Beach Blanket

Nope, not the kind of blanket you lay on while at the beach. Beach Blanket Babylon. Like the performance in San Francisco.(I'm the goon in the middle.)

I've been once. Years ago. But I'm going back. Sometime. Soon I hope!

Ever seen a 5 foot wide 3 feet tall hat? Of the New York skyline? Well, maybe you should look into going with me.

You game?

Candy Feens

Chris, Bugs Bunny Pez, and me... We're just chillin'. We're like... wuz up?

What! Am I wearing anything...?! Oh, maybe I see a swim suit on. But I look kinda naked don't I?

Oh well...

That One Season

Remember I told you I used to run cross country in high school. For one season. Well, here's proof.
Not quite the stereotypical look of a runner, am I? No. That's why it only lasted one season. We just weren't meant to be...

What was I thinking...?

Oktober 1985

Is the sun in my eyes? Am I pissed off? What's going on with me here?I mean, come on. Look at that face. Squinty eyes and a puckered mouth. That's never a good look.
Inscription on back of picture - For Courtney: Do you remember the German "Schultute"?

Time to go visit google.com for that. BRB....
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Hummm....

"When children in Germany set off for their first day in school upon entering first grade, their parents and/or grandparents present them with a big cardboard cone, prettily decorated and filled with toys, chocolate, candies, school supplies, and various other goodies. It is given to children to make this anxiously awaited first day of school a little bit sweeter..."

German: die Schultüte

English: cone for first day of school

So, I'm guessing it was my first day of school. And that megaphone cone thing is my "schultute."

I'm a genius! Obviously I passed Kindergarten.

But doesn't my hair just look so cute? Nice little side pony with a curl. I was adorable!

Watch Out Cowboys...

You better keep your eye out, there's a new cowgirl in town!

April/May 1982

She may not be riding a real horse, only a pony, but boy does she mean business. I mean, come on, look at those pink shorts and the pig tails... Boy howdy!

Sugary Air

Cotton Candy.

Apparently I used to like it. I really don't anymore.

And that's a lot coming from a sugaraholic.

Electrical Parade

When I was 5 my parents made a deal with me, "Quit sucking your thumb and we'll take you to Disneyland." Sounded pretty good to me, so I did just that. Little did I know, they were probably going to take me regardless.

You see, the Cal Poly Band Alumni were having a reunion of sorts at Disneyland. How cool is that? And this is back when the Electrical Parade was still going on.

So, Grammy babysat Chris, the only sibling at the time, while Mom, Dad, and I trekked down to Anaheim.

What I remember about Disneyland from my first trip

• A mess of Cal Poly Band people, I think somewhere near New Orleans Quarters.
• Someone smoking brushed their cigarette against my arm while walking out of the castle.
• The Electrical Parade and the electrical music that went along with it.
• It's a Small World (the next 3 times I went it was closed for repairs).

That's about all I remember. I have a horrible memory.

I do remember that I had fun. Just like every other time I've gone.

Thanks Mom and Dad for giving me the experience of enjoying Disneyland at an age that I could enjoy it and remember it.

And thank you for making me quit sucking my thumb to go. Who knows what my teeth would look like now if I hadn't quit.

(Check out my super short dress... And see, I can get a real tan. You know I wasn't fakin' bakin' back then.)

Another Round

It's Thursday night. Tomorrow is Friday. And I'm ready for another round of being out and about!

(The dining room set behind me is the same that is currently in my house. Yea for hammy-downs!)

Walnut Creek

During my childhood, up until mid high school, my paternal grandparents lived in Walnut Creek. That is where my dad grew up most of his life. And a handful of times out of the year, we'd drive over and visit.
This is Chris (the chubby baby he was) and I with Nana. This would be the same Nana that passed away just this past fall.

The Golden Ticket

Easter, 1986

I don't remember very many of my childhood holidays, but this one I remember quite vividly. Every year I would hunt easter eggs at the Turlock Country Club, where my Bompy was a member. And every year the Club would hide a golden egg. The one that found it got a special prize.

Well, my grandpa over a year or two caught on. The "golden egg hider" wouldn't put it out until all the kids were already scrambling to find eggs. Bompy didn't think this was very fair. So he followed the guy, and then he stood right above where it was hidden. When I got close enough to see him, he flagged me over, stepped away, and viola! I "found" the golden egg.

And then I got the prize!
Again, notice the bangs! Geez!

Mountain Climbing

Not sure exactly where this was taken. I want to say Yosemite. But it could be somewhere near Huntington Lake. Who knows.

Notice the bangs. Again with the cowlick.

To Market

Chilling by the hog barns. That's what we're doing here. I'm probably standing on someone's showbox. My Grammy wasn't a tall lady, but at 3 I know I wasn't the same height as her.
I'm guessing that this was either during the livestock auction or the Sunday morning of the May Day Fair. You see, we picked up a large number of livestock that would spend the last of their days at Arnold Meat Company.

I always enjoyed going with my dad super early in the morning to pick up the animals. Something about it fun. Maybe it was the spending time with dad even though we were working. Maybe it was the fact that he'd give me money and I'd go get cinnamon rolls. I don't know.

I do know this though. County fairs will always hold a special place in my heart. From grandparents serving on the board of directors, to participating in 4-H and showing swine, to actually holding a job and learning the ins and outs of what makes a fair run.

When going to a fair, I look at it all with different eyes than the regular fair goers.

Puppy Love

I was a dog lover from day one. Can you tell?

December 1981
Now if only I can find the picture where I was hold the puppy upside down...

Sittin' Pretty

(March 1981, 9 months)

Don't I look like a happy baby? Well, I probably was. Or maybe I feared that I'd hit my head on the brick wall. See how I'm holding it? This picture was taken at our old house in Winton, the only other permenate residence I've had.

Many a good times were spent in that front yard...

Photo Booth Fun

In honor of fair time, I thought I'd upload a fun (mostly likely) fair picture. That extra head in the frames, that's my Aunt Cricket. She's my dad's sister, and she lives in Hawaii. The same Hawaii that I will be visiting in October.

Wonder what was going on in that booth? It must have gone a little like this...
Those booths, they were always fun. I used to take pictures in them all the time while I was showing. What else do you do with your free time when you're not sweeping the pig barn...?

Hummm.... Wonder what happened to all those pictures...

You know, I haven't done one of those photo booth things in a long time... Maybe that's something I need to do again soon.

Once a Princess, Always a Princess

Who's a pretty, pretty princess? Yep, I am! My mom actually made this dress. You see, at 6 years old, I was a junior bride in a wedding. My "wedding dress" then became my Halloween costume. My mom was no dumby, she knew that I'd grow out of that dress fairly quickly. But my grandma had a fit that my mom was letting me wear it as a costume.

1986

You see though, although I may not be extremely high maintenance (yes, I am just a little bit I admit it) , I still am a princess. And I should be treated like on.

But mostly, I'd like a knight in shining armor come rescue me.

That's all this princess is wishing for.

Knees Together

Here I am. Many of you may think the spot where I'm sitting looks familiar. Because it is really.
You see, this picture was taken at my grandparent's house. Which is now my parent's house. I'm sitting on the steps that lead to the patio.

What's changed? Well, the carpet for one. Look how dated and 1970's that stuff is. And you'll notice that the dining room behind me is also carpeted, in shag carpet. Yea Baby!

I'm thinking that maybe this was around Christmas time. The dress leads me to believe that. But I really don't know. I'm going to leave the answer to that up to my anonymous commenter, aka my mom.

Mom, enlighten me, do you remember what the details of this picture are?

Burrr...Cold...

Mom and me.

Dad and I.

October 1980, 5 months

This was my first trip to the snow. Who knows what I thought of it...

I'm thinking that Mom was the first one with the picture taken. I look happy. Then they made me touch the snow, or they put me face first in it or something. I don't look nearly as happy with Dad.

Or maybe I just needed a diaper change.

Bad Hair Day. Take 3.

By the looks of this picture, if I didn't know me, I'd say that this poor girl is about4 months past the needed dye job. Look how much darker my roots are than the rest of my wavy frizzy hair. What a mess!

I shoot myself for ever going in public wearing that shirt...

Dork!

Mommy and Me

October 1982 (Mom 27 1/2, Me 2 1/2 McDermont State Beach Fort Bragg)

Mommy and me. Awwww....how cute! Looks like a nice fall day on the beach. But up in the Fort Bragg area, I think just about everyday looks like that.

What's with the lady all hunched over in the background? I have this picture framed, and I remember when I was younger that every time I would look at the picture I thought that lady was some freak of nature or something. I don't know, she kinda looks like a mushroom in that position.

Notice the cowlick in the middle of my bangs? I still have it. Hence why I never have bangs. Sometimes I get a wild hair up my butt and I decide that I need bangs. And then after 2 days I remember why I always talk myself out of them.

I have moments of weakness sometimes.