Friday, August 8, 2008

Just Be Cuz...



One of the things I most looked forward to about my summers as a child was these girls. Roni, the blond, is my cousin and just one year younger than I am. Elizabeth, the brunette, is actually my mom's cousin but she falls right between my age and Roni's. We all grew up in southern California and got together often. We got along so well as young girls. We all three seemed to be into the same kinds of things.

Every summer we planned the slumber party of all slumber parties. It was like never ending. We'd start at Elizabeth's house...stay there for a couple days. Move on to Roni's house. And round up the week at mine...or something like that. I looked forward all year to this week of cousin fun. It was filled with crafts, bike rides, shopping, lemonade stands, swimming, beach trips, manicures, dress up, baking and perms. (Yes. Perms.)

These pictures aren't all from our summer get togethers. I don't have too many pictures of those. I am envisioning a picture of the thee of us in freshly tie-dyed t-shirts, but I can't seem to find it. Maybe it's at my moms house.





Elizabeth and I at the Grand Canyon









An Un-Birthday Party









Elizabeth and I with Grandma and Grandpa Stowell
(Elizabeth's grandparents, my great grandparents)



Way back in like 6th grade when it was cool to carry around a school picture of every one of your casual acquaintances in your wallet...I thought I was so awesome for having pictures of these cute girls that no one else knew. It made me feel that much more popular.




It's always sad to me how relationships change. We never stopped getting along, but as we started high school, we developed different interests. We all got busy with our friends and the things we were doing in our lives. We hung out yearly at the family Christmas party, and maybe a handful of other family events throughout our high school years. But it hasn't been the same since we were kids. Roni lives in Arizona and I get to see her about once every other year when I visit my mom. Elizabeth now has a husband and a daughter and I've never met either one. I wish life were as simple as it was 20 years ago and we could get together for a week of manicures, beach trips and lemonade...but this time, I'd skip on the perm.

11 comments:

Kris said...

Phew!!!
; )

Heidi said...

How fun! I remember doing something like that, but we always stayed in the same spot.

It does get harder to keep those times going!

jeanine said...

what fun you girls had! Rich and I just watched Stand By Me... and this post reminded me so much of that movie... how life when we were younger was simpler in a way but those relationships just never stau the same...

Traci Elizabeth said...

Oh Perms. They used to be such a big hit. It will be interesting if it comes back in style someday. I love the pics,I think I had every one of those outfits!

Kelly said...

LOL! Love the perm! I think we all had perms back then. Cute pics!

Anonymous said...

I love your friday posts!! So fun to look back and remember stuff.

I think it is a good idea to skip the perm.

Amanda B. said...

"LOVE" the perms! :):) I went through that phase too..... I am also not disappointed to be beyond it. So fun! :)

Kelly said...

I love all the pictures you have of your childhood, along with the memories!! You have such great fun with these Flashback Fridays, and I so love reading them!!
That was great!

Traci Elizabeth said...

Wow, Katie.. thanks for the compliments, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself.

I would definately have to disagree about you beginning to deteriorate. I saw the picture of you in your new jammies, you look great. You look so skinny!! great job, I bet Spencer cant keep his hands off of you =)
Thanks again for the compliments, I really appreciate them.

Autumn said...

I think I could safely call myself a hypocrite. I'm dying for a new post. (haha, I know, a lot of irony there.) And I haven't even posted on so many old ones of many friends for the past few weeks. But can you humor me? :)

Sheryl said...

You had one great childhood, and I love that you still have pictures so you can share with us all! Did your mom give them all to you? I am not sure I could do that...Or did you make copies or what. I don't think I even have many pictures of my childhood, cuz I think they are at my mom's house still.