A Hawaiian Halloween

Halloween in Hawaii is a little different....first off, it's hard to find costumes that accommodate the hot climate!...the neighborhoods are all built on ridges (volcanic mountain chains I guess is what they are) so it makes traditional neighborhood trick or treating a little bit difficult if not impossible...and most people are out during the daylight hours! We never had any trick or treaters come to our house last year...or this year. Now I know why. Who wants to hike up hills just for a tootsie roll!? So local shopping strips and malls open their doors and hand out treats. It's actually kind of easy and efficient (and safe) - you just walk into the store and someone is standing there all dressed up handing out candy. Some stores just have a big bowl or box of candy and it is a "help yourself" policy! Very strange but super easy for parents with little ones! Dayton was super quiet and had the iron grip on his pumpkin filled with candy. In each store, he would yell, "twick or treat." (If you recall, my child is one of those rare children that has never eaten a piece of candy) He kept staring into it! He saw a couple robots and buzz lightyears and said hello to them; otherwise, he was all about business. He was so funny...all day he kept saying "where is Halloween?". When Daddy got home from work he was immediately asking, "can we go to Halloween?" Saige was excited to trick or treat too, but she refused to get out of the wagon! She just held out her little wand and pumpkin and people thought she was so cute they would come over and put candy in it for her! After we got home we had a quick dinner and Dayton got to pick out one piece of candy. He chose sweet tarts...and enjoyed every single one! Not surprisingly, he was pretty hyper before bed! In fact, this morning after breakfast he asked if he could have more candy. Being the nice parent that I am, I said "no". And just to be fair to my children...Saige cannot have any until she is 3!
My two little trick or treaters. Thomas and Fairy Saige!Sir Thomas himself.
Fairy Saige waving her magic wand and saying "ta-da."
Our mode of transportation.

A Chance To Sit and Enjoy The View

This is me enjoying our newly completed lanai. It had been closed up for months with the doors covered in paper while the stonework was finished. Well, actually, this is me enjoying a nice mug of ice cream. Peace, quiet, a beautiful view. One child climbing on my shoulders, one climbing on my lap...both saying "bite please", one dog at my feet. What could be more blissful than this? A spa day? A romantic dinner? A mug of ice cream to myself? Nah...I wouldn't have it any other way. I do get out 3 spoons now when I have my mug of ice cream though! The only thing that might have made the moment more enjoyable was chocolate ice cream instead of orange sherbet!

Our Pumpin Hatch Trip....

Despite the rain, it was a successful weekend to the pumpkin patch! I have a bunch of photos to post, but I'm having a hard time transitioning to the MAC computer so my posts for the next little while may be a little disjointed. I will try and add captions to the photos to help out...Dayton was SOOOOO excited to go to the "pumpin hatch" he kept asking over and over when we were going. When we first got there he said "wow cool, look at all the pumpins!" He immediately started running towards them and picked up almost every single one he saw. It was quite funny. Saige enjoyed tripping in the mud, putting her hands in rotten watermelons and trying to pick up big pumpkins. There were pony's to see, some cheezy kids rides, fresh fruit and veggies for sale and lots and lots of dirt....
Dayton at the house getting ready for the "Pumpin Hatch" by wearing his "Hawoween shirt."Saige loving being up on Daddy's shoulders!
Daddy & Dayton taking this picking the perfect pumpkin quite seriously.
Saige running in the mud and quite obviously enjoying herself.
This is Saige attempting to pick up a large pumpkin.
This is Dayton's 100th pumpkin to pick up and say "how about this one?"
Dayton carrying "the" pumpkin.