Sunday, April 18, 2010

Pop's Basement

A Bonus post of some additional shots that I took today.  I went for a walk through pop's basement just to reminisce and try to capture a few moments from my childhood.  First, let me just tell you that the smell of Pop's basement is like no other.  It is one of the top five all time absolute best smells EVER.  Right up there with the lilac smell of the yard, fresh cut grass, a real wood fire, real lavendar, and Pop's basement.  It is a combination of must, cement, rust, motor oil, gas, paint, and what else I just don't know but to me it is just so calming.  I really wish I could bottle it or make it into a candle.

Pop's basement is where all the goodies were hidden.  The bikes, the sleds, and of course the pool table.  We would spend HOURS down there playing pool.  Pop is an AWESOME pool player.  He can do the whole pool stick behind his back trick while we would just sit on the table and roll the balls in whichever pocket was close.  The basement was like one of those magical kingdoms of childhood, full of magic and wonder, where only happy times were had, where we could be kids.

Here is a look into our magic kingdom.





Training Wheels


Check this out



I think we all rode this when we were little.
The clown sprinkler is awesome...Ava gets to experience it this summer.





This hole use to seem like a massive gaping mile wide hole.  It was TERRIFYING as a child.  I remember back when the washer and dryer were down there and I would go down with Nan and shimmy my way around the opening ever so carefully.  I use to think that it was bottomless and if I fell in I would be gone forever.

Here is a great photo of Pop.
Kind of crazy how much my brother looks like Pop.
I really need to ask about that ring.  He has always worn that ring.

Next I need to venture up into Nan's attic.  A whole other world of magic but more along the line of dolls and hoop skirts and less nuts and bolts.  The attic also has a huge gaping hole in the floor that FREAKED me out as a child.  What is with the huge holes in the floor????  Yet, another mystery of Nan's and Pop's.

Day One Hundred and Eight

Clean Up and Team Work...

Today we went to my Nana and Poppies for project clean up the yard.  We weeded, cut grass, de-cluttered, planted, mulched, etc., etc., etc.  Then we ate fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, and rolls....yum yum.  Oh yeah and cake and brownies followed. 

We also worked to clean out the play area which was originally constructed when Katelynn was little and she is 19 and probably has not been used since Julianne was little and she is 10 so it's been a while.  Ava seems to really enjoy her new play area. 









The yard smelled of lilacs and fresh cut grass and with distant drifts of fried chicken coming from the house.  It was like sensory overload combined with flash backs of childhood.  There is just nothing like being at Nan's and Pop's.

Day One Hundred and Seven

Little people, Big World...

No, not the show.  While it is a decent show (isn't the Dad nuts?!?!) I am talking about Ava and her cousin Nathan.  It's so funny to watch little ones as they interact and maneuver in the big world.  On Saturday we went up to Aaron's Aunt's house to visit so Ava could see her cousin Nathan.  We had a good time and I have a few really adorable pictures to show of the little cuties together.  Nathan is three months older than Ava and makes a great playmate.  She doesn't have many that are close to her size. 

 It was really windy outside...just look at Ava's wild hair.

These are my favorite photos of the day.  Ava went and sat with Nathan on the floor...too cute.


We went to Ava's Grammy's house afterward to visit for a bit but the camera stayed in the car.  Sometimes it's nice to not feel like the camera is an extra appendage.  I love my camera and love taking photos but sometimes I have to breath.