Courtney's Castle: The smells of childhood

Smells from my childhood.

We've all got the smells.

Those scents that bring back memories from our childhood and make us stop in our steps.

Maybe it's the warm summer air, the aroma of fresh cut grass wafting through your open windows, or the candy cane chapstick that your mom always put in your Christmas stocking.

I'd have to say my earliest childhood smells was the smell of the wood toy box I had in my room until I was about 7. That toy box had a very distinct smell of plastic, crayons, old wood, and noodle necklaces. I hadn't remembered this smell until last summer. I had refinished an old hope chest I bought at a garage sale. One day while helping the girls sort through old toys I was digging through the toy chest when it hit me.

It hit me so hard I almost cried. The smell of my earliest memories. Immediately I started remembering the toys.. the old dolls, the stuffed animals that I'd loved so much they went flat, the barbie dolls with all their hair cut off, the my little pony's, the kid sister doll, the cabbage patch dolls, teddy ruxpin, and my toy record player.

All those memories wrapped up in that one weird smell.

Some of my other childhood smells are:

Iris - They grew in our yard when I was little

Trident - The smell of my grandmas purse

Juniper - I grew up in Bend Oregon, enough said

Potpourri - I grew up in the 80's/90's, enough said