My Grandma is older than Einstein's Theories

Last week my grandma had a birthday.
For most people, after they reach the big milestones birthdays,
birthdays blend together.
But if you're lucky to live long enough,
you get to hit NEW milestones, like 100.
And if you're SUPER lucky, you can hit a milestone birthday every year after a 100.
That is my grandma.
Last Wednesday my grandma turned 104.

Yep.
One hundred and four years old.
It's hard to comprehend, even for me!
Though she's always been older than the average grandma,
she's always seemed young to me.
When I look at all of the things that she's seen,
experiences, witnesses, or occurred during her lifetime,
it becomes clear how long of amazing her lifetime has been.
Of course, she's been alive through all of the World Wars and 1900's American History events,
that in itself is hard to imagine...
But here are a few more things that occurred during her life.


Things that my grandma is older than:

- Albert Einstein's Theory of Gravity- 
           Seriously?!  She's older than the Theory of Gravity?!  It's shocking, but true.  

- Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity- (1915)
           Wow! I wonder what her science books?  I guess it would stop at Newton's theories...

- New York Public Library- (1911)

- Girl Scouts- they were founded in 1912

- Titanic- She was born the year before it sank.

- Fenway Park- April 20, 1912
        "The Red Sox defeated the New York Highlanders, later known as the Yankees"

- Wrigley Field- Opened April 23, 1914

- Mother's Day-  I thought that it was something that was around forever, well, I guess "forever" is really my grandma's lifetime.

- National Park Service (1916)- Founded- How in the world did they know where everything was without signs like this?

Happy 104th Birthday Grandma Mary!

Your life has been amazing and all the events in history prove it.

Cheers!

I'm a Grump.

Most people think that cold and flu season is in the middle of Winter.
And that may be true for some,
but not for me.
My cold season always hits in either April or May.
It happens right when the weather starts getting nicer and changes from icy cold to rainy cold.
I'm not sure which I prefer...
All I really know is that I hate being sick.
I don't do well with a sniffling, runny nose, cough, or fever.
I know, who does?
I get grumpy.



I really don't like to be grumpy.
Grumpy was not the dwarf that I related to while watching Snow White.
I preferred to be Happy...or even Dopey...but never Grumpy.

So to break myself out of the torment that is my Annual Grumpy Cold,
I turn to my Grandma's remedies...
She didn't get to be 103 years old by just luck.
The woman knows a few tricks to keeping her body healthy.
So if you're feeling the cold grump taking over your body too,
I suggest that you take a lesson from Mother Mary's Remedy Book.




1.  Drink...and a lot of it.  Water, orange juice, cranberry juice, 7-up, sparkling water...just avoid milk products.  Milk will increase mucus production and you definitely don't want MORE mucus.

2. Garlic-put it on everything and eat it...a lot of it. Actually, this is her remedy for EVERYTHING, from a torn toenail to curing cancer.  EVERY-THING.

3. Sleep-  I've definitely done my fair-share of sleeping over the last few days.  I feel like a cat, sleeping 19 hours and then awake for 5.  If it works for the kitties, it will work for me.

4. Bronchial Soothe- All natural cough syrup...and it actually works! I felt my cough suppress right away and was able to finally achieve my catlike sleep cycle that is necessary to heal.

5. Mentholatum- Slather it on...no seriously slather it!  Now, here's the trick that will change your life...again...seriously, it will change your life.  Take a glob and spread a layer on the bottom of your feet.  Be generous.  This is not the time to get stingy!  Then, take a pair of wool socks (or your warmest socks) and put them on your feet.  Do this right before you  go to bed.  This will pull the virus, toxins, whatever the illness is, down to your feet and out of your body.  I know that this may sound weird, but it works.  It really works.  With a cold like mine, I've had to do this for several nights, but I can tell a difference in my breathing each morning.  It gets significantly better each day. 

Okay, now you're ready for any cold that comes your way.
Though I really hope that you will not get sick at all.
But if you do, just remember...drink, garlic, sleep, soothe, and slather.
Grandma says so. 
And if you don't, the Grump will find you too.

Lessons from Grandma

 Happy 103rd Birthday to my Grandma Mary.

No, I'm not going to list 103 different pieces of advice.
Though I'm sure that if I really thought about it,
I could think of 103 things that my grandma Mary has told me about life.
But that's not going to happen.
Instead, I'm going to give you the top, most memorable advice.

5. Move.

A little every day.
Grandma was never one for formal exercise,
but she was always moving.
Whether it was gardening, walking her dog, or dancing around her living room, she moved.
Even at her birthday on Saturday, she refused to sit down very often because, "Honey.  I gotta keep moving and keep the circulation going."

4. Have a little snort.
Yes, Grandma says, "Drink a little."
Up until she turned 100 she would have a little bit of Brandy each day.
There must be something to that,
because doctors have also given that advice.
Thanks, Doctor Mary.

3. Vitamins.
Take them.
Take them all, everyday.
I actually don't know how many vitamins she takes on a daily basis.
It's a lot.
Handfuls.
I suggest starting out with a multi-vitamin and then add a vitamin every year of your life.
Then, by the time you're her age, you will be taking the same amount she does.


2. Apple Cider Vinegar is the elixir of life.
She drinks it everyday.
A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with honey helps in digestion,
and is what she claims has helped her stay healthy all of these years.

1. Athletics:
And my favorite piece of advice...given to the guests at her 88th birthday while she was a little tipsy. :)
"Honey.
Let me tell you.
Never.
And I mean NEVER go bowling in a strapless bra.
As soon as you go to release the ball, WHOOPS!!
Your boobs pop right out of the top!"

Ha!
Thanks Grandma.
That advice has stayed with me all of these years.
And yes, I have followed that advice explicitly.

Grandma is older than an Oreo

It's true.
This realization came to me earlier this year when the Oreo cookie turned 100 years old.  I thought, "Wait, my Grandma is older than the Oreo?"  Then, I forgot about it until I was retelling the story to someone recently.
They were amazed that she was that old and still so active....
well, relatively active.
How many 102 year old's do you know that can still walk around using just a walker?
I only know one and that's my grandma.
So I started thinking...what else is my grandma older than?
Oreos are a part of American Culture...
what else has seemingly been around forever,
but didn't exist during my grandmas' childhood?



When she was born the following things didn't exist:
(The People History)

• The Girl Scouts of America
• Income Tax
• The Titanic
• Any Amendments passed the 15th
• Assembly Line production
• Stainless Steel
• The Panama Canal
• The U.S. Coast Guard
• Long Distance Telephone Calls
• Pulitzer Prizes
• US Airmail Service
• The American Legion
• Grand Canyon was not a National Park
• Birth Control was against the law
• Rotary Dial Telephones hadn't been invented
• Cross Word Puzzles

My grandma was born in 1911 and here are a few things that happened the year she was born.

• My Grandma was born.  This set into motion a series of events that created ME! :0)
• The first direct telephone link between New York and Denver opens May 8.
• Italy declares war on the Ottoman Turks September 9, lands a force at Tripoli October 5, and occupies other coastal towns.
• A revolution begins in China that will end the 267-year-old Qing dynasty of the Manchus, propel China into the 20th century, and begin the decline of such customs as having men wear pigtails and women's feet deformed by binding.
• California women gain suffrage by constitutional amendment.
• An electric self-starter invented by C. F. Kettering improves automobile safety.
• Chevrolet Motor Co. is founded by former General Motors head W. C. Durant.
• The six-passenger Blériot Berline biplane built for Parisian Henri Deutsch de la Neurthe is the first airplane with an enclosed passenger cabin.
• The Santa Fe Deluxe goes into service December 2 between Chicago and Los Angeles. Passengers pay $25 extra fare each on the weekly 63-hour passenger express to enjoy services that include a barbershop, a library, a stenographer, ladies' maids, daily market reports, bathing facilities, a club car, a Fred Harvey dining car, four Pullman sleeping cars and telephones at terminals en route.
• Honolulu-born Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham, 35, discovers the Inca city of Macchu-Pichu July 24 at an altitude of 7,972 feet in the Peruvian Andes while searching for the legendary Inca stronghold Vilcabamba.
• Paducah, Ky.-born Johns Hopkins physician Bertram M. (Moses) Bernheim, 31, introduces laparoscopic surgery to the United States, using a proctoscope -inch in diameter and ordinary light for illumination.
• The first direct telephone link between New York and Denver opens May 8.
• Crisco is introduced August 15 by Procter & Gamble Co. of Cincinnati; made from linseed oil, it is the first solid hydrogenated vegetable shortening.
• The first canned chili con carne and tamales are produced at San Antonio, Texas, by William Gebhardt, who will receive 37 patents for his mechanical innovations.
• Stainless steel is patented in America.
• New York's Ellis Island has a record 1-day influx of 11,745 immigrants April 17.
• Above information from Air Force Village

1911 Apr 10

Camp Fire Girls of America is Founded (http://worldhistoryproject.org/1911)

1911 May 23

Dedication of New York Public Library (http://worldhistoryproject.org/1911)

• First Indianapolis 500, The first ever running of the Indianapolis 500 is won by Ray Harrounat at an average speed of 74.59 miles an hour. (The People History)

How cool is that?! Now, she has her own cell phone, computer, and 100's of TV channels to choose from.  It's amazing to think of all the things that she's seen and experienced in her life...and of course this is just a small list of things.  I hope that someday can have my own list of amazing experiences.  Until then, I'll just share my grandma's list.  Though I do think that the first one is the most important. 
Thanks Grandma.
And for the record, she's much better than an Oreo.

A Dog's Christmas

Christmas came early for Murphy.

Christmas Eve to be exact.

When you only trust 13 people in the world,

it can be a scary and anxiety producing place.

Especially when your human keeps putting strange ears on you!

(But, in my defense, he's sooooooo cute!)

But, Christmas, well it's all about joy...happiness...and spending it with the people that you adore.
Murphy only needs HIS people by his side to have a Christmas of love.








 







This is his story of love and his people.
....well at least a few of them.
Now...a photo journal of puppy love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receiving loves from my brother...

 Even this really strange Santa got the Murphy seal of approval! 

I guess he smelled too much like his grandpa to fool him.

 Now, this is the "Gpa" that Murphy knows and adores...not that weird Santa Dude!

 Nothing makes him as happy as getting love from his GREAT Grandma! 

He loves to cuddle up to her and get cookies too! 

 Leanna, she might get taller, but he can still get to her lips for a big smooch!

Jorden still has his favorite lips to smooch,

but she's learned to be a quick move...she's difficult for him to catch!

 Murphy was happy to see that he wasn't the only one that had to put things on their head!

 

At the end of the night,

he was sad to leave all of his favorite humans,

but thankfully he had a new moose-friend to ease the pain.

Exhausted pup, ready to dream the night away,

 with millions of pets and endless love dancing in his head.

Merry Christmas to all

and to all a beautiful New Year!