Thursday

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You


There is a box.  It is in my house.  It is large.  It is full. 
It mocks me. 
Can you hear it?
Yes, that is the sound of my bulging scrapbook photo box, pointing its wicked Kodak finger at me. 
I have good intentions.  Really, I do.  When I list hobbies, I put down scrap-booking.  I buy the supplies.  I have stickers for every significant event that has occurred in our lives for the past 10 years.  Did you know they made stickers for baby's first poop and first public tantrum?
I stuff my photos into that blasted box.  And that’s where they sit.  You know why?
I’m a scrappin’ failure.  It’s true.  I’m a loser in the die-cutting department of life.
Oh, I have good intentions.  Believe you, me.   I’ve bought magazines and attended classes.  I own special scissors and a hole punch in the shape of Mickey’s head.
I’m sure these were designed with serious scrappers in mind.  And in my mind, I am a serious scrapper. Just not on paper, exactly.
And I feel very guilty about that. 
I want to be able to give my kids this ginormous book stuffed full of memories from their amazing childhood.  This will not only impress them, it will announce to the world that I am a good mom. 
But I have a bulging box and I am so far behind.
That’s when this genius idea hit me.
I was digging thru my box when I found this picture:  
(WARNING:  You may want to protect your eyes from the raw horror of this photo).
I was 9.5 years old and entirely too old to be photographed with that doll.  My ‘fro was a gift from my mother- because she was a home-perm gift giver. 
Am I the picture of 80’s beauty or what?
This photo is lovingly referred to by my family as my, “corn cob teeth picture.”  Isn’t that nice?  That’s a self-esteem builder if I’ve ever heard it.  It was a year before I got braces and a much needed chemical straight-ner.
I remember posing for that photo.  I felt pretty.  Which truly proves that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  And I loved that doll, the way my own daughter loves her baby dolls. 
Just before we left the house for this photo shoot (which makes me sound all model-ish, my photo shoot) I grabbed my favorite doll.  I’m not sure what possessed me to capture this moment with her.  Perhaps I wanted to remember her because battery power caused her to suck on a plastic pacifier or maybe I just needed someone who didn’t care about my hair malady.   It is what it is.  And I’m not even ashamed.  I am a courageous woman.
As I dug through my box, this picture spoke to me.  First, it said, do not ever perm your daughter’s hair without a professional license.  And if you do, do not re-perm it every three months until you create a giant afro on your child’s small head resulting in an enormous looking noggin’. 
Secondly, the photo spoke to my scrap-booking aspirations.  I decided right then and there, every week I would drag up an old photo from last year or 20 years ago and share it on my blog.  It would be a virtual scrapbook, not only for my children, but also for the world.
Since I made this life altering decision, you know what that box has said to me?
Nothing.
See you next Thursday.
Sincerely, ‘fro me to you.

Food for the Soul:
Prov. 4:3 "When I was a boy at my father's knee, the pride and joy of my mother, He would sit me down and drill me: "Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live! Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch! Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life; love her—she keeps her eye on you. Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won't regret it; never let her go—she'll make your life glorious. She'll garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty."

46 comments:

Alex said...

I have enjoyed reading a lot your blog entries, "THAT" family and all ;). Hope you don't mind if I come back!! (Here via Thankful Thursday)

Dawn @ simply transparent said...

I could not agree more with you, about what you say?

The home perms by moms *what where they thinking!*

The scrap book box, eck!
I have finally found peace in "digital scrapbooking"..Yay! No more pressure..just "right click;copy;paste" seriously!

Look forward to seeing more!

FYI: Photoshow.com has a fun way to scrap it out!
I'm using it and lovin it!

Dawn :0)

Heather J. said...

I love that photo!
You are a brave brave woman. No big hair pictures on my blog!

Kate said...

I rocked the 'fro in the 80's but you don't see me posting those pics. This is me secretly greatful that the scanner is fried. Did you have the big black framed glasses, too? Oh ya, I was THAT cool.

marky said...

ah..the 80's when we were all stylin'. My dear friend refers to them as the sad little decade! I love your picture and you do look happy. Thanks for the comment;-) I love visiting your blog! Oh and if it makes you feel any better. All of my photos from 23+ years are shoved in boxes in my basement. Every year I think I will tackle at least ONE photo album or scrapbook or maybe at least organize them, but alas they still remaine in boxes!

Happy Mommy said...

I love the pink teddy bear sweater with the puffy sleeves, if that doesn't cry 80's I don't know what does! And if I could ever figure out how to use my scanner I think we could have a contest on who had the biggest teeth me or you...
I look forward to laughing with you next week, it's so much more fun to laugh than to cry!
Oh and its nice to see you hair turned out ok!

Anonymous said...

I had a perm as a kid. I think it would have been one thing had my hair not been so freakin' short.

I now look at those photos and cringe. Really, the only thing that occurs to me is, "Did my mother really hate me that much?"

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

Good lord. Is the perm worse or the scary "pose with my doll when I'm practically a teenager?"

Love it!!!

Btw, I will NOT have fun exfoliating cuz I AINT GONNA USE THAT DAMN EGG!!

Hallie :)

Anonymous said...

That 'fro is not natural? Shocking! I myself preferred the feathered hair look which is particularly smashing with rainbow leg warmers and jelly shoes.

You, btw, look marvelous.

Valarie Lea said...

I don't know if I can be as brave as you. There are pictures out there of me that my family threatens to bring out and show the world. Maybe I should bring them out before they do. No, no its just to bad I don't think I can. :(

Andrea said...

I have the same kind of boxes! I "love" toscrap book...about twice a year when I decide maybe I should really do this. And of course I go out and buy hundreds of dollars worth of fun stuff. What can I say, it's a great hobby.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness!! I so feel ya on this one. I had naturally (still, do, 'tis my curse...well until I discovered the flat iron!) curly hair back in the day and wanted "Farah" hair too. The result was a feather-frizzy disaster.

And...just because you were brave enough to post one of your very own 80's photos, I will grow some ovaries and post one of my own.

There is one thing worse though than home perms (oh just thinking about that SMELL gags me!)....do you remember SUN IN?

Um yeah. "Sun In" back then, was to hair, what the orange-glow fake tanners are today. Horrid stuff I tell you!

Mama Smurf said...

I've been working on doing the same thing. I brought home a whole box of heritage photos from my grandparents home and started scanning them and saving them onto my computer. I also started working on a post last week scanning pictures of myself at various ages and various hairstyles...I can't wait to see yours! I have over 10 different scrapbook albums started and am sooo behind. And now with this blogging addiction of mine...I don't think I'll ever be caught up.

Amanda said...

You know, my hair won't hold a perm. There's some missing protein, or something. Anyway, when I was that age, my Granny went all out and took me to the Beauty School over and over and over again. They'd perm my hair, and it would look like your perm for about three days before the roots and about four inches beyond would just straighten right back out. Imagine that, if you can, which you probably can't, because it was the most horrible thing for the human eye to see, as it is now the most horrible thing for the human mind to conceptualize.

If you want to try imagining it, think of taking a fine tooth comb to your 'fro, pulling the roots as straight and flat as you possibly can, and plastering it down like that with some Aqua Net. I'd blocked that hair memory our until just now, and seriously think I may need to get my hands on some chocolate. :)

Anonymous said...

LOVE you blog. Thanks for keeping it real.

I am tagging you for "Seven Things".

http://truthinsoliloquy.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/like-a-virgin/

Toni said...

First off, love the picture! I was once given such a horrible perm that it fried my hair. There are pics of me with Fro and pics of me looking like a 8 year old boy after it all had to be cut off.

I am not a successful scrapbooker either. I have Hunter's 1st year done which has about 8 pictures per page towards the end just so I could get it finished by his birthday...

Stephanie said...

Hahaha - I feel your pain, sista! My daughters are nearly 4 and 6 and I'm STILL working on their first year albums. I'm averaging about two pages a year. pathetic.

I would pay someone to put these albums together. Anyone? Anyone?

Unknown said...

You made me laugh! That part about not perming your childs head over and over! Too funny!

I LOVE scrap-booking. I'm not saying I'm good at it, but I love doing it. In fact I have WAY more scrap-booking supplies than I have pictures. I've done them all! I need more pictures! Hey, send me some! But then again, I can see how that might confuse my kids later on.,

Oh well. Nice thought.

Suzie said...

Yeah my daughters baby book is doing that to me. Hopefully I'll get it done before she goes to college.

Robin said...

I gave up the scrapbooking guilt a long time ago. Some day I'll just give my boys the hard drive with all the digital pictures on it. Then they can make their own scrapbooks or just pass on the hard drive to their kids!

The Apron Queen said...

I wan't to stop by & aplogize for distracting you with my wit & humor. I'm sorry that your bath tub overflowed because you were distracted by me.... Reminds me of that tune "You probably think this song is about you, don't you?" Come on, sing it! You know the words.

Seriously... Part of the reason I started blogging is that I have +FOUR+ (count them, 1-2-3-4) ginormous boxes bulging from old photos. Glorious, wonderful memories crammed in a box.

Is there a product that will take your blog & turn it into a scrapbook? I want that product. I NEED that product.

OK, I'll stop talking now. Gotta stop hitting the coffee pot so much!

For your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen, the home of Vintage Thingies Thursdays.

LifeAtTheCircus.com said...

While I didn't have the Fro, I did sport some of the worlds highest bangs, sprayed with so much hairspray a tornado could have blown through and those suckers wouldn't have budged. Sadly, I gave up the big bangs do LONG after my friends. I remember asking my friend, "Do you think I should grow my bangs out?" And her replying all too quickly,"YES, YES!!" Thanks for the blast from the past!

Jaybird said...

Well, you go! I will scrapbook for you if you come mop my floor! :D

Anonymous said...

aaahahahaha That is too funny. you know I think I owned that same sweater- what were our parents thinking!! Will our kids look back on their pictures with their Gymboree and OshKosh outfits and wonder what in the hell were we thinking? I sure hope not! The 80's were a sad time for fashion in my opinion. Thanks for sharing! and I too have that dang scrapbook box but I hide mine in the laundry room under other boxes so it doesnt stare me down every day.
And PS Im sipping my lovely homemade sweet tea (though I dont do as much sugar as you) but its still tasty

Kristen M. said...

My hair is naturally curly and I can't even tell you how many times the hairdresser cut it too short and gave me a fro. Horrid memories.

Marni's Organized Mess said...

That has me cracking up! What a GREAT idea!

Anonymous said...

I am right there with you in the scrap booking department. I also have all the stuff--even a good friend that sells Creative Memories but I just never seem to get it together. Great idea about putting photos on your blog. I might would steal it...if I could figure out how to get photos on my blog! Maybe someday! :)

Jessica said...

How wonderful. I can't wait for the next installment. I too once wore the fro. Just remember, it was in style back in the eighties.

Unknown said...

LOL you aren't the only woman who has be come the scrapaholic collector. LOL I have so many things but have not done anything since my second was born! Love the fro!! I had a mullet. One day I will share it with you!

lori said...

The DENTIST and the FOOT DR. prevented me from coming here sooner...but I'm MOVING UP....30!! YES..moving up in the comment ranks...

Ok...I'm DYING here..I'll take pics of my supplies and you will see a woman with a REAL sickness for ANYTHING paper...scissors, punches, paper, ribbon, stamps...I COULD HAVE A STORE...do I? HECK no...I just hoard it...say I'm a SERIOUS paper crafter...yep....that's me...living vicariously through the magazine pictures of cards I COULD make...and for the record...I have the MICKEY EAR punch too...someday i tell myself when I'm rocking the day away...someday when I own that cute little coffee shop with my artsy buddy...someday.....

yeah....I'm mocked daily....everytime I walk in that ROOM..my supplies mock me....and I tear up!

deep sigh....on a completely different note...I'd publish my PERM pics...but they are SO NOT FIT for human consumption...what possessed a woman who wouldn't let us cross the street on our own to approve of such PERMS...my kids MOCK me...oh yes and they have reason to....I've been down that road too sister!!

I'm telling you....I laugh!! OUTLOUD every time...so much so that they ASK, "mom, what is so funny...???" You just won't understand....nor should you....
but someday you will!

Have a great weekend!!
peace!
lori

Shannon said...

The only home perm I remember ended in a different kind of disaster. My mom forced me to drink butter millk (according to her good for digestion) right before she started the home perm. The horrid smell combined with my stomach already protesting butter milk resulted in projectile vomiting all over Mom. She never gave me another perm or forced me to drink butter milk again!

I think a blog counts as a digital scrap book. There are even sites that will print and bind your blog (or selected entries) as a book. I will eventually have one made for each of my 4 boys. Much cheaper than all those stickers and fancy paper gather dust in the top of my closet.

Missy said...

Sigh, I have a bulging box, too. I'm looking forward to seeing your weekly pictures. :-)

PhotoChick said...

Thanks so much for the comment & for stopping by - I read about you in 5 Min. for Mom! I loved the post you did for it!

Also got a kick outa this one... I myself fell victim to a couple of perms in my elementary school days. My mom only did it twice then realized I was not a little girl who should have a perm! I always wanted to brush it, so my hair just about stood out to Jupiter!

Anyway, what a great way to fend off he frump - "Just say no to perms, kids!" Happy Frump Fighting!

Sarah said...

I didn't think it was possible, but we had the exact same hairstyle! Mine was preceded by a boy haircut, because my mom went through a Pat Benatar phase, and then I (in my 10 year old wisdom) thought a perm would fix it. I was so wrong. I laugh every time I see the photos...

Unknown said...

You look precious,honey, but I have to say I lost it a "corn cob teeth".

Thank God momma was so busy getting perms for herself, she never thought to give me one.

Anonymous said...

If you can keep it all in one box then you are a successful scrapper.

When your box overfloweth, well, I haven't figured out what to do except get a second box, and that overfloweth, so I got a third and now my dining room is filled with scrapper junk and good intentions and we've got nowhere to eat if anyone comes over.

Good luck to us all.

Cute picture. I thought you were holding your baby sister. The perm looks like everybody else's did in the eighties, only yours was free.

Kristen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marcy Massura said...

I never laughed so hard. SO funny. and so so so well written. I too had the perm-fro, except I had the braces on the SAME year....yeah I was hot...kinda a rosanna-danna look in a rainbow top and ditto cords.....man those were the days! I took my photo with a BIRD. A cockatil....I think those perms fried our brains...what were we thinking?

Linda said...

My daughter was born with that kinda hair! ;)

Now her 'fro is so big it usually don't fit in pictures.. I have to braid her hair in order to make a picture with her on it entirely..

greetings from the netherlands!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh. I just read this. I'm dying laughing -- thanks for the pick-me-up (fro humor intended)!

Liza on Maui said...

Great idea! love this post.

Grand Life said...

Great post. I once had a photographer tell me to have my children hold something that was currently their favorite item when they had their photo's taken. I love looking at the photo's now and seeing what they loveed at the moment. Matchbox cars, starwars cards, etc.

His Girl said...

apparently I have been missing out on your hilariousness!

came over from gotta grow with it... and apparently will need to stay if this post is any indication- this pic is phenomenal!

Our Crooked Tree said...

Oh the home perms! My mom did the at grandmas so i house wouldn't smell...smart woman!

littletoesandcheerios said...

I thought that was a real baby when I first glanced at the picture! I had that lovely home perm look too.

Anonymous said...

I must've had 150 home perms growing up. Then you want to know the craziest thing? When I waas 19 my hair turned curly. It is now crazy curly!!! And secretly - I LOVE IT ;-)