TRADITIONS! (As said like Tevye says on Fiddler on the Roof)

This is the time of year when traditions are a huge part of every day life, so I thought I would share a few of our family's traditions.  If I were to think about it, I should probably re-name the title of this blog because these aren't your typical traditions, but they are things we do that make us a unique family and are sweet memories for all of us.

Such as - when you make a grilled cheese sandwich, you HAVE to cut it with the spatula / flipper you used while cooking it instead of a knife.  No, we are not suffering from OCD and just don't want to dirty another utensil, it's just the law of making a grilled cheese sandwich in our home.  (You also have to choose between having your sandwich cut into squares or triangles.  A small detail of the law.)

Music is a huge part of our lives.  Even though not all of us are thoroughly, amazingly filled with the talent of music, we all are known to sing at the top of our lungs, whether we know all the words or not!  Actually, when I think about it, those of us who AREN'T very musically talented sing louder and more often than those that are gifted.  But to continue with our traditions;  when you like a song you must put your thumb and pointer finger together, kind of in an A-OK sign, and shake it back and forth to the beat of the song.  That's the Maughan-universal sign for, "This song is the bomb!"  My dad (Scott, Papa GG) actually is the one who started this gem.  But it is forever linked to our family as a tradition.  Another musical custom we do is a definite Christmas time love; whenever we hear the song "Silver Bells" played - no matter the version, no matter where we are - we have added to the chorus by singing, "Silver Bells. DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG! Silver Bells. DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG!"  We are actually singing "ding" but it sounds more like "dang" when you do it obnoxious enough, which is the goal.  We have even been known to be alone when hearing this song and sending out a mass text to each other with only the words, "DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG, DANG!"  It has to be done!!

We also have a nasty habit tradition of saying words incorrectly, but it's completely on purpose.  Yes, it does seem like we are making fun of the person who originally said it wrong, but in actuality it's a sign of endearment.  For instance...molasses will forever in our family be known as "moles ass."  The story behind this is when our kids were little and my sister was babysitting them one time, they decided to make some cookies.  They couldn't find the molasses, so my sister (who is deaf) told the kids to go to the neighbor's house and ask to borrow their "moles ass."  When we got home, the cookies were delicious and a new word was a part of our vocabulary.  My sister has also added "What's your prob-a-blem" to our vocab. 

Alex is another person who has enlightened our minds with new words or phrases.  Probably everyone's most used is to say, "Look! A dolphin!!" while pointing in the opposite direction when trying to distract the other person to steal food off their plate, or get a head's start to run away.  And to answer your question, no.  There is no dolphin! 

And if you do something again, you've done it "two-twice." 

Another famous Al-dialogue is "It's funny so hard!" instead of "laughing so hard."

This is just a few of our quirks.  Yes, they are awesome!!!  And they are what makes us, well, us!

I may add to this list as I think of them or as my children remind me of other things, but this is a good start.  If you comment, please tell me some of your quirky family traditions that are unique to your family.  I would love to know others are as weird amazing as we are!!

What to name this post... ???

This post is probably one of the greatest posts ever!  But I don't have a clue what to call it.

Why Alex is so Fun to Have Around

Alex Keeps Us Young, Yet Ages Us

Reason # 79 Why we Were Late to Church

Are You Kidding Me?

Best Toy We Ever Bought

 

Interesting, huh?  And you could add an explanation point or two (or more) to each one of those and it would be appropriate. 

Where shall I start?

 



Let's start with Are You Kidding Me?  Oh, let's do Why Alex is so Fun to Have Around to this one as well. 

 

Alex LOVES music.  I don't know if it's a genetic thing, or because we always have music playing around here, but the kid loves to sing and dance.  His choir teacher would beg to differ, since he's only heard him sing a few times in class.  But...   well, I'll let you see which title should be on these videos.  It's the same song, but my phone only videos for 30 seconds and this is just too good to not have more than one video on here.

 

 

 

See?  Oh, the drama of a stupid title. It shouldn't be so hard.  And this is just the beginning.  These next 2 videos will determine if you can understand a different language or not, because even though I know what song he was singing, I wouldn't be able to cipher it.  (Any guesses?  Anyone?  I wish I had a prize to offer.  This could be fun to see what everyone thinks! And to give you a hint, these videos are of 2 different songs.)

 

 

 

While we are on the music theme, let's try Best Toy We Ever Bought.  I say that a lot because he's always doing something that makes me happy, just like a favorite toy.  And since we adopted him... well, hence the title.  This was taken when Alex and I were driving around one night, so the video isn't real good because it's dark and I'm just holding the phone up to video him, but not watching because I'm driving.

 

 

 

We are down to the final 2 videos. 

 

Why Alex is so Fun to Have Around

Alex Keeps Us Young, Yet Ages Us

Reason # 79 Why we Were Late to Church

Are You Kidding Me?

Best Toy We Ever Bought

Mmmm.  I think all of those post titles would be appropriate...

 

Last Sunday, Alex and I were all ready for church except the last minute things - eat a snack, brush our teeth... - but when I came into the kitchen I couldn't find Alex.  He was no where to be found.  When he responded to me calling him, I could tell he was still in the kitchen, but where? As I walked over toward the table, I found him hanging out the edge of the bench. 

 

 Stuck. 

 

 Like Winnie the Pooh! 

 

 Him and I tried for 20 minutes, pushing and pulling, and he was getting red marks on his body from trying to manipulate his body out.  He couldn't go forward because his butt wouldn't fit through the opening, and I don't know how he ever got his head and shoulders through, because they were not going back through the same hole.  George was already at church meetings....what to do...? 

 

Call mommy and daddy!  Yup.  I pulled the parent card.  I went up the street and grabbed my dad to come take apart the bench so we could get him out.  My mom came just for kicks and giggles. I think her exact words were "I HAVE to see this!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This young man definitely ages me while keeping me young, makes me happy, laugh, cry and exasperated all in the same moment!

 

But there is also no doubt in my mind that he is so much fun to have around!

 

Oh, Al!  You are the best toy we ever bought!