Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Ten Happy Childhood Memories

1) Camping trips. We squished together in tents, went canoeing, had campfires...and then there was the time we went camping when my mother was 8 months pregnant. In Florida. In July. And the air mattress deflated in the middle of the night.

2) The time (the only time) I ran away from home. I gave my parents the full details of my adventurous plans, packed my things into a backpack, and decided that I would run away to the house my parents were building, which was maybe 1 mile away. Only, my timing wasn't very good, and I started my journey at nightfall. I got to the end of our driveway and peered down the dark road. And changed my mind. 

3) The Hog House--At one point, the house we lived in backed up to a farm, and on the farmland was a dilapidated, overgrown shed-like building that used to be for hogs. It had a low ceiling and smallish-sized stalls for the animals. It had long been abandoned. My Dad tore down the overgrowth and made sure it was safe, and it became our new center for imaginary games. My sisters and I spent hours dressed up, playing dramatic, old-fashioned games.When I say dramatic, I mean that my 1st imaginary husband died, my second went to war, and my pregancies were very draining and laborious events. And there was never enough money. But we were heroic and resourceful wives and mothers--full of fortitude. And we were beautiful, of course.

4) Laying in bed at night, listening to my Dad in the other room, praying for my siblings and I.

5) My sister Lindsey and I standing on kid-sized blue plastic chairs so we could reach the sink to wash dishes.


6) The pinata we made for my 11th birthday that had NINE layers of paper mache and required the sharp end of a hammer to break open. My mother got teased for years.

7) Telling the world I belonged to Jesus when I was baptized in a lake at 10 years old.

8) Reading every good book I could get a hold of and deciding that I was like a mix between Meg and Jo March and Anne of Green Gables

9) I have four sisters and ONE little brother. And yes, my sisters and I did dress him up as a girl. And there are pictures to prove it.

10) Making homemade apple pie for the first time (I was around 12 years old), only to discover that the flour I used had been full of little bugs (hey, I thought it was whole wheat or something!). We discovered this after the pie had been eaten.

We had so much fun! I *loved* having a big family.

What's a favorite childhood memory of yours?

~Alicia

P.S. Another list! More top ten lists can be found at Oh Amanda's. This is also shared in the Just For The Joy of It bloghop.
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8 comments:

  1. I enjoyed this. You had quite a childhood. For me, I remember spending the weekends at my grandparents house and my grandmother cooking breakfast. Very, very happy memories.

    p.s. I've given you an award. http://bettycrapper.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-with-substance.html

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  2. We are in FL :) Oh how lovely July weather in FL is! H O T!!! I'm LOL at the homemade pinata, I tried making one for my son's 4th birthday this year and I never finished it, it's only 2 layers and still laying around the house since for some reason, I still think I MAY make it! Your mom definitely had a lot of patience :)

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  3. Your hog house games sound like how I played with my Barbies. Poor Barbie always had lots of children (all girls except one boy) and her husband would always die of some horrible disease that would only effect men.

    My little brother? Also dressed up like a girl, on several occasions, and he only had one sister! Poor little brothers, I think this is their perpetual fate.

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  4. Wow, I think listening to your dad pray for you must've been REALLY special. I know it would've been for me if I could've heard it :)

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  5. Camping is one of my favorite childhood memories, for sure!

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  6. Hehe pictures of your brother dressed like a girl? Sounds like potential blackmail material...:D

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  7. What wonderful childhood memories!! I love sharing my childhood memories, I have really gotten into a new blog by a friend called 'Mommy's Piggy Tales', sounds like you would like it too, its women linking up and recording their childhood and sharing it! (Its on my Blog Roll if you want to check it out!)

    www.crystalizedreflections.blogspot.com

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  8. What sweet memories! Such a great thing to have them logged somewhere so your children can enjoy them in the year to come...ya know in case we forget to tell them these things. Stopping in from Just for the JOY of it.

    Come visit! I have a fun giveaway going right now!

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