Moms Say the Dardenest Things

On Christmas Eve, my sister and I had ourselves in stitches recalling--and trying to spell--the crazy words that our mom makes up when she cannot think of the real word. The funniest part was that my mom didn't realize that some of her made-up words were actually made-up. These words are so ingrained in our family's lexicon that we all sometimes forget that they aren't real words. I really get a good laugh when Warren or one of the kids uses a GiGi word.

We decided that next year we would publish a dictionary of sorts to give my mom as a gift, but once we started listing the words it became apparent that there weren't as many as we thought. Or that we could remember.

So I'm starting a list (in no particular order) that I can update and tweak if necessary throughout the year. (And hopefully entertain my mom with when she starts surfing the Internet at work on Monday.)

Disclaimer: Spellings and definitions are still up for debate amongst the Greenberg women.

GiGi's Words
1. Flumpy--used to describe the blah feeling one gets when sick or tired, but still functioning.
1.5 Flumpydoodle--flumpy and quiet, but content.
2. Flumpeltated--beyond Flumpy, usually confining one to bed (or the sofa, if no TV is in the bedroom).
3. Gasplunkelated--beyond Flumpeltated, may require seeing a doctor.
4. Gasplunkelflunkel--beyond Gasplunkelated, but not requiring hospitalization (aka "Gersplunky Wunky").
5. Ooching--the act of moving toward a warm body at a very slow pace, almost unnoticeable to the naked eye.
6. Yehupsiville--anywhere beyond a 10 mile radius. alt spelling Yahupetsville.
7. Outer Yehupsiville--somewhere so far that a mileage count cannot be determined.
8. Whosiewhatsit--like a whatchamacallit, but more mysterious.
9. Thingybobber--something useful, and out of sight/reach.
10. Floofball--a useless object, usually visible. (aka a "Floozit" or a "Floof")
11. Floofypoof--a useless object, visible to all.
12. Jumble-ated/Jumbletated--mixed up, confused.
13. Lethal Birkenschmucks--sandals (originally Birkenstocks) left out where someone could trip over them.
14. Blucky--combination of Blah & Yucky.
15. Fannytail--a "rear end" belonging to someone under ten.
16. Gazookiehopper--believed by some to be a euphemism for "vagina," gazookiehopper can refer to any illusive object/body part not covered under the scope of floofball, thingybobber, and whosiewhatsit. By far the most popular of all of GiGi's words.
17. Boom-a-daisie/Boomsy-daisie--a fall, usually by a toddler.
18. Poopatated--plain ol' exhausted.
19. Make doh doh--to go to sleep, from the French fait dormir.
20. Flaggie bahgies--things you need to get together for something.
21. Swirly Girly--a little one with lots of energy.
22. Frizzle-Trizzle--sideburns, presumably unkempt.
33. Thudaroonie--a awkward move resulting in a fall of some sort.

Additional Notes
1. My mom has her very own, New Orleans-inspired way of pronouncing "mayonnaise," that you have to hear to really appreciate. It kind of sounds like Maya-Nez. Too bad I can't do an MP3.
2. My mom also gets credit for nicknaming my soon-to-be-ex-brother-in-law "Daddy Buttcrack," because, well, it was always in view. (Should you encounter my soon-to-be-ex-brother-in-law on the street, try not to look directly at his hindquarters! You will regret it!)

Once we got going, we realized that our dad had quite a few of his own words, possibly constructed from yiddish phrases he overheard as a child.

PoPo's Words
1. Ungie-ungie--candy.
2. Drukmeister--no-good person, usually someone attempting to infiltrate the family unit.
3. Schmook--no-good person who has infiltrated the family unit, usually in the form of a boyfriend.
4. Schmookie--no-good person who has infiltrated the family unit and since proven himself to have some redeeming qualities.
5. Schtunkie--a stinker, also used as a term of endearment.
6. Verschtunkenah--the condition leading to one becoming a Schtunkie.
7. Drunch--like Linner (Lunch + Dinner), but more lunch-y than dinner-y.
8. Scairt--scared, but in an anticipatory way.

I think for the final product I'll have to use each of these in a sentence.

And make a test.

Satchel's Words
1. Snunch--a small lunch, hardly more than a snack.