Goofy Bubble Blowing in Chicago

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.

Just your average dumb blonde

 For most of my life people have assumed me to be a typical dumb blonde.  They have labeled me as stupid and useless without any investigation. I won't lie, I have had my fair share of blonde moments (I will be the first to point them out and joke about them, when they occur) but not enough to be judged and dismissed so quickly.

Blank Cover = Dumb

Judging a book by it's cover, people have decided they can walk all over me and I wouldn't even realize what they were doing much less take action to stop it. 

J's Jumping Rope for Hearts

http://jumphoops2016wsa.kintera.org/jamisonprice
Posted by Stacy M Price on Friday, January 8, 2016

Awesome video about freebooting...

https://youtu.be/L6A1Lt0kvMA

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!

Best Cover Performance Ever!

 Fiona Apple - Use me (Bill Withers cover)

Little Man is the cutest dork ever!

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

My little Horsefly in his school play "Bugz"

Jamison starred in his class play, Bugz, in which he was a horsefly (complete with cowboy boots, hat and stick horse).  Sorry the focus is so bad, my camera was set on auto continuous focus and it couldn't decide whether to focus on the audience or the stage so it kept refocusing between the two. 

We're In! Go Hawks!

My Superbowl Tribute to the 12th men all over the world.   This is my original digital art made using Photoshop Touch on my Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1.  The Hawk head logo is owned by Seattle Seahawks and is not original obviously.

My son didn't believe me when I told him that he was born a 12th man.  I finally dug out the proof:

My little man's first Hawks Jersey.   Christmas 2007

My step son Josh,  my son Jamison and me (with RED hair)

Marshawn Lynch & Rob Gronkowsi Hang with Conan and play Mortal Combat X... Priceless!

This is hilarious.  I love my Seahawks and I like Marshawn for the power he brings to the field every game but this video makes me like him even more...  The Patriots suck but this Grong guy ain't all bad.   I hope you enjoy this as much as I did...

When you buy art...

http://instagram.com/p/xccdsKrywC/

Cooking substitutions

My Awesome Nephew Deven on Haiti & Happiness

NewLifeforHaiti.org

Keeping Up with the Hattabaughs

Thoughts from Deven Hattabaugh Deven is 13 years old and an 8th grader. Deven was kind enough to share with us his experiences from the summer spent in Haiti. Here it is and we are coming up on Christmas time. It makes me think back to my trip over the summer to Haiti. While I was in Haiti, I met all these beautiful happy people who had next to nothing. Driving by their houses, I noticed that their entire house was smaller than my bedroom! All these people were so happy about life. It's so weird because I look around here at home and all I see are people who are angry, mad, or unhappy. Why are we all so unhappy when we have everything we could want at our finger tips? My family spent 3 weeks in Haiti this past summer. The first week, the youth group from our church was there. We had a VBS with the local children and teens. The day of the teen VBS, after some singing and learning, it was play time. A bunch of girls from our group and Haitians were dancing in a circle and one person was in the center at a time. I was standing on the edge of the group watching them when one of the girls pointed at me to go in the center. Of course I jumped right in and started dancing my crazy dance. I don't think I have ever heard so many girls laugh so hard. It was one of those moments that was just so funny and a great time just being a teen. On that day, I also met a little boy named Jinn. He was 5 years old and could speak a little bit of English. I originally thought he was about 2 years old because he was so small and adorable. We became good friends. I would see him at church and he would come sit with me. He lives right by our guest house in Haiti.  The last day before we came home was one of the best days I had in Haiti. Dis, one of the workers, and his family came to the house to get a water filtration system. We had a football and a couple Frisbees at the house. My sister, Katy Deenihan (another teen staying with us) and I started playing with the kids. A few of the neighborhood kids came in the yard and also started playing. I had so much fun running around with all the kids. It's pretty crazy that even though we couldn't communicate with language, we were able to play and just have a great time being kids. Later we were all sitting around and Velix [NLH field worker and very good friend] was helping us translate to the other kids. It was so crazy because I was younger than a few of the boys that I thought were about only eight. If you knew me, you would know I am a big kid. The Haitian kids couldn't believe that I was younger than them. They thought I was 16-18 years old, and I had just turned 13! I am so thankful for the time I got to spend in Haiti. It has really opened my eyes to the world outside my little bubble. And it has really made me appreciate what I have, and made me want to help more. From my family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And as we go through the stressful holiday season, just remember that happiness is a choice. If my friends, the ones you help support in Haiti with next to nothing can be happy, why can't we? We encourage you to become monthly partners with Chris and Rachel, which will allow them to make New Life for Haiti even more fruitful in changing lives among the poor. You can contact Chris at Chris.Hattabaugh @NewLifeforHaiti.org

Do you have old worn out jeans lying around taking up space? Repurpose the jeans your kids grow out of!

Childhood Stomping Grounds Revisited

Little Ninja Jamison custom painted backpack

Jamison Custom Backpack by malibuninja on deviantART

Often Offensive, Never Offended, Except for now!

I am not easily displeased by anything or anyone I am exposed to in my life.  Almost nothing I see or hear shocks me.  I am mostly unflappable unless you are speaking poorly about those I love, of course.

In fact, I am almost never offended by what other people say or do because it has no affect on me.  I usually have a difficult time understanding why people around me get offended so easily by silly actions or meaningless thoughts voiced out loud.  Most things that others find insulting, I find amusing or downright hilarious!

In addition to my inability to become insulted by others, I have a talent for repulsing people by what I say, do or sometimes just by what my shirt says on it.  I often offend or irritate people unintentionally, apparently I have a sick sense of humor.  Random people seem to love to eavesdrop on my conversations therefore overhearing me say something displeasing to them.   Rarely do they hear the full conversation or grasp the context of what was said but that doesn't stop them from passing judgement on me.

However, today I found myself to be outraged by this reprehensible suggestion posted on http://likes.com/comedy/classic-April-fools-pranks?page=5.  I am actually embarrassed to belong to the same gender as the kind of people who would pull this prank.  I do want to apologize (on behalf of all women) to any men who have been though this kind of torture.

WHEN I CAME ACROSS THE FOLLOWING "PRANK" I WAS THOROUGHLY ENRAGED THAT ANYONE WOULD CONSIDER FAKING A PREGNANCY AS AN AMUSING JOKE!

I am not even sure how I wound up on that particular site.  Although, a "funniest April Fools Day prank slide show" seemed like a good way to waste a few minutes and kill a few brain cells out of sheer stupidity.

Any "woman" who even thinks about performing this "prank" pregnancy should be forcibly sterilized! And then committed to the nearest psych ward for a full mental evaluation.  Or even worse than a prank, when a woman fakes a pregnancy then later fakes a miscarriage.  I have no respect for these women, in fact I have nothing but complete and utter disgust for them.

That is all,  that's my two cents on the matter.

My step dad, Paul's Striking RV Collection

8 Ways You Can Use Sweet Almond Oil to Better Your Health!

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

I love natural at home remedies and I love natural oils for skin care, Sweet almond oil also has the added benefit of smelling so nice.  Check out some of the info I have found about how Sweet Almond Oil can help you!

Almonds are mostly used salted, plain, in confectioneries and desserts and even consumed to extract massage oils, edible oil and even hair oils. Almond oils are widely used all over the world due to its amazing uses. Sweet almond oil is highly used for skin and health care purposes. Some of amazing benefits are described below.

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia)

• Rich Source for Vitamins and Minerals:

Almond oil is available in pale yellow color, amazing in flavor and a high source of important minerals and vitamins. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins D and E are found in sweet almond oil that is why it is a great source of nutrients which are essential for health.

• Sweet Almond Oil for Cardiac Health:

Sweet almond oil is rich in folic acids, mono saturated fats, protein and potassium sweet almond oil helpful to maintain your health of heart. You can lesser down the heart diseases if you add up almond oil in your diet.