Tuesday, August 18, 2009

1982.

My eldest is now in second grade. Second grade. How did we get to second grade overnight, seemingly?


I loved the second grade...it was my favorite of the early primary school years. Why?

*My parents took me to Disney World for my 8th birthday. I got to miss several days of school...yippeeeeeeeeee! (And Disney was fun, too.)

*E.T. came out during the summer before 2nd grade, yet we were still talking about it well into the school year. Oh, and don't get me started on Tron. (Who's excited for Tron Legacy? I mean, other than me and my brother? And Greg, of course.)

*I read Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret in 1982. It's only the standard, right of passage story for young girls. So yeah, maybe I was a little young to be reading it, but still...I love it to this day. "We must, we must, we must increase our busts!" Classic!

*My passion for music was officially kindled in the 2nd grade. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were loving some Rock & Roll, The Motels got all kinds of angsty in "Only the Lonely" (the meaning was completely lost on me back then!), and "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell was played over and over again. By me. On my little Fisher-Price record player. Yes, I bought that song on 45...at Zayre's (Warner Robins peeps, represent!)...and wore it out.

*I rocked the pigtails. No, really...check it out:
Look how much my Mama loved me...she sent me to school on picture day
in a sundress, my beloved panda necklace,
and my hair securely fastened...with elastics, barrettes, and ribbons.
That is some tender loving care right there.

As Libbey learns and grows and enjoys the second grade, I promise to never send her to school with more than 2 varieties of hair accessories. Coco Chanel was famous for reminding the ladies to remove one accessory before leaving the house each day.

Mama, why didn't we heed Coco's sage fashion advice back in 1982? Seriously! And is that a white shrug I'm wearing over the red sundress? Yeesh...

35 comments:

jori-o said...

HOW do you remember those details?? Okay, I just had to figure out where I was in '82. Kindergarten. But even in 2nd grade, I can pretty much just remember my teacher's name and that she took us roller skating when we were the best "team." Movies and music? I have no idea.

LOVE the panda necklace, by the way! ;-)

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

You were one cool 2nd grader!
My BABY is going into the 3rd grade.
MY BABY!!

Amy said...

You were sooo cute! But you still are!

I was 12 in '82. *sigh* I was going to the 7th as is my oldest now. My baby starts 4th grade tomorrow!

Love me some Judy Blume....I read ALL of her books.

Caroline said...

A white shrug with faux-leather trim nonetheless.

1982...my grand entrance into public school. I have several memories from that year as well.

I'm lovin' the panda necklace. And how cute were you, even with 3 hair accessories.

Tony C said...

LOL...is that Cindy Brady!

Cute picture. I shouldn't be laughing. I graduated high school in 1982...aka The Year of Hall and Oates.

Ahhh...just remembering back to the 1982 prom when we did jump-and-jacks to Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical' and shadow boxed during 'Eye of the Tiger'...good times...good times.

SaraPlaysHouse.com said...

OMG. I almost choked on a peppermint at Zayre's!
That is all. :)

sassy stephanie said...

Oh my! I'm laughing and laughing. So funny to read all of the '82 things. Ahhhh...memories.

Knock 'em dead in 2nd Lib!

Ker said...

2nd grade was not as memorable for me. I remember the 1st grade vividly, and I LURVED my 3rd grade teacher, Ms. Fortune. She was beautiful, and the summer after 3rd grade I went to school as often as she was there to help her around her classroom. She gave me granola. I wonder where she is today?

You seriously rocked those pigtails :)

Brandy said...

OMG! I have a picture of me in a dress similar to that. But I did not have a panda necklace.

And for that, i'm very bitter.

Heather said...

A white shrug with red SATIN piping. That's hot. And I love love love that your momma paid such close attention to the little details. How precious. Now I need to go find a picture of me as a little girl because I, too, rocked the pigtails.

Swirl Girl said...

I graduated from High School in '82 and looked dorkier than a 2nd gradier could ever look. I think you're adorable!

(for those who don't know, Zayre was Target back in the day)

CaraBee said...

But just look at all that gorgeous blond hair, no way mere clips or ribbons or elastics were going to do the job all by themselves.

I'm pretty sure it was my second grade picture, all copies of which have been burned, where the shoulder of my dress fell down, the cowlick in the bangs of my Dorothy Hamill cut was in full force and I was missing at least one tooth. It was a beauty, let me tell you.

Put another dime in the jukebox, baby...

CaraBee said...

PS - Totally excited about Tron Legacy!

Unknown said...

DUDE.... do you still HAVE that panda necklace? cuz that is vintage goodness- YES.. vintage.. cuz in 1982 I was nothing but an idea.... actually i just calculated... when you were starting 2nd grade my parents were visited by a stork, who planted me in my mom's belly (that's how it happened)seriously. i want that necklace

Kristen said...

There are 18 kinds of wonderful in this post. Ad.or.abl.e you are. Truly.


I miss you! I just got back from NY and am getting caught up. PLUS my darn blackberry is broken AGAIN and I'm awaiting the Blackberry team to get their act together and make my phone work again. It's enough to give me early wrinkles and some gray hair. Seriously, it is.

Much love <3

Mama Dawg said...

Love the sundress! I had one similar!

Heather of the EO said...

I love the shrug!

What a great post. Time does move too fast, no?

Are you there God? Oh, I will NEVER forget that book. Or Joan Jett.

Heather said...

I was just discussing the release of E.T. last night at work...weird. I remember going to the theater with my family to see it, watching in awe as my dad shed a tear at the sad part when E.T. is "dying".

Your mama loved you so much! She didn't want those blond tresses getting in your eyes while you were attempting to learn, you know!

Amazing how much you and Libbey look alike. None of my kids look like me :(

Trooper Thorn said...

It's nice to see pictures from a time when mom's cared what the kids wore in their class photos. Now it's a rarity to see a child dressed nicely. Boys especially show up in their grimiest skater T-shirt and baggy pants.

Live.Love.Eat said...

Oh yeah you were rockin the pigtails!!!!!! Momma wanted to make sure no hairs fell into those pretty little eyes:)

Good luck to Libbey in 2nd grade. I know, it's crazy. Tristan starts kindergarten next week. My baby is going to be walking up to a lunch counter in a cafeteria. Hah.

Jen said...

You are just beautiful. I am so amazed that you remember 2nd great. I can't even remember what I did yesterday.


And you have so many more than 13 readers. You are loved, my dear. So loved!

Vicki said...

Very cute! And I do see the resemblance, oh yes.

Karin @ 6ByHisDesign said...

i have been catching up on blogs tonite that i have favorited on my main computer...usually i use my laptop...t.m.i., but nonetheless, with nothing witty or totally cool to say, just know that i love your blog. and you just. make. me. laugh.

and now i have to go check out this story about using our blog photos.

~karin

Shannon said...

Look how adorable you were!

But no surprise, as you're adorable now.

Alas, I did not rock the pig-tails in 1982. But I did have some kick-ass Cabbage Patch kid head earrings.

Wait... maybe that was 3rd grade. Which would have been 1983 or 1984.

Yeah, in 1982 I was rocking the pageboy haircut and saddle shoes.

HAWT.

Pinky Roth said...

You were too cute! I do not remember what happened to your panda necklace? Do you?

Mom

amanda leeann said...

i found you through lauren [along with 800 other peeps i'm sure] and read most of the first page of your blog. i think we could be friends.

love joan jett. and that panda necklace. and the fact that you prowl through people's showers. i hate the hills. am about to start on the first season of mad men. and i loved me some hunger games, and am so over waiting for catching fire.

the end =]

Jenny and the Princess Peonies said...

Oh my...you and Libby could be twins.

I am excited for Ash to hit the 2nd grade but I am wondering how it happened so fast.

Can I tell how excited someone else has heard of Summer Magic!!! No one has ever heard of it!

AiringMyLaundry said...

My son is also about to start second grade. I can't believe it.

I'm amazed that you can remember so much about second grade. I barely remember a thing.

Unknown said...

2nd grade ... only the best grade EVER!

And I read every single one of Judy Blume's books, much the way you do with Twilight.

Britt said...

Dude .. I love "Are You There God?" .. seriously, one of my all time favorite kid books. I can't wait to give it to my girls.

No .. scratch that. Because if I'm giving it to them to read, then they are getting ready to go through the first of the womanly "changes" .. *Shudder*

I love the picture .. really shows how much your girls look like you. Adorable!

SouthernDogwoods said...

Awww! Aren't mommas the best! You are adorable!!!!

Maddness of Me said...

I could go on all day about 1982. That was the year I graduated high school. Catholic high school. So I was listening to The Knack and The Romantics. And losing my... homework.

Anonymous said...

dude you and libbey so have a strong resemblance! awww like mother like daughter.

oh and 1982?! the year I was born? ya know... ;)

Tiffany said...

I had that necklace.

Sigh.

Anonymous said...

When I was in 2nd grade...some time before you...I had the big plastic see-thru ball ponytail holders & twisty yarn lengths as ribbons. Sheeesh. Thank goodness I don't remember any of it.
But I remember seeing E.T. at the theater and OMG I loved Rock & Roll...Crimson & Clover...Joan was awesome.