I spent my childhood in four different states and most of my adulthood in the fifth. I can honestly say that each state is beautiful for its own special reason, but most of my sweet childhood memories are from deep in the Ozarks or the panhandle of Oklahoma. Still, no matter where I go as I reminisce I am thankful for these sweet memories and the tears, smiles, giggles and head shaking they all generate...
Some of my best memories of childhood revolve around the games my siblings and I invented. We watched The Borrowers and pretended our Barbie dolls were Borrowers. We pretended to live in the 1800's (probably from reading the books and watching Little House on the Prairie or Anne of Green Gables or Polyanna or Heidi). The name of that game was "Old Timey". We also built countless Lego towns, vehicles, farms and spent HOURS playing and playing and playing. This was by far our favorite activity and we still pull out the boxes of Lego's we collected over the years almost every Christmas. I can't tell you how many houses we built out of sticks and stones, using Hot Wheels and creating roads in the dirt or sandbox. I believe that the relationship I still have with my siblings is a result of the time we spent together playing and using our imaginations. Those are hours I'll forever cherish.
Some of my best memories also revolve around the stories my mom read to us, like Little House on a Prairie and the movies we'd watch with them. Perhaps that's why I enjoy books so much as an adult, because cherished childhood memories revolve around stories and the games we played because of them.
One story my family repeats nearly every time we're together is of my sister who was constantly tormented by a mean old goose we named, Papa Duck. He only chased her for some reason, which makes this memory extra funny. One particular morning she was outside on the porch. The moment Papa Duck saw her he took off after her. Instead of going back inside, she took off, ran around the church, through a sticker patch, barefoot across the gravel parking lot and back inside where she was originally standing before the chase began. That memory still makes me giggle. I mention that one, but so many of my childhood memories revolve around the farm I was blessed to live on where my love for animals came alive. I specifically remember loving a little black and white kitten I named Harry the most. I'd spend many hours in the barn with Harry and my siblings...
Some of our best times as a family were on Christmas Eve. After we attended the Christmas Eve service we'd stay up opening presents one by one, eating lots of yummy food, laughing and enjoying each other. Those were sweet times...
Our bikes given to us on one such Christmas offered many, many memories as we rode around town with our friends, biking the same trails over and over and over again, speeding down the same street that housed the dog that would chase us just for a thrill, enjoying the freedom and the wind in our faces. We didn't have to talk... we just had to ride...
So many more of my memories revolve around a bike ride to the forbidden school that was shut down many years before moving to this little town. There was one door always open and we spent many hours exploring all the secrets of this creepy, wonderful building (while trying not to get caught).
My brother and I spent many hours training for our favorite sports. We'd weight lift, do sprints up hills, and play countless games of basketball with our neighbor friends. I was typically the only girl and I'm still thankful for the fact that my brother offered me no favors because I was a girl.
I can still remember the order all six of my family members crammed into the little orange Nissan truck my dad owned: my dad drove, my brother sat in the middle with Mel on his lap, mom sat on the passenger side with me on her lap and my baby sister in mine. On days when we'd trek down the road to go into the woods for firewood we'd cuddle up and eat sweet potato wedges my mom roasted on the fireplace. Those days in the woods were not only full of hard work, but they were also filled with fun. Days in the Ozark wilderness offered so much joy for my family. We'd visit the same waterfall every summer and come home covered in ticks. Swimming in the Ozark lakes and rivers was a favorite summer pastime, one I'd still enjoy. It was on these days I'd roam the shores adding some pretty cool rocks to my rock collection (which I still own). Another outdoor activity I thoroughly enjoyed was exploring caves my dad discovered. Fun times.
I still smile when I think of late night conversations with my sisters in our bunk beds. I was forced to share a room with both of them and at the time I thought it was torture, but I have some pretty special memories of late night giggling only girls can truly understand the value of...
You want to know the best place to hysterically laugh and smile and cry and shake our head over all these sweet memories? The dinner table. It never fails to amaze me that some of my best memories revolve around our time eating together as a family. That's where the most silly, out-of-control, breathless, laughter occurred.
So much of who I am today and what I cherish and even what I write here, revolve around some of these sweet memories. What a fun way to spend a Tuesday. I'm sure Melany would agree.
Some of my best memories of childhood revolve around the games my siblings and I invented. We watched The Borrowers and pretended our Barbie dolls were Borrowers. We pretended to live in the 1800's (probably from reading the books and watching Little House on the Prairie or Anne of Green Gables or Polyanna or Heidi). The name of that game was "Old Timey". We also built countless Lego towns, vehicles, farms and spent HOURS playing and playing and playing. This was by far our favorite activity and we still pull out the boxes of Lego's we collected over the years almost every Christmas. I can't tell you how many houses we built out of sticks and stones, using Hot Wheels and creating roads in the dirt or sandbox. I believe that the relationship I still have with my siblings is a result of the time we spent together playing and using our imaginations. Those are hours I'll forever cherish.
Some of my best memories also revolve around the stories my mom read to us, like Little House on a Prairie and the movies we'd watch with them. Perhaps that's why I enjoy books so much as an adult, because cherished childhood memories revolve around stories and the games we played because of them.
One story my family repeats nearly every time we're together is of my sister who was constantly tormented by a mean old goose we named, Papa Duck. He only chased her for some reason, which makes this memory extra funny. One particular morning she was outside on the porch. The moment Papa Duck saw her he took off after her. Instead of going back inside, she took off, ran around the church, through a sticker patch, barefoot across the gravel parking lot and back inside where she was originally standing before the chase began. That memory still makes me giggle. I mention that one, but so many of my childhood memories revolve around the farm I was blessed to live on where my love for animals came alive. I specifically remember loving a little black and white kitten I named Harry the most. I'd spend many hours in the barn with Harry and my siblings...
Some of our best times as a family were on Christmas Eve. After we attended the Christmas Eve service we'd stay up opening presents one by one, eating lots of yummy food, laughing and enjoying each other. Those were sweet times...
Our bikes given to us on one such Christmas offered many, many memories as we rode around town with our friends, biking the same trails over and over and over again, speeding down the same street that housed the dog that would chase us just for a thrill, enjoying the freedom and the wind in our faces. We didn't have to talk... we just had to ride...
So many more of my memories revolve around a bike ride to the forbidden school that was shut down many years before moving to this little town. There was one door always open and we spent many hours exploring all the secrets of this creepy, wonderful building (while trying not to get caught).
My brother and I spent many hours training for our favorite sports. We'd weight lift, do sprints up hills, and play countless games of basketball with our neighbor friends. I was typically the only girl and I'm still thankful for the fact that my brother offered me no favors because I was a girl.
I can still remember the order all six of my family members crammed into the little orange Nissan truck my dad owned: my dad drove, my brother sat in the middle with Mel on his lap, mom sat on the passenger side with me on her lap and my baby sister in mine. On days when we'd trek down the road to go into the woods for firewood we'd cuddle up and eat sweet potato wedges my mom roasted on the fireplace. Those days in the woods were not only full of hard work, but they were also filled with fun. Days in the Ozark wilderness offered so much joy for my family. We'd visit the same waterfall every summer and come home covered in ticks. Swimming in the Ozark lakes and rivers was a favorite summer pastime, one I'd still enjoy. It was on these days I'd roam the shores adding some pretty cool rocks to my rock collection (which I still own). Another outdoor activity I thoroughly enjoyed was exploring caves my dad discovered. Fun times.
I still smile when I think of late night conversations with my sisters in our bunk beds. I was forced to share a room with both of them and at the time I thought it was torture, but I have some pretty special memories of late night giggling only girls can truly understand the value of...
You want to know the best place to hysterically laugh and smile and cry and shake our head over all these sweet memories? The dinner table. It never fails to amaze me that some of my best memories revolve around our time eating together as a family. That's where the most silly, out-of-control, breathless, laughter occurred.
So much of who I am today and what I cherish and even what I write here, revolve around some of these sweet memories. What a fun way to spend a Tuesday. I'm sure Melany would agree.
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