March 1982

The nice thing about keeping a journal with a child is that the children get interested in recording their thoughts and experiences.

But on this particular day, Kelli got tired of writing herself, because it is hard work, and asked me to record the following:
"I love my cousins. Jenna, Jamie and Lance are my favorite cousins. I really like my piano lessons. Mary Had a Little Lamb is my favorite song to play. I love my daddy and mommy. I love my sister. I love my friends. Amy Rose is my favorite friend. Jessica and Dani (Flegal) and Andi and Amy and Sara Watt and Tasha are my friends. [I can't remember Tasha's last name.] I like to be with my family. I like to read stories. I love my family. I love my grandmas and grandpas. I like my uncles and aunts. I love Heavenly Father and Jesus."

And then, her hand all rested, she was ready to draw:

March 11, 1982 -- After an important appointment in San Diego, our family went out to eat at the San Diego Chicken Pie Shop. [Which served good food at a great price.] After our meal, as we were waiting for our dessert, Bruce had to go outside to put more money in the parking meter. While he was gone, a man (about 70 years old) came and tapped my shoulder and said, "Excuse me, ma'm, but I have been watching your family, and I just wanted to tell you that you have the most well-behaved children I have ever seen. They have such good manners! I was so impressed that I thought I should tell you." That made me so happy to have such wonderful daughters!

Easter was not until April 11, but the Easter Bunny came early! Abbi and Kelli with the Easter Bunny. Photo taken on March 26th, 1982 at City of Industy, CA

March 27, 1982 was our second anniversary. Since we were married as a family, it seemed right to celebrate as a family. So the four of us went up to Buena Park and spent the day at Knott's Berry Farm. Never has Kelli spent a more exciting day! She just could not wait to see everything. She had such a happy, amazed expression on her face as she ran from place to place. We watched several shows where the Berry Sisters and Brothers were singing and dancing, and Kelli really enjoyed that. For several shows, we were right on the front row, and one time Kelli got really brave and waved at the performers. One of them, Scott, waved back, with a big grin on his face. Kelli got so embarrassed, and buried her head against her daddy. But that didn't diminish her bravery--at another show, The Razzle Dazzle Revue, she walked up to the very front all by herself so she could have a good view of the stage. The girls saw their first marionette show, and went to their first live play--a melodrama. The girls went on lots of rides: Knott's Berry Tales (just like the book Kelli and Abbi have [we had this book? I had forgotten that]), a real train, a real stagecoach, a steamboat--and about 15 or 20 times on the merry-go-round! It was really a lot of fun! And it was especially fun to watch Kelli reacting to it all, looking as if she felt like Alice in Wonderland!!

[FYI there were five pictures in the journal of the Knott's Berry Farm trip, WERE being the most important word. Though the pictures are gone, the captions remain: on the merry-go-round ; in an airplane ; going down the big slide ; on the horse-drawn merry-go-round ; with a bandito. Here is the bandito picture:

Maybe some day I will find the negatives and be able to print the rest of those pictures and add them...]