Remember when

I don't know about you but when I was growing up I had several possessions that were very valuable to me. Not in terms of money but sentiment. So over the years I held on to those items. Most of them ended up in a box. And that box has been stored at my parents house...until now.

Thanks to Southwest airlines and their "bags travel free" policy AND thanks to my ever supportive parents, All my treasures are now with me in Texas. As I opened the suitcases (yes, CASES!) and looked through my childhood I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. I pulled out each doll, book, prom dress and memento knowing exactly where and when I got it and where it used to reside in my room back home. I had a great childhood and that's what these things reminded me of.

After I looked through it all, I put them back in the suitcases and tucked them away in our garage. Now fast forward a few months to today. We have been in the process of COMPLETELY decluttering and sprucing up our house because was were planning a move to Colorado within the next few months. (The move has since been put off for another year but that's another story.) I love to get rid of stuff and minimize but my thoughts keeps going back to my childhood things sitting in the garage. What am I going to do with all that stuff? I felt attached to it. I've kept it this long, how could I possibly part with it now? But at the same time I felt bogged down by keeping it all when it really served no purpose except for hold the sweet memories of my childhood. So here I am fighting this battle in my head when I had a brilliant idea!

What better way to still hold on to all the memories without holding on to all the stuff than to showcase it using my photography! I went through the boxes with a new vision and suddenly it wasn't so hard to let most of it go. I feel liberated!

So here it is... a little part of my childhood...

This is my very first Teddy Bear. I bought him with my own money at a store called, "Pic-n-Save".

Here's a line up of a bunch of stuffed animals and dolls that I collected over the years.

This memory makes me laugh...This is the ONLY trophy I have ever received. Guess where I got it? From my Mom and Dad after my first year on the Volleyball team in high school. They were so proud of me.
(! can't even begin to count the number of trophies my husband has all stuck in his closet still at his parents house. What an over achiever! ) :)

These were a few of the books that I kept over the years. These were some of my favorites. "Sweet Valley Twins", "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing", and "Hatchet". Oh, such good reads!

My printing kit! Oh how I loved this thing!

This doll is kinda creepy now that I see it in a picture! 99% of all my dolls had red hair...just like me. :)

My brother-in-law, Kelly, gave me this doll soon after he and my sister got married. We always felt we were truly brother and sister. He was pretty proud of himself for finding this "Katie" doll and making the small change to "Kelly's little sister".

So long stuff! You're off the the thrift store! BUT I'll always remember you.
I plan on making a little book out of my pictures and writing up the memories of have of them.

But no matter how many pictures I took, I just could get rid of my Barbies and Ponies! Looks like they're with me to stay.

I always lover her skates!

Have you held on to any childhood toys and what do YOU do with them now?