Throw back...WAY BACK

Everyone has heard of TBT(Throw back Thursdays for those who haven't) It's a time where you can break out your embarrassing photos and you don't feel as judged because everyone is doing it. I don't have many childhood photos but I have one that puts a smile on my face every time I see it(now)

This beauty right here

So here is the story behind this picture: I was late for school because my mother wanted me to go get my hair done that morning for pictures(She said she wanted the style to look freshly done) My mothers stylist of choice Douglas J academy(yes because when it comes to picking  a place to get your hair LAID you want to choose a building full of students LEARNING how to do textured hair) I was already feeling some kind of way because of the outfit that my mother had chosen. I was 12 and that was the year lion king came out. Since I didn't have a say in my outfit or my hair I decided my ONE saving grace would be that my buddy Simba would be in the pic with me.  So I am dressed to impress and sitting in the salon chair when a VERY nervous student comes over and asked my mother what she wanted done, without skipping a beat my mother said Shirley temple curls. MA'AM my hair was not long enough for this style but you couldn't tell my mother anything. The stylist and myself looked at each other and was like WELP here goes nothing.  As she took out the perm rods to spiral the little bit of hair I did have I could feel the tears coming on. I looked HORRIBLE, I had these Rick Morranis glasses (if you don't know him, he is from Honey I shrunk the kids and MANY great films in the 80's. He quit show business after his wife passed from cancer to raise his children. Very sweet in my opinion. Ok I am getting of track) A bill cosby reject sweater and as the stylist took the last rod out(the one right in front) I think she was saving the "best" for last this ONE curl fell, a semi spiral curl that immediately went limp.  My mother thanked the girl and after she emptied a whole bottle of hairspray on my hair, you know to make sure it REALLY set, my mother paid for this monstrosity and we headed to my school. Now, if you have seen ANY picture of me I have a HUGE smile. It has always been that way even as a child I would show nothing but teeth in my smile. My mothers parting words when I was getting out the car were" Don't smile to big, it's not attractive and I don't want to pay for a picture that is ALL teeth" Thanks mom...so that is why I have the half smile that isn't even me.

Now days I know that a child would probably just go to the bathroom, wet their hair and have a change of clothes in their locker. Not me, my mother was a single parent who worked hard for her money and even though I didn't like how I looked I wanted to please her and she paid money not only for my outfit but she also bought this picture.

Fast forward to 2014 and I was hanging out with my friend and her daughter had a Simba stuffed animal...light bulb! I was going to recreate this picture. I truly believe that it's because of this picture that I stay grounded lol. If I ever begin to think to much of myself, i just look back and 12-year-old me and I am brought back to reality. Obviously I couldn't fit into the same clothes that I had back then but there is always goodwill(they always come in handy when you need 80's or early 90's fashion). With my outift, Simba and a few bobby pins to make my hair look shorter and My husband and friends to help.....

I am so happy with how this turned out. I couldn't hold in my laughter. The 12 yr old me is proud that I took a very bad moment in my adolescence history and made light of it. It doesn't matter what we are now. At one time we were all just 12 yr olds trying to find our way so thank them for allowing you to become the person you are now :)