Saturday, May 3, 2008

80's Week

My sister Megan has issued an “80’s week” blog challenge. Apparently, those of us who read her blog and have blogs of our own are to create an 80’s post. The week is nearly over and I have yet to comply! The reason for postponing is this: I know what everyone (myself included) is looking for in an 80’s post; we are looking for big hair, fluorescence, leg warmers and maybe stretch pants. While I did have a fluorescent green T-shirt, I was a bit young to manage with blow-drying and scrunching, and even if I had been old enough, my hair has always been loathe to comply with any poofing.

Mike told me that if I was writing an 80’s post it ought to contain He-Man (and the Masters of the Universe) – at which point I was forced to admit to him that I’d been in love with He-Man and dreamt of someday marrying him. This didn’t ruffle Mike as I thought it might (a woman likes to see her husband display a little possessive jealousy every once in awhile). He seemed to see that yes, He-Man would definitely be a temptation to even the strongest of women.

Still, as I considered the decade as a whole, I realized that it was a pretty great time. The 80’s covered my life from ages 3 through 13 – which is about as good as it got for me. The 90’s were a disaster. I have managed to somewhat recover in the 2000’s, but my teenage years were not kind to me. Some of you may have read my post entitled
Chickens. In it, I discussed what an awful site teenage chickens are. They are just so darling as fluffy little chicks, and not bad as hens, but during their half fluff/half feather stage they are hideous. At the time I wrote that, I hardly realized that I was practically writing a metaphor of my own life! Here I am at the tail end of the 80’s. Shannon had spent a good deal of time on my bangs for 6th grade “picture day” and they turned out rather spectacular considering how my hair usually responded to such proddings.

That was the end of my “cute fluffy chick” stage. After that, I entered the 90’s. I was one of the lucky ones who had such horrible acne that people often mistook it for some sort of hideous rash and would ask, “What’s wrong?” with worried and frightened expressions. I am currently nearly 6 feet tall, which is all good and well, but I did not arrive at this height gracefully. My face took on an extra round appearance during those years. Baggy clothes were in which served only to make a "tall" girl look like a "big" girl. As I considered upon this, I realized that the 80’s were definitely a highlight decade for this girl. Here’s a little glimpse of that happy time:



Here is the "haunted house" halloween costume my friend Lizzie and I made. Pretty clever, huh? (You can probably guess which side was mine as I was the taller of the two of us . . . which I guesss means she had to look through that barred up window).

There were loads of pictures taken of "the three girls." Yes, we were quite beloved, we last three little ones.



We spent many Summer days at my Grandma's place at Bear Lake. Some of my happiest memories of life were created there.


Me and Shannon


I'm guessing this is how the orphanage wrapped Megan and me after finding us out in the cold streets? . . . My parents must have taken us out of pity.


There were also plenty of goings on with all five girls. Here, Kathy and Amy had taken us to get pictures as a surprise for our parents. They looked pretty darn 80's!


Oh, Amy always let us sleep in her room on Christmas Eve. So fun (except for the inevitable waking up to a pin poking you. We always got those cute nightgowns -- handmade by my mom -- on Christmas Eve . . . and somehow there was always a forgotten pin. Who knows, maybe it's some old Christmas tradition like finding the almond in the pudding?).

10 comments:

Lover of Sweets said...

Ah...the 80's...the awkward 80's. Your pictures were totally rad. Loved the bangs...loved those big flowy dresses and laughed so hard at the possibility that finding a pin in your dress was like finding the almond in the Christmas pudding!

The 80's were pretty good to you my friend, pretty good indeed.

Jana said...

You had a lot of love during the 80's which explains why you turned out so nice and normal.

Great pictures!

Rhonda said...

Love the pictures! What a cute little girl you were. I laughed so hard at your lopsided haunted house costume...so funny!

BS and the Kids said...

I love the pictures!!! Nancy, I didn't know you were such a hottie as a tweenie. Love the post. It scares me to watch the Disney Channel, all the outfits are total 80's.

Perla said...

Hey! Look who else is in the last photo on Christmas Eve. None other than Daniela Trudy.
I'm so glad you got some great photos and I'm glad the 80s ended when you were 13. You and I took a little longer to "come into our own", didn't we? Doesn't matter. Everybody is crying at how hot we are now! I'm glad you have all those photos of the three of us. We were sure cute.

Liz said...

Nance, I can't believe you kept the same gold locks your entire life. How nice that you don't have to dye it like most of us to get that sun touched look. I also can't believe how poorly you talk of the 90's, since those are the years I spent with you. I will post the 90's and you will look Phat- that's Pretty Hot And Tempting. You'll see.

Nancy said...

Yes, that is true, Liz. I really should do a 90's post because despite the physical and emotional upheavals of that age, some of my funnest, funniest and most enjoyable memories revolve around us being the gigglomaniacs. We had some pretty cool times!!

Crysta said...

Nancy- so I got your blog from Megan's blog and I love it! I spent an entire 2hours reading your great stuff. You can tell you have your dad's writing gene. Anyway, I talked to your sister Amy today and she said you took some pregnancy photos and I was wondering if you would share a few with me, I was thinking of having some taken by her. My email is crysta@utawesome.com. If you don't want to post them (if your nude or something) I understand :) Thanks for all the great reading!

Anonymous said...

Gotta tell you - I loved the halloween house - couldn't help but laugh at the slanted roof! (chuckle) 80's for me? Perms, perms, and more perms! My mom was a hair dresser - so at age 1 - I was in the high chair eating cheerios while she permed my hair. My last perm was when Jon and I were engaged - and after deciding (again) that I looked like I just stuck my finger in a light socket - I have never returned. And yet - when my hair is flat a lifeless - I reconsider. I just have to remember - poodle hair, no more poodle hair!

Nancy said...

your hair flat and lifeless, Marz? Please, your hair is the envy of every woman . . . I'll bet it did do a niiiiiice perm though. I tried those every now and then but was left with frizzled and fried edges all about my face, so . . .

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