My First Mickey Experience...

The countdown is on for Disney World... We are going to be spending a week in Orlando and at least one day at the park and I am VERY excited about this. Clara has been really into Mickey and Minnie lately so I am very interested in how her first encounter with them will go!

Which brings me to today's picture, the first time I met Mickey... sorta.

This is me at my 4th birthday party. Someone had the bright idea to have a total creeper put on a wannabe Mickey Mouse head and surprise me. As you can see I was less than thrilled...

In all fairness I don't exactly remember the birthday party, BUT I do have a good story that is kinda related...

So somehow I was slowly convinced that Mickey wasn't all that bad and he gave me these two little plastic figurines... one of Mickey and one of Minnie. (Good job getting a picture of me actually receiving said items!)

I have this memory of being at preschool and this kid had the same exact little figurines. I can't say if I remember thinking they were mine, or if I straight up stole them from this kid but I had them in my cubbie. I remember the teacher finding them and sending me to the principle! Imagine a 4 year old getting sent to the principle's office. I remember them calling my mom, or me calling her and telling her what happened.

I wish I could say it was totally useless to have a four year old call her parents... but hey I remember it so who knows.

I also wish I could say that the only reason I cry at birthdays is because of giant scary men dressed as rodents but that really just isn't true...

Way too much information.

This is a picture from the first night I met my husband... sorta.

It is a two part story and the second part doesn't really have to do with this picture but I will share it anyways :)

So in the summer of 2001, after having graduated high school, the cool thing to do was go out to downtown Pontiac. A totally safe place for a couple of super white suburban girls to go hang out! This particular night we were going to Clutch Cargos.

We met at my bff Mary Kate's house to get ready and this is a picture her mom took of us right before we headed out the door. I desperately wish this was a full length picture so you could see the pants Mary Kate is wearing. They were the infamous zebra print pants and basically the main character of this story.

So if you can believe it I use to think it was totally cool and acceptable to "wait in line" at the bar. So there we were, waiting in line when these two idiot guys come up and stand in line behind us. One of the idiots was very interested in Mary Kate's zebra print pants and felt the need to talk to us about it. The guys were cute enough but definitely not that memorable. We got in the bar and and the idiot guys had followed us in and eventually I think they were dancing with us. The blonde guy was talking to MK and the other guy was being "that guy." You know the one who tries to dance with you even though you aren't really feeling it, at all. They were both pretty obnoxious but hey we were 18, they were guys showing some interest so we went with it.

I spent the next two years of my life not realizing that Mary Kate had actually exchanged "aim" screen names with the blonde guy. He went to Western and they talked a little but nothing really came of it.

Part two.

In college I had a good friend whose hometown was about 20 minutes from mine. We both were home at the beginning of summer and he invited me to a party at a high school friend of his' house. I asked if I could bring a friend (enter Mary Kate) and we went. We walk in and MK notices the blonde guy from the bar.

We all talk and joke around, and turns out these two guys are the very same two guys we met in line two years earlier at the bar.

Remember the obnoxious guy that was trying to dance with me... I started dated him.

Now here we are, 10 years later... and I married the creepy guy from the bar.

Teddy Rupskin

If you didn't have a Teddy Rupskin when you were little get on the phone with child protection services and tell them your parents basically mentally abused you as a child.

Luckily for me I did have one. I got it for Christmas. (technically it came for me AND tone-dog but whatevs)

I wish I knew how long this magical talking bear actually lasted in our household but I have a feeling it wasn't very long.

While Teddy's body was still very much intact, and he continued to "play" the tape that was inserted in his back, his very essence was taken from him far too soon.

I remember us being in the car with him and Anthony and I decided that it would be hilarious if we fed Teddy peanuts. His mouth moved up and down and naturally we thought, "Hey he could totally chew these peanuts!"

Well he couldn't. In fact you might say he was allergic to peanuts. I'm sure while trying to bite down he popped a spring or something and his "jaw" stopped working. He was no longer able to move his mouth as he read.

Poor Teddy.

Remember that Juvenile song "She Get It From Her Mamma?" (don't pretend like you don't)

Well I was going to copy and paste the lyrics until I actually ready them and decided it was in my best interest not to.

Obviously this is from my wedding day. It was perfect. At the time no one in the world could have talked me into it, but considering I got married in November I really wish I would have worn a drew with long sleeves...

Like my mamma...

and her mamma!

If you were wondering where my good looks come from, now you know :)

Halloween Winner

If you were wondering what a contest winning Halloween costume looks like... you're welcome.

We were living in Florida and I think I am 7 in this picture. Yeah I know, every little girl was a witch at least once.

Well I was a witch with actual moss for hair. Moss grows in abundance in florida and my mom no joke went out into the backyard and pulled moss off a tree and convinced me to walk around with it like a wig.

I can't remember if was at the high school or just at the community center, but I remember going to a huge auditorium for this costume contest. There were pictures, candy, and then there were winners for the best costume.

It was easily the closest I will ever come to a toddlers and tiaras type moment in my life. There was different categories and over all winners. They called off numbers and I won first place for my age group and my prize... $50 gift certificate to Walmart.

I have no idea what I bought with the money just that I won it.

Digital Photography

Lets talk about digital photography.

The year was 2003 and I NEEDED a digital camera.

"Well Christina why didn't you just get one?"

I will tell you why... because NO ONE had them at the time.

Seriously, as little as 10 years ago digital cameras were not the norm. My husband and I were dating at the time and he had bought me this fantastic Minolta camera. It of course took film. I was that person that would use up a whole roll of film in an hour and then run to the nearest 1-hour photo to have my pictures developed. THANK GOD I was smart enough at the time to spend the extra money to get cd's of my pictures as soon as that option was available so all the pictures I took throughout college are safely stored away and on my external hard drive.

I remember begging and pleading with my parents. Explaining to them that this was the most important piece of technology I would ever own.

"But Mom I can take unlimited pictures!"

"But Dad I could just print them myself!"

I really worked hard to sell this digital camera idea.

Then I got one. Holy hell what was I thinking! This is a picture taken on that camera. It is of Mike and I at the Kentucky Derby (Remember that post about the bratty girl at the gym... well check out my bod here girlie!)

This picture is like 2.5 megapixels. I have a bunch of pictures and the resolution is just awful!

Now the spoiled brat I am, my lovely husband got me (read us) a DSLR which I absolutely love! We got it at Christmas in 2008 so I think it is gonna be time to start asking for a new one pretty soon ;)

Glamour Shots?

Remember when Glamour Shots was the cool thing to do. (Like that one year in 1991)

Well I never did it, I think I was old enough to want to, but too young to successfully beg my mom to let me do it.

This is probably what my "look" would have been like.

We were living in Tennessee and my bff at the time was this girl Jennifer who lived down the street. (Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this, but my main memory of her was making up dances to Amy Grant songs in her garage!)

Anyway, for Jennifer's birthday we went to the salon and got make-overs. Make-up, and hair, I think even my nails. This was big time considering I was like 8 or 9.

Seriously I look like a small prostitute in mom jeans. I remember walking in the house and my mom laughing hysterically at me and then taking my picture. The eyeshadow was outrageous and I actually remember feeling super uncomfortable with the look. My hair felt about 10x bigger than it looks in the picture!

Here is to hoping that perms don't make a comeback... ever!