Friday, July 22, 2011

Do you accept the challenge?

Welcome to The Gross Family Challenge Blog, a place of foolish challenges and good-old fashioned family rivalry! My vision for this blog is to provide followers with a variety of weekly challenges matching the spectrum of interests, talents, and obsessions um... interests of the Gross family! Though I plan on using this site to elicit robust family conversations, anyone is welcome to participate in the weekly challenges. This satisfies the first condition of Gross Family membership; everyone is family and anyone can join.

That being said, it's time for our first challenge. Drumroll please...

Gross Family Theme Song

Now, I'm sure it's tempting to suggest the cliche, but please be warned that songs like "We are Family", though upbeat, joyous, and otherwise passable, do not meet the requirements of this challenge. So what are the requirements you ask? Read on:

1. Become a follower of The Gross Family Challenge Blog (GFCB).
2. Choose a song that does not include the word "family" but does include a message that describes membership in our family.
3. Comment on this post with your pick for the Gross Family Theme Song and be sure to include: name of the song, artist, specific lyric (not the whole song), explanation of how chosen lyric exemplifies our family.
4. Post your pick by Friday, July 29, 5:00pm CST.
5. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries and will receive a PRIZE!!
6. Questions? You can e-mail me with any questions regarding this challenge. Send queries to:
grossfamilychallengeblog (at) gmail (dot) com
7. A sample entry is included in the comments below; no, I can't win my own prize!

Have fun, be creative, and thanks for playing on The Gross Family Challenge Blog!

17 comments:

  1. Song: I'm Coming Home

    Artist: P. Diddy

    Lyric: Back where I belong, I never felt so strong, I feel like there’s nothing that I can’t try, And if you with me put your hands high

    Rationale: 1) This is one of Jack's favorite songs, he sings it all the time, and I think it's hysterical; 2) I'm never afraid to try something new (like this blog) knowing that I have the support of my family... sappy but true.

    Your turn!!

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  2. Okay, I'm musically challenged. But Grandpa Herb is a wonderful source of goofy songs with great lyrics. So I plan to win by mining that great source. Think "Gonna Dance With The Dolly With The Holes In Her Stockings..." Ha, ha, ha!

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  3. Song:

    "Comining Home" from the Disney Soundtrack "Polly Comin' Home"

    Lyrics:

    Home, whenever you feel beat, there’s nothing quite so sweet as coming home.
    Home, just put those cares on ice, there’s nothing half so nice as coming home.
    Well it might not look appealing, just floors and walls and ceilings,
    But nothing beats the feeling…like coming home!

    Rationale:

    My siblings and I know this movie and all the songs by heart. We still sing them all the time, all the songs are on our ipods, including Dominic's and it reminds me not only of how great it is to be home, but also all the memories I have with my siblings in watching, laughing, and singing along to this movie and of course the movie "Polly" as well! I sang this to myself most of the plane ride back when I came back from Spain!

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  4. Rodney atkins: these are my people

    "These are my people. This is where I come from. Were givin this life everything we got and then some. It ain't always pretty but its real. It's the way we were made wouldn't have it any other way. These are my people."

    My rationale for this song is that it talks about being real and how its not always easy, but you're there for and support each other no matter what. And I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

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  5. Of course my choice is "You are my Sunshine" sung by Grandma Ella and Grandpa Herb.

    If you don't know the lyrics, then what family did you grow up in??
    You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
    You make me happy when skies are gray.

    This song always inspires me to be happy. And it reminds me that my family is my happy sunshine!!

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  6. "House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert

    "If I could just come in I swear I'll leave, won't take nothin but a memory, from the house that built me"

    Houses have always been an important part of the Gross family. From Herb & Ella's home where thousands of celebrations have been held, to Julia & Bill's which was famous for "Camp Julia" (Ellie & Nick were always sad to miss it) and now is known for "Cider Saturday", to Teri & Herb's which has hosted numerous bridal and baby showers, pizza dough parties and general family get togethers and the Havey family favorite, Deb & Pete's. Every trip back to Wisconsin over the past 28 years includes so many family gatherings that have created such great memories for us.

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  7. Song: Roll Out the Barrel
    Artist: Lew Brown

    Roll out the barrel
    We'll have a barrel of fun
    Roll out the barrel
    We've got the blues on the run
    Zing zoom Tarallel
    Ring out a song of good cheer
    Now's the time to roll out the barrel
    For the gang's all here

    We always have a great time when we are together and we can always count on each other

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  8. Song: Bushel and a Peck
    From: Guys and Dolls

    "I love you, a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around my neck, a hug around my neck and a barrel and heap, a barrel and a heap and a talking in my sleep about you."

    I can't think of that song without picturing Grandma and Grandpa singing it, and to me, that is family.

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  9. Song: Stand By Me
    Artist: Ben E. King

    "When the night has come, and the land is dark,
    and the moon is the only light we'll see.
    No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid,
    just as long as you stand, stand by me."

    Standing by each other is what our family is all about!

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  10. SONG: "AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH
    ARTIST: Diana Ross and the Supremes

    "If you need me, call me
    No matter where you are
    No matter how far
    Just call my name
    I'll be there in a hurry
    You don't have to worry

    'Cause baby,There ain't no mountain high enough
    Ain't no valley low enough
    Ain't no river wide enough
    To keep me from getting to you

    I chose this song because I know there are so many people in this family I can call whenever I need them and they would be there for me no matter WHAT for me in a hurry! I know I have people to count on, and that is what family love is all ABOUT!

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  11. Cindy said...

    The song is "Together Wherever We Go" from the musical "Gypsy"

    Wherever we go, whatever we do, we're gonna go through it together. We may not go far, but sure as a star, wherever we are it's together.................With you for me and me for you, we'll muddle through whatever we do, together wherever we go.

    I've been singing Broadway show tunes to Valentina and Luciana, and I found this one and thought it fit. Especially because you're all on the yearly trip now. Have fun.

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  12. Song: "Ob-La Di, Ob-La Da"
    Artist: The Beatles

    Lyrics:

    "In a couple of years they have built a home sweet home,
    With a couple of kids running in the yard,
    Of Desmond and Molly Jones... (Ha ha ha ha ha)"

    And of course: "Ob-la di, ob-la da, life goes on (brah!) La la la la life goes on.."

    My rationale behind this song choice takes us back to the Alaskan cruise. To this day, it stands as one of my favorite moments on our family trips thus far: a litter of Gross girls belly-up to the Piano Bar singing songs at the top of our lungs. This song represents us as a family for many reasons: like how all of us are growing up so fast (getting married, buying home sweet homes and having a couple of kids running in the yard). But most of all, I think it represents us and our character in that no matter what happens we can hold our heads high knowing that we have our family there beside us. Life goes on..

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  13. Grandpa's Song Choice:

    Song: On the Road Again
    By: Willy Nelson

    Lyric: "Just can't wait to get on the road again"

    Rationale: The second line explains itself.

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  14. Song: Fred Bear
    By: Ted Nugent

    Lyric: "Walk with me down the trails again.
    Take me back, back where I be-long.
    Fred Bear"

    I didn't want it to be a surprise to anyone when this song comes on on December 31st. It has been a Beck family joke for many years to have "Fred Bear" play at weddings/graduations/baptisms and just about any other get together. When it comes on, everyone breaks out those rare dance moves that are to pathetic to waste on most songs.

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  15. Song: With A Little Help From My Friends
    Artist: Joe Cocker

    Lyrics:
    What would you do if I sang out of tune
    would you stand up and walk out on me
    Lend me your ear and I'll sing you a song
    I will try not to sing out of key

    I get by with a little help from my friends

    My rationale: Although this song is about friends, my best friends are my family and they are always there for me. It's about getting by with help from friends/family and I know that I can get through anything the help from my family. Plus, I sing a lot of songs out of tune and my family never stands up and walks out on me :).

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  16. Song: I Feel Home
    Artist: O.A.R.

    Lyrics:
    There are few things pure in this world anymore,
    and home is one of the few[...]
    'Cause to me it's just so easy to see
    that true people are my people at home.
    Well I've been away, but now I'm back today,
    and there ain't no place I'd rather go.

    Rationale:
    Living away from home, I know that the true people in my life are always the ones I find when I come back home. When I'm sitting on the plane anxoiusly waiting for it to land, it's just as the song says: I've been away, but now I'm back today, and there ain't no place I'd rather go. There's also this line at the end of the chorus:
    "Home to me is reality, and all I need is something real."

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  17. Chicken fried by the zac brown band. Especially the lyrics "it's funny how it's the little things in life that mean the most. Not where you live, what you drive or the pricetag on your clothes. There's no dollar sign on a peace of mind. This I've come to know. So if you agree have a drink with me and raise your glasses for a toast."

    I find that these lyrics show what's really important. We go on these trips to fun places but our best times are the times we spend together.

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