Sunday, February 1, 2009

GI Joe Day!


According to one website with unique and silly holidays, today is officially GI Joe Day. I couldn't find anything else about it online though. GI Joe action figures have been sold since 1964. It wasn't until 1982 that they introduced the newest version of GI Joe, "The Real American Hero" figures. If you look at their website here, you'll see the changes GI Joe has gone through over the years. I never had a GI Joe when I was little, though I had more Barbies than I could count. I remember feeling envious because GI Joes could move so much better than Barbie. All Barbie could do was raise her arms and snap her knees back and forth. GI Joes moved in all sorts of directions. My husband had GI Joes and he and his brother used to have pretty serious wars in the backyard, which included real fire bombs and other things they'd come up with. I'm surprised they didn't burn the house down with their antics. I still don't think their parents know what went on.

Nathan and Neil have quite a few GI Joes. They're always cruising through the house in their Jeep or having battles somewhere. One thing the boys like to do is take a GI Joe when we go kayaking. We have tandem kayaks, so I usually have one boy in my boat and Rick has the other in his. The boys love bringing GI Joe along. I bet you didn't know GI Joe screams like a little girl when he gets dragged through the icy waters. Yep, he does. Last summer we were kayaking in Swan Lake. We paddled all the way across the lake and spent some time in a secluded little spot. The boys had fun playing with their GI Joes in the lake ...


The picture below is of Nathan and his GI Joe named Eddie. Eddie didn't seem to mind being naked, or getting dirty, especially when there were trees to climb and mud to crawl through. He did have his gloves on, afterall ...


However, this was sadly GI Joe Eddie's last day with us. As we were kayaking back across the lake, Eddie was acting really stupid. He was pretending to be a dolphin and was bouncing off the waves, screaming like a little girl the entire time. One wave was just too much for him and he slipped from Nathan's grip. I turned that kayak around as fast as I could, but Eddie was gone. Who knew GI Joes sunk that fast. So, our beloved Eddie now rests at the bottom of Swan Lake. It was a pretty traumatic day, but at least he had his gloves on. GI Joe now travels in the kayak with bungee cords wrapped around his waist. Live & learn! The boys want to take scuba diving lessons and go look for Eddie. Rest in peace, Eddie. You are missed.

And finally, if you haven't checked out my kid's GI Joe's Christmas video, please do. I laugh my head off every time I watch the silly thing. Who needs the Super Bowl when you have GI Joe. Happy GI Joe Day!

11 comments:

  1. Awww RIP Eddie, that had to be so sad for Nathan.

    YES, if you haven't watched GI Joe's Christmas DO, it is awesome and funny!!

    Nancy

    p.s. beautiful pictures as always!

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  2. I so love your GI Joe days...they make me smile! :)

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  3. When I was little, my brother bought me a ton of Barbie's from a neighbor girl who had outgrown them. He'd even play GI Joe to my Barbie - just to make me happy.

    Then my little sister, who always wanted to be a hairdresser, started sneaking my dolls. I didn't know where they were going. It was like they had come to life and walked away. Years later, I found a bunch buried out in the yard: a Barbie Graveyard. She'd cut their hair-very badly-and didn't want me to know.

    The stories I could tell. . .with 9 kids in one family.

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  4. HUZZA for GI Joe! At least Eddie left this world doing what he loved best, being played with by a boy. Great story, Rena

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  5. I just saw an ad for a new GI Joe movie with Dennis Quaid in it.

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  6. I always had Barbies when I was young too. And I had a Ken who was great... until I got an anatomically more accurate Donny doll (and Marie as well of course!) I quickly changed Donny out of the purple ensemble into Ken's clothes and he became Barbie's new boyfriend.... hm, well that had nothing to do with GI Joe and now I have shared way too much! lol

    Happy GI Joe day everyone!

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  7. We didn't have GI Joe, but we did have Jane and Johnny West. I still have Jane, her horse, and all the accessories. My daughter plays with her now.

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  8. Loved those pictures! And I remember GI Joe, the Great American Hero. GI Joe is there! (Or something like that.)

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  9. awww....I am sorry for your loss :(

    Maybe...Eddie is just that awesome that he needed to go save some fishies! Eddie to the rescue!
    I remember having a GI Joe haha...what a character...
    I used to bungie jump barbies out my friends second story window when I was little...one barbie fell through the cord and landed on the ground...before we could save her though the dog had found her and...well...the rest was history...

    Maybe Eddie will return from the deep stronger than ever!

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  10. I think it might be possile for Eddie to "clean up" after his adventure and find his way home. He looks the type!

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  11. OMGosh -- great comments everyone! I'm laughing at the thought of Tracy switching her Ken dolls with Donny. OMG! LOLOL!

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