TWHS Class of 1989

Brace yourself....I wasn't sure if I had the nerve to go here....but here it is anyway - the dreaded senior picture.

I looked at this photo and thought it wasn't really a good representation of what I looked like my senior year. In fact, I'm guessing I got my hair cut (AND permed, no less) just before this was taken. I know this because I look like a cocker spaniel. You see a normal day for me in the year 1989 would ALWAYS consist of making sure my bangs were higher than the rest of my head of hair. I think whomever cut my hair cut the bangs too short. Therefore, we ended up with the cocker ears. (My 7 year old told me I was much prettier now - she is my new best friend this week)

So I did it!! I managed to get away for 4 glorious days to my 20th high school reunion! Many people I told I was going swore they had no desire to attend their own. I actually really looked forward to my mine - for lots of reasons. First and foremost, I wanted to see my girls - Justene, Sherry and Kristie (ok, I did want to see all of the other graduates too!) I grew up in a small town called Tulare in the San Joaquin Valley - right in the heart of California... where you see a lot of this...

Yep - it's a cotton field. And you may also see this...

You may also find nut tree farms, lots of vineyards, and cows - tons of cows! Man, I had forgotten how bad the dairies smell!

Here is my my oldest brother Travis. He came to rescue me from the airport in L.A. and drive me back to Tulare....

I got to stop and have a yummy burger and fried zucchini at Carl's Jr (which we don't have in Florida) I was one happy traveler! Did I mention I didn't even have to order happy meals? Having no children while travelling = total bliss!

I spent my first evening in Tulare with my 3 dearest friends from childhood - Justene, Kristie and Sherry. In our small town, most of us went to elementary, middle and high school together. So we were all each other had for all 12 or so years of school. I'm so lucky that the four of us have stayed close through the years.

Here we are at Justene's mom's house. She lived right around the corner from my childhood home so it really is like walking back in time when I go there. We looked through yearbooks and recalled stories and gossip on anyone we might see at the reunion!

The day of the reunion, I got to have lunch with my Dad and his wife who still live in town...

Here we are that evening ready to go!! (from left to right Justene, Sherry, Kristie and little old me!)

I pause for a quick flashback myself....here are Sherry, myself and Kristie dressed up for one of our winter formals back in the day..

Here we are again, a little more, uh, refined? Nope, I think it's just we all have tamed our hair now!

Justene and I then.... (see people - it's the front of the hair that should be bigger than the sides!!! I must have been having a good hair day when this was taken!)

And again, the night of the reunion...

Here we are heading down to the party. We were bummed that my hubby couldn't make the trip - our husbands have gotten to know each other through the years and get along really well. Plus I wanted to show off how H.O.T. he is!

We had a nice dinner, mingled with friends and danced the night away. Here are just a few of the 200 or so pics I took. (I'll go ahead and save the dance floor pics for another time - being caught shakin' your groove thang on the dance floor makes for some funky pics!)

Thanks girls for a SUPER weekend! It was just what I needed. Thank you for your friendship and support through just about EVERY stage of our lives....grade school crushes, high school boyfriends, marriages and babies......

Lots of babies - TWELVE between the 4 of us to be exact!! (When did that happen? The last thing I remember was cruising Tulare Blvd and stirring up trouble! Who ever said we were qualified to be mothers?)

Here are the girls and their kiddos this past summer. We couldn't make it out to CA, but were there in spirit. Besides, I'm not sure this motley crew could have handled 3 more kids!

Love to you all.....

And until next time TWHS.....