2019 Strickland Family Quotes of the Year

Happy New Year! 2019 has been extremely memorable and joyful for the Stricklands. To continue our family tradition, please see below for our annual Quotes of the Year. These are actual verbatim comments, captured in the moment -- often to the dismay of the person who dared to open their mouth. We hope you enjoy the colorful chaos that is life in our family. We wish you a warm, successful and humorous 2020. 

Welcoming Benjamin

2019 is the year when our precious little bundle arrived, and everything changed.

"I underestimated my stomach again." -- Megan

“How do you pop a joint that you didn't even know existed until you were pregnant?” – Megan

"The next time I'm invited to a baby shower, I'm going to be sick. And out of town. And dead." – Tim

“So you had a baby while you were in labor?” – Cati

“Benjamin is acting like such a baby.” – Tim

Pam: "Ready to go?"

Megan: "Let me get my boobs in order."

"I like everything better about my baby. I might be biased." – Megan

"I can't believe babies are born naked." – Megan

"Benji just had a human-sized burp." – Megan

"His gas is gassy." – Megan

Tim: "Who bought the dark chocolate almonds?"

Cati: "Benji bought 'em, but we had to break it to him that he doesn't have any teeth."

"Hey, I just burped myself!" – Megan

"He's chill when he's warm. When he's cold, there is no chill." – Tim

"I still have drool up my nose." – Megan

*The family asks Zac to tell a story, but keeps interrupting him to fawn over Benji.

Kirsta: “This is why we don't have kids yet.”

Zac: “This is why I don't live with my parents.”

"Being a baby would be really hard. I don't think I could do it." – Megan

"Last night was great because my boobs didn't wake me up." – Megan

"The baby had issues of gastronomical proportions." – Megan

Georgia on My Mind

Tabby’s 18-month church mission in the Deep South offered a few geographical surprises.

THE PEOPLE

“Someone was driving down the street with their door open holding their garbage bag. Either Georgians are lazy or very smart.” – Tabby

“The South is so South. They call shopping carts ‘buggies.’ They call purses ‘pocketbooks.’ They say ‘mash the button’ instead of ‘push the button.’ And they say ‘squawlin’’ instead of ‘cryin’.” – Tabby

“People call me 'snowflake' here because I’m from California.” – Tabby

“We talked to this guy and he kept spittin’ out chew in between words.” – Tabby

“I honestly love the people here so much.” – Tabby

THE CRITTERS

“We helped someone we’re teaching kill the spiders in her carport. Send help.” – Tabby

“We knocked on a door but right when the lady answered, we screamed because this huge cockroach started flying towards us.” – Tabby

“We had to bury two cats at this old lady’s house.” – Tabby

“I sat in dog pee.” – Tabby

“I put bug spray on but I still get attacked by mosquitos and gnats. Help!” – Tabby

THE FOOD

“They fed us chocolate chicken enchiladas.” – Tabby

“What’s a hushpuppy?” – Tabby

“Today has been so awesome! My bowels still are having problems. I’m so thankful for today!” – Tabby

“We have this fake banana. We keep passing it around the district.” – Tabby

THE CLIMATE

“On another note, I’m probably going to die here. So many storms! It just dumps rain and then the thunder and lightning are up in the sky having a party.” – Tabby

“Jonesboro is on fire thanks to our balcony.” – Tabby

“Georgia is hot, bug-filled, and there are trailer parks everywhere. It’s the best!” – Tabby

Culinary Chaos

Who knew food could be so … complicated?

"I'm in an unhealthy relationship ... with peanut butter." – Megan

“You can't have your cake and be mad at it too.” – Nathan

Pam: “Something smells like it's burning!”

Tim: “That's because I'm cooking.”

“The turkey was more excited to get into the oven than I was to get out of bed.” – Pam

"Can we talk about how I asked which days I should come home for Christmas and everyone ignored me for a banana?" – Cati

"You are the hot in my chocolate." – Zac

"You will be pleased with our choice of whole-wheat wheat." – Megan

"Dinner is one of my three favorite meals for eating breakfast food." – Tim

"You don't eat the ones you love." – Zac

"How dare you disrespect our sriracha overlords?" – Megan

"If I ever die, you're going to have to do a better job of cleaning the refrigerator." – Pam

"Did you know that when you're chewing, you can't breathe out your mouth?" – Megan

"I'm relapsing on Nutella." – Megan

Meg: “I don't want to be a lone ice cream eater.”

Pam: “It's not like alcohol. Go ahead.”

"This jerky is like eating meat." – Pam

Keen Observations

Because nothing gets past us … except when it does.

“You've been awake since you woke up.” – Megan

"It's humid outside. Must be because of all the water." – Tim

"I always forget where August is." – Megan

"I'm learning so much! I could almost be a third-grader." – Pam

"Yes. And by 'yes,' I mean 'no.'" – Tim

Megan: "It'd be so nice to live in a beach town. With a beach."

"I couldn't tell what the problem was until I knew what the problem was." – Pam

"We are wherever we were." – Pam

"I couldn't speak because I didn't have my glasses on." – Pam

"The more I talk, the more I realize I don't know what I'm talking about." – Tim

"’Boo ya’ is just ‘boom yeah’ after some letters called in sick.” – Tim

"I don't know what you're doing. But you're doing it well." – Pam

"I overestimated my underestimate." – Tim

"That's the thing about aging. It makes you get old." – Tim

"I don't know very many places as far from civilization as Ohio." – Nathan

"I wonder if they make waterproof eyebrows? I don't want to go swimming and have my eyebrows go away." – Pam

"The only reason I haven't had to do that yet is that I haven't had to do that yet." – Tim

"I need to finish my welcome packet. And by 'finish,' I mean 'start.'" – Megan

“Oh my goodness, I forgot about my feet!” – Pam

"I sometimes think my ears aren't hearing me." – Megan

"I don't think I meant to have a face on." – Megan

"Is it genetic, or does it just run in the family?" – Tim

"Even if it keeps me awake, it helps me fall asleep." – Megan

"His face looks like it's been lifting weights." – Tim

Conversations of the Year

2019 proves once again that Hollywood script writers ain’t got nothin’ on us.

Pam: "I've been cuttin' my vowels."

Tim: "Sounds like you're cuttin' your consonants too."

Nathan: "You're gonna wind up speakin' in silence."

Kirsta: “Pick a number between one and three.”

Zac: “Two. You know there's only one number between 1 and 3, right?”

Kirsta: “Shoot! Ugh! I meant inclusive.”

Zac: “Inclusive?”

Kirsta: “Yeah, so any number.”

Zac: “Any number?”

Kirsta: “Yeah.”

Zac: “Four.”

Kirsta: “UGH. I meant a number between zero and four.”

Zac: “One-point-five.”

Kirsta: “I mean a WHOLE number!”

Zac: “Ooooooh. Two.”

Kirsta: “ZAC.”

Pam: "Should I just saw off this whole branch?"

Megan: "Are you standing on it? Then no."

Cati: “Guys, worlds are colliding and there is Twitter drama between the Kardashians and the Bachelorette right now. I'd fill you all in, but you guys wouldn't care anyway.”

Pam: “So true.”

Dad: “Have you made an eye appointment yet?”

Megan: “No. I was going to make the appointment but when I looked up the phone number, I couldn't read it.”

Alyssa: "I'm game for anything."

Nathan: "That's not true, you're at the top of the food chain."

Zac: “It’s not that cool to know my dad.”

Kirsta: “It’s WAY cool to know your dad!”

Z: “Well. It’s cool, but it’s like ‘Oh. Yeah. I guess I know my dad.’”

Tim: “Where's that cup?”

Megan: “To the left ... right ... depends on whichever way you're looking.”

Tim: "Why are you gonna go topless at the gym?"

Pam: "I don't go to the gym, so I'm gonna have to go topless somewhere else."

Pam: "You look like you have fake nails on."

Megan: "Thank you."

Meg: "I'm going to stand out. I'm wearing pants."

Tim: "I'll tell you what. I'll wear pants too."

Cati: "Are you 23 now?"

Megan: "Oh yeah, I guess I am."

Cati: "What … ???"

Megan: "I forgot that your age changes on your birthday. I was 22 until a second ago."

Pam: "Are you sure you don't need a coat? There are record low temperatures!"

Meg: "What?! Here?"

Pam: "No, in the Midwest."

Rob: "I'm not jealous of your job."

Nathan: "This is actually the most fun I've ever had! But, you know, I'm a nice guy, and I'll let you do it if you give me your apple."

Rob: "Go hang out with your friend Huckleberry."

Kirsta: My love for you surpasses all hunger!

Zac: *raises eyebrow*

Kirsta: .... I AM a little hungry.

Pam: "I don't remember."

Tim: "Your deja vu isn't working."

Animal Magnetism

Because we just can’t get enough of our fuzzy four-legged friends.

"I hate it when I'm laughing so hard that I can't even watch the cat video that I'm supposed to be laughing at." – Tim

"We had a chicken homicide in our front yard." – Pam

"Hey Zac, show Nathan how you eat Duke." – Kirsta

"I want a big dog that's small." – Megan

"See? Marley couldn't eat a mouse. She can't even eat paté." – Tim

"And then Kirsta was all like, 'You'd better not be cheating on me with no skanky geese!'" – Zac

"He licked all my moustache hairs up, so they're tickling my nose!" – Zac

Megan: "Does Marley need a Self-Warming Kitty Sack for winter?"

Tim: "She already has one. It's called 'fur.'"

"I'm not used to seeing cat testicles." – Nathan

Words for the Wise

Sage counsel to help you succeed in everyday life. You’re welcome.

"It's healthy to not be healthy every once in awhile." – Megan

"Nothing wrong with a little honest cheating." – Papa

"What is the world coming to if you can't trust a Dolly Parton impersonator?" – Tim

"You know, if you play dead, an avalanche will leave you alone." – Zac

"If you're running from an avalanche, just trip your friend, and then the avalanche will eat him and leave you alone." – Zac

"You know, if you tie your food up in a tree, avalanches won't be able to get it." – Zac

"Everything is worth it if it's done out of spite." – Nathan

Potpourri

One-liners that defy categorization. And logic.

"I'm patient. Hurry up!" – Zac

"I'm not sure I believe myself." – Tim

"I feel like I've been kidnapped but in an enjoyable way" – Cati

"I'm just saying, I agree with me." – Tim

"I'm a funny guy. Sometimes I'm even funny on purpose." – Tim

"I'm in such bad shape, I can get a workout just by rolling around on the floor." – Pam

"I'm one of those rare fortunate people who gets to shave his ears on a regular basis." – Tim

"I wanna go see men in skirts playing tug-of-war!" – Pam

"I think I'm going to be a sexy paper towel for Halloween." – Cati

"Your hand is hanging out over here where my skull belongs." – Pam

"You need a face diaper." – Nathan

"I don't understand why there have to be Kardashians in the world." – Tim

"I almost wrecked the car on the way home because the moon was so big." – Megan

"I'm going to be getting paid to take care of people and play video games." -- Nathan