Theme o' the Week: A Picture of My Youth

Several of my closest personal pals, also known in my sidebar as "The Cat Pack," have been taking turns coming up with interesting themes for us all to write about on our blogs. Well, I guess I will take a turn at the theme game too. (Thanks to Just Babs for giving me this idea!)

This week's theme is "A Picture of My Youth." To play, post a picture of yourself from your childhood or growing up years and tell a story with the picture that lets us know who you were at that time, or gives us a special memory from your childhood.

If you want to participate, leave a comment here and I will link back to you at the bottom of this entry. Come on, everyone! Dazzle us with a picture of the younger you! My contribution is below.
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I am not sure what age I was in this photo, but I think I was around 7.

At this age, I was a little shy, especially around adults.

I loved to play outside with my dog and dig in my sandbox.

At school recess, I liked to play chase and perform daring swing stunts.

I ran from the boys who tried to kiss me.

But, some of my best friends were boys growing up and that continued all through school.

Not really a tomboy, but not a frilly girl, I usually wore jeans to school.

My mother complained because I wore the knees out of my pants by falling when I played.

I still liked to dress up and feel pretty on special days.

I was nice to most everyone I met, and was scared of being bullied.

I wanted to be liked, but not enough to completely change who I was.

Still, I did try to impress the popular girls.

I enjoyed playing Barbies...yet begged my folks to buy me some Hot Wheels (they never did).

I loved to create, dance, sing, and be silly at my Grandmother's house after school.

I played alone a lot, being an only child most of my early years.

With that said, I never recall feeling lonely.

I liked to spend hours in my room drawing, reading, writing and dreaming.

I really loved the dress I wore in this picture.

I told my mother it made me feel like Alice in Wonderland.

Later this year, I would get to play Alice in my first school play.

It was a tribute to famous book characters.

I had no lines, which worked perfectly for my stage-shy self.

A year or so after this picture, my Mother convinced me to cut off my long blonde hair.

I got a "Dorothy Hamil" bob haircut for summer camp, because she said it was more practical.

She absolutely loved it, I really hated it, and it brought my father to tears.

I grew it back as soon as I could, but it never grew as smooth and blonde as it did before.

I wish I could grow my hair out like this to this day.

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Check out these other "youngsters" at their great sites:

Nicole at 3 boys o' mine

Barbara at Just Babs