Are You Celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day With Your Kids? You Should!

How it all started ...   (Excerpt from Official International Talk Like A Pirate Day Website)
Arrr! We be the pirate guys, matey.

Or, in another vernacular, we are guys, John Baur and Mark Summers. And that really should be all you need to know about the origins of Talk Like a Pirate Day. We're guys. Not men, with responsibility and suits and power ties. We're guys, with all that that implies. But here are the details.

Once upon a time -- on June 6, 1995, to be precise -- we were playing Raquetball, not well but gamely. It wasn't our intention to become "the pirate guys." Truth to tell, it wasn't really our intention to become anything, except perhaps a tad thinner and healthier, and if you could see our photos, you'd know how THAT turned out. As we flailed away, we called out friendly encouragement to each other -"Damn, you bastard!" and "Oh, jeez, my hamstring!" for instance - as shots caromed away, unimpeded by our wildly swung rackets.

On this day, for reasons we still don't quite understand, we started giving our encouragement in pirate slang. Mark suspects one of us might have been reaching for a low shot that, by pure chance, might have come off the wall at an unusually high rate of speed, and strained something best left unstrained. "Arrr!," he might have said.

Who knows? It might have happened exactly that way.

Anyway, whoever let out the first "Arrr!" started something. One thing led to another. "That be a fine cannonade," one said, to be followed by "Now watch as I fire a broadside straight into your yardarm!" and other such helpful phrases.

By the time our hour on the court was over, we realized that lapsing into pirate lingo had made the game more fun and the time pass more quickly. We decided then and there that what the world really needed was a new national holiday, Talk Like A Pirate Day.

First, we needed a date for the holiday. As any guy can tell you, June 6 is the anniversary of World War II's D-Day. Guys hold dates like that in reverence and awe so there was no way we could use June 6.

Mark came up with September 19. That was and is his ex-wife's birthday, and the only date he could readily recall that wasn't taken up with something like Christmas or the Super Bowl or something. We also decided -- right then and there on the court on June 6, 1995 -- that the perfect spokesman for our new holiday was none other than Dave Barryhimself, nationally syndicated humor columnist and winner of the Pulitzer by-God Prize. So, naturally, we forgot all about it.
Source

Now, occasionally Sept. 19 falls on a Sunday, and we recognize that may not meet everyone's desire for an excuse to party. While a lot of fun can be had celebrating TLAPD in a church setting (The choir will now sing, "How Great Thou Aaarrrrt!") we're suggesting that those of a more secular bent consider celebrating Talk Like A Pirate Weekend.

Waddles & Iggy Stop Motion Animated Video

My boys and I made a stop motion animated video featuring a couple of our Beanie Boos, Waddles & Igloo (Iggy).  Check it out!

Little Man is the cutest dork ever!

This video was from summer of 2012 so Jamison would have been about to turn 6... 

Childhood Stomping Grounds Revisited

Little Ninja Jamison custom painted backpack

Jamison Custom Backpack by malibuninja on deviantART

Refuse to be a prisoner to meaningless opinions...

So True...  I refuse to be a prisoner...  

Think what you may but it won't change me.  Only I can change me and only if and when I feel the need to change...  

The only opinion of me that matters is my opinion of myself!  

Also, what others think of me is none of my business!  :)

Blank Wall Transformed!

Post by Malibu Ninja Über Geek.

The Best Super Bowl Commercial Ever...

Normally I hate commercials but the Super Bowl commercials are usually the exception to my rule.  This year I wasn't impressed with any of them really, except this one!  This makes me want to get a puppy and a horse...  :)

Seahawks Stomp Cake (Superbowl Sunday)

How I made this cake:

I used devil's food cake mix. I applied "Cake Release" to the inside of my Pyrex bowl (which makes the cake slide right out of the pan; doesn't matter if its plastic, meal or glass) prior to adding the batter and baked it until a toothpick came out clean. I then placed the bowl on a wire rack to allow it cool, then flipped the cake over onto a cookie sheet to remove it from the bowl. I used a long, thin, forever sharp knife to carefully cut what would become the bottom of the cake so it would sit flat, if you skip this step and the cake sits unevenly it may tear while carving or icing it! I then flipped it over back onto the cookie sheet and froze it for a couple of hours, I carved the football shape but it took a while as the cake would get too warm and I would have to put it back in the freezer to firm it up and then continue where i left off. Lastly I iced it, the Seahawk could have been better but it was done freehand and I was tired... But I did use a little glitter icing! :)

After the Hawks won the championship, I didn't have the heart to cut into this beauty... :) Good thing I brought a "second string" cake and made a last minute substitution!!! Otherwise I may have mauled by the kids wanting cake! Not sure how long I will hang onto this cake but for now it's in the freezer. I am thinking maybe I will save it for the next Seahawks Superbowl game!

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Seahawk's Star QB Russell Wilson has a Long Lost Brother?

News Flash! Russell Wilson has a twin brother no one knows about! 

He lives in Bellingham and should be immediately drafted as 2nd string QB for the SEAHAWKS! Just in case! 

GO HAWKS!! Nothing can stop you now!!! Seal the deal, Get that title, cause you deserve it!!! 

Ron Pai hope you don't mind that I used your photo and exposed you as our kick ass QB's long lost twin brother!!!

The Difference is Why...

"They laugh because I am different... I laugh because they're all the same! I'm proud to be a geek but I am no sheep!" -Malibu Ninja

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SoulPancake Activities - The Difference is Why- 1 month ago
Quiet people listen more. Shorter people are more grounded. Bookworms are more well-read.  Wallflowers smell better. OK, maybe not necessarily that last one.
Embrace your inner oddball. List all of the best things about being different.

---

I am not capable of being ordinary, only extraordinary. I have always been a little different.  Like a mis-matched shoe that is obvious to anyone who cares to look. 

Have never followed the path those before me have beaten but instead set out on my own to blaze a new trail.  I can’t say that it was always the best option but it was always my decision, rarely influenced by anyone or anything outside of myself.  My route was not the path of least resistance but most of the time it was that of most resistance and often my own choices kicked me in the ass and punched me in the eye!

Jesse Ruben is a super star, the proof is in the e-Cards!

In the music industry, you know you have "made it" as an artist when some one creates an e-Card with your name across it and posts it on the various social networks to circulate! 
Usually the circulation follows some outlandish public debauchery; like being spotted having a romantic dinner with a married man (if you happen to be a female artist) or maybe a photographer is snapping photos after a drunken bar brawl and you “accidently” knock him out with a right hook (if you happen to be a bad ass male artist).  My point is, that in the music industry popularity is rarely based on your actual talent or the message your music is sending but almost completely on your party animal image. 

Seems a bit like high school doesn’t it?

Jesse Ruben on the other hand doesn’t do drunken debauchery or bar fights and still has gained a huge following in recent years.  See e-Card for proof!

Congratulations Jesse!!  You have reached the big time! People like you so much that there is a Jesse Ruben e-card!  If that isn’t fame, I don’t know what is.  The bonus news is that said e-Card isn't offensive and doesn't portray you in a negative light at all!

Ding! Ding! Ding! We Have A Winner!

Seahawks Game Day!!!!!

At the beginning of the season I posted the following graphic predicting that the Seattle Seahawks would keep up the steady pace they were setting, all the way to the playoffs.  

Unlike other teams that showboat and kept their best players in a game despite an obvious lead, Seattle has maintained tact, consistency and a good strategy throughout the year.  Hawks have mostly kept their heads down, staying focused on the goal and plowed on through their games.

So my prediction has come true and they made it, not only to the playoffs but they are going to the Super Bowl!  

I am proud to be a longtime Hawks fan, once again fair weather fans are coming out of the woodwork since the last playoff game against San Fran but I have been supporting my home team for longer than I can remember.  We are (my son and I) very excited to see the Seahawks go to another Super Bowl!

The last time the Hawks played in the bowl was when I was pregnant with Jamison.  He was literally born a Seahawks fan!  Every year he has worn his blue and green and watched games with mommy and hoped to see them go once again.  Now he is getting his wish!

Goofy GIFs Courtesy of Google+ Auto Awesome

This was the only “Almost” snow day so far this winter, meaning school was not cancelled but delayed by two hours!

Paper Roses - Technique #1

Creating Paper Roses - Technique #1

(Using Patterned Petals and securing with Elmer's Glue)

I have been looking into all the various ways to create flowers, specifically roses,out of paper.
There are so many ways that it's overwhelming! So I am posting a few different sets of instructions with different techniques, tools and results.

Step 1: Gather Supplies and Tools
Step 2: Draw Various Parts on Paper
Step 3: Cut Petals and Leaves for your Rose
Step 4: Fold and Burnish Outer Petals
Step 5: Glue Outer Petals Together.
Step 6: Proceed to Inner Petals
Step 7: Glue Inner Petals to Outer Petal Base
Step 8: Add Leaves
Step 9: Arrange Rose, or Roses as Desired

















The above technique for creating paper roses was adapted from an Instructable and all photo credit goes to the Instructable (Unless otherwise notated in photo caption):
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-Paper-Roses/?ALLSTEPS





Supplies and tools for this craft are very minimal.
Paper
Scissors
Glue

Pen, pencil or marker

Clamps (if available)

Paper can be construction paper, copy paper, old book pages, gift backs, gift wrap, scrapbook pages, newspaper,English: This is a paper bag from Victory Supermarkets (Photo credit: Wikipedia) brown paper bags…. Etc. Tissue paper is not recommended.












After some practice you can skip outlining the pieces and just cut them out.


Shown are some designs you can use to begin with. As you can see, each individual shape is quite simple. Draw if necessary by following the picture shown. Try to maintain size relationships.






To make one rose you should have cut out a few leaves (2 or 3) and 7 petals (3 outer pedals and 4 inner petals)













The three outer petals are glued together to make the base of the rose.












Here, three or four concentric circles are wound or wrapped into cone shapes. You should have 3 or 4 different sizes of circles.




Having glued three or four cones together, we can now glue them to the base.




I add two or three leaves to the bottom of the rose. The leaves are cut out and the edges are serrated by making cuts along the edges of the leaf.

Head Scratcher

My sister Rachel & I,
Photo was taken at a friend's wedding in 2006

So this crazy thought popped into my head the other day, which is not odd in any way because that happens all day long...   But this one is about my siblings, which I have more than I can count on my fingers I would have to use my toes too! 

Anyways my little brothers were over and we were talking about nieces and nephews and I realized our unusual situation and I decided to share it.  I sat down to write out a post about it and then wasn't sure how to even explain it.  So I slept  on it for a couple of days and now here it is, my random head scratcher.

I don't know how common this type of family situation is but I am sure many others have weird families right?

My baby brothers, Aaron, Chris & I
Taken August 2013

I was fourteen when I became an Auntie for the first time.  My youngest brother, Aaron, was a year old when my oldest sister, Rachel, gave birth to my niece.  Aaron however, was an Uncle before he was even conceived.

So how is it possible that Aaron was already an Uncle before he was born but I became an Aunt the first time almost a year after he was born?

Quotable Moment

In response to a friend's status about jotting down his ingenious breakthrough ideas, then not being able to read his own handwriting later, I had a "Quotable Moment". 

I thought I would share my awesome words of wisdom since they are so few and far between... 

"The best ideas are often recorded in the haste of excitement and then later undecipherable!" -Stacy M Price 2013