Journal from my 7-year-old self

Timothy and I were cleaning out the store room (I'm finishing that job tomorrow, hopefully) and trying to downsize and re-organize.  I looked through all the boxes to see if I could get rid of anything.  In one of the boxes was my School-Days Treasures album that mom kept for all of us kids.  I looked through some of the stuff she kept for me and I found the GREATEST FIND EVER.  A journal I wrote when I was 7, in grade 2, for school.  I'm so glad I wrote it.  Thank you, Mrs. Nielson--you were always one of my favorite teachers!

This documents so much of what I remember from when we lived in Leavitt--a 55 acre farm by Cardston, Alberta, Canada.  A child's paradise.  At least if you like horses and chickens and cats and puppies and yummy food to eat and lots of good times.  The journal is stellar and covers March 4, 1986 through June 24, 1986.  Some of the pages are coming out and the writing is fading because it was written in pencil so I am transcribing it.  I'm keeping the original spelling but putting a corrected translation underneath.  There are still some words I can't figure out but Mom said she'd look at it and see if she could help me decode my spelling.

You know how you think you remember certain things, but you're not absolutely sure?  I remembered more accurately than I thought.  I loved living there.

Here's the first installment:

My Journal, Grade 2, March 4, 1986 – June 24, 1986:

March 4, 1986:

At crismistime oll uvuss wockeup beecus Dad sed ho-ho and a merecrismis.  Wee oll thot it wus Santaclos and wen wee oll got ther Dad sed I thot I cude wacke ywu oll up oll uv us sed Dad he sed lets open presents then wee oll scremd ya-ho that wockup Mom.  Then wee oll ran down the steowrs to the famleroom.  I wus the last to get down instep Dad and Mom.  I got cristol Barbie and a hed and craft set it has two cinds of pants lots uv wacs craonds a book to sho you haw to mack sumthing and shos haw to yuss tomthing.  And my Derek got slug atrans.  Frmr my Derek got a craft to it hass lots uv felts brown yellow red green blue pink purple and lots uv uthr culrs.  Magon got a craft to.  it hass the egstr arem. and lots uv little things that you trase arand it Amy got a craft to it has lots uv thing.  I did the dishes.  I went to bed rly wy had tost with huny and choclit milck. 

(At Christmas time all of us woke up because Dad said, “Ho, ho, and a merry Christmas.”  We all thought it was Santa Claus and when we all got there Dad said, “I thought I could wake you all up.”  All of us said, “Dad.”  He said, “Let’s open presents.”  Then we all screamed, “Yahoo.”  That woke up Mom.  Then we all ran down the stairs to the family room.  I was the last to get down except Dad and Mom.  I got Crystal Barbie and a head and craft set.  It has two kinds of paints, lots of wax crayons and a book to show you how to make something and shows you how to use something.  And my Derek (the original word was brother) got ??? (any toys from the 80s that sound like slugatrans?)  ??? My Derek (orginal word “brother” erased) got a craft too.  It has lots of felts: brown, yellow, red, green, blue, pink, purple, and lots of other colors.  Megan got a craft too.  It has the ???  ??? and lots of little things that you trace around it.  Amy got a craft too.  It has lots of things.  I did the dishes.  I went to bed early.  We had toast with honey and chocolate milk.  (I don’t think the last part was about Christmas—I think it was about March 4, 1986.)

March 5, 1986:

I came home and wy had four binr chicken.  And btatos.  crn.  gravy.  Me and Derek did the dishes.  wy tuce tell nine we oll went to bed.  I wockup at six I got my closon.  It was a dress.  I wr my plae lyatrds.  I wr my sundashos.  I had breckfist we had Mom rydus the sgripgrs.  Wy ran owt to the bus stop.

(I came home and we had for dinner chicken.  And potatoes.  Corn.  Gravy.  Me and Derek did the dishes.  We took ‘till nine.  We all went to bed.  I woke up at six.  I got my clothes on.  It was a dress.  I wore my play leotards.  I wore my Sunday shoes.  I had breakfast.  We had Mom read us the scriptures.  We ran out to the bus stop.  *I’m pretty sure Derek and I were in deep trouble for taking that long to do the dishes.  We were probably playing the “who can keep their finger in the hot water the longest” game or something like it.  Mom has told me numerous times that Derek and I were often in trouble for horsing around and taking forever to do the dishes.  We were a good team.  J)

March 6, 1986:

I got home wy oll had dinr.  It was good.  Dad and Mom got redy.  To go to a ball game.  Magon was are baby sitr.  Oll af us red.  To eight thrty.  Oll of us want to bed.  Instept Magon.

(I got home.  We all had dinner.  It was good.  Dad and Mom got ready to go to a ball game.  Megan was our baby sitter.  All of us read to eight-thirty.  All of us went to bed except Megan.)

March 7, 1986:

wy had dinr.  I did dinr dishes.  I red.

(We had dinner.  I did dinner dishes.  I read.)

March 10, 1985:

Sunday Wyit got blest.  Aftr chrch oll are cusens came over.

(Sunday Wyatt got blessed.  After church all our cousins came over.)

March 11, 1986:

Wy went to sing four sum people.  wy oll sang its family nite.  Magon sang maby you left.  Amy sang be a friend.  Kamy sang Jesus wons me four a sun bym.  Mogon plad a piano sollo.  Derek sang my Dad.  I sang most things have an opusit.  Megon plad a nuthr sollo.  Kaly sang twycol.  Dad sed a tock. 

(We went to sing for some people.  We all sang, “It’s Family Night.”  Megan sang, “Maybe You Left.”  Amy sang, “Be a Friend.”  Kami sang, “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam.”  Megan played a piano solo.  Derek sang, “My Dad.”  I sang, “Most Things Have an Opposite.”  Megan played another solo.  Kayli sang, “Twinkle.”  Dad said a talk.  *When I called Mom to ask her about the song I sang, because I couldn’t remember it, she sang it to me.  It’s pretty awesome.  I remember singing at the rest home several times.)

March 12, 1985:

I got home frum scholl.  wy had Dinnr.  I dride the Dishes.  Megon and Derek and me plade cluo.  we had gody locks siryolle. 

(I got home from school.  We had dinner.  I dried the dishes.  Megan and Derek and me played Clue.  We had Goldilocks cereal.  *I couldn’t figure out what Goldilocks cereal was so I called Mom.  It is what she called cornmeal porridge.  I remember eating that, now that I’ve been reminded.)

March 13, 1986:

I got home.  wy had din.  It wuss goob.  Dad and Mom went to a consrt.  Megon baby sat.  Kamy and Megon and Kaly am me went eteside.

(I got home.  We had dinner.  It was good.  Dad and Mom went to a concert.  Megan babysat.  Kami and Megan and Kayli and me went outside.)

March 14, 1986:

I got home.  I got a prm.  Grama wobigr came ovre.  I was eteside.  I made caks of sand and wotr.  wy butendid ot etit.  wy pod it on the spoon and wy poot it in a bucket and put it in the sand bocks

(I got home.  I got a perm.  Grandma Walburger came over.  I was outside.  I made cakes of sand and water.  We pretended to eat it.  We put it on the spoon and we put it in a bucket and put it in the sand box.  *I would like to point out that living in Leavitt was a child’s paradise.  I would also like to point out that mom frequently permed my hair which led to my winning second place in a look-alike contest.  I resembled Little Orphan Annie.  I liked it.  I was much more interested in playing outside and riding horses than doing my hair.  Short permed hair was the ultimate get up and go hairdo.)

March 18, 1986:

It was Munday niyt.  Dad and Mom and all of the kids. sat down on the cach.  four famlly homevnene.  I sed praer.  I seid a tock.  I led closing song.

(It was Monday night.  Dad and Mom and all of the kids sat down on the couch for Family Home Evening.  I said prayer.  I said a talk.  I led the closing song.  *Why did I do so many things???  Where was everyone else??)

March 19, 1986:

I plade clou. 

(I played Clue.  *I still love Clue.)

March 20, 1986:

Wy aet.  I went downsters.  I put my close a way.  And Wyits close.  I did my vackeoumming.  Then I had to get my bugames.  I prachaaste a song.  I went to bed.

(We ate.  I went downstairs.  I put my clothes away.  And Wyatt’s clothes.  I did my vacuuming.  Then I had to get my pajamas.  I practiced a song.  I went to bed.  *Wyatt, don’t say I never did anything for you.)

March 21, 1986:

Perens confrins intrveu Fryday it wos Amy’s birthday.  She got a barby.  And some close.  some boots.  And shoos.  We had cake.  And som of as got to bloe the candls owt. 

(Parent conference interviews Friday.  It was Amy’s birthday.  She got a Barbie and some clothes.  Some boots.  And shoes.  We had cake and some of us got to blow the candles out.  *Mom cleared up my confusion about the parent conference interviews—it was parent-teacher conferences at school.  Also, Mom often re-lit the candles so everyone had a turn blowing them out.  She was awesome like that.)

March 22, 1985:

all of os wer going on a mishen.  It wose a primery presutatashen.  I went to Einglond.  Wen we got home we woched a moovy.

(All of us were going on a mission.  It was a primary presentation.  I went to England.  When we got home we watched a movie.  *I remember that!  It was so much fun!  We had name badges and food from the country we went to and my primary teacher was from England so she had a bunch of cool stuff to show us.)

March 23, 1986:

We had Brise Gib over.

(We had Bryce Gibb over.  *This is random because when I was engaged to Timothy, I lived in Logan and Timothy lived in North Ogden.  Every weekend I would stay at Bryce Gibb’s mom’s house because they live a mile from Timothy’s parent’s house.  Random that friends from Canada stayed friends in Utah.  Also random is that the Gibbs are now related to my brother because my SIL is the Gibbs’s niece.)

March 25, 1986:

I read trenty one boocks.  we had are dinner.  Amy and Derek did dishes.  Megon did vackyouing.  I read.  we all made chocklits.  Thenwe decheraded aggs. 

(I read twenty-one books.  We had our dinner.  Amy and Derek did dishes.  Megan did vacuuming.  I read.  We all made chocolates.  Then we decorated eggs.)

March 26, 1986:

I got home.  I read twenty one books.  We made some choclet eggs.  And choclet bunnies.  We dekraded eggs. 

(I got home.  I read twenty-one books.  We made some chocolate eggs.  And chocolate bunnies.  We decorated eggs.)

March 27, 1986:

We got readdy four a quire.  Amy and Megan and Tina Rasmussen.  They sang chery ripe.  They sang follo the rainbow.  They sang Drunken saller.  It was at C.E.S. cindergortin.  It was close to my rowrn.  My ant Mellody plade the peano.

(We got ready for a choir.  Amy and Megan and Tina Rasmussen.  They sang, “Cherry Ripe.”  They sang, “Follow the Rainbow.”  They sang, “Drunken Sailor.”  It was at C.E.S. kindergarten.  It was close to my room.  My Aunt Melody played the piano.  *Drunken Sailor sounds like a questionable song choice.  C.E.S. would be Cardston Elementary School.  The kindergarten area had an assembly room with built in bleacher type seating so all the school concerts and assemblies were held in that area of the school.)

See how much fun this is?!  I'll post more soon.