What sayings and expressions did you pick up from your parents?

[LindsayDunn228]

We all have little things we have heard our parents/grandparent/aunts and uncles say that we caught ourselves saying, too. What are some of yours?

She can get glad in the same pants she got mad in.
He looked 3 sheets in the wind.
The fog was thick as sea poop (my mother's take on pea soup)

*All from my mom. I swear I am becoming more and more like her every day.

I'm sure I will think of more later. Share some of yours!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Busy as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

 

[Cool-Beans]

"Shut up, I can't hear the TV!" Kidding. Mostly.

(I didn't get any cute sayings.)

 

[kellyg403]

My mother used to say this to all of us teenagers when we got mouthy...I'd say around 16 or so...

"You only think you live in America, but once you walk in this house it is a dictatorship and I am the dictator"

I actually muttered this under my breath the other day when my 17 year recently graduated dd with no job recently reminded ME that she was an adult now and should be allowed to do as she pleases.

My brothers and I often laugh about this now...my mom is maybe 4'8 and we all grew over that around 5th grade. But we knew when she said that we basically were going to far.

Kelly

 

[NMAmy]

From my mom: "Don't reef on the chairs!" I've never heard anyone else say this and I don't know where she got it but it means leaning back a kitchen chair on two legs. This is "reefing."

From my older sister: "It's froggy out." She was mortified when she went to school in kindergarten and said it wrong. Now the whole family says it to remind her.

From dd: Wolves are "woofs." Dwarves are "dorfs." She's 15 now but we still say, "Snow White and the Seven Dorfs."

And from my old boss--"Trying to keep track of you people is like herding cats." I'd never heard anyone say this and then a commercial came out about it. He's not exactly family but I liked him a lot and I say it all the time now.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Ok not really a saying ... How many of you remember your Mom TRYING to be your seatbelt on those lucky times you managed to call SHOTGUN? Car would stop short and BAM her arm would hit me in the chest.

Oh and don't you just hate it when you find yourself sounding like either of your parents?

 

[NMAmy]

Ok not really a saying ... How many of you remember your Mom TRYING to be your seatbelt on those lucky times you managed to call SHOTGUN? Car would stop short and BAM her arm would hit me in the chest.

Oh and don't you just hate it when you find yourself sounding like either of your parents?

My mother still does this to me when I'm riding in the front seat with her. Ummm....Mom, I appreciate the thought but I'm wearing a seat belt. Good to know she still likes me enough to try to save me.

 

[Hillbeans]

My parents often said things starting with "I've ever....." and my brother and I picked that up.

Unfortunately, it is now part of our vocabulary and it just sounds weird. My husband makes fun of it, however his family says things like "The baby wants picked up" which i've been saying now because i'm so used to hearing it said that way (instead of adding the "to be").

 

[Chuck-PA]

As a kid when we were talking back ,my mom would say
"Who do you think you are talking to, some kid on the street"


I too have noticed saying this one to my teenager and the first few times it was a flashback to hear the words come right out of my mouth

 

[Missy1961]

Whenever someone would drop something my mom would say "Save the pieces!". And in a particular tone of voice too. I can still hear her say it, 5 years after she passed away.

I know I have more. We call them "mom-isms".

 

[arkansas mom]

I can't think of any I picked up (I'm sure there are many), but DS10 has started saying "Oh my word"! He got this from my 76 year old MIL. Too funny. What 10 year old says Oh my word with the frequency and intensity that most 10 years olds say OMG!

 

[NewJersey]

My family says "drivenuts." Oh and they put nice in front of everything regarding food, if it tastes good; 'a nice cup of tea' 'a nice porkchop' etc

 

[SC Minnie]

When you had more than enough of something given to you my grandmother and mother would say 'That's a gracious plenty'. I have caught myself saying is a lot these days.

When my grandfather would be embelishing the truth my grandmother would look at him and say 'you ain't so'. I rarely use the word ain't but sometimes this phrase will pop out.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Ok not really a saying ... How many of you remember your Mom TRYING to be your seatbelt on those lucky times you managed to call SHOTGUN? Car would stop short and BAM her arm would hit me in the chest.

Oh and don't you just hate it when you find yourself sounding like either of your parents?

My mom STILL does this!

 

[lkjasd]

The one I couldn't wait to use was from my dad. We would see a McDonalds (or something similar) and start begging to go. No matter how far away form it we were, he would pay no attenion to us and keep driving. As he drove past it, we would say "We wanted to go to McDonalds" and his reply would be "Should have said something sooner." I use it every chance I get.

The one I use from my mom is: "I invented that whine, it isn't going to work on me."

My dad had about a hundred of the "Its so cold it could freeze a..." or "Its so hot it could..." but seeing as this is a family friendly place, it is better that I don't repeat them.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Ok not really a saying ... How many of you remember your Mom TRYING to be your seatbelt on those lucky times you managed to call SHOTGUN? Car would stop short and BAM her arm would hit me in the chest.

I do this. Such a habit that I now do it anyone in the passenger seat. Even got a Mother's Day card about it.

 

[Disney Doll]

This to shall pass.
When you are in my house you'll live by my rules.
Latex paint if very forgiving.
It's not the heat, it's the humidity.
You are driving a 2 ton weapon.

 

[jen0610]

From my dad:

That's a mell of a hess you've gotten yourself into.
Bullderdash - used in place of the other "bull" quote.
Don't let your mouth overload your "butt".

I can't remember who got me started with this one, but I use it on the kids when they start pouting over not getting their way. - lt's my world and right now your just polluting my air with your negative ways.

DH calls DD9 a mimi me. Says she looks exactly like mommy arguing her point. Hands on hips, one foot slightly in front of the other, pointed out, with the head bobbin'. Uses the words duh and hello, to make her point.

 

[taeja71]

My dad constantly said, "Don't you think you should call it a night" (meaning go to bed or say goodbye). I COULDN'T STAND IT! Now, I tell my kids the same thing when they start to drive me super crazy.

 

[smilie]

Ok not really a saying ... How many of you remember your Mom TRYING to be your seatbelt on those lucky times you managed to call SHOTGUN? Car would stop short and BAM her arm would hit me in the chest.

I thought ours was the only family that did this. I do it to Dh now and he just laughs at me. He wants to know how my "scrawny little arm" would keep him from flying through the windshield anyway?

The only saying that was used a lot in our house was "What the crap?" Our parents would never curse so this was used a lot. Another thing Dh makes fun of me for.