TGIF (Actually a day late, but who’s counting?), so that means it’s past time for . . .
My “Aloha Friday” question this week is:
WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?
I’m so thankful that I’m a grandma-to-be, among a multitude of other things!
If you’d like to participate in more Aloha Friday questions, click on over to An Island Life for Kailani’s “Aloha Friday
I just had to chuckle out loud when a good friend and former colleague (who recently moved to the UK) left this description of me on Facebook:
Spent last night with Dr. Henry Lee! Who knew that this world-famous forensic scientist could be so FUNNY? Details to come . . .
So sorry I’ve been MIA. . . or should I say at school? Here are the details. . .
Well, this week we found ourselves at a Chamber of Commerce Meeting where our family farm was being recognized for a “Beautification Award” for the town, which was very nice! But, before I even knew about the award, I saw that Dr. Henry Lee was the keynote speaker and I was intriqued!
Well, this guy talked for more than an hour and had people at the edge of their seats. I knew he was smart, that he sees details that others miss, and he’s been involved in the forensic work on some of the most notable cases around, including the Kennedy assasination, the O.J. case, and most recently, the murder of a Yale grad student, which is close to home for us.
What I didn’t know is this guy is FUNNY! As he rattled off jokes and funny anecdotes—in between sharing slides of grizzly murder scenes (not sure how you do that!)—people were laughing out loud.
A few interesting facts about Dr. Lee:
What I like about him:
Dr. Lee, who was born in China, raised in Taiwan, and has traveled the world, says that the U.S.A. is “the best country in the world.”
“It’s the only place where, even if you can’t speak English, but are willing to work hard, you can be successful!”
He left the Taipei Police Dept. where he said “you just forced suspects into confessions.” He decided to go the route of forensic scientist where you had to be objective, not subjective.
What made me laugh:
“CSI is the greatest show. It has done a lot for crime scene investigations. But, if we don’t have clue by the second commercial and if case not solved by end of episode, we have failed!”
“CSI—every investigator has beautiful lady riding with him. No beautiful lady riding with me; my wife, Margaret, would beat on me!”
Person he’s most afraid of: his mother!
As he tossed tiny badges around the room to members of the audience who named the correct case, i.e., “Woodchipper!” “O.J!”, etc. . . Dr. Lee also told about the signs of aging:
1st thing to go: Memory
2nd: Sight
3rd: (I really don’t remember! Oh, oh! Is that the first sign?)
4th: Men forget to “zip up” after leaving restroom
5th: Men forget to “zip down” when going in restroom
6th: (Can’t say; not appropriate for this here blog!)
Anyways, it was a fun night and I was happy to see that someone so smart, so hard-working, and so successful, could also be so funny and down-to-earth!
Dr. Henry Lee with his wife, Margaret
Here are some “Faces of Halloween” I saw today . . .
My hairdresser greeted me at 8 am this morning with eery, cat’s eyes!
A giant spider along the hayride trail on the farm.
A life-size chocolate chip cookie at the farm market!
Mr. Pumpkin Head.
More Pumpkin Heads.
“Double Dorothys” came trick or treating!
. . . as well as a “Wicked Witch!”
Trick-or-Treaters came by the wagon full!
We had traditional pumpkins,
Pig Pumpkins,
and Spider Trees!
What does Halloween look like from your vantage point?
TGIF, so that means it’s time for . . .
My “Aloha Friday” question this week is:
HOW ARE YOU DRESSING UP FOR HALLOWEEN?
If you’d like to participate in more Aloha Friday questions, click on over to An Island Life for Kailani’s “Aloha Friday.”
Thanks to everyone for your comments!
I have fond memories of dressing up along with our kids over the years. Some favoriters: “Material Girl,” aka Madona; Elvira, Scarecrow; Rastafarian; etc., etc.
Our daughter was always something pretty like a princess, bride, “Solid Gold dancer,” mermaid, etc. She can’t believe I dressed her up as Kermit on her first Halloween, but she was SO cute and she LOVED Kermit!
Our boys were cowboys, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” you name it.
Now, it’s “politically incorrect” to dress up in our elementary schools (although the high school kids can!), so I pretty much go with some tacky black and orange, Halloween-sweater vest theme, pumpkin earrings, spider accessories, etc., etc. We still have fun!!! (Now my daughter just laughs at my outfits. . . and says I remind her of Jamie Curtis on “Christmas with the Kranks.” Remember . . . “just let me go get my holiday vest!?!?!”
Hey, wait, Abbie dressed up at her high school this year, so maybe she’s as nutty as me. She was “Kanga” from Winnie the Pooh, complete with “Roo” in her pouch! How appropriate for my pregnant daughter! The fun doesn’t stop!!!
Thanks to Abbie at Farmer’s Daughter for awarding me with the “Over the Top” Blog Award!
I’m passing it along to 6 other bloggers who are “Over the Top,” too!
Here are the rules . . .
1.) Thank and post URL to the blog that gave the award.
Thanks to Farmer’s Daughter for nominating Everydaywoman!
2.) Pass the award along to 6 brilliantly over the top blogs (blogs you love!) Alert them so they know to receive the award.
I’m nominating these 6 blogs:
The Pioneer Woman—Ree is my absolute idol in the blogging world!
The Quiet Country House—Aisling hosts the most awesome “Sunday Stroll” each Sunday!
Uncarved Block–Cloudhands is inspiring (and in her 7th decade!)
An Island Life—Kailini hosts the incredible “Aloha Friday!” feature
GreenMamma—Jessica is so inspiring, heartfelt, honest, open!
Retro Housewife Goes Green—Lisa is a true-green environmentalist blogger!
3.) Copy and paste this quiz… Change the answers, ONE word only!!
1-Your cell phone? Pocketbook
8-Your dream/goal? Grandma!
9-What room are you in? DR
12-Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here!
13-Where were you last night? Home
14-Something that you aren’t? Negative
17-Where did you grow up? Farm
18-Last thing you did? Cooked
19-What are you wearing? skirt/sandals
20-Your TV? putsmetosleep!
21-Your pets? Horses/dogs!
22-Friends? BEST!
23- Your life? Prettydarnedgood!
24-Your mood? Positive!
25-Missing someone? Peter
26-Vehicle? MustangGTconvertible! (crazy gift from my fam!)
27-Something you aren’t wearing? Bra (sorry, kids!)
28-Your favorite store? Online
29-Favorite color? Sienna
30-When was the last time you laughed? Today
33-One place you go to over and over? Grocery store, ugh!
34-One person who emails you regularly? Abbie
35-Favorite place to eat? OUT!
Have fun playing along!!!
OK, I just feel compelled to post an update about some Best Friends who have raised our kids together. My, how time flies! We got together this week as one of our good friends was back visiting after moving out of town, and we talked about everything from memories of our kids in nursery school through high school to weddings and babies!
Here’s the latest . . . 3 of us are now Grandmas or Grandmas-to-be!!! How is that even possible? By March of next year, there will be 4 grandchildren between us, with one of us even a two-time Grandma!
Here we are today, and if I do say so myself, we’re none the “worse for wear!” Or . . . maybe just a little bit! I think the lack of sleep is catching up with me (and I’m not the one with my eyes shut!)
Do you good friends whose lives are forever intertwined through children and life experiences? It’s the best “glue” there is!
This is how they told us . . .
Get it? It’s a BOY!!!
Abbie had her 18-week ultrasound on Monday. The grandparents-to-be converged on Abbie and Ed Monday night to share in the good news. (We did bring dinner, though!) They kept us guessing, but Abbie had created these beautiful, glittery pumpkins and handed one to each grandma. Woohoo!
I was thinking “girl” for the longest time because they guys kept saying “BOY!” As long as everyone’s healthy, it really doesn’t matter, but we’re delighted with our little pumpkin of a boy to be!!!
Here’s the happy parents-to-be with the very crazy grandparents-to-be . . .
I’m not even going to promise to calm down and behave, because I’m pretty sure that’s not even possible, right Grandma Marie/Mimi?
TGIF, so that means it’s time for . . .
My “Aloha Friday” question this week is:
IF YOU WERE GRANTED THREE WISHES TO COME TRUE,
WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
If you’d like to participate in more Aloha Friday questions, click on over to An Island Life for Kailani’s “Aloha Friday.”
Have you heard Jake Owen’s latest song called “8 Second Ride?”
Here’s an excerpt . . .
“. . .I ain’t never seen a country boy with tires on his truck this
high”. . .
. . . which pretty much describes my son Nate’s F-350 since he installed a lift kit and even bigger tires and wheels on it a couple of weekends ago! (Please note for perspective: Nate is 6′5″ tall, so his truck is HUGE!)
It was a ton of work, which he did all by himself . . .
. . . which I attribute to the years he spent building elaborate, $100-something Lego kits, with millions of pieces, and instruction books 3-inches thick! (He has a lot more patience than me!)
The result? His truck is MUCH bigger than his brother’s . . .
In fact, I can stand next to Nate’s truck and have full head clearance UNDERNEATH his side-view mirror!
Oh, and stepping out of it can be hazardous to your health. . . that is, if you forget you’re two-stories high and have heels on! We won’t even talk about hoisting yourself up that high!
Nate—I’m SO proud of you!
Here’s the rest of that song . . .
“Well, hey girl what’s your name?
Haven’t I seen you before?
I recognized them dark green eyes when you dosie doe’d across the floor
Are you alone or are you with someone?
She said a matter of fact I’m not
So i took her hand that’s when it all began and we headed towards the parking lot .
Chorus:
And she said hey boy, do you mind takin’ me home tonite?
‘cuz I ain’t never seen a country boy with tires on his truck this
high. . . it’s gonna be wilder than any 8 second ride. . .”
Hmm. . . I’m thinking Nate may have had an ulterior motive for lifting that truck . . .
Any country girls out there?
What Flower
Are You?
