memory lane- western nj

When we recently went to New Jersey, we had a little time to kill before going to our friends' home for dinner. We decided to drive around and show some of the places we lived in or visited to the kids. They were all very small during that time period and may not remember. Austin, having been 8 years old when we moved to Michigan, recalls quite a bit of it. And Braaten does as well.

Once we left Pittsburgh to get closer to family back in 1997, we found this apartment complex. We were expecting our 2nd baby. It was a 2 bedroom apartment that had a swimming pool and a separate building that had a laundry room. Ugh! Shlepping with loads and loads of laundry is never fun, but you do what you have to do. At least it wasn't in an entirely different location!

Our place was the one on the right.

Oh, the Italian food from this place was delish!

 

Though my husband worked at the place that makes Nilla Wafers back then, he also found a part-time job at this place. He is and has always been dedicated to our family and does whatever it takes to provide for us. At the time, I was not licensed in our state to practice chiropractic, but I did sit for the board in early 1998 in order to fill in for other chiropractors. 

Austin has a penchant for golf courses and mini golf centers and I wonder if his love for the game started here?

He loves checking out the details of mini golf courses.

Our twins, Grant & Cooper, were born at this hospital. Before knowing that I was carrying twins, my desire was to have our 4th child at home with a midwife. At 19 weeks pregnant, I found out that I was carrying children #'s 4 AND 5 and the birthing plan changed.

My midwife still delivered those precious bundles of joy (weighing in at 6 lbs 7 oz. & 7 lbs. 3 oz.), but it happened in the hospital with the doctor she worked with present to help if needed. The doctor asked Shawn and I if his daughter could attend the births as she was trying to decide where in medicine she would eventually work. After having 3 kids already, who cares right? The more, the merrier. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I just wanted those babies out and wasn't thinking clearly. 

Moving further along in our walk down memory lane, this is downtown Hackettstown. What a quaint place! Shawn and I realized when we were passing through that we hadn't spent much time there which we both regret. I know now that it was because we were raising a young & rapidly growing family.

We lived just a couple of miles from here.

Poor Braaten wasn't in the pix because she was feeling ill during our 10 hour trek to Jersey.

Apartment dwelling got old after a year and Shawn and I found this place (a townhome) in a gated community called, "Panther Valley." It was my first-ever house in all my life. I grew up living in apartments so this was a HUGE deal to me. That, and I had my very own laundry room. Yippeeee!

The street we lived on was Duck Hawk Court. Strange name, eh?

This fella was a little guy when we used to walk on that bridge so he could see the little fishies swimming around on the way to the playground. He just had to get out of the car to check it out again. 

And finally, this is the school that Braaten went to for a year after the twins were born for preschool. She has such fond memories of that place.

Unfortunately I have no pictures of the home we bought after the townhome that we lived in for 3 years prior to the big move to the midwest. I can probably dig one out and scan one another time.

I loved taking a walk down memory lane and I hope you did, too.