Little Erin

4 years old. Char is 0 years old. Is that couch not the best thing you've ever seen?

 Today I heard a Cranberries song, and, inexplicably, it reminded me of my childhood. To my knowledge, my parents never listened to the Cranberries (and I certainly didn't, because I'm the oldest and only listened to what my parents listened to, which is why I loved the Beatles so much), but I do have a vague memory of seeing the "Linger" video on Pop-Up Video--so 90s!!--so maybe that's why? At any rate, Sinead's voice took me back to simpler times.

Specifically, I thought about how carefree and happy my childhood was. I had no idea about so many problems in the world. Some might call that "living in a Utah bubble," but I call it, "getting to be a kid." There are plenty of years once you're a grown-up to worry about things, but only a few where your biggest problems are not wanting to clean your room, or worrying that your friends might tell a boy you have a crush on him.

Anyway, I don't necessarily have a specific story to tell, but I just feel so flooded with gratitude for my parents for creating such an amazing childhood for me. We lived in a safe neighborhood where I knew basically everyone and could do things like climb the cherry trees in the Cox's backyard with Kimberly Ator and Kimberlyn Carlson and eat cherries. We rode our bikes all over the place, and played with Barbies and American Girl dolls. I grew up in the same general area as most of my extended family, and have so many fond memories of parties with grandparents and cousins on both sides. I had an amazing best friend who I still feel close to--love you Emily. We pulled out the video camera and made home movies, we made forts, we played in the sprinklers and ate popsicles, and never missed the 4th of July parade. We wrote letters to Santa and left him milk and cookies (and carrots for the reindeer!) We went on camping trips and to Disneyland and took dance and piano lessons and had so much fun at school.

Me and Emily at BYU graduation. We found each other on accident, which just felt really meant to be. It was so amazing to sit at graduation with my elementary school BFF. We came full circle, you know?

Oh, school! You guys, I loved school so much. By the time August rolled around I was always giddy with excitement to go back. I mean, really, elementary school! It is the best! Book orders? Oh my gosh. Lunch recess? Plus two other recesses? Amazing! Getting to be on lunchroom duty and sell milk? So fun! I had a super eccentric music teacher who used to do this thing called "Danse Macabre," which she eventually got in trouble for doing, though we could never figure out why. She would put on this song while all the kids in the class laid on the floor and pretended they were dead. She put on this white cape and pretended to play the violin, then she would come around and touch everyone with her bow, to wake them from the dead, and when she did that we got up and danced. It would culminate in us holding hands and creating a human chain and winding all around the classroom. It was SUPER fun, and our favorite thing to do, and never once seemed creepy to me at the time. My elementary school had this great Christmas tradition (and hopefully they still do this!) where the whole school would gather in the lunchroom, with a Christmas tree in the middle, and do a little Christmas program. There was a song somebody wrote called, "Merry Christmas Orem Elementary," with a part for each grade to sing, and it was so much fun. I still remember the song.

I hope I can create a magical childhood for my kids too. Things are so different now, and it seems like kids just want iPhones and don't care that much about playing outside, but maybe I'm just being a cranky pessimistic old person, you know? I think every generation looks back on their childhood as the good old days and thinks negative things about "kids these days." And if that's the case, then actually, I'm not too worried. Because my parents grew up in the 60s, for heaven's sake! The Wonder Years. And if THEIR children could have a magical childhood, I'm sure mine can too. We might just have to work harder at making it happen.

Camping trip with cousins. I'm front and center in my pink pants, and a shirt from England that I got from my grandparents while they were on a mission there. And apparently giving Teddy a piggyback ride. Awesome.