My parents would "kidnap" us every Christmas Season and take us out do our Christmas shopping and to eat. I LOVED this tradition growing up! My dad had bank accounts open at Freedom Credit union in Provo for each of us boys (the same accounts are still open today). We would go to the credit union and each get out money for us to use to spend money on each other. Then we would go to a store and split up and all buy things for each other. The fun part was that we would need to hide the gifts from each other as we were walking around the store. If we found something that was more expensive than we could afford, then we would go to another brother and try to talk them into going in on the gift with us. The whole process was very fun.
One year we rode around the city (Provo) in a double decker bus (does anyone else remember this?). Many years we would eat at an Italian restaurant owned by a family from Napoli. The restaurant was called La Dolce Vita in Downtown Provo and I loved the food here. The only other restaurant I remember going to one of these outings was a restaurant in downtown provo that was "underground", we had to go down a level of steps to get to it and I think they had some fake, old fashoned looking cars in the restaurant that we could sit in. I thought it was really cool.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Everything is Fuzzy...
Looking back I really don't remember much from my pre-Woodland Hills days. We moved to Woodland Hills when I was in second grade.
I remember a little bit of a preschool, especially the day when the teacher said not to touch the brownies because they were hot right out of the oven, and I touched them anyway and burnt my hand.
I do remember my kindergarten teacher, she seemed like a nice old Grandma to me. I remember my first grade teacher, Mrs. Doll too.
I was in some kind of mentoring program in first grade in which a fifth grader would tutor a first grader. I was taken out of class and we would go to an out-building and we would be tutored in different things (probably mostly reading). I remember that the whole group got together at the beginning of the year and the teacher over this whole mentoring program gave a little speach, and near the end of the speach they said that if our tutor did not do a good job they would be fired. Well, this was tramatic to me because I pictured in my head the tutor being burned at the stake. I must have worried about this for a number of days because I have a very clear memory of this. I doubt I would have turned my tutor in for anything knowing that this might happen to her if she did a bad job.
I remember walking to school from our apartment, and at recess during school Pat and I would chase the girls to kiss them. If I remember right I wouldn't do any of the kissing, but I would catch them and then another friend of ours would do the kissing. I guess he was slower, or just smarter? :) I have memories of my mom being at the school and talking to my teachers but I don't remember what about or why.
I also remember playing t-ball in the field at the elementary school. I don't remember but I'm sure I just stood in the outfield and picked my nose :) I remember going to a fair at the same school field where they were dropping contraptions with eggs inside or something from the top of a big firetruck ladder. I believe the whole family was there - mom, dad, Pat, and Tavish.
I remember a little bit of a preschool, especially the day when the teacher said not to touch the brownies because they were hot right out of the oven, and I touched them anyway and burnt my hand.
I do remember my kindergarten teacher, she seemed like a nice old Grandma to me. I remember my first grade teacher, Mrs. Doll too.
I was in some kind of mentoring program in first grade in which a fifth grader would tutor a first grader. I was taken out of class and we would go to an out-building and we would be tutored in different things (probably mostly reading). I remember that the whole group got together at the beginning of the year and the teacher over this whole mentoring program gave a little speach, and near the end of the speach they said that if our tutor did not do a good job they would be fired. Well, this was tramatic to me because I pictured in my head the tutor being burned at the stake. I must have worried about this for a number of days because I have a very clear memory of this. I doubt I would have turned my tutor in for anything knowing that this might happen to her if she did a bad job.
I remember walking to school from our apartment, and at recess during school Pat and I would chase the girls to kiss them. If I remember right I wouldn't do any of the kissing, but I would catch them and then another friend of ours would do the kissing. I guess he was slower, or just smarter? :) I have memories of my mom being at the school and talking to my teachers but I don't remember what about or why.
I also remember playing t-ball in the field at the elementary school. I don't remember but I'm sure I just stood in the outfield and picked my nose :) I remember going to a fair at the same school field where they were dropping contraptions with eggs inside or something from the top of a big firetruck ladder. I believe the whole family was there - mom, dad, Pat, and Tavish.
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Arguments (2)
To be honest I only remember my parents arguing twice. If they argued more than that, then they must have done a really good job at not arguing in front of us kids (that or my memory is really bad, but I think people tend to remember thse kinds of things so I would lean towards my first explanation). If Chelsy and I can even be half this good at not arguing or having contentious feelings in front of our kids, I will be happy!
The first memory I have of my parents arguing was at the apartment our family lived in before we moved up to Woodland Hills. Pat and I were sitting in one of our cars ready to leave, and mom and dad came out of the house arguing and then dad came and got in the car and was still mubling to himself about the argument. He was really mad. I just remember the fact that he was really mad at mom, and me being the worrier that I am was worried about the whole situation. I still remember the emotion I had while I was sitting there in the car.
The second time I remember my parents arguing was in Woodland Hills. I don't remember the time frame but I remember my mom sitting at the table with the check book open and alot of white envelopes spread across the table (must have been bills). Because of this setting I've always assumed that the argument was over money. My mom and dad just had some words back and forth, just for a matter of minutes, and then dad walked out the kitchen door to the back deck I'm assuming to calm down.
The first memory I have of my parents arguing was at the apartment our family lived in before we moved up to Woodland Hills. Pat and I were sitting in one of our cars ready to leave, and mom and dad came out of the house arguing and then dad came and got in the car and was still mubling to himself about the argument. He was really mad. I just remember the fact that he was really mad at mom, and me being the worrier that I am was worried about the whole situation. I still remember the emotion I had while I was sitting there in the car.
The second time I remember my parents arguing was in Woodland Hills. I don't remember the time frame but I remember my mom sitting at the table with the check book open and alot of white envelopes spread across the table (must have been bills). Because of this setting I've always assumed that the argument was over money. My mom and dad just had some words back and forth, just for a matter of minutes, and then dad walked out the kitchen door to the back deck I'm assuming to calm down.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Under Where?
Once, while living in the white house, I knew I was in trouble and dad was going to come and spank me. I remember running downstairs and putting on as many pairs of underwear as I could find. The spanking must not have hurt because I don't remember that at all, I just remmeber putting on lots of underwear in fear of the upcoming spanking.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Random Early Memories
Nicki and family two houses down. We (Pat and I) played with Nicki and her sister in their house and on their treehouse in back (where I fell off, when I was pretending I was a super hero and sliced my lip open). On that note, I do remember mom and dad reading books to me in the hospital as I was getting my lip sewn up. I enjoyed that one on one time with my parents and the books they read to me.
Once in the basement of Nicki's family we all talked about tasting dog food and some of us tried it. I'm not sure that I did but I thought that was fun.
There was a house on the corner that had pet bunnies. It was fun to go watch them. One of the girls from this house babysat us once in a while.
One holiday we played with sparklers at the house across the street. I recollect that the boys in this house were a little wild and sometimes mean.
We used to play in our backyard on our swingset and we would see how many salt-tene crackers we could put in our mouth, and then we would talk and blow all the crackers out. I got a kick out of that, we thought we were cookie-monster.
Once in the basement of Nicki's family we all talked about tasting dog food and some of us tried it. I'm not sure that I did but I thought that was fun.
There was a house on the corner that had pet bunnies. It was fun to go watch them. One of the girls from this house babysat us once in a while.
One holiday we played with sparklers at the house across the street. I recollect that the boys in this house were a little wild and sometimes mean.
We used to play in our backyard on our swingset and we would see how many salt-tene crackers we could put in our mouth, and then we would talk and blow all the crackers out. I got a kick out of that, we thought we were cookie-monster.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Banana Seat Bikes
I only remember one Christmas in the old white house. Mom and Dad had me and Pat walk out together to the front room and there waiting for us were two bikes! Not just any bikes, I remember the bikes having banana seats on them, you know the kind that more than one person could sit on if they wanted. The bikes must have really made an impression on me. I also remember riding those bikes a lot, but the memory is directly connected with the white house. After moving, I don't have any recollection of riding them.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The White House
I don't remember much during the time we lived here. Here's what I do remember:
I remember dad sitting in his office downstairs. From what I remember the office was pretty small - it seemed to just have enough room for his desk and a bookshelf - and it seemed to be connected to the family room downstairs. When he was gone I would like to go look through his desk and play his harmonica's and play with his letter openers that looked like knifes.
I remember getting up early on Saturdays and watching cartoons down in the family room. We must have had a pull-out couch down there because I remember waking up and watching cartoons with Pat (and sometimes other friends or cousins) on the pull out couch. I also remember the wooden beds that dad made me and Pat. Down in our bedroom at the bottom of the stairs I have a memory of falling over in a wooden chair and getting hurt...
I also remember taking a shower with dad down in the laundry room, where the shower was in the middle of the room.
At the white house, we must have had a garden there too because I do remember working with Dad in the Garden picking corn and beans?
I remember mom taking us to Weinerschnitzel (mcd's must not have had a dollar menu back then :) ) But I loved going out to Weinerschnitzel!
The property in the back of the white house seemed immense to me and I have a slight memory about picking grapes off the vines with mom back there... and I believe she would make grape jam with them in the kitchen at the white house.
Like Pat, I remember the green phone too... and wasn't the kitchen yellow?
I remember dad sitting in his office downstairs. From what I remember the office was pretty small - it seemed to just have enough room for his desk and a bookshelf - and it seemed to be connected to the family room downstairs. When he was gone I would like to go look through his desk and play his harmonica's and play with his letter openers that looked like knifes.
I remember getting up early on Saturdays and watching cartoons down in the family room. We must have had a pull-out couch down there because I remember waking up and watching cartoons with Pat (and sometimes other friends or cousins) on the pull out couch. I also remember the wooden beds that dad made me and Pat. Down in our bedroom at the bottom of the stairs I have a memory of falling over in a wooden chair and getting hurt...
I also remember taking a shower with dad down in the laundry room, where the shower was in the middle of the room.
At the white house, we must have had a garden there too because I do remember working with Dad in the Garden picking corn and beans?
I remember mom taking us to Weinerschnitzel (mcd's must not have had a dollar menu back then :) ) But I loved going out to Weinerschnitzel!
The property in the back of the white house seemed immense to me and I have a slight memory about picking grapes off the vines with mom back there... and I believe she would make grape jam with them in the kitchen at the white house.
Like Pat, I remember the green phone too... and wasn't the kitchen yellow?
The Big Blue Van
I remember enjoying riding in the back of the big blue van. If I remember right mom and dad took all the seats out of the back and put a matress in it for a trip or something but I remember jumping around on a matress in the back of the van...
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