A walk down Memory Lane

Monday, December 7, 2009

I decided to go for a little drive this morning, and it took me down memory lane. For those of you that don't know, we moved my Mom and little sister from the house we all grew up in and know as "home", to a wonderful little condo out in Daybreak. This home has created some funny, sad, crazy, interesting, happy, and spiritual memories. As I was driving up the street, not only was I remembering memories from our home, I was remembering memories that were created in almost every single house on that street. Some of these memories were:

1) I remember playing night games almost every single night with my good friends right in front of my home. My favorite was kick the can!

2) I remember the house on the corner that once belonged to the Vandooker's. They had a little candy store in their pantry. As often as we could, we would go knock on their door and buy as much candy as we could.

3) I remember the Wilsteads. Heidi was my good friend growing up. We would find some CRAZY things to do. A silly memory I have is we would sneak into her Dad's office and take turns sitting on their copy machine, and copying a picture of our bum! Gross, I know. Don't worry, you couldn't see anything else!

4) I remember going to the Smith's home for young woman's. Linda was my favorite!

5) I remember babysitting Emily Eysser. Her brother had a tarantula and a snake in his room and I was always too scared to go downstairs. (That's where his room was.)

6) I remember after moving into our home, my Mom taking me across the street to meet my best friend, Michael. We were inseparable. We did way too many stupid things together. But that's what you do when your a kid, right? I remember they had a gigantic sandbox in their back yard, so we were always making HUGE sand houses and mazes and we would create paths to fill up with water. His sister's and Jaclyn would always come out and help us. 5 minds were better working together than 2.

7) I remember the Brown's next door. Ralf and Kris were doctors, and they worked a lot. I was "The Babysitter" a couple days a week. I would be at their house when the kids got home from school, and would sleep there since Kris wouldn't get home until way late. (I was still in school and needed my beauty sleep!)

8) I remember the Prokop's. Kelly and Summer were good friends with the girls. I was the annoying little sister that would ALWAYS go knocking on their door looking for my sisters. I followed them everywhere!

9) I remember the Wilson's. Rachel, Heidi, and I were the three musketeers. We were always at Rachel's house because her house was the funnest. I remember there always being boxes and boxes of Charleston Chews in their storage room, and we would always sneak in there and eat it. While we were down there, we were always building the coolest forts. They were the GIRLS ONLY forts. I don't really remember what we would do once it was built and we were inside though. Then every fall, we would rake up the leaves outside, and with the leaves we would build a house and use the leaves as the walls. We all had our own bedrooms. We would make a bathroom and make a little circle for the toilet! Our house was a Mansion! I think one year we had it take up her whole front yard, the side of her house, and even part of the backyard!

10) I remember the Messick's. Stephanie was another great friend. Whenever I think of their house, I think of piano's because they had about 4 piano's in their house. All the kids were AMAZING pianists. You would get goosebumps listening to them they were that good. Their Mom was a piano teacher. I remember Stephanie offering to give me piano lessons, but I declined when she told me I had to clip my fingernails. I wasn't ready to give up my long nails!

We moved into this home when I was 3 or 4 years old. If I went on about all the memories I've had in this house, we would be here forever. The memories I will cherish forever are the ones I have of my Dad. He is such a wonderful man. I remember when he was sick, and always in bed, I would always try and find an excuse to go in there and help him with something. Whether it was propping his pillow, getting his medicine for him, bringing him popcorn or a drink. We would just hang out on their "water bed". (Which I thought was the coolest thing! I couldn't ever figure out why they couldn't put live fish in there. How awesome would that be?!)

One last memory I want to share that's kind of silly is the famous blue couch downstairs. Ryan and I had our very first kiss on it. Later I found out that's where Summer and Jason, Parker and Lindsi, and Kelly and Bryce had their first kiss too! Unfortunately we got rid if that ugly couch before Jaclyn was allowed to kiss boys. Sorry J!

My Mom was able to start moving into her new home the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She didn't have to be out if this home until Saturday so Friday night we had a HuGe SlUmBeR pArTy in the front living room. We all blew up air mattress's and had one last hurrah in our home. It was actually pretty fun. We shared some stories about the house. Saturday morning my Mom wanted to share a letter to all of us that she had found while packing up. It was a letter that Summer had written her right after my Dad had passed away. The main point of the letter was that as difficult as times may get, we will always be a family and there for one another. Dad is looking over us. We can be strong. So as my Mom opens a new Chapter in her life, we will be there for her. She will be able to create wonderful new memories in her new place, and so will we.

The kids were having fun playing with the left over wrap we had for moving. Anika wrapped up Taylor and Colter together. The best part was when they fell down together, and couldn't get back up!

The bottom right picture is Parker reading the letter. My Mom and I tried reading it, and couldn't, so Parker took over for us.

Our sleep over!

The big moving day. My Mom had SO MUCH stuff.

This is where it all began for us siblings.
I will never forget this home, and all the wonderful memories!

If you want to see more pics of the house and Mom's new place click here

(Hope you don't mind Kelly!)