Favorite Memory

Great job on the favorite memory posts! I'll contribute one, too.

One of my favorite childhood memories was a slumber party for my friend Susan's birthday. I think it was either 2nd or 3rd grade, so I was either 7 or 8 years old. At that time, slumber parties were just about the coolest and most exciting thing in our lives. I remember being amazed that we were allowed to eat JUST macaroni and cheese for dinner at the party. I was used to my mother serving me well-balanced meals every night, so the idea of eating a big bowl of mac and cheese with no meat or vegetables to go with it was a thrill.

It was summertime, so we played outside after dinner. I remember it being warm, and we played some sort of game with water balloons. Summer nights are always so happy and carefree, and this was no exception.

The thing I remember most about the night, oddly enough, was watching the movie Ladybugs. Rodney Dangerfield plays a girls soccer coach who gets a boy (his son, I think?) to dress up as a girl to play for the team. We thought it was the most hilarious movie. More importantly, we were all in LOVE with Jonathan Brandis, who played the he-she soccer player. I wonder what ever happened to him? He doesn't even have a picture on imdb.com. I guess his career failed. Anyway, he was the first "celebrity crush" I ever had. I remember us all packed in together in our sleeping bags on the floor in Susan's basement. I stayed up later than I ever had in my life, feeling sort of guilty and thrilled about it at the same time.

The next morning when my mom came to pick me up, I felt this crushing sadness that it was over. I can't remember if I cried in front of my mom in the car, or waited until I got to my room at home, but I know I actually cried at some point. It's funny to me now, looking back, that I could've been THAT sad for a party to be over. This memory is special to me because it reminds me of those carefree childhood days. All the girls at the party were having fun together without a worry in the world. I wonder if Susan is on Facebook? I should look her up.