Today I was kind of just pondering on things, and somehow I remembered this random childhood memory.
While still living in Oregon, I remember having a very friendly neighbor who lived across the street from me. She was an older lady who lived with her husband, and if I'm not mistaken they were both retired.
Well I would sometimes get locked out of my house for various reasons, but when I did, she would let me into hers to stay and talk with her. I got to play video games on her old console, my favorite was Monopoly. Although, I don't think I ever won. I also got to play with her St. Bernards and eat cookies that she would bake for me. Occasionally Richie(RJ) would join me. I had so much fun at her place.
Another memory that comes up quite often actually have to do with the two best friends I had when I had moved there, up until I left. Since then we haven't really kept in touch.
Melissa is my brother's age and lived kiddy-corner from my house. Angie lived next to her and she is a year or so younger than I, she moved in when I was about 6 or 7, I think.
The three of us girls spent days on end together. We would make up dances to Brittney Spears songs and Spice Girls, and watch the Spice Girl movie almost every day! We would just sing and dance all day long. Richie and Adam (Angie's older brother) would peek their heads over Missy's wall and spy on us. During the hot summers we would go up the street to Centennial High School and go swimming in their pool. It would cost $2 a person and sometimes I remember Missy would pull it from her dad's coin bottle in the living room. During the Fall we would rake all the leaves and then arrange them to outline the workings of a house and play house for a few hours. Missy was always the mom and I was the whiny baby, with Angie as my big older sister. My favorite part was after we were done playing house we would rake up the leaves again and jump in the huge pile of them. Then we would rake them AGAIN and put them into bags for trash. During the winters we would all take our trash can lids and go to the top of the street and sled down the hill (if there was snow) if there wasn't any snow it was usually raining so we would go out side and just play in the rain for hours on end. Especially when it flooded.
During the breaks from school the girls and I would go down to Lynch Meadows, the Elementary School that Missy and I attended. We would play on the play ground, and climb in and around the apple trees, we would collect some apples to take home (although I don't think they ever made it home. We always ate them, then didn't want to carry them home).
When we weren't going to the park we would be either taking a walk to the A.S.A.P. store for some candy or up the street to visit our Two favorite Huskies! The guy who lived up there was very nice and would always let us play (harass) his two huskies. Sometimes he would invite us in for treats and to talk. (Our parents were not ok with that and didn't let us go back after they found out about us going into his house).
We had a neighbor, a sweet older lady who grew a garden in her front yard. She let Angie and I plant our own strawberry plants there and when they were ripe we were allowed to go in and take them and eat them. YUM!
One year Angie and I or was it Alecia and I took two of my dogs (Honey, and skeeter) to the park with us and had them slide down the slide for us. Poor things didn't stand a chance. They got scared out of their lives. Jordan (our other dog (RIP)) we took a different day.
Alecia (my best friend from Elementary school) and I would take the bus to a bunch of places. We also like to go to the near by Chinese Restaurant, where we would always order Egg drop soup, and Jasmine Tea with extra fortune cookies.
During the summers my dad would pull out the tarp and the hose to make a Slip & Slide on our font lawn that also happened to be a slight hill for Richie, Emily, Angie, and I and whoever else wanted to join us to play on. We have several home videos of this =)
Now-A-Days I love taking a trip down memory lane while I'm home and watch all of our Family Home Videos.
One year when Richie and I were very young we were on the Ramblin Rod Show Which was a Local Oregon TV station. They have a contest during their show and I won the "Best Smile" contest. I was so cute back then.
ANYWAY, if there are any random childhood memories that you remember growing up, write them down and share them. Not only is a good laugh for everyone else, but a great trip down memory lane for you.
I think that both Marilee and Gary enjoyed their food a lot!
Andy was really excited about this Footlong Corn Dog! He bought two because he was so thrilled!
So, you know how at the Zoo and other State Fairs they have Elephant Ears, well here, they call them Tiger Ears. We were worried to buy them in fear of them being the size of a tiger ear....tiny. But no, they were just renamed for the sake of their sponsors. 
Andy found the finger puppets =)
Andy got to try on Hats like Missy and Matt
Comparison to the tiny chicken and the Large chicken?
Or the Afro-Chicken Perhaps
What about the Angry Turkey?
After trying to take his photograph, well, I don't think he liked it much. He grew from sitting down, calm and steady to a full on stance ready to ...well do something. 
He didn't like me much.
This guy, just looked mean. 
