Eleventh Birthday Party

Last year I posted about my Fifth Birthday Party.  I came across these negatives last month (when I acquired my Dad's negatives including the aerials I've been posting).  My eleventh birthday - 40 years ago!  It was rather an awkward stage - but these photos make me smile.


I bet we got a good bargain after Christmas on the cute Gingerbread tablecloth and napkins.



The three girls on the right of this photo are named Kristin, Kristin and Kristine!


I got braces the summer before this.  I recall being the only student in fifth grade wearing them.  My orthodontist said I had a mature mouth.  Dutifully, I did exactly what he asked me to do including wearing my headgear religiously after school until the next morning except for mealtimes.  I think I kept overcorrecting - apparently his teenage patients weren't as diligent about following instructions as a 10/11 year-old so my teeth moved comparatively quicker.

My haul includes a Woodburning set, Hollie Hobbie collector plate "A True Friend is the Best Possession" (in photo "11" above, you can see two decoupaged Hollie Hobbie wall plaques - we were fans . . . ), Craft Master Acrylic Paint-By-Numbers, giant Hershey chocolate bar and red stuffed toy mouse.


There were 13 numbers on the dial on the top of that black-and-white TV behind me . . . we got channels 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 & 13 with those rabbit ears and it seemed like plenty of choices.


My sister (and her perfectly straight teeth without the need for braces . . . ) all ready for a slumber party!


We lived in this house in Eastgate (Bellevue) between 1964 - 1973 - we moved to Woodridge about a month after these photos were taken.

I must have gotten a diary for Christmas a few weeks earlier - these are the entries for the first half of January 1973 - with my creative spelling and all!

January 1: Last night we stayed overnight at the Sebrings house since Janis had to babysit us and their kids. Today we went to grandma’s house and in their basement we found a 1940 and a 1945 paper with the headlines, “Rosefelt Dead”. After dinner I had a surprise party since my birthday is in just eight more days. From my Grandma Hawes I got 10 dollars and from my Grandma Johnson I got four dresses! They gave me my presents today because they thought they wouldn’t be here on my birthday. On the way home we played “Three Coin” and I won most of the games.

January 2: Today was the first day of school from Christmas vacation.

January 4: Kevin O’Brien gave away 1687$ on KJR!

January 5: It snowed last night and we were one hour late going to school. We got our carpet today. Went to Crowders house for dinner and went sleding down there long hill and got back from their house 12:45 AM. *Everet died today

nicest bus driver

January 6: Dad put in are carpet today. The stretcher for the carpet put two holes in the walls.

January 7: Went to Fredrick & Nelsons to get Moms paycheck and then went out for lunch at Jack in the Box. Then went to House of Values and got are own record. I got “The Partridge family at home with their greatest hits” and Kristi got “America.”

January 8: Had an Orthodonist appointment and a doctor appointment today. Then we went to a fabric store and mom got some material to make pants for me. I got to school right in time for lunch.

January 9: Got a new kid in are class at school. They sanded are hill so now we can’t go sledding. My presents today were a Girl Scout knife, pillow and flashlight I also got a minature Raggedy Ann and little reed chairs. I also got pants, vest, origami paper, bath oil, stationary and 2 dollar. I babsat Bunky tonight. Qualey

January 10: Today is Mr. Gaily’s and Becky D Birthday

January 12: After school there was a movie called “The Cat” and we saw it. I had a Birthday Slumber party. I invited Kristin Groundland, Connie Haslam, Kristine Johnson and Shari Yates. From Kristin I got a paint by number set and from Connie I got a stuffed animal and a big Hershey Chocolate bar and from Kristine I got a plate that said, “A true friend is the best possession” and from Shari I got a wood burning set.

January 13: I started my cosins letter today. I bought a bike lock for my bike today and the combination is on the frount of this book.

January 15: Kevin O Brien gave away 1163$ and 95$

January 16: On TV we watched “The Night Strangler” and it was filmed in Seattle.

This was the only year I was decent about keeping a diary which is pretty entertaining for me to go back and read . . . .  life in 1973 Bellevue for an eleven year old girl.  I really do wish my children's ancestors had kept journals or diaries - it would be a thrill for me to catch a glimpse of their ordinary everyday lives.