Friday, July 18, 2008

A Nose is a Nose

Ok, today's flashback doesn't include any pictures. I wasn't a blogger back in the day and just didn't carry my camera around like I do now.

My best memories of my friends take place in the summer. Obviously we're out of school and everyone has no homework and later curfews. Plus things like youth conference, girls camp, and EFY are scheduled during the summer and all make lasting memories. My summer memories are filled with night games at the park, youth dances and trips to the beach. Summers have not been the same since I graduated college. Though I still love summer, a day in June is no different from a day in January (aside from the weather). Maybe that will change when my kids are in school and get out for summer break.

So today I'm reminiscing about a favorite summer memory. This one began at girls camp of all places. I didn't really like girls camp, but I do have memories of good times there. One Wednesday night at girls camp, a group of us got together to share some cookies and milk that we snuck out of the kitchen. We were laughing our heads off. The kind of laughing that shoots milk out your nose and someone inevitably ends up peeing her pants a little. You know...typical girls camp memories. For some reason that year we were WAY into quoting the movie "Little Rascals."

We decided that night that we would meet up every Wednesday for the rest of the summer for cookies and milk and to watch Little Rascals. Of course that didn't happen, but I didn't want to let the summer go by without meeting up with these girls. So about two weeks after camp, I invited everyone over. Part of the fun of this group of girls is that we didn't normally hang out. We were from all different wards and high schools and hung out with different groups of kids. The combination made it all the more fun. Several of us brought cookies and we turned on Little Rascals, though I don't know that we watched even five minutes of it. We were way too busy having a good time.

Now this is where the real fun started. At about 10:00pm, we had had all the cookies we could possible stuff down our throats, but we still had leftovers. We decided to put together our leftover cookies and deliver them to boys from the stake. My very generous parents let me borrow their suburban so we could legally stuff all eight of us inside. And then we set off delivering these store bought (never homemade) cookies to the guys. We wanted to remain anonymous, so we came up with the code name "NOSE Girls" and signed all our cookie packages that way. (NOSE standing for Nutter butters, Oreos, Striped Shortbread, and E L Fudge...the leftovers we had that first night.)

The NOSE girls had such a good time that we of course had to continue this...we didn't get together every Wednesday like we hoped, but we had several adventures throughout the summer. I think every adventure included a white pick-up truck that either honked, winked, waved, or we followed them 'til they did. We always rolled down windows and sang at the top of our lungs. And occasionally drove through the fast food joints where boys from the stake worked just to order 8 waters.

For a while no one knew who the NOSE girls were, but one night Garren Holmes figured it out and crashed our party (it wasn't fair that his sister, Randi, was a NOSE girl). And when I say crashed...I mean crashed. He snuck into my house without the knowledge of ANYONE (including my parents). I have a hard time imagining that Garren was so sneaky and stealth-like. We must have been having a good (loud) time because he had been listening for quite awhile before we realized he was in the room. He was on the list to have cookies delivered that night. So we took a bite out of every cookie in his package and left that on his door step.

This is one of my first and favorite memories of such a large group of girls having so much fun...with no fights. I had a great time that summer. I'd name all the NOSE girls, but for fear of forgetting someone, I don't think I will. We wanted to remain anonymous anyway, right? (Although I already named Randi Holmes...sorry Randi for giving out your identity). Feel free to give out your identity on a comment...I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on our NOSE girl parties. Thanks for the summer fun girls!

Long live the NOSE girls!

16 comments:

Kelly said...

Too funny! Those were the days, weren't they? No worries or cares in the world! Just out to have a good time. I miss Summer's like that.

Traci Elizabeth said...

Wow, I feel left out...unless I was there and just don't remember- which is usually the case.

I often think about how fun it would be to get all of us girls together without husbands and children and just hang out like that. What would we do? What would we talk about?? Who would be the first to pee her pants? That would be too much fun.

Kelly said...

What a fun group of girls with a fun agenda!! That is great- I had a group of girls that did stuff together in HS, but we stuck to mainly TPing houses, and trying desperately not to get caught- talk about an adrenaline rush! I miss that carefree time of childhood, and young adulthood- glad you have fun memories- and great friends!!

Amanda B. said...

Wow! What a blast!! These flashback fridays make me wish more and more that I knew you as a youth. You knew how to have fun! What awesome memories! :)

Lauri said...

I will never forget that night that Garren scared you guys. How did he do that? Sheryl, did you know about this?

Moms Are Contagious said...

How FUN!!! I loved summers also when I was in High School! Sounds like the NOSE girls were fun!

Autumn said...

Katie I can't help but laugh out loud when reading that. Holy cow, I have some similar memories. Not down to the acronym but similar memories. We often did the fast food water ordering. I too love summers growing up though I agree that it isn't quite the same now. Once out of school the months seem drastically different. (I have a post I've drafted about summer lovin that I HAVE to do before the end of August!!)

That's unreal that someone snuck in and no one noticed him?!!! What a blast.

I also love your new header. SO cute!

Karen said...

That is awesome. This post made me think back to my own carefree summers as a teenager! I think back and just laugh at myself Man, don't you wish you could eat cookies like ya used too. I know I do! Thanks for the flashback!!!

Kelly said...

Responding to your comment.... Don't worry, you didn't freak me out too much. And thanks for reassuring me it will be okay! =)
You're not a bad friend!!!! You're great!

Abbey said...

You were and are such a fun person. I could only picture you doing that. At least it wasnt toilet paper that you left at their houses, that is what I usually left. Oh the joys of being a young girl.

jeanine said...

I wasn't part of the original NOSE girls... but I did go to a few cookie nights. Those nights were too fun. I'm pretty sure that I was there the night that Garren snuck in. And I remember another night at VeeAnn's house when some of the boys from Riverside found out about cookie night and ding-dong-ditched us with a gallon of milk!
I had forgotten all about cookie nights. So glad that you reminded me! We had so much fun!

Emilee said...

i just love those cheese wiz and crackers! lol! too cute!
Em!

Jessica said...

So am I supposed to feel offended that I was not included in the NOSE girls. At least Traci doesn't think she was apart of it either. That is okay I am just glad you guys had a fun time.

Valarie said...

Ha! that ia great. I totally agree. Summers just aren't what they used to be.

Kipn n' Sarah said...

Good Good Good times!!! I love old time memories!

Unknown said...

NOSE girls!! I totally remember that !!! I don't think I was a part of the shananagans but I totally remember hearing about all the stories. So fun. Those were the days!