Thinking Back...

It may be a day late but someone asked me about my dad this last week and I started thinking about him. They asked three questions and these were my answers:



1) What are three words that describe your Dad? Whistler, floor-loving (I made that count as one!) and funny.



2) What memory of him do you have of him being kind? I thought for a minute and suddenly remembered when we lived in Oregon there was this kid (I think, I have no idea how old the guy was) who lived across the street. He had some mental handicap but I don't remember what it was. But I remember my dad talking with him and telling us to be nice to him that while he may talk funny he was still a person too. (the neighborhood kids had been laughing about him I think). I just remember my dad was nice to him and that stuck with me.



3) What is your favorite memory of him? This one was hard. But I settled with again, when we were living in Oregon we would take long road trips to visit family in Idaho. He was not so fun to get packed and started on trips with but I remember we would listen to one of 3 tapes (yes, cassette tapes!) The Trio CD, (Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris) Afterglow, (the green one, don't remember the title) or this tape I think we bought at a truck stop with old 70's rock on it. My dad would bust out singing to all of them and in turn, so would we. That is where I learned to sing and to love it. Most of the little kids in the family don't remember that dad but when I think of him, that is how I remember him. In his 30's, chasing us around the yard, singing the same songs over and over and trying to teach us how to be good people.

They also asked the same questions about my mom and siblings, but since it is not mothers day or sibling day, nor do the answers matter, I settled on just posting this.

Hope everyone had a good fathers day.

Time Machine

Flash back to my childhood...I watched 3 Ninja's today. Oh wow...seriously, what were we thinking? It made me laugh though. I enjoy going back to my childhood sometimes so I listened to some Tiffany and New Kids this afternoon and enjoyed an otter pop. I enjoyed my time but I think I will stick to being an adult.

I Am A Kid Again!

My Christmas Spirit for the day is sharing a favorite from my childhood. Disney's Christmas sing-a-long was a family favorite and I stumbled on this bad video of Hip Hop Noel...



And this one of Snow-ho-ho...



And the opening credits and Very Merry Christmas...



And one of my favorite, Oh Christmas Tree/We Wish you a Merry Christmas.



This is how I knew it was christmas, this VHS tape was always in. We knew all the songs and sang them all the time. Watching them I could still remember all the words. What I wouldn't give for a copy of this! This brings back some of the best memories of my childhood. Enjoy them with me. You can find this in its entirety on Youtube and I spent an hour of my night watching it and enjoying every cheesy and memory filled moment of it!

Ginger Ale

I have been craving Ginger Ale. I don't know why, I just have. So I grabbed some while I was out and about it was exactly what I wanted! While enjoying a fulfilled craving I was suddenly reminded of all the random ginger ale experiences in my life. Yeah, I know, that they are many of these things is interesting in and of its self is entertaining.

I remember my dad getting ginger ale for my mom when we lived in Oregon. Just for my mom. The kids didn't get any. I think that was when I decided I like it. I had a Ginger ale fetish in high school during one of the many musicals I did, I want to say it was Annie, but it very well may have been Lil' Abner. I remembered a particular night with Mary and running red lights, on purpose I might add. Not our finest moment, but a moment none the less. And a birthday party of one of my best friends, Jessica with raspberries and ginger ale. So yummy!

For some reason this lightly flavored carbonated beverage has been a constant in my life. I enjoy it. Ginger Ale makes me happy.

Sisters

Yes, this is an older picture of my sisters and I, but I still like it much to the chagrin of our mother.
.
Today was one thing after another reminding me of my sisters. It started with an Nsync song on the radio on the way to work, Nickel Creek and 5ive on the ipod this afternoon as I baked bread for the week.

.
I got a coupon for Easy Cheese in the mail and an obnoxious person running through the aisles at the grocery store today made me think of them, all three of them and wistfully think back on the times before kids and life entered our relationships. Time and distance hinder us from seeing each regularly. Robin and I see each other about once a month since we live an hour or so apart while Jessica and Rachel live in the same town and can see each other more regularly.
.
I miss the days of kicking the boys out to play video games we didn't understand, eating the good food we had hidden from them, watching dad turn purple, peeing on the stairs and making up weird songs. We aren't sure how to be grown up sisters I think.
.
I wish we could figure it out, we are stronger together than we are apart. And these boys are going to start to think they are in control in the family...heaven forbid! haha

Memories...Yeah I Have a Few

So after doing my daily blog check I found my fun friend Karley's blog and I had to share her post. I am not one to tag or be tagged but this one sounded like fun. You should read her comments on it, very funny.

So here is the Tag:

As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a lot or a little, anything you remember.

Next, repost these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. Also when you leave a comment, you are tagging yourself, so repost on your own blog so I know who's blog to go and comment on!

I have so many memories so I will just have to run a few quickly past while I search through pictures and things to find some great ones to post.

...

I remember a Halloween dance where my friend Emily came as Ms. America and by the end of the night she was hiking up her dress wishing she had a little less on.

.

A Grand Canyon Trip Singing Spanish songs to japanese tourists and planning a very successful business BBBB..haha!

.

Writing names on mattresses after one crazy summer

.

The lounge the kitchen, the lounge the kitchen...

.

I remember a night of "capture the courthouse" with Liz where she got freaked out (or wasn't it most nights this happened?) with Amy about the "rapper" van that had shown up. Whenever I see vans like that I laugh and say, "there goes the rapper van!" people look at me funny but I don't care.

.

You're gonna wanna see this...

.

EZ CHEESE!

.

My Molly...oh the joys of choreographing fight scenes between friends!

.

Peace, Peace, Police...Firemen!

.

We'll see you again at the holiday Inn but until then, get low, get low...

.

BUBBLES, PEBBLES and the FALSIFIER

.

Rubber Pimp

.

Who shows up 2 days late to thanksgiving?

.

Family talent shows after thanksgiving

.

"Steve, are you still there Steve?"

.

These are just a few of the most entertaining memories I can remember. So much fun!

Home, for Real

Isn't it funny how some place can begin to feel like home? UT feels like home to me. Especially after the trip to Iowa to see my family. I love the family, but UT is home and I could hardly wait to get back.

The trip home was crazy...I got searched and my bags did too and then my flight was late leaving which gave me 15 minutes to try to make my connection at the other end of the airport. So I ran the whole way and made it just as they were going to close the door. Lady Luck was on my side. The winds were crazy and it made the first flight a bumpy one and I did not feel so great. The second one was ok after we got up into the air.

As we flew over the mountains I began to get the feeling of being home. It was so great to fly over Ogden and see the school and where my house is. I could hardly wait to get there.

I started my internship today and it will be crazy and wonderful! I have my own little office and I love it! It will take a lot of work but it will be awesome. It is what I want to be doing and I love that. And, added bonus, I get to go to the new employee training that is held at the begining of June! You have no idea how thrilling that is to me! It is like your mom telling you as a kid that you can have ice cream for breakfast!

I got an email from one of very best friends today. Jason and I have been friends forever. We have kept in touch over the years and today I got an email from him and I suddenly remembered how much fun we used to have and how great he was for me. I love old friends. I loved hearing about his wife and two girls. They are all so cute! I realized how much he affected my life and how much I have changed since we last saw each other. Old friends are great and I love to hear from them and I love to reconnect.

Remembering my Youth

Ok, so in doing some cleaning and such I ran across a box that some random CD's in it. What a treasure trove! I found my Jordan Knight does the NKOTB remix album. What a wonderful set of CD's that is! I am loving my NKOTB. I even went as far as to put them as my wallpaper on my computer. Ah, the love of young girls everywhere!
I remember turning 11 and when my parents asked what I wanted I said two things: the Hanging Tough TAPE (before the days of CD's!) and the Debbie Gibson Electric Youth tape. I got both of them and was the happiest girl in the world! Over the years I collected ALL of the New Kids CD's. I upgraded. I just downloaded them onto my ipod and I am loving it. I feel like I am 11-12 all over again. It is fun to go back for a minute or two and remember how this music made me feel.

Also, this was my first real "crush". I was in love with Joey McIntyre. It was lots of fun. My friend Michelle and I would buy magazines and tear out their pictures, she took all the Jordan Knight pictures, I took the Joey. We had such a collection!

It has been lots of fun to go back in time for a few minutes. I got to remember the clothes (and yes, overalls were THE thing!) the hair, rat tails for guys (who thought that was a good idea?) and the crazy outfits. I only hope all kids grow up with something similar to look back on. It has been wonderful to feel young and giddy again.
Oh, and for all the New Kids fans, check out the remix album Jordan does if you haven't. You will NOT be disappointed. :)

Class of 1997

So I got this picture today of the graduating class of 1997. Yes, that is the year that I graduated from high school. 10 years ago! It seems so crazy. I am getting all of the 10 year reunion stuff and it is a little odd. It seems like forever ago and not that long ago at all.

I am not too hard to find in the picture. On the right hand side, half way up there is a guy with REALLY red hair. See him? well go three people in from him and there I am. Next to the girl in the red shirt. That was at the time my best friend, Alicia Van Aken. I have no idea where she is anymore. I would like to see her again.

Well, that is all for the make-Nichole-feel-old part of the day.