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You creative people out there reached back into the recesses of your minds to find this month's Xpressions: your childhood memories. No matter how young (or how old) we may be, memories of important, or scary, or funny, or happy, or sad times color who we are. We hope you enjoy these colorful, memorable portraits of young readers in words and pictures.
By NANCY GREEN
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 27, 2002
You creative people out there reached back into the recesses of your minds to find this month's Xpressions: your childhood memories. No matter how young (or how old) we may be, memories of important, or scary, or funny, or happy, or sad times color who we are. We hope you enjoy these colorful, memorable portraits of young readers in words and pictures.
-- NANCY GREEN, Xpressions editor
My memory is about my dad, Mickey Miller. He died on Oct. 8, 2001. I think he hit his spinal cord when he fell off the trunk of our car. My mom yelled, "Mickey, Mickey!" and rushed him to the hospital. They did everything they could. We couldn't see him. On a Monday, Mickey Miller died. They asked my mom if we would like to donate his organs. My mom said yes, so my dad saved four or five lives. He donated his kidneys, his lungs and his spleen.
-- By JOHN MILLER, 11, fifth grade, Sexton Elementary, St. Petersburg
The sweet, succulent taste of ripened strawberries.
Plump, juicy tomatoes on the vine.
A soft, velvet bow on a bright Christmas wreath.
An aging Amish barn.
Breathtakingly beautiful summer sunset.
Fragrant, juicy oranges.
Smooth, rich peaches and cream.
Hauntingly scary jack-o-lanterns.
Rippling wheat field.
Twittering little canary.
A noisy, bumpy school bus.
A slippery-soft peeled banana.
Crisp new dollar bills in your pocket.
Cool cushioning grass to sit on.
Tropical tart kiwi.
Tender springtime leaves.
Worn, soft blue jeans.
A pale, calm, cloudless sky.
Crashing waves upon the sand.
A freshly baked blueberry pie cooling by the open window.
Spreadable grape jelly.
Reawakened pansies.
Sweet, dark, grape juice.
Perfect plums in your hand.
The rainbow of my memories.
-- By REBECCA DeCESARE, 13, seventh grade, Citrus Springs Middle School, Beverly Hills
In my younger days, I was still me. I remember loving sunflowers on hot summer days as my face cooked in the hot beach air. I did cheerleading, gymnastics, Girl Scouts, tae kwon do, church and ice-skating. I don't want to remember when I was grounded ... (a lot!), but I want to remember being with my dad and annoying my brother, hugging my mom, and washing my guinea pigs.
-- By AMANDA DUKE, 11, fifth grade, Curlew Creek Elementary School, Palm Harbor
My grandpa and I went for a walk one summer morning. As we were strolling along, we saw the local high school band practicing its music as it marched down the street. Guess what we did! We joined in the back of the parade! We followed the band up and down the streets of the small town. As we neared Grandpa's house, we saw Grandma and my mom sitting on the front porch. They saw us and clapped and waved. We returned the waves and marched on.
-- By EMILY SHAY, 11, fifth grade, Palm Harbor Elementary
POP! That's the loud sound of my arm getting dislocated when my mom took off my coat at the St. Petersburg fair.
My mom took me to the doctor as fast as you can blink. He put on a pink cast, thinking my arm was broken. My mom thought it was just dislocated, because she had been a veterinarian. She was right -- five days later we went to another doctor. He used a special saw to remove my cast and twisted my arm so it would relocate. It was painful. He said if the cast had stayed on my hand it never would have functioned.
I still have the cast on a shelf in my room.
-- By TONY WYATT, 9, third grade, Perkins Elementary, St. Petersburg
From Reina Mora-Blackwelder's fourth-grade students at Academie Da Vinci in Dunedin:
My childhood memory is when I caught my first fish. It was a warm June day at my cousin's pier. I had already swung my line into the lake and was waiting for a fish to bite my line. No one was at the beach. That was good, because people in the water scare away the fish. All of sudden there was a tug at my line. I pulled toward me, but the pole was slipping out of my hands. Finally, with the help of my grandpa, I pulled up my prize. A squirming, slimy CATFISH!
-- By KELCEY DUGGAN, 10
My childhood memory is when I met the Christian singer Jaci Velazquez! As I stood in line in a Christian book store, my heart was pounding. I walked up to her and she smiled and said, "Hi." She signed my CD and asked me what my name was. She was sitting at a table greeting everyone. I truly admired her clothing and her long dark hair. I handed her a gift. She opened the box and saw the Beanie Baby I'd given her. She thanked me by giving me a hug just good enough for me to remember. When we left we were in the car listening to the radio. The radio station was tuned into Jaci's live appearance. The announcer said, "Wow! Jaci sure is having fun with that Beanie Baby that someone gave her!" At that moment, my life was changed.
-- By BETSI BEARDSLEY, 10
My childhood memory is when my grandparents died on a foggy morning in Tampa Bay. They could hear another boat coming but they couldn't see where it was coming from until it was too late. CRASH BOOM BANG! Out of four people, there was only one survivor.
-- By CODY ADKINS, 10
On a happy, rainy day I went outside wearing only my diaper under my yellow raincoat. When my mom was trying to catch me I fell onto a piece of plywood and slid down a big hill. At the end of the hill there was a huge rock. It stopped my fall just as my mom picked me up in her gentle arms and gave me a big, wet, soggy hug.
-- By MARILYN VONCANNON, 11
My childhood memory is when I went to my grandparents' house. I was about 3 or 4 years old. My grandmother was babysitting me, and in the morning I had the deluxe breakfast: crisp bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs and pancakes with chocolate chips that formed a smiley face. I sat down in my grandpa's comfy white chair and turned on the TV to watch the pink ranger on the Power Rangers. I ate the delicious food. It melted in my mouth.
-- By KELLEY REINEOHL, 10
From second-graders at Academie Da Vinci in Dunedin:
I remember when I was in the bathtub with my sister and everyone was eating. They heard a scream then everyone was laughing because I had pooped in the tub.
-- By CHANDLAR LORCH, 7
I remember one time when I went to my granny and grandpa's house. When I opened the door, everyone yelled "SURPRISE!" I ran all the way home. When my mom got home and told me it was my party I ran all the way back to my granny and grandpa's house. I had a great time with my Winnie the Pooh cake and my presents.
-- By KENDYL HENDRISON, 8
From Deerwood Academy in Port Richey:
When I walked into the music room, my palms were sweaty. There were kids everywhere. Four girls walked around with different instruments for us to try. We all got to blow into all the instruments. I didn't like the trumpet at all. I thought the flute and clarinet were too girly. When I tried the sax, I knew right away that I loved it. I got to take one home and practiced Mary Had a Little Lamb for hours. I was so happy when I made the band that I bought my own sax.
I had some great experiences with my saxophone. I played a duet in a talent show with my friend at the mall, and I also used to play Tequila for my fourth-grade class. Although I don't play anymore, I still take out my music and remember those good times I had with my saxophone.
-- By ANDREW ESCHENBACK, 13, seventh grade
About six years ago my dad and I went to a Tampa Bay Mutiny soccer game. I'm not a big fan of soccer so I thought it would be boring -- even more boring than math class. But I was wrong -- it turned out to be more fun that I ever imagined. There were games, music and even food, and that was outside the stadium! Like a fiesta before the game! I also got a soccer ball that I now treasure. It is autographed by many of the players, but my favorite is Carlos.
My soccer ball is not in the best condition because I played soccer with it, but it doesn't matter how messed up it gets. It will always remind me of my very first soccer game, and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything in the world.
-- By MIKE NICHOLS, 13, seventh grade
From Mrs. Fisher's fourth-grade class at St. Paul's School in Clearwater:
Butterfly, with wings like silky sheets
Red, as the reddest rose
Graceful, as a beautiful dancer
Sparkles, like a diamond in the sun
Butterfly, with wings like silky sheets
-- By JULIA TEYTELBAUM, 10
the cold water splashing up on my face
wakeboarding in Canada
the big tree in Canada like a giant
standing up with his arms stretched out so
I can climb up
-- BY CONNOR COOK, 10
I remember hearing
the engine of the boat
roar like a lion
and before I knew it
I was skiing on a
dark blue sky
but soon I
fell with a crash
like breaking glass
I will always remember
this and my mixed
feelings that bubbled
like a boiling pot
of water.
-- By DANIELLE STEG, 10
It was loud like a concert,
It was crowded like a busy street,
It was fun like a roller coaster,
It was my first swim meet!
-- By LAUREN KLEINHANS, 10
The waves being cold
And splashing up on me
Me riding the waves
Like the sand drifting in the wind
-- By WESLEY SEVER, 10
Cold as an iceberg
Spanish speaking fellows
Lovely ladies dancing
In high heels
The color of a flaming hot sun
The train ride was as long as 5,000 years
But it was worth it
Spain
-- By SHANNON KELLY, 9
I remember
My old home
A tall white house so
tall that it could reach
the heavens
A bright green back yard
Woods as dark as a brown log
The sun shining in the
My old home
The home that
I could call mine
Where so many things
took place in
A place that was
home to other people, too
I remember
My old home
The day we left
a dreary day as gray
as a rain cloud
My heart as empty
as the house
My eyes as wet as the ocean
For some reason
It didn't seem like home anymore
-- By KRISTA PONTZER
Sand as pure as gold
Water as blue as the spring sky
Pebbles that look like ancient treasures
My memories of Greece that will last forever
-- By CHRISTIE NOWELS
From Mrs. Snyder's seventh-graders at St. Paul's School in Clearwater:
I wake up on New Year's Day.
I see that my windows are frosted.
I go downstairs.
I feel the warmth when I put on my jacket and mittens.
I go outside.
I touch the newly fallen snow.
I taste the snowflakes that have fallen in my mouth.
I hear my mom calling me inside.
I smell the hot chocolate as I sit in front of the warm fire.
Happy New Year!
-- By CAITLYN HANLON, 13
Barbie dolls, imaginary friends, going to the zoo,
Picture books, board games, puzzles, stuffed animals, too.
Playing in the trees outside, running in the park,
Having a hard time falling asleep, being afraid of the dark.
All of these memories, bad and good,
Come from times of my childhood.
Like words that gather all together on pages,
They will stay with me throughout the ages.
-- By KELLY COOGAN, 12
From Mrs. Cregan's sixth-graders at Westlake Christian School in Palm Harbor:
My memory is from a time when my mom, my friend and I were driving to Nebraska for vacation. The radio said that there was a tornado warning. My friend and I were in the back watching movies, but we still heard what was said. My mom could barely see, so she stopped under a bridge. The news had said where the tornado was heading, but we didn't hear it. When it passed, my mom told us that we had just gone under a tornado. Neither of us could believe it!
-- By MATTHEW NELSON
When I was young I would throw pacifiers at my mom from my crib to wake her up.
-- By BRITTANY LUNDAHL
A favorite childhood memory was when my family and I went to Daytona. I was about 8 at the time, and it was my first time at the Atlantic Ocean. There was a hurricane 300 miles off the coast and the waves were huge. I went out to swim and got sucked under and could not lift my head above water. Luckily I washed back up to shore, and my parents helped me out.
-- By NATHAN THOMAS
I remember as a child
Riding in the car,
Looking at the buildings,
Some near, some far.
At first I saw the Chrysler,
Then the Empire State,
I also saw one Twin Tower,
And next to it, its mate.
I knew if I looked far enough,
There's something I could see,
I saw the blue-green torch
Of the Statue of Liberty.
Now that I am older
And come to be more wise,
I look at that magnificent city,
With wonder in my eyes.
I am proud of my birthplace,
The finest state in the land,
This is where I used to live,
It's where my life began.
-- By THERESA LINNERT
From fifth-graders at Carrollwood Day School in Odessa:
When I was five years old I went with my family on a special trip that would change my life forever. I had no idea where we were going, but when we pulled into the parking lot, I screamed. It was a dog place!
I ran into the store and went straight to two little bichon frise puppies. They were the ones I wanted! My dad wanted only one dog, but we didn't want them separated, because they were sisters. So my brother and I begged my dad to get both of them. He gave in, because of our pitiful faces.
We took the two adorable, fluffy puppies home. Snicker and Doodle fit right into our hectic household. Three years later they are happy, healthy and cheerful and just as cute as when they were little.
-- By ALISSA EBERBACH, 10
Three years ago on my grandmother's Name Day, Nov. 11, I was doing homework when my mom came home from the hospital and told me something that would change my life forever. She told me my grandmother had died. When I first heard that, I froze! It felt like a thousand arrows had gone through my heart. I did not want to believe it. For the next few days I did nothing but cry.
This memory I will never forget as long as I live because I was closer to my grandmother than to anyone else. I used to tell her all of my secrets. Even though she has been gone for three years I still have a stabbing pain in my heart that will never go away.
-- By ALEXANDRA MAMONTOFF, 11