International Pancake Day Hall of Fame!!!

Okay, for those of you not from Liberal...we have the International Pancake Day race every year in February. I'm not going to go into the history or explanation of it...but they finally got a house at the end of the race line..and turned it into the Pancake Day Hall of Fame. My dad is on the board and since he's retired, is the guy in charge of giving tours. He sits down there several days a week and will give tours to others that call. Anyway, they have a new website that is awesome and the link at the bottom of this bulletin is to the page with a pic of my super cute pops!

Just wanted to share! So those that will be home for the holidays, if you haven't been down to check it out...you really should plan to do so. It's really neat and provides a lot of memorbilia and history for our event and the town of Liberal!

Side note- While I was home for Thanksgiving, I went down there with my dad and ended up getting the coolest candle ever from them. It has the pancake day logo on the jar and is made of soy...so it last longer AND get this...you can dip your fingers in it for a parafin wax treatment! How cool is that?! Oh and it smells like maple syrup and is to die for. I think they are like $12, but it so worth it. Would be a great stocking stuffer. They also have cheap t-shirts, postcards, caps, mugs, magnets, snowglobes, the International Pancake Day Pancake Batter Mix, etc...but the candle rocks!Okay, I'm done pimping Liberal, Pancake Day, the candle, and my dear old dad! ha Check out the website and go take a tour!Have a good one!!

Click this link to see my cute dad, the magnificent tour guide!

Click here for the Pancake Day home page !

Oh and did I mention that my non athletic butt has run in this race twice?! I'm so not a runner, but it was fun...and the 2nd year...I wasn't even dead last! LMAO!

The Fair

So my sister, Amy (who has asked that I quit referring to her as "the older" sister, even though she is), LOVES the fair...specifically any STATE FAIR. She's obsessed, really. It's quite entertaining for others to witness though. Here are some of the reasons she can't stay away:

1. She enjoys trying ANY food that is fried: cheese, twinkies, oreos, pickles, corn, snickers, etc.
2. She really loves trying all the food that is "on a stick". (Last year she bought a shirt at the Minnesota state fair that listed all the foods you could find on a stick at the fair...and marked them off as she ate them). She's had all sorts of random foods this way.
3. She likes hanging out with her friends and walking around (to help work off the food she is consuming as she goes).
4. She loves random bizarre things, such as: butter sculptures, the world's largest pumpkin, and those cutouts that you stick your face in and take dumb pictures of!
5. She enjoys and appreciates the various concerts you can catch at a fair.

Reasons I don't like the fair:

1. The HEAT! Haven't you noticed almost NONE of the fair buildings in the world are air conditioned..even though we are living in 2007 and Willis Haviland Carrier
invented the first electrical air conditioning in 1902!!!!
2. Fried foods are bad (but I do love me some funnel cake!)
3. Food on a stick is just wrong and quite frankly...scares me.
4. Butter sculptures melt, pumpkins rot, and I don't need anymore stupid pictures of myself!
5. I do enjoy going to the concerts...but I can do that anytime of the year...preferrably either when it's cooler outside or at an INDOOR venue!!


The fair here in Goodland is quite different than that which I am used to. They do not have a carnival that comes in to town. OH NO! They have their own rides and games, because the crime rate was increasing way too much during fair week while all the carneys were in town. So they bought some seriously antiquated rides and then they beg people around town to run them and the games. Now, I already had a booth for my job, I worked 3 different days in the Kiwanis food kitchen, and then they called and asked me to do one of the kids games. I said I would for two nights. Ended up being the kid train..which is barrels hooked together and pulled behind a golf cart ...just around the fairgrounds. YES...for those of you that have been in a car with me...they asked ME to drive the kiddie train. I did not kill, mame, or even harm a single child or bystander. However, with all the different booths and the heat and working my regular job...I must admit...I'm so glad the fair is over!

Oh yeah, and 1 of the nights I did ride some rides with friends. First it was the sizzler...which I swear gave me whiplash, then the tilt-a-whirl which we couldn't get to spin much, and then the swings. I'm not sure if it's just been so long since I've rode any rides, if I'm just totally lame, or if almost being 30 is affecting me...but I almost blew chunks on the swings! My eyes were watering and I had that awful feeling working itself into my throat. I told my friend I thought I was going to puke....he laughed. I said, no really...if this ride doesn't end....I'm gonna puke. The ride ended and I went and sat on a bench while they rode some more rides. Suck! Whatever...it's over...until next year anyway!

P.S. Random fact: nacho cheese that you pump out of the machine...if you overshoot the cup and it lands on your hand...I swear it causes a 3rd degree burn. The guys in the Kiwanis booth with me thought I was being dramatic I'm sure, but then they saw the blister and that my finger was red and swollen! I didn't make anymore nachos that day! They(the nachos)are evil I'm pretty sure and I still have a huge blister that is shaped like a heart. I should take a picture and post it on here for you entertainment. NAH...that's gross.

Advice from Butzie

So while I was home this weekend, my family celebrated my 30th birthday early. The card from my parents had a list of "30 Top Pieces of Advice" my mom had written out. Thought I'd share them with you.

1. Go to church.
2. Keep daily communication with God and those you love.
3. Never eat yellow snow!
4. Don't sweat the small stuff.
5. Accept change.
6. Don't buy something for $50 and then sell it a garage sale for .50!
7. Water your grass.
8. Make your bed and the whole room looks better.
9. Check the air in your tires.
10. Never drink and drive.
11. Know when to hold 'em.
12. Know when to fold 'em.
13. Never count your money while your sitting at the table.
14. Be kind.
15. Share.
16. Clean up your own mess.
17. Help others.
18. Learn to listen.
19. Know when to walk away.
20. Know when to run.
21. Allow others to have a different opinion.
22. Always put the dogs out before you go to bed.
23. Thank others.
24. Share your artistic talents.
25. Appreciate.
26. Wear your good undies every day.
27. Accept responsibility.
28. Bloom where you're planted.
29. Eat your veggies.
30. Be patient!

I hope you all know Kenny Roger's song "The Gambler" or some of these won't have been near as funny to you!

Africa Smafrica

So my sister, Amy, is moving to Africa tomorrow. I'm not too thrilled about it. She's excited though and feels it is what she is supposed to be doing. Hmmm...

She'll be there a year, maybe 2. The maybe 2 just makes me even more "not thrilled". Sigh. I'm a bad sister and a horrible person aren't I? I should be at least a little supportive I suppose. I just don't want to be. I want her to stay in the USA and preferrably Kansas.

Anyway, if you want to know more about why she is moving there, here is her new blog she has started for this particular journey. http://rubyslipperlady.wordpress.com/

Since there is no cell phone service there, she would love to read your comments. However, to leave a comment on her blog, you have to get a username and password...but you DON'T have to start your own blog.

Maybe I'll win the lottery and can go visit? Oh, and in case you were wondering, she will not be living in a hut in a village. (I was deeply saddened by this...I think she should!) The majority of the time, she'll be living in an apartment in a city...and will only be in the small villages about 30% of the time I think. Bummer, eh?

Weird words, phrases, and families

So I bought a wheel barrow today. Went to Wally World yesterday for one and they didn't have any. Isn't that strange? Anyway, I found one at the lumber store today, paid way too much for it, and strangely...can't wait to use the damn thing. But what strikes me as odd is the name: wheel barrow. I don't know why, but when I say it... I feel as though I'm speaking gibberish. The barrow part always comes out wrong. It seems as though I'm making the words up. They just don't want to naturally roll off my tongue. I've noticed other words lately that have been the same. Maybe my mind is on overload and I'm overanalzing things again...but sometimes...words just seem frickin weird!

Earlier this week, my sister and I were laughing at some of the sayings our family uses...some are gross, twisted, and retarded. But they all are funny none the less. But again...they seem weird. Of course, it's no secret my family is insane...so I guess it should actually seem very natural and not weird at all.

Simply for your enjoyment and to add a bit of amusement to your day, I shall share some of these great sayings with you now. Use them often and fondly think of my granny as you do...as she is the one that taught them to us!

Okay...when someone burps, here are the appropriate responses you can choose from:
"Bring it up again and we'll vote on it".
"Save the orange and green pieces and we'll make a quilt".
"Divvies on the red chunks"!
"Better to burp and bare the shame, than not to burp and bare the pain!"

When someone farts, use one of these:
"I thought I heard a buck snort"!
"Who fired that shot"?
"Oh! The spider's are barking"!
"My uncle always told me that holding em in will make ya mean!"
"You do know that a fart is a message from gutsville to buttsville that there's a train coming down the track?" (disgusting I know..but admit it...you love it and can't wait to use this one!)

And last but not least...the one no one believes that I learned from my Granny....when you are losing a game, please be sure to use this phrase:
"Well, I'm losing again. I guess I'm the dog's hind tit."

People..I can't make this stuff up. I really did learn all this nonsense from my Granny. You want to meet her don't you? Well, she lives in Liberal and could tell ya lots of funny stories. You should go visit her really. Although, I would wear a "Depends" if I were you...cause she's a hoot! (Hoot...that's another odd one?!)

To my family members reading this...can you think of any I left out...I know there are more..but this was all I could think of at this moment in time.

P.S. A few more words I think are weird: poop, conquer, supper, tiki, and amarillo. Any words freakin your freak today?