Oklahoma Centenarian Is Celebrating Her 25th Birthday on Leap Day: 'It's Going to Be Pretty Big'

Centenarian Mary Lea Forsythe may be turning 100, but she's downright giddy about finally getting to celebrate her 25th birthday!

“Actually, I’ll be 24 and 7/8ths. There’s a man at church who loves to say that,” Forsythe says in an interview with PEOPLE about her Leap Day birthday. “There’s no 29th in three out of four years and I have a good time with that.”

Truth be told, Forsythe has had a good time almost every day since she first popped into the world on Feb. 29, 1924 in Sand Springs, Oklahoma — and she's more than happy to talk about the good old days. From her farrier father being recruited by none other than town founder Charles Page to come from Missouri to the new state of Oklahoma, to the pre-television world and living through the Depression, World War II and other seismic events.

“We had the only telephone in the neighborhood, so we’d holler ‘Miz Brown, you’re wanted on the phone, come across the garden to the house,’“ Forsythe says. “It was a different time, I’ll tell you.”

Related: Texas Parents Who Have the Same Birthday as Their Daughter Turn 90: 'It's Really Been Fun'

Or there's her love at first sight meeting with her late husband William, who died in 2011 after 68 years of marriage.

The pair, who met in the 9th grade, both enjoyed music (she learned to play the mandolin in her 50s) and traveled extensively after he served in World War II.

One year, she remembers going with him to a restaurant that offered a free birthday meal. She told the waitress it was both of their birthdays — and the server wasn't buying it. “She said ‘Both?’ And I said, 'Yes. His is March the sixth and mine's the 29th, and there are no 29th on the calendar this, so I’m taking his this year,” she says with a laugh.

The centenarian explains that she’s always marked her non-leap year birthdays on random dates — “I had two brothers and three sisters, and if anybody wanted to celebrate my birthday, that’s the day I celebrated,” she quips — but when it comes to leap years, she sticks with her actual birthday.

Despite her fondness for reminiscing, Forsythe isn't stuck in the past. She's a big fan of technology and loves taking selfies, texting friends and family and having Siri make her life easier.

“She’s the queen of selfies, much better than I am,” says granddaughter Kerry Nau, who lives in California with her two sons. "And she texts me all the time."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Nau’s the one who volunteered to be the family’s point person for Forsythe’s grand birthday party on Feb. 29.

“I had no idea what I was getting into,” she tells PEOPLE. “I asked her how many invitations she needed and she said about 30. I printed 40 — and she said she needed more because she was inviting everyone.”

Forsythe says she’s invited her family — which includes her son, daughter, five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren — as well as people from church, and various clubs she has been involved in over the years.

“It’s going to be pretty big,” she says.

Nau adds, “If I had thought this out, I would have arrived more than a day in advance to get it all worked out. We keep changing to bigger areas.”

Related: Ohio Couple Born on Same Day Welcome Twins on Their Birthday: 'It’s a Blessing,' Says Dad

Nau says her grandmother has always done things her way. When she came out to visit their family in California one year, Forsythe decided she wanted to test out her grandson’s skateboard. At the time, she was about 70 — and she fell and broke her wrist.

“She has this cast on and we see her cutting it. She said she was modifying it so it would be more comfortable,” Nau says with a laugh.

Back in the days when women wore dresses, Forsythe proudly tells the story of being the first one to wear a pantsuit to church.

“Nobody in those days wore pants, so I sat in the back of the church because I thought they were going to kick me out,” she says. “But nobody kicked me out and the next week everybody started wearing pants to church.”

Ahead of turning 100, she was recognized by the Centenarians of Oklahoma and she's also been a Parliamentarian for the local Daughters of American Revolution, that is, until she decided to resign last week.

“I think I’ve done my time,” she says.

Frankly, she’s got too many things going on right now, including working on distributing “You Are Fantastic,’’ the booklet she wrote at the end of last year “about your spirit and your soul.” Originally, she printed enough for her family, but then it gained some local traction.

“I got a copyright and ordered 100 and I’ve sold about half,” she says.

Related: Man, 92, Who Began Living a 'Healthy Lifestyle' in His 70s Breaks Grand Canyon World Record

Forsythe lives alone in her two-story home on a hill, although her daughter lives just down the road and checks in on her every day. She also takes regular walks when the weather permits, has a treadmill and stays active.

"I don't smoke and I don't drink, and I just enjoy living. And I don't try to hold grudges,” Forsythe says. “I try to get rid of anything that's a problem with me and my heart. I forgive and I don't cheat or lie.”

She says her parents lived into their 80s, all three of her sisters died at 86 and two brothers passed away in their 70s.

“My mother’s sister Mary lived to be 107,” Forsythe says. “So I told ‘em, I’m going to out-do her.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.