Blast From the Past

When we were at my dad's side of the family's Christmas celebration, one of my uncles had a huge tin of pictures. They were mostly of my grandfather, but there were quite a few of us kids when we were little. I stumbled upon some that I had never even seen before!

This first one was obviously at Christmas. I think I am 2 in this picture - I'm on the left, my cousin, Monica, is on the right. I swear, it's like looking at Carter in a dress!

This picture was taken in my parents' backyard before they added on to their house. The picture says I'm almost 3. Again, I'm with my cousin, Monica. I'm on the right. And dang I miss that wagon!!

I'm not sure if this is for a birthday celebration or Christmas, but I would say I'm probably 4.

And back to the glory days. I can't believe someone was able to time a picture with an old camera (ahem, NOT a digital camera) and actually get the ball I was picthing in the picture. And I was clearly messing around because my form is just awful!

I would love to be in that kind of shape again!! It's one of my goals this year, though, so watch out!

Blast from the Past

Ahh.....back to the days of high school. We had our usual suspects....the gang....the people we would meet at every break and lunch. Below is one picture from one of the homecomings. People really didn't have set dates....everyone kind of went as a group and danced with everyone. It was always the best of times. We had parties together - which I do have pictures of. I can't find them. They might be at my parents' house, I'm not sure. I'm the third from the left in the back......the super cool one who nobody warned about wearing a white bra under a black dress. This was probably freshman year? I was young and dumb. And probably had one bra, lol!

I'm fairly certain this was my junior year. This was in a math class and I didn't take math my senior year, so it had to be junior year. I'm on the left.

This was certainly senior year judging by the engagement ring on my finger - which I cut out because I refuse to acknowledge certain things. Denial is sometimes a great place. Anyway....senior year was great for me. Even though I gave up a few things......like softball (sniffle), I looked forward to many things, such as graduating, college, and moving out.

Blast From the Past

So I don't have any pictures to go with this post at the moment. I am at work. The best pictures are at my parents' house. So we will just have to go without.

My family camps. It's one constant thing I can remember from my childhood. Numerous times each summer.....whether it was at a forest service cabin or in a trailer. Didn't matter. We were out in the wilderness. And having the times of our lives. The four of us kids were inseperable. I'm serious. The best of friends that were ever had. Me and the three boys. One of which really is my brother; the other two were cousins, but I do consider them brothers.

Our days camping were spent floating rivers, riding our bikes, playing wiffle ball, taking hikes to discover the land around us, lounging in the hot springs (pooping in the hot springs............oh yes, that's another story! And I'm innocent in this one, swear!), and many other truly countless adventures along the way.

Our nights consisted of excellent dinners and sitting around the campfire. Sometimes, various friends (of ours or our parents) would join us. Sometimes they stayed. Sometimes they snuck out, apparently scared off by .... well, I'm not sure what. Our campfire singing? But it was funny nonetheless. We grew up on "old" country music - I'm talkin' Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Jr., and of course, David Allan Coe. Outlaw country men, so they have been named.

One memorable camping trip, we decided to take along one of my best friends, Shoshauna. She didn't have the best family life and was really going through a hard time, so, I asked my parents if it would be ok if she came along and got out of the drama, so to speak. This was sort of a bigger vacation (we were going to Lagoon, and then camping afterwards), so I wasn't sure what my parents, or her parents for that matter, were going to say. But the decision was handed down and Shoshauna was allowed to go. We were STOKED. We had an amazing time in Lagoon. And after our adventures there were over, we continued on our journey to the mountains of Utah, where we camped. Shoshauna had never been camping with us, so this was a new experience for her. She knew everyone on the trip though, because like I said, she was one of my best friends. We played softball together and she often stayed at our house to get away from her own family. So for her to hang with me and the boys was quite normal. And this vacation was no different.

Well, one evening, we were all performing our usual evening ritual: sitting on the tailgates of the trucks, or in lawn chairs, take your pick, singing along to the music, I'm sure roasting marshmallows, and telling stories. Well, the infamous David Allan Coe song "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" came on. This is my family's "song". It was a tradition when it came on to sing at the top of your lungs.................except for one part. The song had "damn" in it. And we children were just too young to say that word. We would plead with our parents to just let us sing it, justifying it by saying it was part of the song and we were just singing along. It never worked. Anyway - I got off-point. So there we all were, singing along to this song. Except for Shoshauna. She had never heard the song. So she was just watching, in almost disbelief, as to what was transpiring around her.....by these loons, who had her camping, out in the middle of nowhere, in another state no less! I'm sure she was absolutely mortified! Well, there is a little interlude in the song where DAC tells a little story. And after his interlude, he breaks back into song. So we all sit, quietly listening to this interlude. I'm sure Shoshauna thinks the madness had ended. Well the song comes back in and we all belt out the lyrics. THE.LOOK.ON.HER.FACE. Priceless. Absolutely priceless. Almost a mixture of fear, shock, and amusement. I think she may have wet her pants!

Well, fast forward to my wedding this year. I'll go ahead and estimate that this is 13 (?) years later. 12? 13? Again, if I could see the pictures, I could give you a better estimate. But I'll stick with 12 or 13 years. I had secretly conspired with my DJ to have that same David Allan Coe song played as the second to last song at the reception. And I had him introduce the song by clearing the dance floor and having the original 8 of us out there to sing it once again. And we did. We belted that song like old times. And we kids said "damn" this time too. I'm sure that was like 15 years of built up frustration coming out, lol!!

And do you know who was at my wedding? My good friend, Shoshauna. And as the 8 of us were standing there in our circle, singing our song, we pulled Shoshauna over with us and she sang along. And she knew the words this time. And I can't even begin to describe how it felt to stand there, on MY night, with 9 people that have been there since childhood, and belt out a song that has brought so many memories to each of us.

And that, my friends, is a night I will never forget.

Blast From the Past

I decided to do a post about my brother, Dana, and me. Long, long ago. I was a single child. And I loved it. Almost 4 years later, my brother came into the world and life changed for me. No longer were the days revolving around me (ha ha). I will be the first to admit, I tormented my little brother. I was the typical older sibling - constantly picking on him from pretty much the time he was brought home from the hospital after birth. I enjoyed hiding him in places around the house from my mother - like the shower. And then pleading innocence when the man-hunt ensued.

We greatly disliked each other until later in life. Many fist fights were had. But we did have good times too. We even lived together for quite some time during college. Now, we have a great friendship and I really do look at my brother as more than a brother. He's one of my best friends.

This picture is obviously at a very young age. I couldn't find ages on the actual photograph, but I would peg Dana at 9 months.....so that would make me a little over 4 years.

Dana is 2 in this picture and I am 5.

I have no clue where this picture was taken......I want to say South Dakota. Dana looks 3 maybe, so that would make me 6.

I believe this is in Nebraska - we have family in Nebraska. I don't know how old we are. This might be the same vacation as the picture above, judging by the same bangs I am sporting.
This is from Disneyland (if you couldn't tell) 1993. Hold on while I do some math......I would have been 12 and Dana would have been like 8 or 9. This picture is from a set that Dana and I had taken for my parents for Christmas one year. I would have been 21 and Dana would have been 17.

This was taken when we lived together. I was 23 and Dana was 19. Uh, the beer cans were mine. Even though I don't drink beer. ;-)

This was taken at my 26th birthday party last year - the first time I got out and consumed alcohol after Carter was born. It was a great night.
This was taken at the rehearsal dinner for my wedding.
I don't think the last two pictures need any captions.

I really wanted to find the picture of my brother wearing my swim suit as a child, but that would require going to my parents' house and going through boxes of pictures. Which I don't mind doing. But I really wanted to get this post up.

Stay tuned for the next blast from the past!

Blast from the Past....Part 3

Once again, we revisit the past, and the days of the four musketeers. Here are some pictures.

This one was taken at Deadwood. My cousin, Brian, was lethal on that little Hot Wheel machine! He would come zooming down the road at 487 miles per hour, and never wipe out! He had that thing down to an art.

(Brian, me, Dana, Matt)

(Dana, Brian, Matt, me)

Blast From the Past....Part 2

Here are some pictures from long ago.......

8th Grade (around the time Eric and I dated for the first time)

Guessing by the candles, I would say I am 7?
Christmas 1982?
Fat baby!!
This is my brother....I think Carter looks just like him as a baby.

Blast From the Past

Here is a picture of the fearsome foursome. My cousins Matt, Brian, my brother, Dana, and me. I feel like I had three brothers growing up, not just one. Mostly because there really aren't that many family vacations where we weren't all together. Sure, there were some. But 9 times out of 10, it was just the eight of us (my parents, my aunt and uncle, and us kids..........and the dogs). Every single vacation comprises the best memories of my life.