Childhood photos (Part 1)

Over the weekend, I looked through a few more family photo albums that my mom brought out last week. You aren’t getting tired of this little jaunt through my childhood, are you, friends? Good, I didn’t think so. Let’s continue, shall we…? We loved spending time with our grandparents, above…

Posing like we’re the next Kardashian sisters…

And having fun. One of our favorite past times was playing with those Fischer Price little people — all children of the ’80s should remember those. Oh, and getting dirty from finger painting. We apparently looooved that too. And carving pumpkins!

What did you and your siblings do when you were kids? Any fun — or embarrassing — favorite childhood activities? xoxo

Family Photos: More sister love

My motto, friends: You can never celebrate sisters too much. They’re your built-in best friend for life. They’re who you confide in — and share secrets with. And they’re quite possibly the only people on the planet you feel completely comfortable around. Comfortable enough, say, to be complete hams in front of the camera, like Janelle and I were.

Yes, that’s us counting change. My grandfather, always the businessman, told us that if we counted it, he’d give us a percentage of the grand total. Who were we to refuse?

And I love this photo of us with our dad — reminds me of such good times at one of our favorite forest preserves. Oh, the memories! xoxo

Family Photos: Sister love

Shortly after my father died, my aunts (his sisters) gave us such a comforting gift: They took the mess of family photos we’d collected in scattered boxes over the years and made photo albums. There were albums filled with photos of my mother as a child, another album from my parents’ wedding day and tons of photos of our classic family vacations. Having that tangible reminder of all our wonderful memories was truly an invaluable gift.

My mom pulled out some of those albums yesterday, and it was the perfect excuse to take a trip down memory lane. And since my sister was getting on my case recently for “sharing all the same, old photos” on my blog, I thought it would be fun to share a few never-before-seen snapshots from my childhood. Get pumped for some flashback fun over the next few days, starting with…wait for it…

SISTERS!!! That’s Janelle and me in the Appalachian Mountains — notice my flair for fashion even back then? I rock that neon pink hat…

I was as proud as if she were my own daughter…

She always kept me company in the hospital…

And of course, we were the ultimate vacation and beach bums!

What family photos do you treasure the most, friends? What sorts of memories do they bring to mind? Why not pull out those photo albums today and smile? xoxo

Do you have any siblings?

Happy National Siblings Day, friends — that most glorious of days when we all take a moment or two to pause and really appreciate our siblings. Founded by Claudia Evart following the tragic death of her brother and sister, the day has even been recognized by 40 governors.

“Like many, I have these pictures of my brother and sister, who are both gone, but remain with me daily, not just in these pictures, but in my daily thoughts and in my heart. I lost both of them in tragic accidents, making me understand the everlasting bond we have with our siblings,” says Evart.

So, Janelle, it’s no secret that we’ve been through a lot together, but I wouldn’t want to share this roller coaster journey with anyone but you. I’m proud to be your big sister and even prouder to call you my little sister. Here’s to many more great years together!!

Do you have siblings, friends? Are you the oldest, youngest or somewhere in the middle? Any sibling lessons you’d like to share? Make sure to give your siblings an extra hug today — they deserve it! xoxo

Are you a highly sensitive person?

I know I’ve posted this photo before, but it’s such a perfect representation of the differing personalities between my sister and me. We’re probably about five and one, respectively, and our facial expressions seem to say it all. I’m sitting there, wide-eyed and totally unafraid to take on the world. Janelle, on the other hand, is completely terrified. She’s timid and doesn’t quite know what to make of this big place. I’m happy while Janelle seems to be on the verge of tears.

Over the years, those personality traits have stayed with us (is that how it is with you and your siblings?), and that’s not to say that one of us is better or more well-adjusted than the other — we just have different temperaments.

I thought of Janelle when my mom found this sensitivity quiz over the weekend. You check all the boxes that apply to you and then figure out your score at the bottom.

Go ahead and take the quiz. What was your score, friends? Are you a high sensitive person? Were you surprised by your score, or did it pretty much fit with your personality? Look for my score in the comments! xoxo


P.S. More fun quizzes: What’s your mental age? What’s your personal dialect? Which Golden Girl are you? What’s your true color aura? What decade do you belong in?

[Bottom photo via We Heart It]