A Trip Down Memory Lane

The kids had the day off Friday, and Doug found a car he was interested in buying (we have been looking for a new commuter car for him for a while), so we made it an adventure and took a road trip to Roseburg to look at (and then buy) the car. Roseburg also happens to be where I spent 10 of the best years of my life, so I was excited to show the kids the town I grew up in. We had such a fun day exploring and spending time together.

Our kids are such great travellers... and not just because we got them donuts for the road! :) They have never been farther south than Albany (in a car anyway), so it was fun for them to see new things along the way (a big highlight was seeing Autzen Stadium in Eugene... the both got giddy when they saw it!)

This is the car.... a 2007 Ford Five Hunded, fully loaded, low miles. and a bargain price. Doug brought his coveralls and all of his tools to check the car out. The salesmen at the dealership were both surprised and impressed! The car was in great shape and we decided to buy it!

While Doug was inspecting the car, I took the kids on a trip down memory lane and showed them around Roseburg. It was both special and emotional for me going back to places that impacted my childhood so much.

Abby's Pizza.... many fun nights spent here with my family. You could watch the cooks make the pizzas thru a giant window, and it was where us kids could have soda... a real treat for us. I learned how to make a "graveyard" inside this place!

This was Roseburg's first McDonalds. It opened when I lived there and it was here I had my first Happy Meal! :)

Although remodeled, this is the DQ that we would sometimes visit, a lot of times after going to Abby's! My dad would watch us in the rear view mirror as we anticipated if we were going to stop for ice cream or not. He often would drive past, just to see our reaction in the mirror, then turn the car around and go back! Silly guy he was!!This is one of my favorite childhood memories!

830 Rose St. This was once Bailey and DeBernardi Insurance, where my dad worked. He would sit inside on the far right at his desk with a blue phone. His co-worker Barbara was on the other side. I still can remember the smell of his office, even after all these years. So many memories of visiting him at his office.

This pharmacy has been around for ages! It was owned and run by the Kaiser family, who went to church with us and whose daughter Jeannie babysat us often. It looks totally the same as it did when I lived there.

 

The YMCA. I spent many hours here taking swim lessons. They still have the parent observatory deck that my mom watched us from.

My school. My amazing school. I LOVED this place and the years I spent here learning. I had amazing teachers and amazing friends, a lot of whom I still keep in touch with. It was such a great community to grow up in!

It always seemed bigger when I attended there.. but it isn't as big as I remembered.

I spent so much time at this church. I was a bit emotional when I entered into the sanctuary...  this was where I learned so much about God and was a part of such an amazing community of both kids and grownups. The priest was there and saw that I was a bit teary and gave me a big hug after I told him my story. "Welcome Home!", he said. It was a meaningful moment. 

Then it was time to "go home" To my old home, that is.

324 W Susan St. So much life spent in this home. It looks different of course... we haven't lived there in 35 years. But the memories still flooded in. I did ring the door bell but no one answered. My sister and I shared the room on the far left. It was so good to see it. 

Right across the street from our house (like RIGHT across!) is Quintas Park, a small park that was just perfect for us to play on growing up. My sisters and I spent countless hours here. What is so great is that the play equipment we played on as kids is STILL there!! It has fresh paint but it is the same stuff. How awesome it was to see my kids playing and enjoying it as I did so many years ago.

Doug was ready to sign all the paperwork on the car so we headed back to the dealership. Our tour was over, but really I got to show the kids pretty much everything I had hoped to. After all the signatures, we took TWO cars home, the kids splitting time between the new one and my car. On the way home Doug and I knew we had to take to the kids for one last surprise. Rice Hill.

This place has been around since before I was born and seriously has the BEST ice cream. It is truly an iconic place in our fine state.

Yumminess!

I came home with such a full heart, thankful for the amazing childhood I had and that I got to share some if it with the kids. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did!