What was your parents' religious background? How was religion observed in your home?
My mom was Lutheran. I was baptized into the Lutheran church when I was little. And I went to the Crescent Ave. Christian School which was held where our Lutheran chapel was. I have this fuzzy sort of memory of me being woken up by mom and dad and I had thrown up in bed on a Saturday night, and dad saying I was ok I could still ride the church bus ... no idea whatsoever if it is correct or not. But I do not remember going to church as a family and sitting in the pew for anything other than kindergarten graduation.
What were your parents' political beliefs? Were they involved in any political organizations?
I believe my parents are Democrats, or at least dad Dave was until Obama (whom I believe he voted for) and then said he wanted Trump but if he actually did vote that way I do not know. But Oregon is a very democratic state. It was not really talked about, and they had no involvement other than voting as far as I knew.
What other relatives did you have contact with growing up?
I saw grandma Larson a couple of times, but mostly mom flew back there alone. I am guessing school and finances kept me home. I went to Minnesota with mom for the first time with Christina when she was just a few months old.
Do you remember any of the classic stories? Jokes? Songs?
I really do not remember a lot about childhood, and definitely nothing classic. I assume this is more of a family section. I remember dad put in a tether-ball in the back yard for me, I remember we had an above ground pool, I remember we had a huge tortoise, we had a cat named Sam, I was friends with twins - Donna and Diana Humphreys and Marlene Isham was my best friend from school and her parents and my parents were friends so we hung out a lot, I remember I had a friend - Lori - and she was rich. She had all of the toys I wanted but didn't know they existed until her, huge kitchen stuff, dishes etc. and they had a built in pool, I do remember lying and telling her that I had a built in pool too, which worked until she came to my house for a bday party OOPS!! I actually went so far as to tell her we filled it in and got the above ground, covered it!! I am sure she believed me lol. Her last name was Walker, and I also worked at Apex with a Lori Walker who is now in TX. I remember I was riding my bike somewhere and as I went out of the driveway mom said goodbye so I turned to wave and ran into the back of a parked car - smoothly of course, like, I meant to do that!
What do you remember about your grandparents?
I do not remember a lot about grandpa Jesse, except I loved him immediately. He wore a brown stetson and walked with a cane by the time I met him. I would sit with him while he had his dialysis treatments, only went to the hospital once and there was a little boy screaming when he had to pee, so sad, but they never let me see grandpa after that. They wanted me to remember him how he was, but I do not remember much so I was upset. He did give me a pet rock, with a basket bed and he put a bandage on the rock so it would be like him. Grandma did not seem to like me, and I remember mom called her the B word one time and told her to leave me alone. Grandma was very grumpy and sad after grandpa died, which was the year we moved up there so I never really knew a happy Grandma Peyton. I was in her wedding to Cliff. They just stood in his living room so we did not do anything but I was there, and she was a tad nicer, but I think losing grandpa broke her heart and she never got it fixed again. Like I said, I only saw grandma Larson a couple of times, so I do not really have any memories of her either, and I think grandpa was gone and she was married to Ben Larson by then. I have pics of Larry's parents holding me but I do not have any memories. Larry's brother Bob and his wife Nona said that Vicki talked about me all of the time, really wanted to meet me. I am sad that she was alive when dad Larry and I met but he did not tell her, and threatened Bob and Nona with never talking to them again if they told. Not sure why. I asked him if I could do Vicki's temple work and he said to do what I wanted when he was gone but he wanted to let sleeping dogs lie and could not understand why I wanted to do anything.
What stories do you remember about earlier ancestors?
Not really a lot. I met my great grandpa a couple of times on the Peyton side. Grandpa Everett. He was missing some fingers, and I got a copy of the newspaper article about it. If I can find it I will add it. Mom said his wife Ruby was gone by the time we met and she never met her, but I could have sworn there was a woman there with grandpa so not sure who that was. I thought my whole life until this year that it was great grandma Ruby. Mom talks about how her mom's family had a fire when grandma Larson was a baby and they lost a set of twins. I do not know much more about that though. I know mom had a brother that was really sick and was not supposed to live long. He graduated chiropractic school and that which amazed everyone, but died early.
How many children were in the family, and where were you in the line-up?
My mom had 3 daughters with her first husband Merritt Will. Angela is 11 years older than I am, Michele is 9 years older than I am, and Candace is 7 years older than I am. I am the only child that my mom and Larry (her second husband) had. So I am the baby.
Describe what your siblings were like. Who were you closest to?
I do not really have a lot of stories about them. I do not remember much. Angie had a boyfriend Daryl that I was in love with. Tall, dark hair, mustache, drove a Cougar, invited me to places with them. He pulled over to a tar truck repaving once and we chewed tar, supposed to make your teeth white??? He could tell me anything and I bought it. But they had me wait in the car while they went in places, I know now they were smoking weed but I did not then. I kept the card from him forever saying he would take me to Disneyland, he never did. Michele moved out to MN with her fraternal grandmother when she was 16, so did not have a lot of time with her but I remember loving her immensely. Stronger connection with her than either of the others although I could not explain it. She said they would take turns walking me to school and the other girls would leave me at the corner and say go on, so she would have to come back and walk me (I do not remember). Candy also moved out at 16, she married Jack Simmons - whom she is still technically married to today. I remember she walked the baby carriage past a friends house on the way to our house and she caught me smoking. I would have been 9 at the time. I ran out to say hello to Tanya and begged her not to tell, but 10 minutes later here comes dad... I also went over to visit her once and there was a horse next door. The kids were petting it so I did to and it bit me on my boob. Candace whispered for me not to cry and embarrass her...I remember that hurt so bad but I am not sure if I cried or not.
Describe the house you grew up in. Describe your room. - See another blog
What were your family's economic circumstances? Do you remember any times when money was tight? Do you remember having to do without things you wanted or needed?
I do not think we had money, or an abundance of it. I do not remember going without things I needed but we did not need a lot back then. I had clothes, although mom made a lot of them. She made me a cat costume once, I was mortified. I do not remember if I hurt her feelings about it (I asked her this year and she does not remember) but I know I wanted no part of it. So I imagine she did that due to fabric being cheaper than clothes then. However we did not have cell phones or video games etc. so I did not do without those. I remember my friend Lori having cooler toys that me though.
What were your duties around the house as a child? - see another blog
When did you learn to cook and who taught you? Were there any special family foods or recipes? - see another blog
What activities did the family do together?
Mom and I played Scrabble and did jigsaw puzzles which we enjoyed. Until dad brought us red riding hoods hood...ugh what a nightmare. I do not know if we actually finished that or threw in the towel. We went for rides in the mountains on the weekends, cut wood, learned to drive, and we went camping. I would be covered with bites, held the rod still so nothing would get on it until we took Randy Hayes and his dad and then Randy taught me how to gut a fish and I was all about that. We had homemade chili one time and there were dead mosquitoes swimming in it but dad would not let me throw it out, told me it was extra protein. The only trip we took was driving to and from Oregon the year we moved, and we drove it a zillion times, or so it seemed to me. Dad and I would always go to the fair together and watch any of the car things, and walk around.
What did you do on Christmas? Thanksgiving? Birthdays? Other holidays?
We opened gifts at night, and Santa left gifts for the morning. One time when I was older I stayed up past midnight and said it was morning and opened them. Mom was not happy with me. We always had a cut tree but I think Mike and dad went to get them it was not a family thing. Thanksgiving was a meal at the dining room table, I think we had it at our house and grandma and Cliff would come over. Birthdays were no big deal I do not think. I do not remember. I did not have a party once we moved to Oregon. I always think of my whole childhood as growing up in Oregon but actually we moved up as I was turning 12 and I left when I was 16 so that is a very short time span. I do not think we did anything for other holidays. I remember being upset when mom and dad said they went to the July 4th parade/fireworks in Hood River, because we had never done that.
What is your earliest memory of home/family?
I think the memories I shared about about the bike, getting sick etc.
I do know that dad Dave always held my hair back when I was sick. He would hold my hair with one hand and put his other on my forehead. I panic when I get sick and think I cannot breathe and he was there for me every time, until I was pregnant. I never knew how bad it would hurt when he quit that. I know I disappointed him, hurt him, but I do not think he has any idea how devastating that one act was for me. Not to mention everything else that happened around then. But I think his not doing that for me while I was sick was more heartbreaking than the phone call, the grocery store or anything else.
OK, on that happy note, yikes! I do remember we had a shoe box full of Disney tickets. Back when they did not charge to get in but you had tickets for the rides. E ticket was the best and for things like Space Mountain type rides. Not sure where the tickets came from, but we went so much that we would actually groan when friends came who had never been and wanted us to go with them!
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