Treats? What Treats?

If you don't think that's the cutest pirate ever, then you're a liar.

Tonight was trick-or-treating!  What an adventure.  Alan just happens to be off the island, so that made for tons of fun.  Not as much fun as throwing Adam's birthday party without him, but close.  Seriously, though, I hate that he had to miss it because the kids were cute...at the beginning of the night.

I tried to get a picture of all three of them together.  I almost did.  Not really.  I got this:

That's 2/3.  For whatever reason, that was Adam's standard "pirate pose." 

Then I got this:

Technically that's 2/3.  She had a club to go with her costume, but that was a really poor decision on my part.  Once she figured out that it squeaked when she hit something with it, Audie didn't have a prayer.  Neither did Rosie.  Anaya was trying to block Audie out of the shot by getting really close to the camera.  Audie didn't really care about the camera.  He cared about what the HELL was on his head??? 

I got this one:

Close, but...Adam was way too concerned that a trick-or-treater might miss our house, so he was on constant "look-out," shouting at them if necessary, directing them to our door.  He couldn't be bothered to look at the camera for any seconds.

Eventually, we did make it out to do some trick-or-treating.  The babies went to exactly three houses before they (and I) had enough.

#1

Audie took the goods and ran.  Then, he realized that Anaya was calling "stranger danger!" and he did her a favor.  He gave her his candy and went back for another one.  Then did it again.  He didn't care who was handing out the candy.  He just knew he was getting it.  He'll be the one I have to warn about the creepy van that pulls up at the park, offering candy. 

#2

Anaya didn't even bother walking up.  Too stressful.  Just bring her the candy, already.

No picture of #3.  Waaaay too much going on there.  Then, they started expecting me to carry them, like I was dressed as a pack mule or something, so we went home instead.  Don't worry - Adam got to continue on with his buddy, Robert, so he scored plenty of loot.  He definitely had a happy Halloween.

The twins got busy getting into their candy:

The end of the night was not such a happy Halloween for Anaya and Audie.  Here's what happens when you take a bag of candy away from two babies:

BEDTIME!!  Happy Halloween!!



Adam Turns FIVE!

So, like over two months ago, Adam turned FIVE YEARS OLD!  I know, right?  I can't believe it either, but I have the birth certificate to prove it.  Where does the time go?  Since we were still in Texas at the time, we borrowed an unconditional friend's house ('cause that's the only kind of friend who would lend you their house to have a five-year-old's birthday party).  HUGE kudos and thank you to Mike.  I hope the air conditioner got fixed :-/

I would say the party was a "success."  Not an elegant success, but at the end of the day, pizza was had (we won't mention the anchovy debacle), presents were opened, candles were blown out and cake consumed, and the pinata was busted.  And the two children who busted their faces didn't require stitches.  That's a success, right?  I think so.  Adam got to play with a bunch of kids - even a couple that he knew from Okinawa, who had just moved to San Antonio!  I am so thankful to all of my friends for bringing their kids and for sticking with me as I fumbled through the party.  Without Alan there (he had already flown back to Okinawa), I was in way over my head.  Plus, Anaya somewhat resembled an extra limb I had that day...a non-functioning one...so I did most of it one-armed.  Here are some shots from the day:

The guests arrive!

The Cake!  Spiderman was his favorite (the day we picked out the cake, at least...)

Grandma's got her hands full!

Adam's favorite part:

Me with Anaya (and her bloody cheek!)

Pinata time!  Line 'em up!

I like this shot because you see Mike holding the laptop - Alan was watching Adam's party from Okinawa, on Skype!

 Busted!  RUN!

This CRACKS ME UP!  Sammy with her "disguise," watching Adam blow out the candles.  Hilarious!

The Birthday Boy...beat.

I say it every year, but it really does seem like yesterday that we were flying down the interstate in the middle of the night, scared to death and praying to God that we were cut out for this.  Five years later, I would say we're doing a pretty good job.  I mean, he gets in trouble at school for talking too much (which he obviously gets from his Papaw), but it's only because he's shouting out the answers without raising his hand (OK, sometimes it's not that, but whatev).  He's smart.  As a whip.  That teacher sent home about 250 sight words that we're supposed to take the whole year to "learn" and he read them all to me in about 5 minutes.  He can add, subtract, draw, do push-ups, ride a bike, tell a joke...he's really pretty amazing.  But he just can't hush.  What are you gonna do? 

It Better Be The Great Pumpkin

That's about $25 a pumpkin.  We can't afford Halloween in Okinawa.

*I know you're thinking that this is really lame, since I haven't posted anything since September 17th.  I'm working on a few posts (Adam's 5th Birthday, Twins Update, Tokyo adventure, an amazing FREE concert we went to...), so they're coming soon!  I know you're on pins and needles.*