Pictures I Love

I usually write about my baking, but lately I've felt a bit nostalgic.  I blame the rapid on-set of my 25th birthday, but it could just be due to the fact that I'm now surrounded by mementos from my entire life.  You see, when I thought I was going to be moving to another state to be with my now-ex, my mom gave me all of my old stuff.  Not in a "get out of my house" kind of way, more "you're a grown-up who is starting a new life and you should have these things with you".  Anyway, there are boxes and boxes; baby clothes from Germany, a scrapbook of elementary school accomplishments, my trunk filled with high school yearbooks. And pictures.  Oh, the pictures.  I was quite the snap-happy junior high school student, let me tell you. That's not what I'm going to post though, the reasons for which only start with the bangs I was sporting during 1997...

This is one of my most favorite pictures in the collection/ever.

 

Let's just pause to marvel at my cuteness as a two(ish) year-old.  I mean, honestly.  That's adorable.  Except for that hair, what is going on there?!  This was taken at a biergarten in Germany, and I'm sitting beside my dad.  He obviously has no idea what's going on right next to him; I was quite the little sneak back in my younger days.  Also, thanks to this picture, I want a pretzel.  I'm even willing to risk dealing with yeast to make my own. *Update: I've bought the yeast so all that's left is for me to work up the courage to make the pretzels.  One of these days...*

Then there's this...

That's me and three of my cousins hanging out at my MeeMaw's house, probably around Christmastime.  I can tell that it's Christmas because we're all wearing jeans and I recognize the shirt I'm wearing as a long-sleeve.  Gotta love Texas weather.

This picture is special to me because the four of us represent one kid from each family; my MeeMaw has four children and they're all represented here.  That and the fact that Cody, the tiny one on my lap, is SMILING.  He's much, much, much taller now, and considerably more reserved, so I like to remember that he used to be a smiley little kid that would just plop down in my lap of his own free will.  He just graduated from high school.  I feel old.

Then there's this one.  It's of my great-aunt and uncle who are two of the most generous, caring people I've ever met.  When I was 16 I went on a summer exchange trip to Germany with my school.  We were given the option of staying overseas for a bit longer if we had family over there and these two (who hadn't seen me in eight years) said I could stay with them for two whole weeks.  These people offered to take in a 16 year-old girl who didn't speak the same language as them, for half a month!  That's crazy talk!  My great-uncle died in November, and this is how I'll always remember him.  Smiling, making kissy-faces at my Tante, and having a fantastic time. 

These are just a few of the pictures I've found and felt like sharing, so expect more to pop up from time to time.