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Sunday, March 21, 2010

All About MEme: a jelly tragedy

with MommyBrain and SupahMommy


THIS ONE is inspired by a conversation between Kmama and Supah!
 

We're calling this one ... 
I MUST Have It Monday. 

Today's All About MEme is not actually about ME. (Well, I do provide a few bits of commentary ... because I can't help it, and it is MY blog, after all!)

It's about her ... (younger, hotter, sassier, ... related to me)


This week - after seeing Supah's delightful prompt - I quickly contacted my my little sister (via Facebook - that's a guaranteed way to get a response) and coerced her into guest blogging because ...
  • she's awesome and adorable and agreeable - I just know you all would love her!
  • she's too busy with three kiddos - including two boys who might as well be Irish Twins - to have a blog of her own, although it would be the fantastic!
  • she's a good writer but doesn't often make the time to write (without a little prodding from me)
  • and most importantly, 
she has a great story about ...

Jelly Shoes
 (in case you don't know the jelly shoe)
I was all of 3 years old. Actually, "I used to be 3 but now I'm 2," or so I told everyone at Disney so proudly.  My parents - being the money savvy couple that they are - saw a golden opportunity not to have to pay admission for me. Go, mom and dad! A decision that led to much confusion about my age for several years after ;)  (I remember feeling guilty about lying to the nice Disney people; I was sure we were going to get into trouble for that little white lie ... Mickey was going to track us down and boot us out with his unnaturally large feet!)

So back to the jelly shoes. All I wanted was a pair of jelly shoes. I begged, I pleaded for those plastic shoes.
I mean who wouldn't want jelly shoes? They were like walking on little clouds of gel yet they weren't restrictive to your feet due to their clever sandal design. (She really just wanted them because they were pink and sparkly ... as any three year old would.)

After wanted those jellies for what seemed like forever (it was probably a few days, but to a three year old - that's an eternity), my mom decided I needed a new pair of shoes for our family trip.  We were headed to Disney World and our first time seeing the ocean ... aka 16 hours both ways in a car with 2 parents and 3 kids.. (Yeah, and we were traveling in a MacDaddy motor home from Illinois to Florida!)  Anyway, there they were on the shelf (at Dollar General?*) in their perfect jelly molded splendiferous-ness (nice word, sis!). I slid my foot into them and it was a perfect match from then on out. (Did it remind you of Cinderella?)

The story takes a dark turn after this...please bare with me as this is an emotionally scarring childhood memory. (and this is why I wanted her to tell this story!)

Fast forward the hours of driving ... we arrive at the beach. My first time at the beach ever. We excitedly hop out of the car and dash toward the water. The warm sand squished between my toes and through my beloved jelly shoes. My older sister (Hey, that's me!) and brother got to the water and splash around. I was a little scared so I stayed back...inching my way closer and closer to the water.

At last I got close enough for the waves to splash onto my feet. Ahhhh! I must be the luckiest kid in the world right now I thought to myself! (Mainly because her big sister was/is the bomb diggety!)

Feeling a little braver, I ventured out a bit further into the waves. Maybe just a foot too far because the next wave crashed into me knocking me fall flat on my hiney (What a cute hiney it was/is!). The next wave rushed on top of me and as I stood up and retreated toward safer ground, I felt something wasn't right.

I looked down at my feet. NO! NO! NO! This couldn't be happening to me.

One of my jellies - the ones I had begged and pleaded for my mom to buy for me - GONE. Sucked off of my little foot by the undertow. Forever lost to the sea. It was a jelly tragedy.  (followed by a huge freakin' tantrum, if memory serves me correctly!)

But I cherish what short time that I had with my jellies (and seeing the ocean was pretty cool, too, right?).  And I must say that since they are coming back in style now I may just have to get my daughter a pair.  (There's nothing quite like living vicariously through your own offspring!)

-----------------------------------------------------
Thank you, little sis, for agreeing to share your story ... and for allowing me the liberty of adding my own personal thoughts on your childhood memories.  I love you, Laura!

* as a sidenote and a shout-out to my younger brother, Randy ... don't want to start sibling rivalry up in here ... we once made up a song about the cheap shoes my mom bought for us, and it went a little something like this ... the creativity is almost as astounding as the fact that I still remember this stupid song ...

Those shoe.  Those shoes
Those Dollah General shoes.
They scream.  They hollah!
They only cost one dollah!

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Now it's time to provide us with hours of reading and commenting enjoyment ... link up!

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Too cute but be grateful you didn't get to keep them long those things STUNK like none other after a day of sweating in them. And the smell never went away..

Oka said...

AWWW, that would be emotionally scarring. Poor girl.

Good thing your mom only paid a dollar for them :D

Lori said...

After much begging, my mom got me a pair of those jelly shoes too. After a day or so of wearing them, I would have gladly let mine get swept out to sea! (Mine were super uncomfortable!)

Shell said...

What a great guest post! Oh, those jelly shoes...so gross they were. But, I wanted them, too.

Emmett Joseph said...

Crackin' me up! Makes me want to see your whole family again!

MommyLisa said...

This ended differently than I expected. As I recall the most of those jelly shoes were PAINFUL when you got sweaty in them...I was expecting Disney blister story!

It was CUTE! but yes, tragic to lose them!

Lothiriel said...

Oh my gosh, yes!! The jelly shoes!! I wanted a pair of those too!!! I finally had one, but in mexico they were called wendys. Don't ask me why. I remember wearing my uniform to school, and wanting to take my jelly shoes (which had been bought by grandma), and mom wouldn't let me because they didnt' match. Plus, in Mexico, the school required that we were presentable and clean. No jelly shoes. I loved my jelly shoes. They were pink!

Margaret said...

I thought those where so uncomfortable lol.

Kat said...

Too funny! I remember the jelly shoes!

Lisa said...

LOL!! I love that song! I posted bout jellies like twice in the last week...what's up with that?

Go Zesty with Dee! said...

What an awesome and fun story! How sad to lose your beloved shoes in the ocean :( Anyway, thanks to your sis for sharing!

BJ_Mama said...

HI LAURA! I'm your sister's bestest friend that she's never met.
Thanks for the great story! I mean, tragic, but great nonetheless.

Oh, and HOLLAH Randizzle with your mad rhymin' skillz!

D-I didnt participate today cuz I had a little preggo milestone today...come check it out, there are BELLY SHOTS!

Laura said...

Thanks for all the great comments about my Jelly Tragedy. It truly is one of the most vivid childhood memories I have.
And thank you to my big sis (whom I happen to think is just as sassy and hot)for asking me to write for her oh-so-awesome blog. I feel like a celebrity now!

Anonymous said...

Great story Laura and Dana! Woke up a little early this morning and first thing that popped in my head was to come check out your blog. Mom told me I made an appearance. So here I am laying in bed at 4 am singing the dollar general shoe song... Brenda is going to kill me :). See you soon big sis.

supahmommy- somethin's wrong with that girl said...

awww too cute!

i loved when i got rocks stuck in the soles!!
that was a good day when that happened!

and a macadaddy motor home?

i pray you all do this to your children someday

xoxo
supah

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