2010, the weekend took place in Bismarck in conjunction with Genny’s bachelorette party.

“With all of the pulls on our time, we decided we just needed to make the time to get together,” says Katie. The sisters now live throughout the Midwest and are frequently in contact, but it’s the time together they treasure.

“Phone, text, and emails are good, but there is something so electric about when we all get together,” says Nancy. “My sisters are some of the funniest people I know and when we get together there is this explosive energy.”

They are quick to note Dina, their sister-in-law, has also found her niche as a CashWoman as well. “She adds such a unique dynamic,” say Missy. “She just rolls with us and she is so genuine.”

Dina admits learning her husband, Casey, the only Cashman brother, had sisters was intimidating. “The first time I met him he said, ‘I have five sisters.’ That was scary because I knew I would have to pass the test with all of them. But the girls are lovely women. All of us are different, but we still adore each other.”

CashWoman Weekend was inspired by the sisters’ mom and aunts, says Katie. “Part of the motivation for this event was emulating my mom and her sisters. They have always made a deliberate effort to say, ‘This is going to be time for us.’”

Carol says she has always stressed the importance of sisters to her daughters. “I explained to my girls you absolutely have to have sisters in your life. When you have sisters you have someone very special that understands you better than almost anyone.”

Growing Up
“My parents really instilled in us that family connection,” says Missy of Dan and Carol Cashman’s focus on fostering a strong family bond.

Despite the Bismarck family’s busy schedule, everyone was expected to eat dinner and go to church together. “I think that is why we have such a tight relationship, because we always had that check-in time,” says Nancy. “Plus, all the funniest things that happened growing up were around the dinner table.”

Growing up, the siblings didn’t fall into the stereotypical sister relationships, notes Katie. “People assume if you have all these sisters you go shopping and do a lot of girly stuff, but our closeness was really based on being a family unit. You were always identified as someone’s sister.”

And each sister had unique experiences growing up. “I think all of us had a very different experience because of where we were in the sibling order and who was in the house at the time,” says Katie, the second oldest sister. “I think Missy and I definitely saw everyone the most.”

“I was definitely in the thick of it,” adds Missy, the middle sister. “I could run around with the older kids but still play the ‘little kid’ card.”

Nancy, the oldest sister, says she felt a strong need to be a good example for her siblings. “At first, it was hard because I was the oldest sister and they all wanted to use my stuff. But I was really protective of them.”

Amanda, the youngest, says her sisters were her role models growing up. “I watched literally everything they did. When people tell me they don’t have any sisters, I wonder how they learned things.”

Carol says all of the siblings helped to raise each other. “I knew I couldn’t be there for every kid, every hour of the day, so they had to step in and help take care of each other.”

The siblings also worked together at the family’s business, Cashman Nursery, which helped to strengthen their close bond. “Being at the nursery, we all learned how to work together,” says Genny, the fourth sister.

“Everybody had to pull their weight and there were no free rides,” says Carol. “That really pulls people together.”

Genny says one of the greatest advantages of having four sisters was always having friends around. “The best part was having your built in best friends,” she notes. “And I loved that we all had the same friends. I think we shared more friends than anything.”

Carol says a house with five girls was dramatic at times, but the sisters learned from each other. “At various times, the drama made a soap opera look tame,” she notes. “But they were always watching each other, learning from each other, imitating, arguing, playing and supporting each other.”

The sisters also looked to each other for encouragement. “After someone tested the water and it was great, someone else tried it,” says Katie. As a result the sisters were confident in taking on new challenges and adventures; including studying or traveling abroad, which each of the sisters did during college. “We all pushed each other,” adds Genny. “I think sisters do that for each other.”

Amanda says her sisters played a large role in many of the decisions she made. “I mimicked a lot of the decisions my sisters made because of the good that came out of them,” says Amanda.

However, the older sisters have a different perspective. “We always say Amanda is the coolest because she got to learn the most from our mistakes,” says Missy.

Casey, the only brother, also had a unique experience growing up with five younger sisters. “When I was younger, my dad just kept telling me, ‘Be a gentleman even if it hurts.’ They would gang up on me, but I couldn’t cause any tears.”

He says he had hoped for a brother, but that changed with time. “By the time Amanda was born, I just knew she was going to be a girl,” he says. “But now, instead of having one brother then, I’d rather have five sisters. It was a great experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.” (And Casey finally got a brother in the summer of 2010 when Genny married her husband, Mark Giese.)

Growing Close
As the sisters have grown older, their relationships have changed and grown closer. “When I was growing up my number one priority was my friends,” says Nancy. “Now when I go home I can’t wait to see my family. I missed out on a lot because I was the oldest sister, but now we have all grown tighter.”

Genny says they have also enjoyed discovering the common ground they now share. “We are starting to see the similarities between us that maybe weren’t so evident when we were younger.”

“Our ability to be very upfront with each other really makes our relationship special,” Katie says of the sisters’ close bond. “Our opinions matter to each other and I know I’m not going to do something, or I am going to do something, based on what my sisters will think. It’s really a positive peer pressure situation because my sisters won’t let me do less than my best.”

The sisters also know they always have a support system. “I can get all these different opinions from all these smart, down-to-earth people,” says Nancy. “I know they are all on my side.”

“Today, my sisters are pretty much the only people I call for advice,” adds Missy. “They each have a different niche.”

And Amanda still knows she has her siblings to look out for her. “I have a ton of advice coming to me anytime I need it,” she says. “Whether I want it or not.”

This type of honesty is something the sisters know is a benefit to their relationship.
“I think this keeps them in line and true to themselves,” says Carol. “They are finding out how important it is to have people in their life that share a history together.”

And with sisters, they are also learning, there are always a few guarantees, says Nancy. “You always have bridesmaids and they are your friends for life.”

The Cashman Sisters Garden
Celebrating their differences is as much a part of the Cashman sisterhood as celebrating their similarities. To highlight each of the Cashman sister’s unique personalities and traits, Carol compares each of her daughters to a flower:

Nancy – The American Beauty Rose
“She is tall and lovely, but has a few thorns and is very protective. Like most roses, she is a little high maintenance but well worth it. She is outstanding in every way.”

Katie – The Petunia
“A favorite, but sometimes taken for granted. Petunias keep thriving and working, and are a flower you can always depend on to be a bright and beautiful spot in your garden.”

Missy – The Sunflower
“Always making a big and bold statement, and adding warmth, sparkle and excitement to the garden. No one can ‘miss’ her, she is unforgettable.”

Genny – The Pansy
“She has a quiet charm. Pansies look sweet and delicate but they are strong and resilient and always seem to have a smiling face.”

Amanda – The Daisy
“A happy, carefree flower that welcomes everyone. They seem to bend in the wind but they are just going out of their way to say ‘Hi!’ Daisies mix well with all kinds of flowers and they are a constant favorite.”