Visitors and Chuck Norris

Some family members drove zillions of miles to visit us this past weekend.  It was so nice seeing everyone and feeling so loved.  Hubby and I were also inundated with TONS of baby clothes and gear from other faraway family members and friends.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  We're now officially ready for Baby Chuck Norris's* arrival.  

(*This will be baby's nickname until he arrives.)

Below are some shots from the weekend 

(along with some humorous Chuck Norris facts):

When Chuck Norris crosses the street, the cars have to look both ways.

Chuck Norris doesn't need to swallow while eating food.

Some people get lucky and kill two birds with one stone. Chuck Norris once killed four birds with half a stone.

Mother Nature used to be the boss, until the day Chuck Norris was born.

Q: How does your garden grow?

A:  Slowly.

A couple of days ago, I introduced  you to Tom.  Now *drum roll please* I introduce you to Tom 2.

Tom 1 now has a tiny friend, Tom 2!

I read somewhere that tomatoes take weeks to ripen on the vine.  *sigh*   According to Saint Augustine, "Patience is the companion of wisdom."  So hopefully this patio gardening process will grow some tomatoes for me and some patience and wisdom in me. 

Funny letter

Yesterday I received this note from an anonymous student.

It just made my day.

Bedtime reading

I love children's storybooks.  I love their simple plots and colorful illustrations.  Now that we're going to have a baby soon, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for some new ones to add to my collection.  Hubby recently spied this book on Amazon.

It contains beautiful illustrations and lyrical verses like

The cats nestle close to their kittens now.
The lambs have laid down with the sheep.
You're cozy and warm in your bed, my dear
Please go the f*ck to sleep.

Hmm, to buy or not to buy?  It is on sale...

No more taxes!

With the tax deadline approaching, hubby and I are sitting easy.  Instead of spending our weekend fighting with Turbo Tax, we visited a professional and finished within an hour.  Everything went so smoothly and we received our first refund yesterday.  Score!  Here's a limerick to celebrate this wonderful event.    

A couple that once hated tax time

They struggled to fill in those darn lines

"We've had quite enough!"

they said with a huff

"A pro will be worth every dime."

Getting down with new lingo

According to my friend Alice and Urban Dictionary, "om nom nom nom" is considered a real word.  How funny.

Here's my first attempt at using this hip new term:

We made burgers last night.  Om nom nom nom!  They were so yummy.

Funny N'awlins signs

Today we're flying back to that great mitten state.  We miss New Orleans already.  Here are some funny signs from our trip down south.

If only my failures were edible too

Hello fat?  It's me.  We have to talk...

Hubby's dream ride

Shhh...no drunken revelry here

Where can I get a sign like this for Charlie?

I'll make a note of that

The big 3-0

A momentous birthday is approaching and I will soon have to leave behind this fun experimental decade to join a more responsible one.  Eeek.

I'm sure hoping that Longfellow's onto something when he says:
"Age is opportunity no less
than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away
the sky is filled with stars, invisible by day."

Oh Tiffany

Yesterday I ran into a small mishap.  I realized I forgot to register this semester.  Oh no! Three weeks past the registration deadline I was extremely worried and quickly contacted my school.  There, I talked to someone named Tiffany.  Super nice and understanding, she worked everything out.

Here's a poem that I wrote about the situation:

I woke up this morning feeling pretty scared
Forgot to register for my class, how would I fare? 
Waited till nine and dialed my cell,
And hoped and hoped that things would go well,
Then hark, that voice from the registrar's office
No attitude, no berating, no accusing me for my mess
Oh Tiffany, oh Tiffany, so nice, so kind,
Now I won't be kicked out on my big  fat behind.

Snacky snacky

I love funny packaging.  

A turkey leg could work too

My new mantra

Remember the license

Hubby and I purchased our car way back in July and I'm a little embarrassed that I still don't know my license plate number. I think it's CR something?  Or maybe CA something?

Perhaps we should have customized our plate like these guys?

They're so proud of their potatoes

Aren't we all?

Decepticons- beware of this VW bug!

If you could customize your license plate, what would it say?

Valentine's day

While walking through Walmart today I happened to hear this exchange between two men in their mid-twenties:

Man 1:  "Oh no."
Man 2: "What?"
Man 1:  "It's Valentine's day already?  I see all this red stuff."

Oh yes, Man 1 (and all men reading this blog).  The countdown is on.

Nicknames

Today I took attendance in class for the first time.  Of course, several students wanted me to call them by a different name.

Some of their requests made sense:

(*Note:  Names changed to protect students' privacy.)

William Dykstra  would like to be called "Will"
Gregory Cesaer would like to be called "Greg"
Allison Reitsma would like to be called  "Alli"

And some of their requests made less sense:

Robert Thomas would like to be called "Frank"
Nicholas Hayes would like to be called "George"
Vannessa Heely would like to be called "Zambia"

Funny Asian signs

Attention!  Attention!  We've found other Asians in Western Michigan!!!  Unlike the mythical unicorn or Loch Ness Monster, they exist.  We saw them chowing down at a dim sum restaurant in Grand Rapids.

Who knew that seeing groups of black heads and hearing warbling Asian pop music could make a person so happy?   

To celebrate this new finding, here are some interesting Asian food labels and signs:

Crackers that taste like fried chicken?  This could be the best invention ever.

Who knew you could sell magic mushrooms legally?

I wonder what nude tastes like...

Fancy canned meat?  Seems like an oxymoron

Obama:  president, father, husband, and....grocery store inspiration 

*last image sent to me by a friend

PinkSocks: LOL

Isn't it funny how written communication between friends has changed over time?  Before, we used to write lovely letters in beautiful cursive.

Now we speedily IM or G-chat.

GApeachez:  yo so you are i cherry hill with fam?

Sweetbea:  yaeap lol sucks lol haha

i'm drunk girl!  u?

hahahha

GApeachez:  hah no

  

Sweetbea: lol hahahha

wat did u do todayyy

GApeachez:  haahah

Sweetbea:  so u did hahahha today hahahhaha

GApeachez: haahha

i did

i just stayed in wit my sister

she leaves twomorrow

Sweetbea:  aww2bad  :(    brb

Similar message, faster speed, and yet something seems lacking....

Fortune Cookie Haiku

After Chinese Food

Sealed tight in a plastic bag

Crunchy, golden treat

Two lovely fortunes from us to you

Funny words

While traveling this Thanksgiving, we saw quite a few funny signs, ads, and labels:

Perhaps this car would like some company?

Aren't they cute?  I'd like one Pity Party please.

This sign greeted us as we returned to Michigan.  Welcome home!

Have you ever paid for smells?

Strange, right?  I guess you always have to read the fine print.

Hello up there

Trees are the earth's endless effort 
to speak to the listening heaven.  
~ Rabindranath Tagor 

 

Pre-Thanksgiving Day Limerick

There once was a turkey from Michigan,

Who feared he'd be lunch like his brethren

Come Thanksgiving Day

He shouted, "Hooray!"

His owners became vegetarian.

~ Pink Stripey Socks and Hubby

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Hope you have a wonderful time feasting, chatting, laughing, and resting.

Letter from a reader

I recently received a letter from one of my many squirrel readers.  It just made my day.  Here's what the letter said:

****************************************
Dear Ms. Pink Stripey Socks,

My wife and I thoroughly appreciated your "Treasure Map" post.  During this terrible recession we've struggled to take care of our large family.  With eight mouths to feed, we're constantly searching for food.  Your map has greatly helped us.  Now we hope to make it through this winter.

Thanks very kindly,
Mr. Harold T. Squirrel

PS:  I've included a picture of my youngest daughter Matilda enjoying a recent treasure map find.