Running behind on my life story project with Mommy's Piggy Tales. Time to play catch up!
Chapter 6 - 4th grade
I was a "Squirrel Mama" in Mr. Grammer's class. He was the coolest teacher I ever had. He rescued animals and had snakes, mice, squirrels, turtles, and other kinds in the classroom. I saw the snakes shed their skin and swallow mice whole. On several occasions I held one and let them crawl through my shirt and out my sleeve. Sounds creepy but it wasn't at the time. Anyway, he nicknamed me and my friend Squirrel Mama because he rescued a couple of squirrels and we nursed them back to health. We gave them bottles and kept them warm. They were so cute!
I don't know how I've written all the way up to 10 years old and not mentioned my Grandma Altman. We saw her almost everyday and she loved us unconditionally. To know her was to love her. There were so many things about her that were special to me. She would tickle my arm during church. She gave me a kiss and hug every time I saw her. She would take me or another sibling to her house after church so we could have time alone with her. She loved me unconditionally. As a kid I thought being the middle child was a curse and I talked myself into believing that I didn't matter. She did her best to change that thought. She sneaked hugs in when she saw I was having a hard time. She loved all her grandkids but not just us. She loved her kids, nieces, nephews, in-laws, church family... She had a huge heart. She passed away in 2003 and I have missed her everyday since. I can't wait to see her again someday! her picture is on my refrigerator and I tell Maxy about her and how much she means to me.
Now that I'm emotional I may as well move on to 5th grade and Chapter 7.
On May 17, 1994 I was sitting in class when the principal came in and whispered something to my teacher. Mrs. Knaur then said, "Kari, please go down to the principal's office." At that moment I knew. My grandpa wasn't necessarily sick so his death was unexpected. Still today I'm not sure how I knew. But when I walked out of the classroom, before I made it to the principals office, my parents, Josh, and Melissa were in the hallway with tears in their eyes. I said, "It's Grandpa, isn't it? He's dead." My dad nodded and they all finished walking the distance between us. Grandpa was my first family member to pass away. It was very traumatic. He was very kind and really a big teddy bear. He liked working with wood in his garge. His famous saying was, "OK, K-O!" At his funeral people came out of the woodwork! I remember actually having fun at his showing because there were so many distant cousins there. Now he and my grandma are in Heaven praising our Father and enjoying each other, I'm sure.
On Christmas 1994 my grandma gave me a locket with her picture and Grandpa's picture in it. I cried and she cried when she gave it to me. She knew how special they were to me. I still have that locket and I like to look in it and remember that she gave it to me.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Ch. 5
Mommy's Piggy Tales Life Story Project...
Third Grade. Mrs. Brodman was my teacher. She knew German and would teach us German songs - that was a lot of fun. She was mostly nice but you wanted to stay on her good side. The kids that misbehaved got SCUH-REAMED at. There was a boy in my class named Mario. Really nice, quiet, Mexican kid. He forgot to do his homework and got his head cut off. I felt so bad for him! I felt pretty cool when chose me and my friend to come help her the day after school got out to take down her room decorations. Who didn't love being the teacher's helper?
Down the street lived a couple girls that we played with almost everyday, Angie and Mary. We would go over to the playground at school and make friendship bracelets or sing those songs with hand motions. Melissa, Laura and I would sing..."..she wotton totton ah, ah. ah, ah bo bo bo, itty bitty bo bo.." Laura reminded me that we would have macaroni and cheese picnics with Angie and Mary. They were nice girls, we lost contact once we left elementary school though.
I think this is the year my mom went back to work after staying home with us kids. She worked at Kear's Speed Shop. It was a parts store for race cars. I remember walking into the store for the first time and thinking it was like a cave to get back to the office space where she worked. In actuality it was just a short narrow hallway, but it felt cave-like to me. :) Her boss and co-workers became like family to us. We went to each others family events - birthday parties, anniversary parties. She worked there for 13 years and even though we don't see them too often anymore, we still all love each other!
Third Grade. Mrs. Brodman was my teacher. She knew German and would teach us German songs - that was a lot of fun. She was mostly nice but you wanted to stay on her good side. The kids that misbehaved got SCUH-REAMED at. There was a boy in my class named Mario. Really nice, quiet, Mexican kid. He forgot to do his homework and got his head cut off. I felt so bad for him! I felt pretty cool when chose me and my friend to come help her the day after school got out to take down her room decorations. Who didn't love being the teacher's helper?
Down the street lived a couple girls that we played with almost everyday, Angie and Mary. We would go over to the playground at school and make friendship bracelets or sing those songs with hand motions. Melissa, Laura and I would sing..."..she wotton totton ah, ah. ah, ah bo bo bo, itty bitty bo bo.." Laura reminded me that we would have macaroni and cheese picnics with Angie and Mary. They were nice girls, we lost contact once we left elementary school though.
I think this is the year my mom went back to work after staying home with us kids. She worked at Kear's Speed Shop. It was a parts store for race cars. I remember walking into the store for the first time and thinking it was like a cave to get back to the office space where she worked. In actuality it was just a short narrow hallway, but it felt cave-like to me. :) Her boss and co-workers became like family to us. We went to each others family events - birthday parties, anniversary parties. She worked there for 13 years and even though we don't see them too often anymore, we still all love each other!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Ch. 4
Mommy's Piggy Tales has asked us to write about when we were 7 years old. 1990, here we go!
The '90's....tight rolled jeans, high bangs, and making friendship bracelets. Ahhh, the sweet days. ;)
Josh was in 5th grade this year, upper elementary.....therefore, he was cool. Two girls in his grade had an on-going competitition to see whose bangs were higher. Hilarious NOW!
Growing up we lived right across the street from our school. It was convenient to say the least. My parents didn't have to worry about transporting us, they walked to parent-teacher conferences, we always had a back up place to play when the backyard got boring, and we had a few more minutes in the morning to get ready. But maybe the best thing about living by the school was that we got to go home for lunch! My classmates would line up for the cafeteria and I would get to leave school. I would head back when I saw my classmates come out for recess or line up after recess was over. The freedom of that was so nice.
I'm guessing this will be the first of many mentions of TV in the '90's. We loved TGIF and Saturday morning shows. Saved By The Bell, Full House, Family Matters, Step By Step, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Ryan's fave!), California Dreams, Hang Time, Hanging With Mr. Cooper, and the list goes on....
TGIF was a big deal in our house. Mom usually went grocery shopping on Friday nights where she would take one or two of us kids. Between the 5 kids we took turns getting to pick out a special cereal and the TGIF treat. Ice cream, chips, candy, whatever it was we shared it with everyone and sat down to watch It was always exciting to come home and show everyone what treat you picked! Ice cream, chips, candy, whatever it was, was shared with everyone. Then we sat down to watch the 4 shows that made up TGIF. SO FUN!
The '90's....tight rolled jeans, high bangs, and making friendship bracelets. Ahhh, the sweet days. ;)
Josh was in 5th grade this year, upper elementary.....therefore, he was cool. Two girls in his grade had an on-going competitition to see whose bangs were higher. Hilarious NOW!
Growing up we lived right across the street from our school. It was convenient to say the least. My parents didn't have to worry about transporting us, they walked to parent-teacher conferences, we always had a back up place to play when the backyard got boring, and we had a few more minutes in the morning to get ready. But maybe the best thing about living by the school was that we got to go home for lunch! My classmates would line up for the cafeteria and I would get to leave school. I would head back when I saw my classmates come out for recess or line up after recess was over. The freedom of that was so nice.
I'm guessing this will be the first of many mentions of TV in the '90's. We loved TGIF and Saturday morning shows. Saved By The Bell, Full House, Family Matters, Step By Step, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Ryan's fave!), California Dreams, Hang Time, Hanging With Mr. Cooper, and the list goes on....
TGIF was a big deal in our house. Mom usually went grocery shopping on Friday nights where she would take one or two of us kids. Between the 5 kids we took turns getting to pick out a special cereal and the TGIF treat. Ice cream, chips, candy, whatever it was we shared it with everyone and sat down to watch It was always exciting to come home and show everyone what treat you picked! Ice cream, chips, candy, whatever it was, was shared with everyone. Then we sat down to watch the 4 shows that made up TGIF. SO FUN!
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