A fair is a veritable smorgasborg

We had the best time taking Little Omi and Baby Bro to their first state fair this weekend. Rides were enjoyed (while I watched and had tiny heart attacks each time I saw my first born up in the air), corn dogs were devoured, baby animals were adored, and sunstroke was narrowly avoided.

While we were waiting for the sea lion show to start, Little Omi treated the audience to this impromptu performance:

Aunt Sassy

Little Omi really enjoyed having her Aunt Sassy here for her 3rd birthday. This minute pretty much sums up what she was like the entire visit.

Rock Chalk

OK, so we're a little late with our congratulations to our fellow Big 12 basketball team, the Kansas Jayhawks on their amazing win over Memphis in the NCAA Tournament. But for Jayhawks fans, and especially Aunt Sassy, I hope this will be worth the wait:



*"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU!"

And the land we belong to is grand

On Friday, Oklahoma will celebrate 100 years of statehood. It's a pretty big deal around here, with parades and dedications, concerts and re-enactments, special exhibits and free admission days going on. It's also a bit of a touchy subject, what with the whole "Here's some territory for the Indians, let's make them all go live there. Uh, whoops! Actually we'll be taking all that land back now." history of our state.*


So, in appreciation of our centennial day, I'd like to write a bit about what I love about Oklahoma, and share some interesting facts about our state.

Oklahomans are, on the whole, quite humble, so we don't like to toot our own horns very often. Ours may not be the most beautiful, or cosmopolitan, or forward-thinking of places, but it's a nice place to live and start a family. The people are usually kind and courteous, the weather is mostly pleasant (except for those pesky tornadoes), and the cost of living is quite low. Oklahoma does have its own beauty, too, that unique kind of prairie beauty of rolling green hills and our wonderfully red soil.

Spring in Oklahoma is my favorite time of year. I just love that first day when you can drive with your windows rolled down, feeling the warm sun beating down and smelling the soil heating up.

Did you know that the shopping cart and the parking meter were invented in Oklahoma? Also, the first-recorded sale of cookies to benefit a Girl Scout Troop took place in Oklahoma.

We Oklahomans have our very own Christmas song, in the form of a jingle for a local jeweler. It's not Christmastime until you hear it.

Plus, we have a panhandle. How cool is that?

Frank Lloyd Wright built the "prairie skyscraper" Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It has recently been converted into a hotel, where you can stay for a shockingly affordable price. Big Omi and I stayed there for our first wedding anniversary, and it was a blast.

Oklahoma is also the birthplace of a ton of famous people, from Will Rogers and Woody Guthrie to Carrie Underwood, a slew of astronauts, J. Paul Getty, Carl Albert, Walter Cronkite, Ralph Ellison, Louis L'Amour, Tony Hillerman, N. Scott Momaday, Bill Moyers, Hopalong Cassidy, Joan Crawford, Gary Busey, Iron Eyes Cody, Blake Edwards, James Garner, Ron Howard, Terrence Malick, Rue McClanahan, Megan Mullally, Chuck Norris, Brad Pitt, Mary Kay Place, Tony Randall, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Alfre Woodard, Hoyt Axton, and his mother, Mae Axton (who wrote "Heartbreak Hotel"). Other musicians include Gene Autry, Chet Baker, Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Bob Wills, The Flaming Lips, JJ Cale, John Denver, Color Me Badd (but without them, would we ever have been given this?) and Hanson. Let's not forget Oklahoma outlaws Pretty Boy Floyd and Belle Starr, and then there's the infamous saloon-smasher, Carry Nation. Oh, and perfect-ten Nadia Comaneci lives here with her Oklahoma-native husband, Bart Connor.

Finally, Oklahoma has its very own musical, which is just pretty darn cool. And here's the most ridiculous version I could find**, starring John Schneider (aka Bo Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard) and Pam Dawber (Mindy from Mork and Mindy):

(If you get a little bored and want to skip ahead to the song Oklahoma!, it's at 5:25.)

*I do regret not paying better attention in my Oklahoma history class in high school. However, my teacher, a football coach who on the first day of class listed his priorities on the chalk board as being: 1. Football, 2. Oklahoma history, 3. Family, and 4. Scuba, and was later found to have forged his teaching certificate, was just not a very captivating man.

**For the second-most ridiculous version, see this.

Proud of the Pride

It has recently come to my attention that our marching band (aka the Pride of Oklahoma) has been performing Michael Jackson's "Thriller" at halftime shows at the past few football games. And by perform, I mean perform. Check it:

Two turntables and some cutie pies

OK, so I found this on Z Recommends, but it is so cute that I just had to put it up here, too. (Plus, Blogger is having trouble uploading photos, so the pretty pic of Little Omi at the pumpkin patch will have to wait till later.)

Dance contest

I've been rummaging through my old CDs lately and playing lots of music for Little Omi. She will wiggle to just about any tune and can really cut a rug. On Tuesday we were all about Carole King's Tapestry. Wednesday found us rocking to Simon & Garfunkel's Concert in Central Park. Today I noticed a couple of albums I haven't listened to in ages, both by The Squirrel Nut Zippers. Remember them, from the late 90s swing-craze days? They had one huge hit ("Hot"), then faded into obscurity as the retro-swing style dwindled.

Well, let me tell you, this is music you can't help but boogie to; Omi-chan was even dancing in her booster seat through lunch. So, if you own these CDs, but just haven't dragged them out in forever because you initially listened them to death or they remind you of that one bad boyfriend you had in the 90s (or the guy you dated while you and said boyfriend were "on a break"), fear not! You can create new memories with your little ones while dancing like crazy fiends in your living room. Oatmeal-container drum & wooden spoon drumstick: optional.