Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

Favorite childhood memories

When I was in third grade, my brother had to miss school one day to get a mole removed. While sitting in class, with my desk next to the teacher’s, positioned away from all the other kids, I was called into the main office.

class w desk next to teachers

I guess I was disruptive or something.

I got to the office, and saw my dad. He was there to pick me up. In the middle of the school day.

I was obviously convinced that something had gone horribly wrong during Tommy’s frightening procedure, and that he must now be mole-less but injured somehow, waiting for me in intensive care for a final goodbye or a transfusion of some sort that only I could provide. I began to picture the grand party we’d have in my honor upon home-coming, designed to celebrate my bravery at out-thinking the best of the doctors, and finding a solution to save him with using my own perfect-match of whatever the thing that only I could provide was.

It wasn’t until we got in the car, and Tommy was sitting there, obviously not in need of my assistance (back then, people left kids in the car and ran errands without them – a luxury long-gone) that my dad told us why he’d come to get me. Star Wars had recently come out. The original very-first one in which graphics like this left us breathless with wonder at “How’d they do that?”

death star blow up

Anyway, he’d tried to take us over the weekend but after waiting in line for an hour +, we were met with the heart-breaking news that the show had been sold out. I guess my dad wanted to see it or really was that party-on-excellent awesome because after Tommy’s successful mole-removal, he came to pick me up at school, during the middle of the day so that he could take us to Star Wars. He’ll pretty much always be my hero for that. And I’m totally stealing that idea and doing something similar for Tucker one day.

Cherubic or terror?

Cherubic or terror?

Another favorite memory from childhood is when I had my coveted little sister.

For a week.

When I was eight, we moved into a new house. New school district, new (no) friends, new everything. To help ease my loneliness, I dressed my youngest brother Mike up like a little girl each day. He went along with the game, as he was three, I was eight, and was paying attention to him.

I’d dress him up, curl his hair and parade him around the neighborhood introducing him as Mike’s twin sister, Michelle. All was grand and good until day nine. Which is when I accidentally burned his head with my curling iron (as I type that, it surprises me that my parents allowed me to own and operate a curling iron at all). Sadly, I had to say a forever-goodbye to my little sister Michelle that day. Playing with her remains one of my favorite childhood memories.

sister michelle

What about you? What are some of your treasured childhood memories? I love when you guys tell me this stuff!!

This has been a Finish The Sentence Friday post. The sentence is “One of my favorite childhood memories is…”

Your fab hosts: Janine: Janine’s Confessions of a Mommyaholic Kate: Can I get another bottle of whine? Stephanie: Mommy, for Real me: finding ninee

We have a Facebook page! Come chat and see the upcoming sentences, here!

PS- I was prepared to astound you with more, but typing with one hand is a PITA, friends!


by Kristi Campbell

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  • Kenya G. Johnson - LOL! Does your brother remember that? My brother was much older when he let me practice cutting his hair with the clipper. I buzzed too close in one spot. I touched up that spot with black eyeliner for a few days until it grew back in.

    So sweet your dad got you out of school for Star Wars.December 5, 2013 – 10:06 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Kenya,
    I’m not sure if he remembers remembers or has remembered because I told him the story! hahaha to the eyeliner!!!! Brilliant!!!!December 5, 2013 – 10:10 pmReplyCancel

  • Janine Huldie - I totally dressed my brother up as Smurfette. I was only 8 years old and he 2 years old. I just wanted a sister and thought my Halloween costume would do. Those pictures have since disappeared and surely been burned. I guess I can’t blame him!! But seriously loved both of your memories and had me totally smiling from ear to ear reading!! 🙂December 5, 2013 – 10:11 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Janine,
    HAHAHA!!! Love that you dressed him as a Smurphette!!!December 5, 2013 – 10:15 pmReplyCancel

  • Jean - You had an isolated desk!?! Whoa. That’s trouble. Also, I love that your dad took you out of school for that. Do you think we’d get away with it now? I feel like my son would rat me out the second he got back to school the next day.December 5, 2013 – 10:15 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Jean.
    YUP! What a dick teacher, huh!? I love that my dad did it too n I’m willing to risk it!December 5, 2013 – 10:20 pmReplyCancel

  • Dana - Your dad was totally cool – what an awesome memory. I have a sister so I didn’t have to be as creative when dressing her up. But I have some photos of my son in barrettes and plastic high heels that are just priceless, thanks to his big sister. She even painted his fingernails – but just one red one on each hand.December 5, 2013 – 10:42 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Dana,
    Ha, awesome that your daughter did the same1 I love it!!!December 5, 2013 – 10:49 pmReplyCancel

  • Kelly McKenzie - Hahahaha! Michelle – of course! So clever.
    Yes – what’s with the curling iron? I torched my daughter’s scalp when she wanted her poker straight hair to be curly for her grad pic!
    Love the fact that your dad came and got you from school to take you to Star Wars.
    Who does that?December 5, 2013 – 10:51 pmReplyCancel

  • Mytwicebakedpotato - I love the Star Wars story !! It was a great reminder that sometimes you have to break the rules and create great memories 🙂December 5, 2013 – 11:01 pmReplyCancel

  • JenKehl - My Skewed View - I still remember the day I saw Star Wars, waiting in that long line! I was 8 and my sister was 5! Funnily enough my 8yo could only handle it this year, and my 5yo niece would run screaming from all that shooting these days.
    Ah the olden days when people could leave their kids in running cars. Don’t tell anyone but I did that today when I ran into the UPS store. Thank goodness I didn’t get arrested.
    ALSO LOL poor Michelle is gone, poor MIchelle is gone….December 5, 2013 – 11:02 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Kelly,
    I miss Michelle!!! I love the fact that my dad did that, too!!!
    —MY TBP!
    I love Star Wars, too!!!
    —
    Jen,
    I won’t tell anyone but 8 and self-sufficient is different from me doing it, so maybe I’m just jealous!!!December 5, 2013 – 11:08 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ The Meaning of Me - I love that you dressed up your brother! How funny!

    Despite the “taboo” of taking you out of school to see Star Wars, what a great memory you now have. Life’s too short to get hung up on anything. I say kudos to your dad!December 5, 2013 – 11:36 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Lisa,I say kudos to my dad, too!!!December 5, 2013 – 11:39 pmReplyCancel

  • Sarah - Wow, you were separated from the class! You must have been BAD. I, too, love that memory of your dad taking join out of school to see a movie. What a wonderful treat!December 5, 2013 – 11:39 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Sarah,
    I just talked too much… or well, was BAD 🙁December 5, 2013 – 11:44 pmReplyCancel

  • Kate Hall - That’s awesome that your dad did that and it’s HILARIOUS (but painful) that you were curling your little brother’s hair and parading him around as your sister. SOO funny!December 6, 2013 – 12:38 amReplyCancel

  • karen - wow…what a cool thing your dad tried to do…though the part where you thought something hadppened to your brother wasn’t so cool.

    Oh no…at least you had a sister for a short time, I always wanted a brother.December 6, 2013 – 5:38 amReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Kate,
    I think it was awesome of my dads, too and yeah…I wanted a sister…
    —
    Karen,
    How funny that you always wanted a brother. I guess all little kids want what they don’t have.December 6, 2013 – 9:05 amReplyCancel

  • Chris at Hye Thyme Cafe - Love it! The movie reminds me of the time I was in my jammies ready for bed – with a broken leg and cast up to my hip, when my Dad told me we were going out. He scooped me up, drove around the corner to pick up my best friend (we only dressed up her cat when we were little) – also in her jammies, and took us to a drive-in. Although I can’t actually remember the movie itself now, I remember that it was Bedknobs and Broomsticks with Angela Lansbury. And no, I can’t believe you had a curling iron at 8 either! 😉December 6, 2013 – 9:13 amReplyCancel

  • Tamara - Awed at the awesomeness of your dad! Awed at the hilarity of you!!December 6, 2013 – 9:30 amReplyCancel

  • donofalltrades - Hahaha, Kristi, you’re not right in the head!

    We saw Star Wars at the drive in and it fucking ruled!!!

    Do they still have drive ins? Damn, now I’m going to write a quick FTSF post. You’ve inspired me, girl!December 6, 2013 – 9:36 amReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Chris,
    I love that your dad did something similar and took you and your best friend to the drive-in in your jammies!! Also a cat let you dress it up? Really?? Impressed!
    —
    Tamara,
    Awed by you!December 6, 2013 – 9:54 amReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Don,
    YAYYY that you’re going to play and that it was my fab childhood that inspired you. I have no idea whether drive-ins still exist but they totally rocked. Agree that it is possible I’m not right in the head!!December 6, 2013 – 9:56 amReplyCancel

  • Louise - Lol! I suspect being dressed up as a girl is a younger brother right of passage. I even have photos of when I did it to my little brother because I’d also been given a camera for Christmas that year 😉

    As for getting out of school to see Star Wars, can your dad be my hero too? What a great treat – and a fabulous memory!December 6, 2013 – 9:58 amReplyCancel

  • Lisa @ Golden Spoons - Wow! your dad is hero for that! What a great memory. I remember seeing Star Wars with my family, but not in the middle of a school day. 🙂December 6, 2013 – 10:16 amReplyCancel

  • Lizzy - Muddle-Headed Mamma - HAHA that’s gold, your brother and your dad both deserve some sort of reward I think. I always wished I had a younger brother, but it’s probably just as well that I didn’t coz I’m sure he would have suffered a similar fate!December 6, 2013 – 10:21 amReplyCancel

  • Emily - I love both of those…my husband once took Little Dude out of camp early to go to a Yankees game and he still talks about that all the time. As for your little brother, OMG. I once got my older brother to eat a dog treat. It looked like a piece of chocolate and I told him it was the best piece of chocolate he would ever eat and he believed me. Ahh, memories!December 6, 2013 – 10:38 amReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Louise,
    Oh man!! Now I wish I had photos! Darnit!!
    —
    Lisa,
    That it was during school is what made it so magical…
    —
    Lizzy,
    I agree that they both deserve an award!!!
    —
    Emily,
    Wow, I’m impressed!! You got your OLDER brother to eat a dog treat?!?! Did he realize it or just think the treat was stale or something?December 6, 2013 – 10:59 amReplyCancel

  • Katia - So I wanted to comment on how the graphics on this post are just brilliant and so hilarious, Kristi! And then when I realized that you were doing this with one hand (!!!) I became even more in awe of you. LOVED this short-ish or not, didn’t matter.December 6, 2013 – 11:26 amReplyCancel

  • Deb @ Urban Moo Cow - LOL. I love you so much, Kristi. This just cracked me up. I was also a super serious child! And by the way, I can’t BELIEVE you are still blogging and drawing with one hand. I would have thrown in the towel for sure. You are a force to be reckoned with!December 6, 2013 – 11:36 amReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Katia,
    You are too kind, friend.
    —
    Deb,
    Back at you, you!! HA to being a force. Maybe just a little crazy!December 6, 2013 – 11:49 amReplyCancel

  • thedoseofreality - Okay, first of all, I ALSO sat alone in school! So, that part was totally my favorite. Secondly, I was crying with laughter about the fact that you made your little brother be your little sister. That.Is.Awesome.-AshleyDecember 6, 2013 – 12:01 pmReplyCancel

  • Natalie - The Cat Lady Sings - I had a little sister, and let me tell you – I’d have gladly sold her for a fistful of sourballs. 😉December 6, 2013 – 12:38 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Ashley,
    You were a bad bad girl too? Awesome!!
    —
    Natalie,
    Haha! MMM sourballs…December 6, 2013 – 12:53 pmReplyCancel

  • Considerer - Oh man! I suck! Read this first thing this morning and totally forgot to leave you a comment! Owp!

    Okay, first of all – why were you at the front of the class all by your lonesome? Were you the Bad Kid who needed the teacher to Keep An Eye On Her? Cos I get that. I was infamous at school, amongst the teachers. There were reasons. It sucked.

    Second of all – your Dad is SO COOL! Wow! What an awesome thing to have done, and I completely understand how that stayed with you so strongly 😀 Wonderful.

    And third of all…you were SO MEAN to your bro! But I love that you did that and (best Big Sister Awesome Points here) you made him THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA! Epic win 😀December 6, 2013 – 1:33 pmReplyCancel

  • Considerer - (forgot to say – Little Girl You – DEFINITELY up to no good. Love it 😀 )December 6, 2013 – 1:34 pmReplyCancel

  • Laura - I don’t recall every dressing up my younger brothers, but I believe my sisters did at one point.December 6, 2013 – 2:02 pmReplyCancel

  • Stephanie @ Mommy, for Real. - Oh my gosh, I am totally going to take Izzy out of school one day early to go see a movie and get ice cream. That is such a great idea and an awesome memory.
    So. I used to dress my brother up as a girl, too. A lot. If you have any questions about how this turned out, feel free to ask me privately. 😀
    xoxoDecember 6, 2013 – 2:43 pmReplyCancel

  • Sarah | LeftBrainBuddha - What a great memory with your father. And omigosh I love the image of you parading your sister around the neighborhood! 🙂December 6, 2013 – 4:23 pmReplyCancel

  • Kristi Campbell - Considerer,
    I got in trouble for passing notes and my teacher was an ass. I was mostly pretty good. Really shy. Until 9th grade. Then, I was just bad.
    I agree that my dad is awesome!!!! I want to know more about the trouble you were in at school! hahaha to Mike thinking it was a good idea! He just liked the attention. I get that.
    —
    Laura,
    Maybe more common than I think!
    —
    Stephanie,
    HAHA to dressing up your brother! I think I know where this is going and I’ll bet there are awesome family conversations around it!!
    —
    Sarah,
    Aw thanks! Too bad Michelle had to go live on a farm, with my dog…December 6, 2013 – 8:11 pmReplyCancel

  • Considerer - Ahhhh then I shall tell you. Not here, but I reckon I could get a post out of it soon 🙂 I was also thrown out of Brownies…December 7, 2013 – 3:13 amReplyCancel

  • Sandy Ramsey - I love this…both stories! My parents never did it but I have taken my kids out of school for a movie a time or two. I love surprising them like that!
    Dressing your little brother up as a girl…priceless! I never would have gotten away with that one.December 7, 2013 – 7:29 amReplyCancel

  • K - OMG Kristi! The story about how you dressed up your brother made me laugh so hard! I never dressed up my brothers as girls, but the three of us used to cause quite a bit of trouble together. We’d rig up the VCR with tinker toys to try and make the TV screen all static-y (zebra stripes, as we called them!) and we continued that until somehow my brother accidentally broke a window with a tinker toy (?). We’d also ride down the stairs in laundry baskets…those were the days. 😉December 7, 2013 – 2:47 pmReplyCancel

  • Lisa Forever Five Blog - I love your posts about your dad. I will never forget the time when he had to explain what a blow job was to you. His response was so brilliant! And now I love him even more. Might even steal his movie move one day myself…;)December 7, 2013 – 8:11 pmReplyCancel

  • Christina Morley - Your dad has reached hero status. That must be the coolest dad thing ever. But, your poor sister, I mean brother! By the way, my eldest daughter as a teenager still doesn’t take enough care with her hair straightener. She’s burnt her laptop’s keyboard using it as a table top, her little sister’s foot by leaving it on the floor while on, and nearly burnt her bed, except that her dad walked past her room and saw it on the bed and found it on. What was she thinking?!! She has been scolded each time, so hopefully she’s becoming more careful and responsible.December 8, 2013 – 3:29 pmReplyCancel

  • Rachel - Every picture of you is adorable…just like Tucker! 🙂 I love that your dad took you out of school for no reason (well, there was a reason, but you know what I mean. Like not a real, “adult” reason). And that story about your brother! Wow, I see that your creativity started early, Kristi! You and I have so much in common. I moved when I was eight. I have a younger brother. BUT…the comparison ends there. I did not go to such great lengths to ease my loneliness! I also was not allowed to own a curling iron!December 8, 2013 – 8:05 pmReplyCancel

  • Kerri - You have the best freaking dad! Star wars on a school day? He rocksDecember 9, 2013 – 11:12 amReplyCancel

  • Heather - So not only did your dad handle the blow job questions from you as a kid (thinking about that post still cracks me up), but he took to see Star Wars in the middle of a school day? You totally won the dad jackpot!December 9, 2013 – 11:49 pmReplyCancel

  • Brittnei - It does sound pretty weird that they let you have a curling iron. Maybe they didn’t realize until something bad happened. 🙂 I remember my mom used to let us just stay home for one day in the marking period if we had no absences during that time. It was cool. 🙂December 10, 2013 – 2:05 pmReplyCancel

  • Mike - LOL I’m glad your brother was fine from the mole surgery. Sheesh, you had me there for a second. Stop that! Wed, May 25th, 1977. We were there. I will never forget the Star Destroyer swooping “over us” in the theater. My jaw dropped. Those 10 seconds changed film history 🙂February 8, 2014 – 3:07 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - The Star Destroyer was life-changing for freaking SURE, dude. Big time.February 9, 2014 – 1:05 amReplyCancel

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