When I was a girl, my parents made me this absolutely awesome doll house – it was octagonal, and had an “outdoor” courtyard in the middle, with patio furniture and bushes (from a model railroad store) on it. Not only did they build it from scratch, but lovingly put wallpaper and pictures on the walls, “carpet” and linoleum on the floors, and furnished it. I loved it soooo much!

When I had my own girls, I asked Mom about it and discovered she had passed it down to my cousins. She asked my aunt if it was still around, and did retrieve it – but it was all broken apart. It sat sadly in my basement for years, and I was so busy raising the kids, volunteering, then working and returning to college, that it never did get fixed. I eventually had to get practical and pitch it, though it pained me to no end.

Thanks to a random FB comment, this great memory was triggered. I am so fortunate to have such great parents. :)