Sharing Memories (Week 38): 9 Years Old and Learning

This photo was taken when I was about nine years old.  I hated this picture of me.  I remember whining about my freckles and my hair bangs, how thin and short they had been cut.  Poor Mom, she did her best to curl my hair and fix it, but still I whined. 

At that time, I had become friends with a girl whom lived just a few streets down from me. I learned that her mother was a Girl Scout Leader, so I joined the group. I was officially "bridged" from the Brownies to the Junior Girl Scouts, a group consisting of girls ages nine through eleven. Mrs. Lana was our leader and she was wonderful. She was very involved with the troop and planned several great outings for us. I particularly enjoyed these two years with the troop because we explored so many different areas of interests and learned so much. We went to summer camps, backpacking, created leather goods and other fun activities. Mrs. Lana was very laid back and kind of zany, so she was a load of fun. It was a memorable experience for me. 

Although I still had a lot to learn, by the age of 9 years I had learned a few lessons:
1. I can not have everything that I want, when I want it.
2. Some things are worth waiting for.
3. When Mom says "NO", she usually means it.
4. It pays to know when to avoid crossing the line with Mom and Dad.
5. Sometimes it's easier to get Mom's approval when she's distracted, such as talking on the telephone or watching one of her favorite tv shows.
6. Sometimes those you think you can trust will deceive you.
7. The prettiest girls attract the most attention in social settings.
8. There are greater expectations from the oldest child of the family.
9. The youngest children in the family are usually spoiled the most.
10. Younger siblings can be a royal pain in the butt.
11. Cute boys can be total jerks sometimes.
12. Trying to be a daredevil can have tough consequences.

Sharing Memories: (Week 17) My Siblings and I, Spring 1964

Me

Frank Jr

Sandy

I believe these photos were taken during Spring, 1964.  It could have been 1965, but my sister Sandy, shown in the last photo, appears to be about a year old and considering that she was born in 1963, that would mean the photos were taken in 1964.  Notice we all have beautiful blue eyes, a trait inherited from our mother's side of the family.  Blue eyes were dominant in her family.  Too bad I didn't inherit a head full of gorgeous hair from either side of the family.  My hair has always been thin and difficult to manage.  As a teen I was envious of all the girls that had long, beautiful hair.  As an adult, I learned to adapt to it and I've worn it at shoulder length or shorter most of my life.  Our youngest sibling, who wasn't yet born when these photos were taken, was the only one of us blessed with a head full of hair, and he keeps it shaved off most of the time! Just another irony of life :)

Sharing Memories 2012 (Week 13): Childhood Photos

I have a few photos of me when I was very young.  I scanned them and did the best I could with the images.  They remain somewhat blurred but they are old, just like me, heehee!

I was about a year old in this Easter photo.  This photo was taken behind a rental house on what is now Lafayette Street in Columbia.  Several of the old wood framed houses still remain.  

I was probably between one to two years of age when this photo was taken, though I'm not sure where it was taken at.  That was a cute dress though ;)

I had this photo and the one below developed from slides.  It was my 2nd birthday and Mom had dressed me in a beautiful pink dress.  

I really wanted one of those pretty roses made from icing!

My 3rd (or maybe 4th) birthday.  I believe this photo was taken at my Grandma Stogner's house.  I'm not sure who purchased the tricycle for me or why I was pouting.  There's no telling because I was spoiled rotten then!