This article tells about some really interesting research done on the impact family stories have on children. What is interesting is that they found children who were raised hearing stories about their family are actually more resilient, happier, healthier and have higher self-esteem. I think this principle of story telling applies to more than just families as well. Think about the stories we tell in the Church and the stories that have been told throughout the history of mankind:
- The fall of Adam and Eve (which is a story we are still taught today in the temple) and the Plan of Salvation. This is a story that binds us to the entire human family. The fall is something we can all relate to and definitely can help us be more resilient in times of trial.
- The many stories that have been told within the House of Israel throughout time. The story of Joseph in Egypt, the story of Moses leading them out of Egypt and delivering them, the story of a Messiah that would come to redeem Israel. These are stories that are all part of our family history.
- The stories of our more recent and direct ancestors, such as Samuel Lorenzo Adams getting married at the drop of a hat and sailing to America. I shared this in our ward recently and the sisters seem to be a little stand-offish now. I don't understand why.
- Then there are stories about the Peter and Melody Hall family. Wages Creek, Bodega Bay, breaking down on the way to Idaho, and Vanilla Ice come to mind.
I have to say that I am grateful for the stories that bind us together as a family. I've listed below some memories, some are more story-like than others.
From my family members, including any cousins that have memories of our families interacting, I want to solicit stories in order to document our "family narrative" for our children and our grandchildren. Feel free to give as much or as little detail as possible. If you can think of any stories just comment on this post. Thanks!
- Swiss Colony, little smokies, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
- Bodega Bay - "Yo Vanilla, kick it one more time, boooyyyy!"
- Breaking down on the way to Idaho (x15)
- Wages Creek. Getting up early to go out and collect shells when the tide was out. Watching grandpa Hall play horseshoes. Michelle making friends with just about anyone and everyone Michelle boogie boarding without a wetsuite. Waking up and hearing dad starting the fire, then getting up and having hot chocolate and pop tarts.
- Digging out half of the pool to make a "deep end".
- Kim realizing that her bike was green.
- Popcorn and cranberries on the Christmas tree.
- Doorbell ditching plates of cookies at Christmas.
- Mom making clothes for us.
- Having extra money left over after the garage was built and getting a trampoline!
- That time Michelle got here appendix out the hard way.
- That time Chris got his appendix out after the worst camping trip ever.
- Having "the cousins" come over to swim.
- Coming home from trips to Idaho and seeing that the deck around the pool had been painted by "the cousins".
- Dad trying to be good and have family home evening even though there was a Giants game on, and somehow successfully getting both done.
- The "little blue car" that Pam drove in high school. You could hear it coming from a mile away.
17 comments:
That's so funny, I don't remember dad watching the Giants game while we had Family Home Evening....you sneaky dad!
I really like this. I also remember:
- Dad fixing instruments in the garage and in the living room.
- When mom was out of town dad let us eat dinner downstairs and watch a movie (or baseball).
- Dad working on the car while listening to the radio.
- Dad working at the mortuary. I was going to go in to further detail on this, but it got weird, so let's just say I remember a lot about what he used to do there. I'm kind of grateful for it now because it made death real-but-not-scary for me at a young age.
- Dad taking Chris to baseball games in the bay area.
- That time we broke down in Lovelock NV (on the way to ID) on Pam's birthday. I thought it was great because we got to stay in a hotel and eat out.
- Making home videos, creating our own "commercials" (Shelly..."would you like to buy some SHELLS?)
- Sleeping in the same bedroom on Christmas Eve.
- Playing 'pickle' out in our front yard.
- Playing games with "the cousins" at Lincrest on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Playing at Grandma & Grandpa Hall's house and at the levee. Getting mint from their mint plant.
- The time we were evacuated during the flood and went to Colusa.
- When Dad built us a tree house. And then David fell out of it. Twice.
This is great stuff. I hope everybody else adds their rermemberies. I remember every one of the things mentioned, but I'd like to discuss the funeral home more with Kim. ; )
Mom's fresh bread...and the cinnamon swirl kind!
General Conference pastry
Kim always whinning about getting the middle piece of the breakfast cake.
Building forts with washed out milk cartons.
Dad and Uncle Richie falling asleep in the middle of the floor at family parties.
When Dad told us he was getting called as Bishop and followed up by telling us that we had to start being good....at taking messages.
Pam promising Kim new dresses to get her out of bed.
Going to Grandpa Halls with Chris to mow the lawn and getting grape soda and candy to eat while we rode home in the back of the Ranchero...Chris, "This is the life."
Grandpa Hall making funny faces behind Dad while he tried to read scriptures.
David with the Santa mask, "HO HO HO"
Mopping the floor on our knees and singing at the same time.
Laying out saltines with butter on them on the driveway while we swam so they could they could be warm when we ate them.
Trying to sneak socks underneath our tights to wear to church.
Crowding In front of the heater vent on winter mornings.
Hot chocolate pudding for after school snacks.
Listening to The Monster Mash, The Beach Boys and The Safety Kids.
Riding in Dad's bouncy truck listening to oldies.
It's interesting what things children remember. I'm just glad SOMEONE enjoyed our adventure in Lovelock!
Thanks for doing this David, these shared experiences really do bind us together in a special way. And I think the grandchildren might enjoy hearing some of them. I hope we can find some stories of faith to share with them, too.
I LOVE THIS.
Kim, remember that time you hid your arms in your sleeves during FHE, and you started to sing "I have two little hands... oh." And mom laughed harder than I've ever seen her laugh before or since?
And BOOK NESTS. Taking all of the blankets and pillows and making a cubby to snuggle in and read.
Pam, do you remember sitting under the kitchen table and eating ice cream?
I also remember THE LIES. I'm pretty sure that as the youngest, I was told the most, and the most convincing stories that the 4 before me came up with. Stories that I believed (at least briefly) include, but are not limited to: cotton candy is deep fried. I got my curly hair by sticking my finger in a light socket. I got my curly hair because I was scared when Mom got her appendix out while she was pregnant with me. That I had an older brother between David and me that died and Mom and Dad never talked about.
There was also that time at Wages Creek when David and Peter tried to convince me that a banana slug was actually a Twinkie stuck to a tree, and that I should lick it.
There are more stories, I'm sure. We never seem to see the end of them when we're all together.
Also, I feel like I remember more about the Mortuary than I should. When did you work there, Dad? How old was I and how much time did I actually spend there?
I think you guys covered most of the ones I thought of. Here are a couple more:
- The time it snowed
- Going to cut the christmas tree
- 4th of July at grandpas
- Breakfast cake
- Whiffle ball in the back yard
- Swimming all the time
- Setting up dominos at Christmas
- Lying to Shelly (still fun)
- The Powerwagon
- Playing basketball at the school
Thanks for remembering the PowerWagon Chris. Man, that was a great truck.
To answer sShelly's question, I worked at the funeral home from about 1991 to 1993, so you were around 5 years old. About Atticus' age
I don't think any of you guys actually spent time there, though I know I took Kim a couple of times and showed her the back room and things, mostly because she seemed interested. Probably all of you were with me at some point when I would drop in there to pick up a check or whatever. Kim is the only one who actually went with me on a removal (picking up a deceased person).
And for as much as you guys did it, I'm surprised no one mentioned riding bikes around the school and the neighborhood.
Now we just need to print these out and put them in a book.
Okay just a few more:
- Chris trying to get us to go to sleep on Christmas eve by saying "sshhh... do you guys hear that? Santa is on the roof..."
- Pam and Kim teaching gymnastics in our garage.
- Going to the dump with Dad, Chris, and James.
- Having a paper route. I remember mom getting up with Michelle and I to roll the newspapers. And I remember Pam and Kim doing it for me once or twice on a weekend when I wanted to stay at a friends house. THANKS!
- That time Frankenstein answered the door when our family was trick-or-treating and Michelle lost it.
- Staying up until midnight watching the best of "Nick at Night". Chocolate factories and walnuts pouring out of closets come to mind.
By the way, that little blue car you remember Pam driving was a Mitsubishi sedan that was just about the best little car we had when you kids were going through your driving years. Second only to the little white Geo Metro that Kim drove for reliability and gas mileage.
And you could certainly her it coming, not because it made loud, unseemly noises, but because of its unique, soothing purr.
We loved that car, and everyone was sad when it finally gave up the ghost.
This is so fun! I love all these stories. You guys crack me up. I'm so glad we were able to grow up down the street from you. Lots of fun times.
-I remember spending lots of time swimming and jumping on your trampoline.
-Uncle Peter walking to our house barefoot.
-All of your dogs. Most notably, Kujo (spelling?) that was the biggest dog ever. Also Flip and Flop.
-Sunday dinners - breakfast for dinnner.
-going to the beach and Uncle Peter set up the awesome wind barrier and he would usually be listening to a baseball game, I assume it would be a Giants game.
-Aunt Melody's amazing baking
-Christmas day - Uncle Peter's chex mix...yum
Thanks Saramarie!
Andrea?
James?
Becca?
Peter?
Emily?
I just remembered that time we went to a chocolate factory before going to the beach, and Kim spent the rest of the car trip sneaking toffee chocolate out of the cooler so we could all secretly eat it.
There was also that Christmas Eve right after Chris and Lorna and Pam and Rob got married. We were "going to sleep" and Lorna told the Pete and Repete joke, and we couldn't stop laughing. Or maybe that was just me who kept laughing.
These are too funny! I'm going to have to do this on my blog! Sara got a lot of mine but here are a few:
-getting giant block of ice to put in the pool on the 4th of July.
-making whirlpools in the pool
-Aunt Melody sewing us gifts - especially my prom dress and wedding veil. I did just find my barbie tent though and cant wait to show my kids!
-Family birthday parties
-Thanksgiving at G&G with all the big kids in the other room. I'm pretty sure there was an olive fight.
-The giant video camera
-Muddy Buddies
-Playing hockey at Lincrest with roller blades and a crushed soda can. Usually we shared, so we only got one roller blade.
-Uncle Peter's Halloween costumes
-Uncle Peter eating weird stuff with Dad.
Uncle Peter eating WHAT? with dad? I don't recall ever eating anything wierd in my life. Except maybe that time I let Peter O. pour OJ on my corn chex because we were out of milk. It was pretty good actually. Oh yes, and then there are the kippered snacks. YUMMMM!
Oh man, that's rich (Or Rich?). I love the comment about playing hockey with one skate and a crushed soda can.
It is good to know that the acorns did not fall far from the tree.
One question? Did Kim realize her bike was the color green, or that it was "green?"
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