Flashback Friday - Dad's "Fini" Flight (1990?)

August of 1990 was Dad's final flight with the Air Force. We celebrated by going down to Pease Air Force Base and splashing him with buckets of water after he climbed down from his jet.

One of my favorite memories of Dad being in the Air Force was when he'd come home from being gone for a few days. He'd walk into the house with his flight suit on and we'd search all the pockets for candy.

Another favorite memory is when he'd fly over the house. He used to call us when he was close, and we'd run out the door into the back yard. We'd start waving like crazy and Dad would fly really low and tip his wing to say hi. We loved it!

Flashback Friday - Last Day of 1st Grade

Since it's school season, here's a picture for you to enjoy. It's my brother Mike and me, on our last day of school (first grade for me, second for him). I loved going to school with Mike (although, I was scared of all his second-grade friends - they were so big!). We lived on a dead-end street, so every morning we'd walk from our house up to the main road, where we'd meet some other kids and the bus would pick us all up.

Look how cool I am with my "pocket tee", and... festive shorts. And clearly I was too cool to wear my backpack on both shoulders. Then there's Mike with his black high-tops and duffel bag. Oh, the good old days.

Flashback Friday - Thanks For the Uni-brow

This is an embarrassing post... clearly I'm running out of things to blog about.

I was going through my pictures the other day, trying to think of a topic to blog about for my Flashback Friday, and I was embarrassed to realize that I had a uni-brow when I was younger.

Don't get me wrong - I was aware previous to this that I did in fact at one point have a uni-brow. I was mortified to discover, however, just how long I had one. This is bad, people.

Here's the first little inkling of it... 2.5 years old.

And again at 3.5 years

I think it was fully pronounced at 5

Still going strong at 6...

Now, at this point, it's still semi-okay. I'm only 6.

But this is the end of 4th grade!

Fifth grade. Seriously. Why didn't anyone SAY ANYTHING!?! At this point, I start to blame others. Like my friend Courtney.

Dear Courtney,

When you moved into our ward (age: 11) I relied on you as my example. You had cool clothes and style. You knew a lot more than I did about.... everything. You had your own room and a queen-sized bed. You even had your own Mariah Carey cd's. You were so mature and cool - basically, you were about 5 steps ahead of me. Why, oh why, did you let me go so long with a uni-brow? Look at the embarrassment it's caused me. I hope you're happy.

Love,

Hannah

Seventh grade. Thankfully, this picture is the last real evidence of the uni-brow. I must have gotten a clue or something... it starts to "recede" slowly but surely from here on out. Until later in middle school, when I overdid it just a tad and my eyebrows are really short. But that's a whole other story.

Flashback Friday - Youth Conference 1998

Since our stake here did a "mini" youth conference last week, I've been thinking back to my experiences when I was a teenager. All our activities were memorable, but one of my favorites was my very first one - "Find the Real You: Building our Field of Dreams". We stayed in Exeter for the 2.5 days doing projects on our Stake Center's property. We built a baseball diamond, built dugouts with benches, painted a pavilion, built horseshoe games, and even put in a volleyball pit with sand. There was also a small bridge built going over a little stream (shown above), and we painted a chain-link fence green (there was a very difficult neighbor who complained that the silver was too shiny and distracting).

I've done a lot of work in my life, including lots of physical labor, but this set a new record. There was so much work to, and it was tough! We hauled rocks, dug holes, painted. It was really hard, but so much fun. I was assigned to the dugouts, and would you believe that the posts of the benches go down 4 feet into the ground?? It was a lot of work.

On the last day, all the families of the youth were invited to come for a BBQ and to check out all the things we had done. It was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

How did we get away with wearing such short shorts to YC?? :)

Flashback Friday - Performances & Dressing Up

After my Dad finished with the Air Force, our family moved to Orem, UT, where he went back to BYU to get his Master's Degree. I remember before we moved, we had a Family Home Evening where we voted on where we wanted to live: we could live in a house my grandpa owned in Provo, or we could live in Orem in my aunt and uncle's basement apartment. Of course, we chose the latter, because it included cousins.

It was a GREAT choice. We lived in an awesome location - just steps away from a movie theater, pool, and a huge park with many playgrounds. We had such a good time living there.

One of our favorite things to do with our cousins was to put on plays for our parents and anyone else who would sit and watch us. We did dance shows, roller skating shows, regular plays.. basically anything that put us in the spotlight to be admired. The girls were all in ballet, so oftentimes we'd come home and make up our own shows and performances. One year, our ballet company was putting on "The Snow Queen", so naturally, we did our own "Snow Queen" at home too. It was especially fun because our brothers would join us. I think that most of this "home show" was adapted from the Faerie Tale Theater version. Anyway, I remember that in one scene of our show, Emma (the Snow Queen) ate a cracker, and I thought we were going to get in trouble because eating in my aunt and uncle's living room was absolutely forbidden.

Anyway, here are some pictures of shows throughout the years (not all of them are from UT)...

This might have been a roller skating show, since we're outside

The Snow Queen

Ballet costumes from the real Snow Queen show.

Achievement Day play - the Kirsten play from American Girl

Just dressing up... it never gets too old (and clearly, neither do I)

I know there's a picture of Courtney, Ashley and I wearing some awful 80s prom dresses... luckily for them (and, let's face it, you), I can't find it anywhere!

Flashback Friday - Pigtails

Hannah, Molly, Emma

This is kind of an infamous picture in my family. If any of us mention the "pigtail picture" we all know exactly what they are referring to.

From the time I found out Abby was born, I hoped she would have lots of hair so I wouldn't have to wait long to give her little pigtails. Fortunately, I only had to wait until she was about 11 months old! At first they just stuck up straight, and then they curled under just perfectly. Now her hair is long enough that she gets 2 little pigtails right behind her ears.

Flashback Friday - Garrett

Garrett's birthday is tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Garrett! We love you!

Flashback Friday - "From Cumorah's Hill" - 1997

In July of 1997, the youth in our stake performed "From Cumorah's Hill", a musical presentation with a chorus, soloists, and readers. It was an incredible experience.

As I listened again to our program the other day (we recorded it on CD's), I was brought back. I remember piling into our leaders' cars and making the monthly trips down to the Portsmouth building for rehearsals, which were always fun. We had 30 youth from our ward participate, which was great!! We'd divide into singing parts, and I remember sometimes I would play the piano for my group. That was back in the day when, for some strange reason, I thought I was a soprano. In fact, after listening to the CD, I'm convinced that probably half the girls who sang soprano in that program should have probably been singing alto! There are some pretty high notes!

I love the "From Cumorah's Hill" program. It's a testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon and how it can help us in our day. The first track of our CD is President Pouliot speaking about this, and I just love it. I have always loved hearing him speak, and that also takes me back because he was my stake president throughout most of my youth.

One funny little story: just the other day I was reading through an old journal (I was de-cluttering, and when I came across it I just had to read for a while!). Anyway, we didn't get the From Cumorah's Hill CD's until about a year later (at our 1998 Youth Conference, actually). Here's a short paragraph from my journal (please note, I am only 14):

"We got back from swimming and went to the Church building and guess what! THE "FROM CUMORAH'S HILL CD'S WERE IN!!! Last year they said we'd get them before the end of summer, then it was Christmas. Next President H moved and everyone gave up hope. I am so happy! They sound ok. The audience is kinda loud. Let me just say, THE PERFORMANCE WAS BETTER. We listened to the CD while we had root beer floats and watched the movie of the day's work. It's been almost a year exactly since the performance. When we found out they came in, Courtney and I ran to find Shauna. She and Katie were in the bathroom. We said 'Guess what!!' They were like, 'What?!' We said better than boys, and better than money. They couldn't guess. COME ON! We told them about the CD's."

Maybe I should share journal entries more often... they're pretty funny. And embarrassing. And that's a good combination, if you ask me.

Flashback Friday - Eagle Court of Honor 1999

Mike, Hannah, Emma, Molly, Mom, Dad

I don't have much of an explanation for this - just some pictures. I remember that in order to get his driver's license, Mike had to have his Eagle Scout award and know how to play 50 hymns on the piano, so this was pretty significant. Mike and Danny C. had their Eagle Courts of Honor together, which made the day extra special for everyone.

The C* Family

Flashback Friday - Memorial Days

(Memorial Day 1995 - from right: Hannah, Courtney, Shelby, Emma, Quinton [in the back]...)

I have always loved Memorial Day, and I especially loved it growing up because there were always fun activities planned.

In the morning, our ward always hosted an annual "5k Run/Walk", which was pretty fun. Sometimes kids would bring their bikes or roller blades and everyone seemed to have a good time. There would always be bagels or doughnuts for people to snack on afterwards.

Then, in the afternoon, Somersworth always had a Memorial Day parade. It was pretty small, but really fun. The high school marching band would march, as well as all the scouts in the area. There were also veterans and nurses from WWII riding in old cars. Twice, everyone would stop and there would be a small ceremony - once about halfway though, and then again at the end, which was always at the little bridge leading into Maine. After the parade, we'd have friends over for a BBQ and games outside.

I'm thankful that my parents taught us to have an appreciation for our country and for the freedoms we have. I'm sure there were probably years that we didn't want to participate in all these activities on our day off from school, but they taught us the importance of showing gratitude to our veterans, as well as supporting the community. I look forward to teaching my kids these same lessons.

Flashback Friday - Syttende Mai 2003

Every third weekend in May, Norwegians around the world celebrate Syttende Mai, which is the day Norway declared independence and signed the Norwegian Constitution ("Syttende Mai" translates to "Seventeenth of May").

Westby, WI, where my mom is from, has a huge celebration every year, and in 2003 my sisters and Mom and I took a trip up to celebrate with the extended family, who go every year. It was so much fun! We got reacquainted, went walking around the small town, ate Hub's Fries and lefse, visited the creamery, went to the parade, and just had FUN!

We also searched for the troll. It's a tradition in Westby that at the start of the weekend, a small troll is hidden somewhere within the city limits and on each of the three days, a clue is posted downtown. Whoever finds the troll wins $50! In the past I think my mom's family has found it a couple of times, but we didn't find it that year, even though we looked everywhere! The clues really didn't seem to help much.

Another thing that really stands out in my mind from that weekend is playing Catch-Phrase. Catch-Phrase is probably one of my favorite games, and the time we played it with the Oftedahl clan is probably my most memorable. We played for hours, and that evening is definitely on my "Top 5" list of "Times I Have Laughed So Hard It Hurt". I love my mom's side of the family! They are a lot of fun.

Waiting for the parade to start

Mom and her siblings

The cheese stands alone

Flashback Friday - Girls' Camps!

I had, in my opinion, the best girls' camp experiences ever. I loved girls' camp so much, and every year was more fun than the last. I was so blessed to have wonderful YW leaders who worked hard to make camp enjoyable for all the girls.

Camp Quinny was about 3-4 hours away, up in northern NH. It's a beautiful part of the state, and the camp was set on a huge lake. The lake was so much fun - we had canoeing, kayaking, sailing, rowboating, fishing, and swimming. I remember my first year, when I was 12, my friend Courtney and I never showered that whole week and man, we stunk. All the years after that, there was a rule that you had to shower after swimming in the lake because it was really unclean water. Gross!

The food at camp was another reason I loved it so much. We had the BEST food! We had pizza bread, pancakes, eggs & bacon, baked potato bar, etc. We were well fed. We only had to make our own meals for one night - and it was foil dinners, my favorite!

We camped together by year, which was a lot of fun because it allowed me to get to know all the girls in my Stake who were my age. The first four years we camped in canvas tents on platforms, with cots inside them, and then for 5-6 year we all shared one big cabin with bunk beds.

Besides water activities, there were MANY more things to keep us busy. We had hiking, archery, and marksmanship (Mom got the Annie Oakley award every year! She got nothing but bulls-eyes!). There was a craft tent, which was actually a big pavillion with drop-in projects you could do, or bigger projects you could sign up for. And one year we even had horseback riding! We also had D.E.A.R. time every day, where everyone in the entire camp would Drop Everything And Read. It was a nice quiet time to relax from the hustle and bustle of constant activities and fun.

I also strengthened my testimony a lot during camp. We had wonderful firesides every night at the big amphitheater on the hillside. We sang songs, had testimony meetings, and played big group games, like Gospel Jeopardy.

I am forever indebted to all the people who made camp such a great experience for me year after year.

Gotta have smooth legs if we're going to be living in our bathing suits!

Three bulls-eyes! Not bad!

Fourth year we did an overnight hike. The hike was fun, but then it rained at our campsite and everything got soaked! I remember holding up sleeping bags around the fires to dry them off. Also, it rained through the night and Courtney and I had pitched our tent in a little dip in the ground. Thankfully, we were using her Dad's really nice tent and no water got in, and it felt like we were sleeping on a water bed!

Sailing! After this picture was taken the wind died down and Courtney had to tie her kayak to me and pull me in to shore.

Marie and I were taking a lifeguard class in the early mornings. Brr, the water was cold!

Every Thursday night, there was a treasure hunt. The waterfront leaders would hide 4 "treasure chests" somewhere in the lake (they floated) and we got into canoes in teams of three and we'd try to find them (two people to paddle, one person to hold the flashlight). I won every year. I kind of felt bad, and my last year there I wasn't really trying to find it, but I did! I swear, I never cheated. I just always got lucky, I guess.

Flashback Friday - The Striped Bathing Suit

When I was little and we were living in NH (the first time), Emma and I had semi-matching bathing suits. They were very cute - mine was red and white striped, and hers was blue and white. And in those days, we were outside all the time, playing in the little kiddie pool or running through sprinklers.

Since we were outside so much, we got very tan and very blond. And it so happened that the sun would shine right through the white stripe of our suits, so we'd tan in a stripe underneath our suits! I remember that Mom thought it was the cutest thing, and I recall a few times having to shed my shirt to show her friends when they came over to the house. Thanks, Mom!

Playing in the sprinklers

The above and below pictures look like they're from a Primary activity back in the day (Somersworth Ward)

My stripes.... I figured I'd edit the picture a little bit for you all.