At Grandma Keithler's in Brookings

Guessing on the date. I'm holding Melanie, BC in back, Jeremy and Ernie in front.

New Cousin Stanley

You know me, I am all about the babies. Here are Stan and me at Neenaw and Gran's house in Brookings. 

Family Portrait

We had this portrait scheduled the same week that the huge November storm hit in Brookings and we were out of power for a week. The wind blew so hard, several trees right next to our house snapped in half. Scariness. I can't remember where we got ready for this picture - probably at the church or at the Mills'. I was 11, BC was 10, Ernie 6, Jeremy 4 and Melanie almost 2.

1981

Me, Ernie, Jennifer, Grandma Keithler holding John, BC,
Aunt Karen, Dad, Jeremy, Neenaw

What I can't figure out is why, in a dry, arid place like Brookings, I'm wearing a yellow tarp, like it's going to rain or something.

Melanie and me at Neenaw & Gran's

On a picnic near Corvallis

Gran (wearing BC's baseball cap), Melanie (in walker), Neenaw (lying down), Ernie (standing), BC (in visor), Dad (looks like Jeremy's in his lap), Mom, me, and is that John in the stripey overalls?

Outside Uncle John and Aunt Karen's house in Corvallis

John holding Jennifer, Karen and me, Gran and Jeremy, Neenaw, Mom and BC, Dad holding Melanie

Neenaw and Grandma Keithler

Switch

Back row - Neenaw, Uncle Ernie, Gran, Aunt Karen holding John, Lonnie
Front row - Ernie, me, BC, Jennifer

:)

Back row: Grandma Keithler, Uncle Ernie, Gran, Karen holding John, Lonnie
Front row - me, Jen, BC

zzzz

Grandma Keithler catching some shuteye at Neenaw and Gran's in Brookings

Visiting Grandma & Lonnie

I absolutely adored visiting Grandma Keithler and Lonnie at their home in Ridgefield. They had known each other for many years - Lonnie was Grandma's cousin Edith's second husband before Edith died - and were married in Neenaw and Gran's living room when I was six.  Gwenda is the daughter of Grandma's cousin Edith, so she's Neenaw's second cousin and Grandma's first cousin once removed (there'll be a quiz later). 

Lonnie and Grandma spent a few years together here at his home. It's because of these visits and our trips to the family burial plots in the area that I fell in love with Portland and vicinity.

Gran & Neenaw

Quite the group.

Front row from left: Grandma, me, Mom, Jeremy, BC, Neenaw, Gwenda
Back row: Dad holding Melanie, Uncle John, Aunt Karen holding Jennifer

1980

Ernie, age 5

Fourth Grade, 1979-80

My class this year was special - we had two teachers and around fifty students.

It was such a novelty that a newspaper reporter in our state wrote an article about it.

Mrs. Wallace was also my kindergarten teacher, and BC's.  She was awesome, as was Mrs. Lane.  They read wonderful books to us and sang with us and were so creative and wonderful.  Looking back, this is one of my favorite years in school.
 

1979

Perm time.  I miss that house something fierce.

At Lonnie & Grandma's house in Ridgefield, WA

From left: Cousin Gwenda, Neenaw, Karen holding Jennifer, John, Grandma, Lonnie, Dad holding Jeremy, BC and me in front. I always loved Grandma and Lonnie's roses next to the driveway. Mmmmmm.

Third Grade

BC in second grade...

Cutie

And Jeremy, age one or two here.

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!