Week 60 + Prize

Ok I'm running behind this morning & don't have a flashback ready. I'll slap one up after work, so if you're on the late-bus too you can still enjoy it.


How about, to make it up to you faithful flashback-ers, we do a little prize?

Everyone who links up today will be entered to win a $15 Amazon card, just because I think you're wonderful. So send your buddies over to join in the fun & we'll all have a lovely Friday!

(prize drawn at random on Monday)

flashback time...

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 59

I've used plenty of facebook photos as Flashback material, but this is the first time facebook itself is the flashback. I would call this the FB caption that will live in infamy... or... people shouldn't talk about what they don't know.


And for the record, this isn't a real bone. :) It's a prop for the school dance back when I was teaching.

Oh you guys, indeed.

flashback time...

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 58

If there's one thing you need to know about the 3 lovely ladies of F-Unit... we like to party. And we've got many years of experience under our belts. Before we reunite for a wedding weekend extravaganza, let's take a trip down memory lane.

Glory Days... or so we thought. But like a good wine,

I think F-Unit just keeps getting better with age.

Karaoke & strange facial expressions. They just go hand in hand.

I'm 90% certain we're singing "I'm I bitch, I'm lover..."

Tea time with the mad hatter. Pinkies up and brimmed hats.

We know how to do it classy.

I love you. No, I love YOU.

Eff it, let's dance.

Downtown & Grownup.

This weekend is the wedding I'm officiating for Fleegal's brother & I'm bringing Sama as my plus-one. That whole part of the state is having major floods, but the wedding must go on. So you can expect the next edition of F-Unit to be rain boots & formal wear. Classy. Always.

flashback time...

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 57

This week I got to see a VERY dear old friend who moved to LA last year, & out of the blue she showed up at church unannounced & unexpected! It made my whole day... my whole week even!

No joke: I saw Amanda across the room & there was a table between us so I literally crawled on the table to get to her, I guess I got carried away, & next thing I know BOTH of us were on the table hugging. haha Actually Tink joined us up there too for a glorious, elevated, group hug. And I don't regret it.


Then on Wednesday when I was flying out for work, who did I run into? AMANDA. On her way back to LA. So we got a little bonus time to drink coffee & play cards while we waited for our flights. In what would does something so serendipitous happen? It was wonderful.


So now she's home again & the missing her part can start all over again. But I thought I'd show you a special memory of my special friend so that you'll be able to recognize her in the background of all your favorite shows & squeel the same way I do when I see her waiting for an elevator on Desperate Housewives or at a wedding reception on the upcoming premier of How I Met Your Mother.

This is us at prom. Actually it's us at a friend's wedding but we couldn't resist that backdrop to take the classic prom pose. Can you see why we get along so well? lol


And actually I have a photo from the first time we met too. I had no idea that this new girl Ray brought around (not an uncommon occurrence) would turn into such a good friend.

flashback time...

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 56

In a few weeks I'll be officiating a wedding for my best friend's brother, so I've been busy getting my sermon together & trying to not look like a total idiot on someone's most important day of their lives. You might remember that this is actually the second wedding I've done, the first was for my brother about 2 years ago. But I don't think I ever shared how my wonderful friends helped me practice...

That Nicole, my fake groom... & Tink, my fake bride... & that lovely veil the bride is wearing is actually a strapless bra. :) My friends are shameless & silly & there for me even at the most ridiculous times. And that's what I love about them. I only wish I had recorded Caitlin's (father of the bride) speech "These kids love each other more than tacos love sour cream." Our faux-ceremony really did help me prepare for the real thing, I might have to schedule another one to help prepare again. After all, it's been 2 years & I'm a little rusty.

flashback time...

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 55

Let me start by saying that you guys are the best. I love that we have a little core group of flashbackers every week that I always see spreading the comment love, & it's awesome. And sometimes a newbie links up & that's awesome too. I know these aren't exactly words of depth, but I just wanted to reaffirm that I love everything about Fridays even when I have the random crap-out-week like last week.

And how sweet was it of the Godmother of Flashbacks to link up last week? Much love, Tia.

On facebook there's this new(ish) feature when you're looking at a friend's page you can click "see friendship" & it creates a mini wall of just the back-and-forth between the two of you. So of course I tested it out with my BFF & was so stoked with the photo it used as our profile. Possibly my favorite of us ever.

At first glance it might not seem like much. In fact at first glance it's pretty obvious that neither of us is showered or looking very good. But there's so much happening in this photo that speaks volumes about the nature of our friendship... like a Where's Waldo of our lives. I don't even think an explanation would do it justice... just know you're getting an extra special glimpse into what we love about each other. (cryptic enough for you? haha)

you know the drill...

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Flashback Monday

After crapping out on my own linkup on Friday I really owe a Flashback... even the best intentions won't log on & type up a post for you, as it turns out. But I've got a really great one to more than make up for it.

My Dad came to visit 2 weekends ago & brought along the family history book for my DAR application... along with a family history photo album which I didn't even know existed! It starts with photos of Wolcotts from just after the Civil War & goes right up to my baby photos & is more magical than I can put into words. My Grandpa included a written history starting where the family book leaves off & recounting what he remembers of his great-grandparent, lessons learned from his grandfather, letters written back & forth between them, & what it was like to grow up on the depression and war years.

It made me feel for a moment like a heroin in some novel where I'll discover a parallel of life's events and learn the secrets of a happy life from the lessons of my ancestors.

Letters from the 40's between my

Grandpa & his Grandpa

My Great-Grandpa's dance card from

his senior prom... filled with Great-Grandma's name.

My Great-Grandparent's wedding in 1924

Grandpa pushing Grandma in a

wheelbarrow on their wedding day

After telling a friend about all these discoveries she said something that really shook me awake... how her Grandfather said his biggest regret was not asking more questions. OF COURSE! I should be asking questions! Why haven't I been asking for stories every time I've seen my grandparents the past 27 years? Why have I not been trying to learn what life was like in a different time or what they've learned after seeing the progress of decade after decade? I've been missing out on all this without even knowing it.

So get ready, Grandparents, I want to hear it ALL.

Week 54

I'm running a little behind today! *sigh* Please start flashing back without me & I promise to catch up a little later. Thanks guys!

much love,

Lauren

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 53

As I scrolled through old facebook photos wondering what kind of tales I could share with you all, I twice went past this one with a "Mmm". It was the only one that made an audible reaction, which might just be the truest test of flashback worthiness.

This is my mentor group on my 26th birthday. I know most people in the world probably aren't lucky enough to have any mentor group at all, let alone one as awesome as mine, and lately I've been really missing our get-togethers. The group started through my church & was only supposed to last a year... back then it was Sonja (far right), Sarah (middle), and me... but after it was time for the groups to end we decided against it. I guess we just weren't done with eachother. Lisa & Linda joined for a while, later Jen came on board, and I've loved having every one of those ladies... but there's just something really wonderful & special about the original 3, we've been through a lot together.

We laugh until we can't breathe, sometimes we accidentally set things on fire, we always have yummy food and plenty of wine and coffee, and we have a place to talk about things that really suck too. I guess I'm just feeling sentimental because I could really use a dose of that right about now. Luckily I don't think our group is "over", we just sometimes take breaks when life kicks in, but maybe in the fall I'll have my ladies back again.

Now it's your turn....

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 52

Last night I hung out with an old friend, Sarah, & her new son... & it got me thinking of ol times in college. My gosh, things were so different then! We used to call eachother PIC = Partners In Crime & we got ourselves into all kinds of shenanigans. We were in the same sorority, were RA's in the same building, and when I moved to Pittsburgh she let me crash on her futon for a summer. We've been through all kinds of things together & my only regret is that I don't see her as often as I like.

It was crazy & wonderful to hang out & hold her baby... her baby! My how things have changed...

Then:

Lazy-Crazy Sundays, My Junior Year

 ΔΤΣ Formal Senior Year

 Radio Contest for Steelers Tickets... we lost.

Now:

Lauren, Sarah, & Dylan 2011

It's weird. And wonderful. I guess that's just life!

Now it's your turn....

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 51

I'm flashing back from the future this week... I'm off traveling for business but wanted to make sure the tradition carries on with or without me. I'm coming home from Atlanta, so let's just use that as my theme for a flashback quickie. (kind of lame, I know, get over it. ha)

A little layover on my way to the beach... & if there's 3 things I love it's vaycay, Sam Adams, & changing hair colors. So thanks, Atlanta, for combining them into one classic picture.

Just promise me that you'll all visit a fellow flashback-er. I usually make sure to visit every person who links up, so I don't want anyone feeling lonely in my absence. And who knows, maybe you'll make a new friend today?

Now it's your turn....

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />

Week 50 + A Giveaway!

50 flashbacks & going strong... I think it's time to celebrate, my friends.

Flashback Friday was literally my first ever blog post, almost all my good bloggie friends were met as a result, by some crazy twist of fate it's now my baby, & now we've got a golden anniversary to celebrate! Oh life is good in the world of retro & polaroids.

So let's celebrate with 2 of my favorite things in the whole world...

1. Friends
2. Chins

If you haven't known me long perhaps you don't know about my affinity for scrunched up chin pics that make every person look the most hideous they've ever been... but I do, I just love them! haha They have their own category on my sidebar for cryin' out loud! And I've saved these extra special chins for just such an occasion, taken backstage from the last mystery dinner theater for additional ridiculousness.

SO GOOD!

And here's the part where I get to celebrate YOU: the most lovely friends & readers & reader-friends the blogosphere has ever known. (I'm a bit biased perhaps) I honor of 50 flashbacks I'm giving away a $20 giftcard for Amazon... who doesn't love to get their book-nerd on? I know I do.

I'll give you 3 ways to enter:
1 entry for linking up with a flashback of your own
1 entry for being a follower of Heya, Sparky! (leave me a comment to say so)
3 WHOPPING ENTRIES for anyone who includes a chin face in their blog! I would die of happiness, so I weighted the entries to make it worth your while. Leave a comment to make sure I don't miss it.

I'll draw a winner by Monday morning. Good luck!

Here we go again....

1. Share a flashback of your own. Dig through old photos & tell us a little story of days gone by. Click the little blue "Add Your Link" button below to link up.
2. Grab a button & add it to your post to let others know where the party's at.
3. Click click click... Stop by others' blogs who are linked up & leave them a little comment love. You'll be happy you did.

<a href="http://heyasparky.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yFIMN0jWqNo/TgQF8BiQdcI/AAAAAAAAA6E/SNEkWqKKvS8/s288/flashback%2Bfriday.jpg" width="252" height="200" /></a><br />