Here’s a fun fact: my Mom is a scrapbooker. She’s a serious scrapbooker. She’s got the paper cutters, the corner choppers, the fancy albums and colorful background paper… there are stickers…. so so many stickers. She’s for real. Scrapbooking is the new rubber stamping. Remember the rubber stamp craze!? Yea, we’ve moved on. Scrapbooking.
I went to my parents’ house a few days ago to find these envelopes gracing the brick fireplace. The envelope in front had my name on it. I was hoping for an early Christmas stocking. Boy oh boy did I get it. Among other darling and embarrassing photos of myself, I found a chronological history of my school days. From preschool to high school. Every cute, awkward and downright horrifying picture.
Now. Because I don’t know any better. Because I’m certifiably batty… allow me to share with you preschool through seventh grade. The later, more awkward years will follow, and we’ll all cry.
Though she will deny it, my Mom gave me this haircut herself. I remember very well. Even at four, I knew how ridiculous I looked.
First grade. Somehow I think I rise above this bowl haircut.
Second grade. That tiny headband is failing…. big time. Nice frock. I would totally rock that these days. Is that weird? That’s weird.
Nice corner fading third grade! I feel like there are some serious adult teeth hiding out in that mouth.
Oooh yes. Full of teeth. You have to grow into your teeth. It’s true. It’s like puppies with big paws. Should I tell you how much I loved this Cinco de Mayo dress with matching hair ribbon? Yes. A lot.
Mixed girl hair is a hard thing. It wants to be curly. It wants to be straight. It wants to ruin your life. What are you going to do? Button your shirt all the way up and hope for the best.
a) Why do the school photographers make you look in the ceiling corner. It’s awkward.
b) I thought this shirt was so clever. I was right.
Oooh Joy . Triangle hair. So short. So much volume. I wish I could have gone back in time to tell you everything would work out ok… but the truth is that you’ve got some seriously awkward years ahead of you. Yeesh.
Enjoy the kitchen intermission. Laugh at me. Please… go on… laugh. If your Mom is a scrapbooker, you might not want to laugh as hard. Your time for an embarrassing envelope will come.
trishy
i so love all of these pictures!! and they both make me miss my own and happy that most of them have disappeared into the great wide somewhere.
Stephanie
These pictures are great! I would too embarrassed to post my elementary/middle school pictures.
Kristi
I had your 6th grade shirt too! I wore mine in my 7th grade pic. I also had the triangle hair, but with a perm. Ugh.
Christine
Joy, these are fantastic! Thanks for sharing :)
Estela @ Weekly Bite
Very cute pictures!!
Meseidy
OMG! Joy I kid you not I had a shirt just like that poka-dot and flower shirt. Mine was a black sheer at the bottom. Was yours?
The horror! LOL
Megan
I love them!
My mom has my pictures all in a row behind each other in a frame… My kindergarten shot is me with tears in my eyes and I’m holding M&M’s for dear life. I guess I used to hate school pictures…but I’ve always loved M&Ms.
Noreen
Your pics are so cute!!! My Mom made a bunch of my clothes when I was in Elementary & I can’t tell you how many Santa pics I have in a homemade frock. My sister-in-law laughs, I think it’s kind of sweet. I mean it was the late 70’s/early 80’s. We were all sporting the look =) Thanks for sharing!!
Anna@BakingSimplicity
Ok, that was just way too adorable! Lucky you for being saved from the bowl haircut…some of us just weren’t as lucky.
Thanks for sharing :)
Jen-
Um…we should totally have a contest on the “Most Unfortunate School Picture”! Picture if you will a sweet girl made to look UP into the ceiling corner with what a boy would someday call a “pig nose on a human face” and then all the bright glare in her large framed glasses….oh and a pimple or two for color!
You looked adorable. So unfair. haha.
janelle
I love everything about it, and I commend you for sharing it with us. As a mom of a daugther with mixed girl hair, I feel your pain
Rebecca
Thanks for making my morning a little brighter. I remember my picutres that are just like that, not sure why the school photographer wants you looking into the corner, but mine all seem to be that way.
The mom haircut, is an experience that everyone should have, my mom almost cut my bangs completely off. She did leave some “fringe” though.
Kristen
Well, hello long-lost twin! Seriously, I wish I had my pictures to show you – we are total twins. Except I had this awesome scottie dog cardigan in red, black and white to go with one of my pleated skirts in 6th grade… that skirt was so stiff that when i got up to sharpen my pencil one day, it was flipped right up over my butt and I didn’t realize until the draft and giggles kicked in. Awkwardness… and thank God we grew into those teeth, right?? Great pics. :)
shelly (cookies and cups)
Your pictures are so very similar to mine…I, personally, like the suspenders circa 5th grade.
I wish I could go back and help my former self with my hair…so frizzy it is ridiculous. The girl’s now have Chi fever, so unfair ;)
When Pigs Fly
We all look a bit goofy in our grade school pictures. Thanks for sharing.