Living Vicariously....

We picked up my parents today at the airport and then we celebrated in style....

Darth Vader joined us, but somehow we never got a picture because he was too busy "trick or treating"! Yep, that's right, the Budster and I were calling it quits after an hour, but not our Darth!  He wanted to go wee into the night because he never got to go trick or treating when he was a kid (or got to go to a few houses and that was it)! Buddy was soooo exhausted after walking and walking and walking, he kept asking to go home, I kept saying OK and Shane kept saying "just one more house". Hmmmm, who's the kid? In other news, my parents are here, but I already said that! But sometimes you have to say things over and over again because they are just that awesome! So all in all a super fantastic, after all that walking I wouldn't smell my feet, day!

Preparations....

In preparation for my parents coming tomorrow, we invited some of our closest friends and stuffed ourselves silly....

Yep, we're ready! So all in all a super fantastic, tomorrow can't come fast enough, day!

8th Annual Birthday Extravaganza.....

Buddy has had one fun filled day, and I'm slightly exhausted! He drove himself to school in style...

We were both so excited about the balloons that we totally forgot his backpack. Oh well, you don't actually need  your books for school right? (That's Buddy's friend Tommy that hitched a ride home after school).  Shane and I joined him for lunch....

Apparently taking a picture outside of the cafeteria is what all the cool kids do! After lunch, Buddy's teacher let me do some science experiments with the kids. Lets just say that red cabbage, baking soda and vinegar met with high approval from all of Buddy's classmates, of course I'm sure the mentos explosions in soda didn't hurt! Lastly the party. We made team forts of of some boxes I bought Saturday (thank goodness the neighbor kids came over to help me cause massive winds and boxes don't mix too well). Then the kids played, and played, and played, and played (my friend Akiko took the pictures because I was stuck on the grill since Shane was at a work meeting, but the kids said they had a great time....which was also apparent by the fact that none of the kids would stop playing to come and eat until it was pitch black outside)....

(The girl in the green sweater is Zoe, Buddy gave her the army man snow globe he made yesterday, I think she was impressed!)

I think it went rather well, I feel bad though because I forgot to mention no presents and Buddy got quite the haul! Which I wouldn't feel so bad about if I also didn't have people bring a side dish to share......errrr, big oopsy..... at least Buddy had fun...

 I'm still reeling in guilt. Oh well, I always have next year to get it right! So all in all super fantastic, still trying to get it right, day!

The language of love....

A new girl moved into Buddy's class about a month ago. Her name is Zoe and she's from France and speaks only French. Buddy's teacher placed them together a little while ago, not sure if it was a ploy to keep him quiet (since it's a little bit more difficult, but not impossible to hold a conversation with someone who doesn't understand you), or if she was thinking that laughter is a universal language so what better way to integrate someone into a new country! Anyway, this evening I was going through a few RSVP's for our party tomorrow and Zoe's mom responded that they will be coming. Buddy was super excited and then proceeded to beg to make a snow globe for Zoe....

Does anyone else find that a snow globe filled with army men to be the most romantic thing ever? Yea, me neither, thankfully Buddy still has a thing or two to learn in the romance department! So all in all a super fantastic, j'aime Buddy (I love Buddy, at least I think that's what I said), day!

Best laid plans....

This morning we had tons to do! I had to run to Kona (45 minutes away) to buy some printer ink, grub for my boy's birthday party, and some awesome fort building materials for the aforementioned party (if you're a bazillionare reading this, I would personally appreciate a real store in town, but maybe that's just me). Then we had to hurry home and make chili (errrr, it's called making it when you open a can and throw it in the crock pot right), keep printing things for the trunk or treat, unpack our massive purchase, then repack our necessities for the trunk or treat....

Unfortunately with all my thoroughness with making sure the Budster had everything he needed, I totally forgot my dress! Oh well, after my initial desire to cry (cause in case you hadn't noticed I really love Halloween and pictures, combine the two and it's like my own personal heaven), I made do with what I had. Of course Buddy didn't care at all! He refused to do any of the carnival activities, because apparently sitting in a cardboard space ship is a lot more fun! He also sat in it through the meal, and then, when he did get out for the costume parade he high tailed it back into his spot so he could pass out our treats! Yep, the boy didn't go gather any candy, because passing out was just too much fun! I'd like to pretend here that it's because my boy is a giver....instead of the truth, which is pretend space ships tops anything else when you're 7....and a boy.....and Buddy! In other news, my boy will be 8 in 2 days, woohoo! So all in all a super fantastic, writing lists next time, day!

In a galaxy far far away...

Buddy and I finished his cardboard space vehicle today, then he went to town with the spray paint (we even got glow in the dark spray paint to add a little extra awesomeness to it)! Buddy is more than excited about it, he even went to school and bragged about it so much to his teacher that she asked me if I could help the kids with some art projects....I assured her I was more of a copy cat than an actual artist, but hey, I'm sure any help is good help! Monday is Buddy's birthday and I decided to throw a shindig in my boy's honor (it was the least I could do)! In other news my parents will be here in 5 days! Somehow Buddy has it all in his head (or perhaps wishful thinking) that not only will my parents be here on Halloween, but he'll also be baptized right after trick or treating (now that's a thought, perhaps I should talk to the bishop)! So all in all a super fantastic, building and constructing, day!

Simple math.....

What do you take when you take two ragamuffins.....

Then add a bunch of cardboard?

One of the coolest Star Wars Space Vehicles with which to Trunk or Treat from, cause just doing it from your car is lame.....First coat of  spray painted awesomeness already applied, you can guarantee there will be pictures, although, I'll be happier if there is no rain! In other news, I picked up our invitations for this....

We're pretty excited, but then again, some of us are pretty excited any time there is more than one person in a room!  Is it odd that I used a picture from 2 years ago? He still looks like the same goofy kid, just a professional goofy kid (I guess that's what you get when you pay someone to take the pictures)! So all in all a super fantastic, ready for Halloween, day!

Honesty is the best policy....

I let Buddy skip school today. In my defense he was coughing and he has a substitute teacher ALL WEEK! Let's be honest, you never really learn anything with a substitute teacher, so they should really just thank me for lightening the babysitting work load! Anyway, today I helped Buddy with some more important life lessons, like: how much suction does a plunger really have.....

The important art of hiding after ding dong ditching....

(Buddy liked ding dong ditching  so much that we're doing a repeat tomorrow....Maybe I'll need a second job to pay for what I foresee as ding dong ditching the entire village?)
Then of course the real reason he skipped.....he needed to begin his educational immersion in cardboard spaceship construction ( I mean no education is truly complete without it)....

We're not quite done (obviously), but just wait, we even have silver spray paint for our awesome star wars prop! In other news, just 5 more days till my boy turns 8 and 2 more after that till my parents come (woot)! So all in all a super fantastic, cough...cough, day!

Thick as thieves...

Today I was attacked by three hooligans begging to come over to my house to play after school....

Good thing the hooligans are so cute, or perhaps I'm just a pushover! Hmmm, it definitely must be the cute factor. In other news, today I took some pictures for Buddy's baptism invitations...

I believe they have an aura of spirituality, n'est pas? Errrm, huh, maybe I could borrow a kid for the invitation pictures? Just kidding, no one would know who the invitation was from if it had a picture of a somber kid on it! So all in all a super fantastic, by the way mom, I volunteered you to help me with the school fair when you get here, you're welcome for the opportunity to serve, day.

Two heads are better than one...

Buddy and I went to the Cuboree Cub Scout camp last night and partied our tookeys off all day today! We did a ton, and I'm exhausted, so let's begin the wrap up. First station, bows and arrows....

I'm pretty certain that bows and arrows should be included in any and all cub scout functions from here on out! I think Santa knows exactly what he's getting Buddy this year, cause any kid that shoots his target EVERY SINGLE TIME, should actually have one (is that you Olympics calling our name?) Next up, a serious game of ultimate Frisbee....

I won't say someone's kid cheated during this game with another kid, probably mostly because I'm that kid's mother! Stinkers, but smart stinkers! Of course cub scouts just really wouldn't be cub scouts without some good old fashioned balloon rockets.

Then a friendly game of dodge ball! Seriously, I don't think there is anything friendly about this game, matter of fact, I think they tried to pep it up a bit and call it astro blasters, but it was still pretty aggressive! Good thing they're boys, cause they LOVED IT!

Then we ended the Cuboree with a bang (pun definitely intended).... 

Not too shabby after starting off trying to set up a tent in the dark....in a camping area without other campers (no one from our pack showed up so it was just me and the Budster, at least until Buddy got scared and some fellow campers took us with them to party the night away)! We're so awesome Buddy, even made it to his last soccer game of the season on time! Yep, we're that good, or rather he is, I just sat there and watched....like usual. So all and all a super fantastic, making friends, day!

Fathers....

Shane took Buddy to soccer practice for me today.....halfway through practice I got this picture texted to me....

That's my pride and joy playing in a drainage pipe, a pipe might I add, that I never let him play in because all the stray animals lollygagging around pretending the pipe is a toilet. Oh well, I guess will just add one more animal to the lollygagging experience! So all in all a super fantastic, gross, day!

Storytelling goes a bit overboard....

I ordered a Yoda figurine a while back to assist out the family with some awesome Star Wars duties when it comes to trick or treating. Anyway, our Yoda arrived today and like any good mother, I slipped him into Buddy's bed between the sheets to give him a little scare. Worked like a charm! Matter of fact, I moved Yoda into the hallway and then it worked like a charm at least 15 times more! Of course Yoda has now been relegated into a corner of my room because Buddy kept forgetting that Yoda was lurking in the hallway....well, you get the picture. Being the true thespian he is though, he had to take advantage of the Yoda before exiling him....

 That darn force gets you every time! So all in all a super fantastic, doing Luke and Leia proud, day!

Memories....

Maybe I'm just getting really old, but I don't remember Princess Leia being that flat chested....

Just kidding, that was part of my costume, here is my boy in his full regalia....

Hmmmm, maybe it's just me, but I actually like the first costume better! At least he has a backup plan in case it's too hot on Halloween to wear the storm trooper costume....he is a cub scout after all and being prepared is in the motto! In other news, only 16 more days till my parents come! Nope, still not counting! So all in all a super fantastic, memory serves, day!

Patchy....

I took my favorite little boy to the pumpkin patch, it only took 3 hours to get there(it's only 45 minutes from my house)......hmmm, who knew you could get lost on such a tiny island......It just goes to prove that anything is possible, especially with me at the helm! Anyway, immediately after the pumpkin patch we squeezed in a soccer game before heading home. When we arrived home Buddy declared today the "best day ever". I'm starting to think this boy has selective memory because he sat out 3 quarters of the game due to a knee injury which is now wrapped, elevated and iced. I guess a little pain won't damper the awesomeness of this....

It's not odd that I spent EVERY SINGLE PENNY I had on me buying ridiculously large pumpkins is it? Nah, money well spent, although somehow once again I got relegated to the job of skinning the insides of the pumpkins while the boys, well, I'm not sure what the boys did. I even tried to be sneaky this year and brought home one of Buddy's soccer teammates after the game thinking that pumpkin gutting is funner with a friend....guess I thought wrong! Tomorrow we will be conquering the pumpkin designing of awesomeness, so all in all a super fantastic, pumpkin, day!