I Didn't Throw It Away!

Hi there! I am participating in Agy's (of Green Issues by Agy) blog train entitled, "I Didn't Throw It Away"...referring to keepsakes or items that we have held onto for many years (20+) and why we didn't throw them away along the way!

This was fun for me. I have one tote full of items that are keepsakes, things I will hold onto and hopefully pass on to the loved ones in my life as I see fit. They are of no monetary value at all, but they are rich with memories! Here are just a few of those items...

A pair of homemade pajamas my grandma made for my cousins and I (pictured...I'm on the right) along with a book of bedtime stories I now read to my son from the same grandma and grandpa. The inscription says I was 3 years old when I received the book, so it is 30 years old, while the pajamas are a couple of years younger :). Books are one of my favorite keepsakes, and I came across a couple more to read to my son and others to share with my nieces and nephews!

Going back even a bit further, here's my tiny t-shirt from when/where I was born, a baby rattle which I still think is the cutest to this day and a reversible bib (homemade) with a plum on one side and bunny print fabric on the other. So much pink! These items are 33 years old, as am I. It's funny, to imagine myself so tiny, even remembering my son this small is a stretch, but I am glad of the reminder.

This doll and crocheted purse are a couple of the things I remember playing with, though I couldn't say when I acquired them. I've had them for at least 25 years, and probably more. I had a favorite floppy bunny that I wish I still had, but alas, I loved him to pieces...literally.

Quite possibly THE.CUTEST.ROMPERS.EVER!!! lol, if only I could pull off a romper now ;) Wish I had a baby to put these on! ;) Size 9 months means they are 32 years old, and might be hand-me-downs from my sis, so could be older. I have pics of myself in these and just love them. I need to pass them on to someone who will use them.

And what little girl doesn't need a personalized t-shirt? I've got a couple of these babies in my tote! Size 2-4 makes these at least 29 years old. For some reason, I love the t-shirts most of all. Yes, the frilly pretty dresses are sweet, and I've kept several, but these were my real play clothes, and that for me is what I remember. Playing outdoors with trucks and always in the dirt, creating little fairy homes among the tree roots, building forts and when running felt like flying...

And then there were the cutest shoes ever...hand-me-downs from my sis, maybe, but I say they're mine ;) Size 3 which makes them 32 years old. These, I'll hang onto.

And then there are my field day ribbons. Did you have field day at school? I know they still do it, though mostly without the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons...only participation ribbons are given anymore. But when I was in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades I won these ribbons for activities like: 25 yard dash, backwards run, rope skip, hill race, relay race, and long jump. I had dreams of being in track and field which I may have excelled at if I'd had any motivation for it when it came time to join! All I know is that I can distinctly remember these events, and in particular the rope skip. They actually had to tell me to just stop as all the other students were out and I just kept going and going...and going, and would have done so for who knows how long! lol, oh my!

It's somewhat bittersweet to rifle through these items; some bring clear memories, while others only a feeling of nostalgia where no clear memories could or do exist. Even the smell of them transports me elsewhere and makes me want to look through old photographs...another grouping of keepsakes that I didn't share today. I've even found some things I'd put away that I'll pull out for my son, my nieces, and may consider refashioning some of the more damaged clothing's items into a small quilt. We'll see. For now, this provided an afternoon's entertainment and a mind full of memories. Thank you, Agy, for inviting me along.

//This post is part of a blog train hosted by Agatha from Green Issues by Agy on "I Didn't Throw It Away". We have become such a throw-away society, but there are some things in our households that we still keep. Why is that so? Perhaps this blog train can unlock the reasons behind it! Follow the daily posts on this blog train and read about the stories behind the things we have kept for many years and why we didn't throw them away. //

Tomorrow, Maretta of http://mountainsno.blogspot.com.au will be sharing what she didn't throw away. Make sure to follow along.

Peace,
Andrea