Azalea Festival Junior Court

To be considered as an Azalea Festival Junior Court Princess or Queen, we had to have a photographer in Brookings take our picture, which would be judged by a panel. I remember when my mom curled my hair and dressed me in my eyelet baptism dress and took me to that little photography studio.

Battered Princess Syndrome

The night before the ceremony where Michelle was crowned queen, I made Ernie angry (he was three) and he came in my room and hit me in the face with one of Dad's platform heel shoes. It was the 1970s - all men's shoes had platform heels. Look close, you can see my black eye.



"Don't get dirty"

Oh, the chaperones. How cranky they were. We girls got along pretty well most of the time - Pam, the sweet funny blonde, was my favorite. Jill seemed a little jealous of Michelle being the queen and called her "Queenie Beanie" sometimes. Michelle was outspoken and happy. Shannon seemed very proper and quiet.

The outings were pretty fun, although we would sometimes find ourselves in awkward situations, like standing in front of a group of old people in a little room with a microphone in our faces, expected to sing. I loved singing in Primary and in music class at school, and usually found myself singing the loudest with the other girls following along.  Was that good?  I don't know.

Memorial Day, I believe. We had three outfits - our pink dresses (top pic - Michelle had blue), the skirt/blouse combo (my favorite), and these striped shirt/blue polyester pants outfits for more casual outings.

"Now she's RUINED"

"You cut her hair?" My chaperones were incensed when we went for the Toni Tennille look. Sorry, ladies!

Azalea Festival Ceremony

I'm sure there's a more proper name for this occasion, but heck if I know what it is.

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Junior Court procession

The queen of the Senior Court from the previous year.  I loved her outfit - a matching parasol?  Awesome!

Sorry about the rips.  Queen Linda in the red cape, preceded by one of her princesses.

Queen Linda, followed by our grand marshal.

The junior court with our chaperone (holding the trophy our parade float won) and the Grand Marshal

I know it looks like I ripped out Michelle's face on purpose, but I promise I didn't.

The Senior Court and their fathers

Queen Michelle and her dad

Pam and her dad (my dad and I are behind them).

Shannon and her dad

Azalea Festival Parade

1977

Down on the farm

Playing on the back of the neighbor's truck. Gran's garage is in the background.



Cheeeeeese

Second grade: My teacher was Mr. Gordon, who also owned a candy vending business. When we scored 100% on our tests, he would give us candy bars.

:) Cute

My darling future husband. I just told him the other day, "I wish I'd known about you when I was growing up."

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This picture makes me cry (what doesn't?). I so miss that place and those days. Dad, BC, Ernie and I on a freshly-cut log. I can still hear the chainsaw and smell the sawdust.

The Shadow Knows

Grandma and Lonnie, up at his place in Ridgefield, and some unknown shadow taking their picture (my favorite part).

Alice Murriel Johnson Keen, 1892-1978

Grandma Keen

Taken at Grandma Dot's house. 

When I was little my family visited her in Walla Walla, and she was adorable.  She had so much love, for her family and everything she did.  Grandma had a beautiful flower garden, and the day I remember being with her, we were in her garden, and she showed me the "honesty" plant - little flat round translucent paper blossoms with seeds inside.  She told me a story about Mother Nature coming along and putting the seeds there.  She gave me a box full of seeds to take home. 

Christmas 1976

CAUGHT

Here we are celebrating Christmas up at Neenaw and Gran's. Gran looks like a jungle cat peeking behind that plant. Mom (prego with Jeremy) and Ernie are on the right, along with someone's hands - maybe Grandma Keithler?

Simply having a wonderful Christmastime

Ernie on the left, me in the middle, B.C.'s back and arm on the right.  I love the old-fashioned ornaments on the tree.

Brookings House

This was the year we (I say "we" like I actually helped) built that wonderful house in Brookings.

Daylight basement all framed, Subflooring started, B.C. on top

Mom's caption for this one.

Foundation

Framing the basement

Framing the main floor

BC looks on

 I still miss living in this house and Brookings something fierce.  Every once in a while I check to see if the house is up for sale (like we could afford it now). 

First Grade

Mrs. Wilson was my teacher at Kalmiopsis Elementary.  She took us to her house once and let us ride her horses.

1975

Kindergarten

Yes, those are Sesame Street overalls. I started school at Kalmiopsis Elementary in Brookings. If we put pigtails on Carter, this is how he'd look. He's very Smithy.



Here comes the sun

Me and Kitty Minnie, in front of our home in Brookings (before we moved it to build the house).

Painting time

BC and me with our watercolors at the kitchen table. This was after we moved the trailer to build the house.

Cake zombies

One of many wedding pictures where I am caught photobombing a wedding/eyeballing the heck out of the wedding cake (BC is behind me). Julie Ettinger's wedding in Brookings (Bonnie, her mother, was a family friend from Brookings ward).

Halloween

Howdy!

In our pre-house house (can I say "double wide" here?) in Brookings.  This is the door to my room.  Notice the lovely green striped couch in the living room and the "Natalie's Room" plaque on the door and the tree outside the window.  LOVE. 

Always with the coat on

I don't know who or what I was, or where we went to trick-or-treat. But there was candy, so I'm sure it was great.