I enjoyed sharing those pages from my 6-year-old journal so much last week . . . that I’m sharing more!
The day I made the original post, my cousin June commented: “I remember the Christmas of ’89 (I think) – the year we were all at Mama Kitty and Big Jake’s house for Christmas. You received a journal for Christmas, and were SOOOOOO excited. You ran to the stairs, sat down about halfway up the stairs, and started writing excitedly. I remember being impressed even then with your writing prowess.”
It was that Christmas that Mama Kitty donned a white teddy and all of us grandkids, dressed as little elves, posed with her for a picture.
So inspired by June to return to the very beginnings of my journaling life, this time, we’re taking it from the top. Starting on page 1. Get ready for an unedited barrage of emotion, exclamation points, and family angst. I even rooted through my old photo albums and I’m tossing in a couple pictures of the actual events I’m talking about. Get ready, get set . . . GO!
Hi I am Jenna, it is Dec. 25 1989. It is Christmas. Mon. There were lots of presents. It was real fun. I am at Big Jakes & Mama Kittys, Combo the cat to!
Dec 25, 1989. Monday. Vacaton it is grate great! I learnd how to talk on a walky talky! I was great! There was a party in the evening it was fun and I felt real real real real real good!
Mon., Dec. 25, 1989! I felt good that day, REALY GOOD!
The Christmas morning in question--can you spot me?
(Page 1)
I had to get up w verey early Today. We were going to the nutckracker. Today is Tue. Dec. 26, 1989. I love love love love love the Nutckracker and we are going today!!!! I felt good. I am six. Heidi & Dad went to Emilys house Heidi was not going to the nutckracker. It is verey long. It keeps going till 12 O CLOCK at least. We will stay up up late! It will be fun! Dad is leaving after the nutckracker! I felt good!!!!
At the Nutcracker, in order from the front: Mom, Aunt Jacquie, Aunt Jessie, Mama Kitty. Wowza!
- June and me at the ‘Nutckracker’ with Eleanor lurking in the background
(Page 2)
Today is Wed. Dec. 27, 1989. I hate Charlie. I got up late I loved it! We got to go sleding it was fun. There was a tobogan & a flying suaser, it was neet becouase mom tole toled a story about them it was neeter!!!!!!!!! My birthday is May 29, birthday’s are funfunfun!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got to see the Ambalangs new House and the Boys new fort! It was so neet! Oh Oh Oh. Jenna. POOPOOPOO! I felt good.
Is this the 'flying suaser'?
The hated Charlie right in front, with my Mom and the rest of the 'Ambalangs' behind.
(Page 1)
Today is Thurs., Dec. 28, 1989. I got up very very very very very verey vevey early. & I Hate geting up early. I ate very early to! I got up earlyer than I do for Shool! For Shool I get up at 7:15 or 7:00 or 7:100. We visited Viroqua it was great. I played with Aurora! We ate candy I feel bad, I am sory Twinky! Realy sorry! Jenna means little bird! I never knew that! Christmas is over I am sad! But not with all the toys!
Me, Aurora, Erica and Henry, making Christmas cookies. Erica is maneuvering a very tiny rolling pin.
(Page 2)
Today is Fri. Dec. 29, 1989. We are going sleding agan. I think it will be fun! Christmas is almoste ovor, it is sad. I mean Chrismas Vacactcon is ovor. We are going to go skateing sometime. I hav never gon . . . skateing before. I hope it will be fun fun! OOps! I forgot Chrsmas vacatcon is’int all moste ovor I still have a weeck to go! It will I garenty be fun fun fun fun. I feel good.
(Page 1)
Today is is Sat. Dec. 30, 1989. Today we are going skateing it will be fun!! We snugeled in bed today, just mom & me! It was fun! Sometimes I just hate mom & DaD! I blew it! Sometimes every one is stupede & I hate! It is fun to be alive & not dead real fun! We got to wach a thousand shows it seemed like! I know a song that will GO fero – fero, O, baby let my pepol go! I felt good!
- ‘Skateing’!
(Page 2)
Today, is SUN. Dec. 31, 1989. I am at CHURCH!!!!!! I learned how to write like that from SCHOOL!!!! Thees !!!!!! from me!!! This ? from mom it is called ex question mark I now that is a verey long word! We went ice skateing yesterday I can’t belieave it! There is a honted House at Hallaween that is so scary! I got a real real star fish it was so neat, but it is not alive!!!! We got to see Fr. Frankinstine I no
I feell good!!!!!!!!
(Page 1)
Today is Mon. Jan 1, 1990. Yesterday wached littel Mermaid! It was SCARY! BUT NOT TO SCARY! I thought it would be scary and sad but it’s it’s end was happy! It is fun!
We are seeing a neet show! I have a special DOLL nameed EMILY!! NO!! YES EMILY! I want the Dolls KRISTIN, SAMANTHA, & MOLLY! Ther GOOD Girls! I REALYLY LIKE Them!!! I feel GOOD!!!
(Page 2)
Today is Jan. 2, 1989. It is hard to be a kid I wish I were 8, or, 9. I have to sisters, there names are, Erica & Heidi. W are 6, 4, & 2. My hole Faily in ORDER is Richard, Katherine, Jem Jenna, Erica, Heidi. We have fun together! I am sorry, OH I made a tent my self!!!!! It was easy meber Jan 2. I felt GOOD!!
(Page 1)
Today is Friday, Jan. 5, 1990. We left MaMa Kittys and, Big Jakes, & & COMBO KITTYs. I miss every thing. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, just think ing about it makes me sad. Oh Oh Oh how sad. Poo poo poo. I can play 4 songs on the piano, Which means soft. SORRY DARK OOOOO. I feel, Bad.
This is what I was missing: undivided attention!
(Page 2)
Today is SAT. Jan. 6, 1990 We got home today we went to Aunty Jacquia and Uncle Loo’s! It was fun. There name’s are Jacquia, Loo, Eleanor, June, & Will. There is a stuped song. I hat dos as I’m justa rag dolley! It’s so stuped it is a baby song. I feel Good–and God love eth me.
Wow. 🙂 The insights into your 6 year old brain leave me astounded. I love how often you “felt good!”
God love eth me. Absolutely perfect Jenna.
I love the fonetic spelling!!! Jenna, this is precious….”It is hard to be a kid I wish I were 8, or, 9.” Oh!! to be a kid again!
What did poor Charlie do to be hated so? And why are you apologizing for eating candy? Love, love, love he journal entries and pics! I feel medeom.
1) I don’t know what Charlie did–but I’m sure it was egregious.
2) I felt extremely guilty for eating that candy, but my main question is why I called my mother by her first name. ???
Sophia is trying to shush me because her Strawberry Shortcake dolls are ‘sleeping,’ but I keeping going from grinning to outright laughing as I reread these. 🙂 The spontaneous chorus of ‘Pharaoh Pharoah’ after “It is fun to be alive & not dead real fun” about did me in. XD
Ha!!! I actually remember eating that candy. Though my memory locates it at Mama K’s house- snarfing down candy canes like there was no tomorrow. There must have been several instances of consuming the forbidden fruit. Hey, do you remember getting those little plastic thingies filled with candy that Christmas? I remember it tasting sort of like Flinstone vitamins…
I don’t remember the baggies you speak of, but all I can say is: it took me YEARS to recover from the guilt of eating that ‘unauthorized’ candy behind mom’s back. Seriously–it’s probably the thing for which I’ve prayed for forgiveness the most often.
Oh my, my, my, MY!! The intention of “no candy until you get into first grade” was more about your teeth and health and curbing the sugar than creating a huge guilt trip. HOWEVER, no matter what a mother does, kids will transgress and feel guilty…. SO, I stand by the rule as a good thing and that you are probably not (too much) the worse for wear because of it. SOmeday you 3 girls will get to make rules for your kids, and regardless of what they may be, your children, too, will “taste forbidden fruit” and have to grapple with it.
BTW, I forgive you!!!!! =)
So fun! I love these!!
Jenna, I just love the 6 year old you… I love you the way you are now too… but oh! How precious. I also find it fascinating how you were always analyzing your feelings.
“Its fun to be alive and not dead real fun!”
These posts are SO fun! I love the blunt and uncensored descriptions of your feelings at that age. Also, it shows even more how precious your family is. They sound like a wonderful, fun bunch of people!
I really, really love this. I hope my daughter is as vivid and healthy as you are.
Hahahahahahahaha! I love the random jumps from topic to topic , such as: “Sometimes every one is stupede & I hate! It is fun to be alive & not dead real fun!” I don’t think I have any journals from childhood, but I used to write stories. A group of my friends and I were gonna write a fantasy novel series together in 3rd grade. We used to meet in the playground at lunch and discuss our secret novel series. I might still have a copy of the first chapter.
Oh Jenna, why did you hate my husband??!! Hahahaha. I did ask him whether he remembers what he did but he CLAIMED he didn’t do anything and he was totally innocent.
Do you know how to spell Ambelang now? 😉 Thanks for the entry, I enjoyed the diaries and the pictures!