Flashback Friday: Puddles

I'm sorry that Flashback Friday went on a little hiatus. I have been keeping myself busy (aka catching up on Arrested Development and painting). But I am back! This weekend there will be two Flashback post! Two!! Anyways...

 If you ever talk to me about movies and wonder why I probably haven't seen all the classics... well, it's because I spent most of my time outside, barefoot, and probably wet. Back when my bed time was 8 pm and it was still daylight I would stand with my hands and face pressed against the window longing to be outside. It was sad. I could have literally lived outside if my parents had let me. It's funny how things change. Now, you couldn't force me to be outside for very long in this Texas heat. I do still love the out doors, but not for the same reasons. I also spent most of my childhood in and out of puddles. I could not stay away from them! Too often I would get in trouble for getting wet in a dirty little puddle. There was this one summer when a hurricane dumped a ton of rain on us and my friends and I went to the park during a break in the storm. The park was flooded and basically turned into a water park! It was literally the best day of my life and I will never forget how awesome it was that people decided to canoe down the streets, float around their front yard on floaties, and run around splashing their friends and family. I even caught a frog and took it home to my mom who was less than thrilled. 

On another note. This is one of the extremely few pictures I found from my childhood where  I am not wearing a Balloon Fiesta shirt.

Carli

Flashback Friday

When I found this picture I pretty much wanted to cry. Is this not the most adorable thing you have ever seen? A cat wearing a little hat! And me with no front teeth! This cat is my most favoritest (I am aware that's not a word...) cat ever!!! I found little Smokey stuck on a fence whilst riding my scooter to the park. I helped him down from the fence and petted him a while. He then followed me to the park and then back home and never left. We were buddies. Every morning I would have to run to school so that he couldn't follow me. I was seriously living the "Mary had a little lamb" story except with a cat.

At this point in my life I was obsessed with Pokemon. I know... you wouldn't expect a cute little girl wearing a snow flake shirt holding a cat with a hat on to be a Pokemon fanatic... sadly it's true. So one day I was leaving for the mall to buy more Pokemon cards and Smokey wanted to play. I told him that I was busy and would play later. Well I didn't play with Smokey that day. The next morning as I was leaving for school I found Smokey dead in the road. I didn't go to school that day because I was heart broken. I never played Pokemon again. The moral of the story is that Pokemon is bad...

I miss my little buddy.
Carli

Flashback

Lately I have been wanting to look at pictures from my childhood, and since I am home for the summer I thought this would be the best time. A couple weeks ago I pulled out a huge box of photos. My dads a photographer so you can only imagine the amount of photos he took of his kids. I originally planned to start a series called "Flashback Friday" but for the past two Fridays I have forgotten to post this so I decided that for today it wont be on Friday (that goes to show you how often this post will be on time since I couldn't even do it for the first of the series... my apologies). 

I love this picture. I am such a daddy's girl. There I am wearing a Balloon Fiesta shirt and playing, without a doubt, train sounds on the harmonica while my dad played train songs. Our little "Jam Sessions" are some of my fondest memories from my childhood. My dad passed down to me a lot of the hobbies that I have today, such as my love of music. 

I want to point out a couple things... First, I am incredibly cute. Second, look at that old school boom box. Third, my dad sold that old guitar a couple years ago and got a new one. Now that I am looking at a picture of it I really miss it. It was the first guitar I ever played. Fourth, look how completely legit my dad is with his harmonica holder.

A little reminiscing.
Carli

Growing Up.

Isn’t it funny how we spend our whole lives wishing we were older. Old enough to live away from home. Not have our parents dictate everything we want to do. To have freedom. To be on our own…. Then once we get there we wish we could reverse time? Or stop it all together. 

Today I turned 20. I have been awaiting this day for quite some time. Now that it is here I have suddenly shifted from the “I want to be a grown up!” mode to the “I don’t want to get any older.” This all happened this morning as I was getting ready for work. I took a long look in the mirror and thought “In ten years I will be thirty.” That scared me to death. I am not ready to be anywhere close to thirty. But then I think about ten years ago when I was only ten. It took quite a long time for me to age ten years. Possibly the slowest years of my life. 

Time… I just have a simple request. Move a little slower. Please.

I’ve been thinking about the past 20 years of my life. Who I thought I would be and where I am now. According to my 8 year old self, I was going to be either an astronaut or a veterinarian by now. Apparently I had no idea what kind of schooling both of those would require. 

Here are some memories of mine…

Every morning when I was 4 or 5 I would run into the living room and stand on my tiptoes before my parents and say “Am I taller?” 

I loved to rollerblade around my house while talking on the phone. 

When riding int the hot air balloon with my Dad I would look out the little foot holes because I wasn’t tall enough to see over the edge of the basket or I was too afraid to stand. 

Growing up in a neighborhood of boys, I would often run around with out a shirt on. 

I came home from school every day to watch power rangers. Then would go to the park and reenact the episode with my friends. My favorite power ranger was the green one.

I had a habit of climbing onto peoples roofs. Especially my next door neighbor Mr. Peas house.

I would play Dungeons and Dragons in the back yard every weekend with the neighborhood kids.

In the summer we filled up huge barrels of water and sat in them. One day they put the lid on top and I almost drowned.

I had a purple Mongoose bike with pegs on the front and the back. Needless to say that I was pretty much awesome.

I secretly like Barbies.

The only time I was truly grounded was when I rode my bike to Long John Silvers with a kid named Anthony.

I saved my red headed friend Kent from bullies on a daily basis. One day they tied him to the ground with fishing wire and kicked him. I kicked the bully in his manly parts.

I climbed on the roof of King High School with the help of a janitor to retrieve my dads model rocket. 

Courtney and I went camping at Lake Mathis and explored the animal trails. We then realized we were covered in ticks. GROSS!

I spent a lot of time having picnics on the beach with Kait, Courtney, and Andy. Drinking chocolate milk and jamming.

The first song I learned on the guitar was a Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day. 

I loved sliding in soapy kitchen floors with Kristy and Courtney.

I never went to prom. Nor do I regret it.

I now have a Canadian roommate that can do a jig.

I have the best parents.

Time flies when your having fun. Never forget your past. It builds your future.

Carli

Samoas.

I have a bone to pick with the Girl Scouts of America personages. 

Why change the name of a cookie that has built up such a fan base? A cookie that has made the people of Americas mouth water? The cookie that makes a person drive all over town to find it? A cookie that has a history in this great nation. 

When someone says Samoas, the first thing you think of is those cute little dimply faces of the girls who so kindly deliver to you such a divine treat that you find yourself buying boxes and boxes of such cookie, and freezing them so that you can enjoy them year round. 

Caramel Delights?!?!? What!? Why!?!?

When someone says Caramel Delights you don’t think of Girl Scouts. You think of those bland little caramel squares, or some other caramel treat that will never measure up to the deliciousness of a Samoa.

Why make such a big deal about this you may ask?

Answer: Samoas are a part of my life. A part of my childhood. We have a history, and I am sure many others feel the same. 

Ok so America has been doing a lot of “changing” lately, and we sure do need it. But there is no need to change something that doesn’t need changing. Like my Samoas.

That is all,

Carli