My first experience with these adorable little fuzzy creatures was at the tender age of 2. I remember watching Kermit the Frog and Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch in front of a black and white tv while eating a delicious lunch of spaghettios and milk at my small kiddie table of yellow and brown flowers. I enjoyed knowing that this program "was brought to you by the letter K and the number 4" and singing all the little ditties that were sung throughout the program. "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,1,0,11,12 and they all had fun..at the ladybug picnic!" and doing the (wah wah) pigeon with Bert.
It was a time before the politically correct era when Cookie Monster at cookies and was not Veggie Monster. And before Bert and Ernie were considered "gay" and not just best friends and roommates.
I got older and The Muppet Show came on. WOW! These were not the Muppets I recall! they did not sit and chat up small children or sing songs about nubmers and letters...Heck no! They sang current songs by popular artists and had on CELEBRITIES that channeled their inner child!
Steve Martin doing balloon animals was hsyterical "I say words into the balloon as I blow them up so when they pop they go "Gosh darnit!", Elton John dressed in his flamboyant costume singing "Crocodile Rock" surrounded by singing crocodiles in a swamp, Paul Simon singing "Scarborough Fair" while dressed as a medieval minstrel, and my personal favourite, Mark Hamill as himself and his alter ego "Luke Skywalker" along with Chewbacca, C3-PO and R2-D2 saving the earth from the evil Dearth Nadir (Gonzo as a miniature Darth Vader).
I remember plunking down in front of the tv at 630 Saturday nights and watching this wonderful half hour variety show every week as a kid. Some of the funniest skits and greatest talents were on that show.
Recently I ordered the entire series for my kids (ok, and for myself mainly). It is even funnier now as an adult because I get a lot of the jokes that were over my head as a kid.
We had a lot of the merchandise,too. Kermit the frog and Miss Piggy hand puppets. Plenty of shows put on with those as kids. Miss Piggy lunchbox, Miss Piggy satin jacket that I wore to the roller rink because it looked cool under the lights ( and May I interject here, I still HAVE said jacket and lunchbox), Miss Piggy sleepshirt, Miss Piggy notebooks and folders...are you sensing a pattern here?
Obviously, I had a thing for strong minded independent porcine females who were fashion plates and loved their frog and wanted everyone to know it.
To this day I quote the Muppet Show and many of their one liners and sing many of their songs, because of one simple reason. They are funny.
Perhaps this is where I honed my early skills as a comedian...
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Adventures in Barbie World
My cousin, Tanya, had the coolest Barbie stuff ever. (My older sister and I did, too, until our boy cousins got ahold of it...but I digress...) She had the Barbie RV. That sucker was almost 3 feet long and was loaded up with all things a Barbie could need for an action filled camping excursion~ a bathroom complete with hot tub and toilet, a stove for making gourmet meals while "roughing it", fold down beds and a television. 'Cause, who wants to miss out on all their important programs while camping.
But the real reason we liked it was that it fit two young girls perfectly on the back for riding down the street in front of her house. We discovered this wonderful vehicle could fly along about 15+ miles an hour down the hill, past Mr. Brewer's house, thru the stop sign, past the high school soccer field and wipe out in front of the high school steps in front of the gym with little or no damage to the RV. Too bad we couldn't say that for ourselves.
I remember the first time we took the rv for its virgin cruise. We made it to the end of the block Barbie gear and accesories, and I believe even a Barbie or two, flying out the vehicle like parade candy. We wiped out near Mr. Brewer's house with only a few bumps and bruises and I think a small case of road rash. Ok...next time, lose the Barbie gear before going for another lift off. It obviously threw off our trajectory.
Second try, empty cargo bay and new countdown, Tanya's shoelace gets tangled in wheel. Abort lift off.
Third attempt. Barefoot so no pesky shoelace issues. Result...scraped top of left foot on each after wipe out. Failed mission. Try again in two days to allow for recuperation of damaged brakes.
Over a time span of about 3 weeks we finally figured out just HOW to maneuver said RV so we would crash in the grass of the soccer field. Which was no easy feat mind you, since you had to jump a curb to do it. But as any 9 and 6 year-old could tell you, it took perseverence and determination but we finally managed to make the jump to light speed and into the grass of said soccer field.
You would think with that kind of feat one of us would become an engineer or at least, a Jedi Master. Ironically enough, Tanya is a nurse. Obviously, she decided to fix cuts, scrapes and bruises after years of getting them along with me. I am very proud of her.
I, however, aspired to be a teacher. I opted for something else. I won't explain why...let's just say I opted for Wonder Woman.
But the real reason we liked it was that it fit two young girls perfectly on the back for riding down the street in front of her house. We discovered this wonderful vehicle could fly along about 15+ miles an hour down the hill, past Mr. Brewer's house, thru the stop sign, past the high school soccer field and wipe out in front of the high school steps in front of the gym with little or no damage to the RV. Too bad we couldn't say that for ourselves.
I remember the first time we took the rv for its virgin cruise. We made it to the end of the block Barbie gear and accesories, and I believe even a Barbie or two, flying out the vehicle like parade candy. We wiped out near Mr. Brewer's house with only a few bumps and bruises and I think a small case of road rash. Ok...next time, lose the Barbie gear before going for another lift off. It obviously threw off our trajectory.
Second try, empty cargo bay and new countdown, Tanya's shoelace gets tangled in wheel. Abort lift off.
Third attempt. Barefoot so no pesky shoelace issues. Result...scraped top of left foot on each after wipe out. Failed mission. Try again in two days to allow for recuperation of damaged brakes.
Over a time span of about 3 weeks we finally figured out just HOW to maneuver said RV so we would crash in the grass of the soccer field. Which was no easy feat mind you, since you had to jump a curb to do it. But as any 9 and 6 year-old could tell you, it took perseverence and determination but we finally managed to make the jump to light speed and into the grass of said soccer field.
You would think with that kind of feat one of us would become an engineer or at least, a Jedi Master. Ironically enough, Tanya is a nurse. Obviously, she decided to fix cuts, scrapes and bruises after years of getting them along with me. I am very proud of her.
I, however, aspired to be a teacher. I opted for something else. I won't explain why...let's just say I opted for Wonder Woman.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Commercials and how they shaped my life....
"Yaay! Crest!"..."Hey Kool-Aid!!"..."Band Aid sticks where it's supposed to but it doesn't stick where it's NOT supposed to."
Yes, I am a walking game of Trivial Pursuit. Thankyouverymuch.
As a kid I found commercials to be far more entertaining than most television shows. I loved M*A*S*H, All in the Family, and all those sitcoms but I never understood many of the jokes as I was merely a small kid and adult humor tended to be out of my realm of understanding. But on Saturday morning I was glued to the television, much to my parents annoyance.
I remember the cartoons especially Bugs Bunny and Scooby-Doo, but it was the commercials I remember the best. In fact, not a day goes by that I am not singing a commercial jingle from the 70's and 80's.
Why you ask?
Because ever situation can be related to a television commercial.
How many times have you eaten too much at the local Chinese buffet and said out loud. "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Or, you had a particularly spicy meal and said, "That's a spicy meat-a-ball!" or the ever popular "In-de-GES-tion..."
In fact, at work today I made the comment to my boss that my typing really was sucking and I said "My fingers are obviously NOT doing the walking..." and then snapped my fingers. How many of you got that obscure reference?
As my cousin, Tanya, and my friends, Kelly and Teetah, can attest to, I swear I remember every commercial I have ever seen as a kid. In fact, we used to play "Jingle Trivia" in middle and high school because hey! It was one of the more fun games we used to play. And I will also give kudos to Kel and Teet for being able to keep up with me in that department. Thank you Girls!
The reason I thought of this was also this morning I made references to 3 different commercials before 7 am and it got me to thinking how appropos they are to many of the situations in my every day life.
The first commercial tag line I used was trying to get my children out of bed for school "Wake up to a Good Morning!" to which I received groans and heads buried under blankets. Epic fail, Mom.
The second was after they were dressed and informed me in a very bland and unexciting way that they were dressed and ready to go. I replied, "YAAY CREST!"...strike two...
The third and final reference was as I was hustling them out the door, "Madison Muskies...Let's GO FISH!!"
Now that one will be lost on many of you who don't live in the Madison, WI area. The Muskies were a local ball team in the 80's and that was their commercial jingle.
Now that i am older, I still find that I am fascinated by commercials even to this day. Many are clever, some are ridiculous, some are annoying and some are hysterical. However, some of them just don't stick with you like the Kool-Aid yell or the Uh-Oh Spaghetti-O's jingle.
"Chewy OOey Gooey on the inside...golden cakey tender flakey outside..."
Got that one?
Now, how long did it take for you to start singing a jingle from your youth?
Yes, I am a walking game of Trivial Pursuit. Thankyouverymuch.
As a kid I found commercials to be far more entertaining than most television shows. I loved M*A*S*H, All in the Family, and all those sitcoms but I never understood many of the jokes as I was merely a small kid and adult humor tended to be out of my realm of understanding. But on Saturday morning I was glued to the television, much to my parents annoyance.
I remember the cartoons especially Bugs Bunny and Scooby-Doo, but it was the commercials I remember the best. In fact, not a day goes by that I am not singing a commercial jingle from the 70's and 80's.
Why you ask?
Because ever situation can be related to a television commercial.
How many times have you eaten too much at the local Chinese buffet and said out loud. "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!"
Or, you had a particularly spicy meal and said, "That's a spicy meat-a-ball!" or the ever popular "In-de-GES-tion..."
In fact, at work today I made the comment to my boss that my typing really was sucking and I said "My fingers are obviously NOT doing the walking..." and then snapped my fingers. How many of you got that obscure reference?
As my cousin, Tanya, and my friends, Kelly and Teetah, can attest to, I swear I remember every commercial I have ever seen as a kid. In fact, we used to play "Jingle Trivia" in middle and high school because hey! It was one of the more fun games we used to play. And I will also give kudos to Kel and Teet for being able to keep up with me in that department. Thank you Girls!
The reason I thought of this was also this morning I made references to 3 different commercials before 7 am and it got me to thinking how appropos they are to many of the situations in my every day life.
The first commercial tag line I used was trying to get my children out of bed for school "Wake up to a Good Morning!" to which I received groans and heads buried under blankets. Epic fail, Mom.
The second was after they were dressed and informed me in a very bland and unexciting way that they were dressed and ready to go. I replied, "YAAY CREST!"...strike two...
The third and final reference was as I was hustling them out the door, "Madison Muskies...Let's GO FISH!!"
Now that one will be lost on many of you who don't live in the Madison, WI area. The Muskies were a local ball team in the 80's and that was their commercial jingle.
Now that i am older, I still find that I am fascinated by commercials even to this day. Many are clever, some are ridiculous, some are annoying and some are hysterical. However, some of them just don't stick with you like the Kool-Aid yell or the Uh-Oh Spaghetti-O's jingle.
"Chewy OOey Gooey on the inside...golden cakey tender flakey outside..."
Got that one?
Now, how long did it take for you to start singing a jingle from your youth?
Monday, October 17, 2011
Learn Hawaiian!
I figure it is time to learn a new language. So far, I have mastered English (thankyouverymuch), American slang, Blasphemous, Pig Latin, Sarcasm and Mom. I think it is time to focus on a real language. So, why not start with Hawaiian?
Hawaiian is the coolest language merely because they pronounce every vowel even if it is three "a's" in a row. I usually do that when trying remember what I was talking about or when my train of thought has derailed (that's ok, most of the cars were empty anyway). But I am so willing to learn a new and exciting (and somewhat irrelevant) language that I am not likely to use on the mainland.
I remember attempting to take Spanish in high school as well as a semester of French. I, as I have discovered, I do NOT have an ear for languages. I can pick up on some things thanks to food commercials and some steamy historical romance novels, but I have yet to use the word 'Manja' (sp) in everyday language. Although, when I make spaghetti, I generally shout it just so I can sound somewhat Italian.
I HAVE, however, learned to swear pretty well in several languages, some I have made up myself so as to keep the kids from hearing the actual words, although I know they can pretty much get the jist of what I am hollering by my tone.
I even picked up some phrases in Spanish thanks to working for a Spanish speaking couple in my early years of college. I will say this, not once did I ever ask them for a banana, an egg or where the bathroom was. According to my high school Spanish teacher these were important, if not dire, words to learn if ever I set foot in a Spanish speaking country. To me, it would have been far more important to learn phrases such as "What hotel am I staying at?", "Are these ice cubes from your tap?" and the most important, "Will this 'silver' turn my finger green?"
I did learn some key phrases that may possibly help in a some way, "Donde esta casa de Pepe?" that is if I ever meet a man named Pepe. "Donde esta bibliotech?" If I need to go to the library. "El pussygato es loco en la cabesa." Thank you Speedy Gonzales. "La leche es en la cocina." The milk is in the kitchen. And my personal favourite, "Bebe la leche." Something about baby and milk. There is always something lost in translation.
Now, if and when, these phrases ever come in handy, I will be the first to let you know. And I will make darn certain that I give my former high school Spanish teacher a call and let him know that I did use at least one of his phrases in my lifetime. I am quite sure he would give me a "D" for effort.
But I digress...
Learning Hawaiian would be an awesome way to "blend in" to Polynesian culture. That and wearing a coconut bra and a hula skirt. Trust me, nobody wants to see that. Some overweight 40-something pasty white mom in such a get up will get you arrested faster than you can say "Bob's your uncle!"
Which brings me to another fantastic language. English! I don't mean American English, I mean English English. Straight from The British Isles themselves! It is utterly fantastic the words we use in America that have a completely different meaning across the pond. For example, "faggot" means cigarette in Britain and has an entirely different meaning in the States (and meant in a derogatory way). "Knock you up" means to knock on your door in Britain and well, here it means well...get a lady pregnant (or someone of the female gender not necessarily a "lady").
It never ceases to amaze me that when people say "I tell you what..." and then never really follow it up with anything. What are you trying to tell me? What exactly is 'what'? Is there something stuck in my teeth? Is my zipper down? Do you know the secret of the lost treasure of the Sierra Madre (another fantastic Spanish phrase, Thank You Senor JotaJota)? What are you trying to tell me, man?!?
It is a useless question that people have a tendency to use with no real purpose other than to annoy the person they are talking to. Much like "you know?" No, I don't know. Or "ya think?" think of what?
Occasionally I like to use words that puzzle people. for example, "puzzle". Or, to use in a sentence, "I am quite puzzled at today's society and their hedonistic ways." Wow, there was a couple of ten dollar words in a five cent sentence! Why not say "people are stupid." That is more straight to the point and most people would understand that much better anyway.
Or perhaps even more annoying is when people end a sentence with a preposition, such as, "Where is your party at?"...uh...what? I prefer to add a nice tag at the end of such a question, "Where is your party at, bitch?"
But where was I? Oh yes! Hawaii!
Why not start learning Hawaiian just for the mere experience? It can be fun and a valuable tool if you should ever visit the Islands! Not that your pasty white Mainland skin and tourist "Honolulu" t-shirt won't make you stick out like a sore thumb, but you can still act like you belong in the isalnds!
Aloha!
Hawaiian is the coolest language merely because they pronounce every vowel even if it is three "a's" in a row. I usually do that when trying remember what I was talking about or when my train of thought has derailed (that's ok, most of the cars were empty anyway). But I am so willing to learn a new and exciting (and somewhat irrelevant) language that I am not likely to use on the mainland.
I remember attempting to take Spanish in high school as well as a semester of French. I, as I have discovered, I do NOT have an ear for languages. I can pick up on some things thanks to food commercials and some steamy historical romance novels, but I have yet to use the word 'Manja' (sp) in everyday language. Although, when I make spaghetti, I generally shout it just so I can sound somewhat Italian.
I HAVE, however, learned to swear pretty well in several languages, some I have made up myself so as to keep the kids from hearing the actual words, although I know they can pretty much get the jist of what I am hollering by my tone.
I even picked up some phrases in Spanish thanks to working for a Spanish speaking couple in my early years of college. I will say this, not once did I ever ask them for a banana, an egg or where the bathroom was. According to my high school Spanish teacher these were important, if not dire, words to learn if ever I set foot in a Spanish speaking country. To me, it would have been far more important to learn phrases such as "What hotel am I staying at?", "Are these ice cubes from your tap?" and the most important, "Will this 'silver' turn my finger green?"
I did learn some key phrases that may possibly help in a some way, "Donde esta casa de Pepe?" that is if I ever meet a man named Pepe. "Donde esta bibliotech?" If I need to go to the library. "El pussygato es loco en la cabesa." Thank you Speedy Gonzales. "La leche es en la cocina." The milk is in the kitchen. And my personal favourite, "Bebe la leche." Something about baby and milk. There is always something lost in translation.
Now, if and when, these phrases ever come in handy, I will be the first to let you know. And I will make darn certain that I give my former high school Spanish teacher a call and let him know that I did use at least one of his phrases in my lifetime. I am quite sure he would give me a "D" for effort.
But I digress...
Learning Hawaiian would be an awesome way to "blend in" to Polynesian culture. That and wearing a coconut bra and a hula skirt. Trust me, nobody wants to see that. Some overweight 40-something pasty white mom in such a get up will get you arrested faster than you can say "Bob's your uncle!"
Which brings me to another fantastic language. English! I don't mean American English, I mean English English. Straight from The British Isles themselves! It is utterly fantastic the words we use in America that have a completely different meaning across the pond. For example, "faggot" means cigarette in Britain and has an entirely different meaning in the States (and meant in a derogatory way). "Knock you up" means to knock on your door in Britain and well, here it means well...get a lady pregnant (or someone of the female gender not necessarily a "lady").
It never ceases to amaze me that when people say "I tell you what..." and then never really follow it up with anything. What are you trying to tell me? What exactly is 'what'? Is there something stuck in my teeth? Is my zipper down? Do you know the secret of the lost treasure of the Sierra Madre (another fantastic Spanish phrase, Thank You Senor JotaJota)? What are you trying to tell me, man?!?
It is a useless question that people have a tendency to use with no real purpose other than to annoy the person they are talking to. Much like "you know?" No, I don't know. Or "ya think?" think of what?
Occasionally I like to use words that puzzle people. for example, "puzzle". Or, to use in a sentence, "I am quite puzzled at today's society and their hedonistic ways." Wow, there was a couple of ten dollar words in a five cent sentence! Why not say "people are stupid." That is more straight to the point and most people would understand that much better anyway.
Or perhaps even more annoying is when people end a sentence with a preposition, such as, "Where is your party at?"...uh...what? I prefer to add a nice tag at the end of such a question, "Where is your party at, bitch?"
But where was I? Oh yes! Hawaii!
Why not start learning Hawaiian just for the mere experience? It can be fun and a valuable tool if you should ever visit the Islands! Not that your pasty white Mainland skin and tourist "Honolulu" t-shirt won't make you stick out like a sore thumb, but you can still act like you belong in the isalnds!
Aloha!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Snowpants!
ZIP ZOP ZIP ZOP ZIP ZOP
Ah, the lovely nylon-y sound of snowsuits. Mom brought them home for Big Sister and I. They were navy blue with red reflector material sewn on the arms and an awesome belt around the waist. The material was so shiny and slick that at first, we were afraid to put them on for fear of ruining them. However, greed won out and we put them on to see if they fit.
They fit perfectly. Mom was thinking, she bought them each a size bigger so we could hopefully wear them the following year. (We were always being threatened with putting a brick on our heads so we would cease growing.)
I pulled the zipper up under my chin and buckled the belt at my waist. I pulled the hood up and Mom tied the hood under my chin. I felt all toasty warm in my new snowsuit. In fact, I was so warm, I was ready to go outside right then and there and sled down the front yard.
One problem...no snow.
"Well, they fit pretty good," Mom said, untying my hood, "So, let's get these off and wait for the first sledding snow."
Wait a minute...I wasn't ready for that. I wanted to wear my snowsuit around the house, sleep in it! I wanted to stay this nice and toasty all night long. How can you bring these into the house and not expect us to want to wear them around?
Big Sister took hers off and hung it on the peg by the door. I could almost see her halo glow brighter.
Well, Mom is not getting this off me without a fight. My devil horns started to grow.
"No! I wanna wear it around!" I held the zipper under my chin defiantly.
"Jenny," Mom warned, "you can't wear it in the house, you will get too hot."
"NO!"
"Jenny, take off that snowsuit right now." She was getting that look. You know the one, lips pursed until they turn white, eyes flashing, cheeks flushing...
"No." I said less emphatically.
"Jennifer Ellen, you take that off right now or you are going to be real sorry!"
whoops...I got both names. Maybe I should rethink my strategy.
"After my bath, can I try it on again?" I was trying to sound more childlike than my advanced age of 3.
"We will see. In the meantime, take it off and hang it by your sister's."
Slowly, I unzipped the snowsuit and undid the belt, I stepped out of it with my head hanging like a whipped dog. I glanced up to see Big Sister smirking at me as if to say, "See if you were perfect like me, you wouldn't always get into trouble."
I stuck my tongue out at her. Big mistake, I forgot Mom was standing right there. "Jennifer!"
Man, I hated it when she called me by my full name. I was always in trouble whenever she used it. (And frankly, she had used it a lot when I was a kid and well into my teenage years and occasionally into my 20's and 30's.)
That was the nail in the coffin. I didn't get to try on my snowsuit after my bath.
Ah, the lovely nylon-y sound of snowsuits. Mom brought them home for Big Sister and I. They were navy blue with red reflector material sewn on the arms and an awesome belt around the waist. The material was so shiny and slick that at first, we were afraid to put them on for fear of ruining them. However, greed won out and we put them on to see if they fit.
They fit perfectly. Mom was thinking, she bought them each a size bigger so we could hopefully wear them the following year. (We were always being threatened with putting a brick on our heads so we would cease growing.)
I pulled the zipper up under my chin and buckled the belt at my waist. I pulled the hood up and Mom tied the hood under my chin. I felt all toasty warm in my new snowsuit. In fact, I was so warm, I was ready to go outside right then and there and sled down the front yard.
One problem...no snow.
"Well, they fit pretty good," Mom said, untying my hood, "So, let's get these off and wait for the first sledding snow."
Wait a minute...I wasn't ready for that. I wanted to wear my snowsuit around the house, sleep in it! I wanted to stay this nice and toasty all night long. How can you bring these into the house and not expect us to want to wear them around?
Big Sister took hers off and hung it on the peg by the door. I could almost see her halo glow brighter.
Well, Mom is not getting this off me without a fight. My devil horns started to grow.
"No! I wanna wear it around!" I held the zipper under my chin defiantly.
"Jenny," Mom warned, "you can't wear it in the house, you will get too hot."
"NO!"
"Jenny, take off that snowsuit right now." She was getting that look. You know the one, lips pursed until they turn white, eyes flashing, cheeks flushing...
"No." I said less emphatically.
"Jennifer Ellen, you take that off right now or you are going to be real sorry!"
whoops...I got both names. Maybe I should rethink my strategy.
"After my bath, can I try it on again?" I was trying to sound more childlike than my advanced age of 3.
"We will see. In the meantime, take it off and hang it by your sister's."
Slowly, I unzipped the snowsuit and undid the belt, I stepped out of it with my head hanging like a whipped dog. I glanced up to see Big Sister smirking at me as if to say, "See if you were perfect like me, you wouldn't always get into trouble."
I stuck my tongue out at her. Big mistake, I forgot Mom was standing right there. "Jennifer!"
Man, I hated it when she called me by my full name. I was always in trouble whenever she used it. (And frankly, she had used it a lot when I was a kid and well into my teenage years and occasionally into my 20's and 30's.)
That was the nail in the coffin. I didn't get to try on my snowsuit after my bath.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
7 Layer Jello
Ah Thanksgiving. The first of the holiday dinners at Gramma's house. Well, not so much a dinner as a feast. There was more food and fellowship than the VFW on a Friday night.
When Gramma and Grampa still were on the farm, the kitchen was the gathering place. I remember walking in with Mom, Daddy and Big Sister and the women were all in the kitchen running around like a bunch of raped apes getting the dinner ready. The men were in the living room watching football. The kids were...everywhere. We pretty much ran around like a bunch of crazed lunatics, darting in between tall people legs, crawling under tables, upsetting kool aid glasses and trying to hug Gramma.
Gramma was awesome. She could mash potatoes, baste the turkey, cut a pie and hug 5 grandchildren all at once. She had more love in that one little hug and by God, you felt it!
I, of course, was in the heart of it all with the older cousins trying to snitch a taste here and there of the delights that were being put out on the table. I mean, who wouldn't? Pumpkin pie, lefse (sugared and non-sugared), cookies, salads and of course, the famous 7 Layer Jello made by Aunt Jean.
7 Layer Jello was an unbelievable confection of jiggle goodness. It was quite literally 7 full layers of jello. One with the clear coloured jello followed by a layer of whipped cream induced jello followed by clear coloured jello and so on and so on and so forth until it was 7 layers. She made it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. It was the epitome of the holiday season when 7 layer jello was involved.
You ate this jello layer by layer. Peeling each one off as carefully as possible to try and make it a full piece. It became a competition between cousins on whom could pull the first layer off successfully. The kudos went to the one who could successfully separate all 7 layers in full pieces.
I am not certain any of the adults paid close enough attention to our little competition but my cousin, Steve, got pretty good at it over the years. my cousin, Chad, would always open his mouth and stick out his tongue with his pumpkin pie. Yeah, that would send the other girls into gales of "gross! disgusting!" I would laugh and copy him. (My admiration for him would change after the whole ghosts in the graveyard incident.)
Thanksgiving was the entrance to the holiday season for my family. After a robust dinner and clean up, Gramma, Mom and the Aunts would chat in the kitchen over coffee and pie, the men would fall asleep watching the football game and the kids would just be...everywhere.
When Gramma and Grampa still were on the farm, the kitchen was the gathering place. I remember walking in with Mom, Daddy and Big Sister and the women were all in the kitchen running around like a bunch of raped apes getting the dinner ready. The men were in the living room watching football. The kids were...everywhere. We pretty much ran around like a bunch of crazed lunatics, darting in between tall people legs, crawling under tables, upsetting kool aid glasses and trying to hug Gramma.
Gramma was awesome. She could mash potatoes, baste the turkey, cut a pie and hug 5 grandchildren all at once. She had more love in that one little hug and by God, you felt it!
I, of course, was in the heart of it all with the older cousins trying to snitch a taste here and there of the delights that were being put out on the table. I mean, who wouldn't? Pumpkin pie, lefse (sugared and non-sugared), cookies, salads and of course, the famous 7 Layer Jello made by Aunt Jean.
7 Layer Jello was an unbelievable confection of jiggle goodness. It was quite literally 7 full layers of jello. One with the clear coloured jello followed by a layer of whipped cream induced jello followed by clear coloured jello and so on and so on and so forth until it was 7 layers. She made it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. It was the epitome of the holiday season when 7 layer jello was involved.
You ate this jello layer by layer. Peeling each one off as carefully as possible to try and make it a full piece. It became a competition between cousins on whom could pull the first layer off successfully. The kudos went to the one who could successfully separate all 7 layers in full pieces.
I am not certain any of the adults paid close enough attention to our little competition but my cousin, Steve, got pretty good at it over the years. my cousin, Chad, would always open his mouth and stick out his tongue with his pumpkin pie. Yeah, that would send the other girls into gales of "gross! disgusting!" I would laugh and copy him. (My admiration for him would change after the whole ghosts in the graveyard incident.)
Thanksgiving was the entrance to the holiday season for my family. After a robust dinner and clean up, Gramma, Mom and the Aunts would chat in the kitchen over coffee and pie, the men would fall asleep watching the football game and the kids would just be...everywhere.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Excuse me?
I have the funniest kids on the earth. They have great senses of humour and are very quick on their feet.
The first time I recognized this was with my daughter at the age of 2. We were driving along, me in the driver's seat and she in the car seat in the back. We were driving along singing Barney songs, like you do, when some obviously blind person decided to pull out in front of me. Not being around children on a daily basis for 30 years of my life, I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. "Jackass!" Oops. Quickly I tried to cover my bad choice of words, "I mean, JERK!"
Too late. From the back seat in a tiny little voice came the Mimic. "Jackass." Obviously trying out the word on her two year old tongue and deciding she liked the taste of it. Ok. Bad parenting 101. There was your first lesson, moron. Solution? Ok, watch your mouth because little pitchers DO have big ears.
A few days go by and I am once again driving with said child. Once again, I am cut off in traffic by someone without a license. I didn't even get a breath in when from the back seat I hear, "Jackass." Not only do they have big ears, they obviously have the memory of an elephant.
Well, at least she used it in context.
Three years later, along comes baby brother. Chynna was positive she was having a baby sister and was somewhat disappointed when she learned she was getting a baby brother. When asked what she was going to name him I feared for the reproachful look I would get from the doctor. Luckily, she did not reply Jackass, she replied "Harry." Whew. Obviously, she moved on to Harry Potter. The reason I suspect this? She walked around the house and would say Bloody hell in an English accent.
Fast forward 5 years. Lucas has become the newest comic relief in our family. He was forever asking questions. sometimes a little more than we preferred.
One day while driving them to school, he blurted out "Hey Mom! Did they have cars when you were little?"
How OLD does this kid think I am?! So, thinking I could get one over on him I replied, "No, Luc, we ride dinosaurs."
"Huh...that's cool. Did you tie their mouths shut so they didn't eat you?"
Kids-1 Mom-0.
The first time I recognized this was with my daughter at the age of 2. We were driving along, me in the driver's seat and she in the car seat in the back. We were driving along singing Barney songs, like you do, when some obviously blind person decided to pull out in front of me. Not being around children on a daily basis for 30 years of my life, I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. "Jackass!" Oops. Quickly I tried to cover my bad choice of words, "I mean, JERK!"
Too late. From the back seat in a tiny little voice came the Mimic. "Jackass." Obviously trying out the word on her two year old tongue and deciding she liked the taste of it. Ok. Bad parenting 101. There was your first lesson, moron. Solution? Ok, watch your mouth because little pitchers DO have big ears.
A few days go by and I am once again driving with said child. Once again, I am cut off in traffic by someone without a license. I didn't even get a breath in when from the back seat I hear, "Jackass." Not only do they have big ears, they obviously have the memory of an elephant.
Well, at least she used it in context.
Three years later, along comes baby brother. Chynna was positive she was having a baby sister and was somewhat disappointed when she learned she was getting a baby brother. When asked what she was going to name him I feared for the reproachful look I would get from the doctor. Luckily, she did not reply Jackass, she replied "Harry." Whew. Obviously, she moved on to Harry Potter. The reason I suspect this? She walked around the house and would say Bloody hell in an English accent.
Fast forward 5 years. Lucas has become the newest comic relief in our family. He was forever asking questions. sometimes a little more than we preferred.
One day while driving them to school, he blurted out "Hey Mom! Did they have cars when you were little?"
How OLD does this kid think I am?! So, thinking I could get one over on him I replied, "No, Luc, we ride dinosaurs."
"Huh...that's cool. Did you tie their mouths shut so they didn't eat you?"
Kids-1 Mom-0.
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