Memory Lane

I recently watched

and what a great movie it is! 

I think Peter Pan really had the right idea.  I love the idea of never growing up...of course for me, it is sadly, too late. 

If I had to sum my childhood up into one memory it would be this...

Each morning I would wake and put on a swimsuit.  I ventured out into the backyard and gathered all the summer fruit.

These all would then be tossed into the pool, me following after them.  I would swim and swim and swim and when I got hungry, I would pluck an apricot or a peach floating next to me in the water, and eat it.  Rinse and repeat.

If I had to sum up my childhood summers with a face it would be this one...

Leah, my niece, was born 10 days after me. 

[Right to left:  Bethany, Shawna, Leah, Mom, Me, Christine, Hannah, Aunt Susan, Jeannie]

I loved when she would come stay with us. 

It meant playing 'Mermaids' in the pool or playing 'Add On' on the trampoline.  I was the Queen Bee on the trampoline. I could do every kind of trick. 

 Side Note:  Apparently trampoline skills do not carry with you when you grow up.  The last time I jumped on a trampoline, I had not learned this concept yet.  I learned it the morning after Jordan and I got engaged.  We were in Provo at my Aunt Susan and Uncle Derry's house and they had a trampoline. I thought I would show off my amazing abilities to my new fiancee.  I did one measly back flip that had a little too much umph in it and I bounced right off the trampoline and landed in a heap on the ground, my head cushioning my fall.  Jordan said from the looks of what happened, he thought about slipping that ring quickly off my finger and making a run for it.  He wasn't sure he was ready to commit to a relationship with a quadriplegic.  Lucky for him, it was just my pride that was hurt.  I haven't and probably will not ever enjoy performing my tricks on a trampoline ever again.  See what I mean about growing up...bad news.

There were other faces that bring a flood of memories back to me.

Tawny, Leah's little sister, was like a little sister to me as well.

[Halloween '89]

I remember going shopping and Leah's mom was buying her and Tawny this pink hat and these white sandals.  I had to have them too.  Even though this is probably the only time I ever wore a hat.  {I am not a hat person.  As you can see, I look awful in hats and still do.  Who looks bad in a hat?  I feel like it's just me.}

Another face I always looked forward to seeing was that of my cousin Lindsay.

[Thanksgiving '89]

I have always loved these pictures from when my family visited Lindsay's family in San Luis Obispo.

It must be our really bad hair cuts.  It is like they are so bad, we are cute.  You know, like when you see a dog that is so ugly, it's cute. Like that.

Another random Side Note:  When I think of that trip, I think of the song 'Nothing Compares to You' by Sinead O'Connor.  I think I must have been looking at a stack of Cd's in their home and I had never seen a woman with a shaved head before so this image

and the song are engraved in my memory.

These are all relatives, but there is one more face that I have always considered a relative.  She has always remained a great friend and always pops up in my life when I least expect it.

Our backyard neighbor growing up, Krissy.

Like I said, a part of the family...

I have too many favorite memories with Krissy.  Let's see...

♦ Her and my sister, Bethany, bribing me to eat dog food.

♦ Running 3 miles with her every night and chatting about boys. 

♦ "Working" at American & Import Floors.

[She is moving to Puerto Rico & I hope to make lots of great memories with her there too. ☺]

Since I can no longer be a child, it is fun to go through all my old pictures and reminisce. 

Or there is always J.M. Barrie's method,

"You know that place between sleeping and awake, that place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where I'll always think of you."