The Crushing Story of my Barbie Dream House

I will never ever ever forget the way I felt the day I asked my mom for my Barbie Dream House. When I was a kid, I had a 1978 A Frame Barbie Dream House. It was so big you could CRAWL through it. It had tons of furniture, plants, great big french doors and all kinds of plastic windows. It seperated into three pieces and it was red, yellow, ornage, and white. Technically it wasn't "mine"- it was a hand-me-down from my cousin Angie, but I was always a Barbie girl. It was my house more than anyones. And I thought my whole life that I would have that house forever. Nothing otherwise ever crossed my mind. When my husband and I moved into our own house, one of the things that I wanted at my house was the Barbie Dream House. I asked my mom and she gave me various hints as to where she thought it was packed away. I looked everywhere. I found all my barbies, various bits and pieces of furniture, pots and pans, etc.... but no dream house... and none of the "original furniture." It MUST be here somewhere? We looked in boxes, barrels, storage locations.... nothing. I was getting more upset by the minute. I think my mom thought I would just "forget about it." But I couldn't. That damn house was the symbol of all my childhood memories and I HAD TO HAVE IT.

I spent about a year searching, asking questions, trying to find the dream house... and then one day, it's like my mom had finally decided to tell the truth and end my quest. Put me out of my misery. She just said, "You know, it seems like I remember maybe having that dream house on a garage sale...." all casual like.

WHAT! I practically FLIPPED OUT! "YOU SOLD MY BARBIE DREAM HOUSE!!! You COULDN'T! You DIDN'T!" I started looking all over ebay. These houses were going for $200-400. I have a friend who has a spoiled rotten little daughter. My friend had the pink version of the same dreamhouse, and her daughter played with it and I wanted it so bad I offered her $100 for it. It wasn't my yellow and orange model, but it was damn close. I still to this DAY can not believe she sold my barbie dream house. Eventually I gave up and I bought a new barbie dream house. A new fangled "foldable" version that is les than 1/8 the size of mine and nowhere near as cool. I bought a barbie Beach house. I bought a Barbie Horse Stable. I was not able to fill the void left by that Dream House and I never will. It was my DREAM HOUSE for god's sakes!

There were other toys that I would love to see again. The original 1978 Speak n Spell with the raised letters. We spent HOURS trying to figure out if he was saying "L" or "M." The bottons came off. That made me the wheel of fortune and Hangman champion that I am today. We had the "Little Professor" for math problems and the Blue Alphie Robot with the slide in cards and the red button on his head. I had (and thank GOD I still have) almost all the original strawberry shortcake dolls. My little sister had the talking Teddy Ruxpin and I had "Scrub a dub dog" that went in the bathtub. I had "Dotty Dog" from the getalong gang, in her red and white cheerleader outfit with the red bows on her ears and red plastic skates that went over her shoes.

And how about fashion plates? I had (and still have) Barbie Fashion plates, Cabbage Patch Fashion Plates, and Strawberry Shortcake Fashion Plates. My sister had New Kids on the Block Fashion Plates. I am glad my mom was smart enough to save those! We spent HOURS on fashion plates. The endless combinations... the colors... the possibilities! So glad to be able to share those with my kids someday.

I am not completely crazy, my husband still hasn't forgiven his mom for selling his GI Joe's on a garage sale and also the He-Man Action Figures and Castle Grey Skull. It just isn't right. I vow to respect my childrens posessions just a little bit more, and let them help decide which toys go, and which ones stay.

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