(buckle up. This is really like five posts lumped into one)

Sam’s Birthday is in 9 days. Luckily he already has everything planned out. He wants a party at home. Theme?  RHINO. Not like rhino the big animal with the horns. No. “rhino” from the movie BOLT. Have you seen it? DO you remember that little furry ball of awesomeness? We can’t stop quoting him (“RING RING...who is it? DESSSTINY?...”) or (I eat danger for breakfast!). So I’ve been scouring the internets for party ideas. Party ideas that involve a talking, rolling hamster. It’s fun. No really, I’ll take a hilarious hamster any day over a power ranger. We’re also doing a voice-over video invite this year. Yeah, you know you want one.

If Thomas’ birthday hadn’t already past, I think he might’ve asked for a Barack Obama party. He’s going through that three year old “political phase” right now. Just kidding...about the phase, he really would want an Obama party. The boys have found this little computer game called “Obama Alien Defense!” and Thomas loves watching them play it. At first I thought the were just misreading or had heard Aaron and I talking healthcare reform and so substituted the word “Obama” in for something else.

nope.

There is actually a little flash game out there where Barack Obama goes around defending U.S. cities from aliens. Thomas walks around yelling “you da alien mama! I’m gonna shoot you!” and pretends that Seth is his sidekick “bo.” It’s hilarious and a little weird (and has elicited some interesting political discussion with neighbor kids).

Another one of the boys favorite things right now is the Captain Underpants series. They all laugh hysterically every night as we read. I had originally got them for Luke to try to get him to read a little more independently but he still LOVES when we read to him, so we’re just going with the flow. And these books, they are the most ridiculous works of genius I have ever come across. Not exactly the Chronicles of Narnia, but the boys BEG to be read to every night. Anyway, one of the names the boys have latched onto from this last book is, “Poopsy chucklebutt.” I’m sorry but it is impossible to not crack a smile after saying that name. As much as I hate when they get on “poopsy” jags, (like singing “you are my sunshine” replacing “sunshine” with “poopsy chucklebutt” ...or any one of there other favorites, like, “booger banana buns”) it is so hard not to laugh at them, laughing hysterically over their perceived comedic genius. But after the 37th time? Not so hard to not laugh.

Besides Captain Underpants the boys have been begging for me to tell them stories. So last night I told a story about Harold, a little boy who was abducted by alien Lego star wars characters. Oh yeah, Harold had a pet hamster, too. Who lived in a ball and made everyone laugh. Anyway, so I’m sitting there on their floor, dead tired, trying to think of a way to thicken the plot quickly, and when I stop and actually look at the kids, I realize I have their RAPT attention. They all have big eyes and are sitting on the edges of their beds leaning toward me. And here I am, “So then , they land on the planet...

(looking around the room - see the map - hmmm. Canada? Colorado?)

...Mexico! And of course the planet Mexico is home to the famous dark lord:

(looking around the room - ah. dirty laundry)

DARTH SHIRT-IUS.

etc. etc. etc.

Well they loved it. A little too much. They’ve been asking for the next chapters. So today I told them about Harold and the kidnapping plot with Luke Skywalker. And another twisted plot involving Darth Shirtius. This is my conclusion: telling stories to kids is like a big lie. You’ve got to remember so many details, (tap the stop sign three times to get the secret elevator to appear on the sidewalk) and once you jump in you’ve got to remember so many plot elements that pretty soon it takes a HUGE effort to say the littlest thing. One thing is for sure, Darth Shirt-ius will be meeting is ultimate demise VERY SOON.

And finally, this has nothing to do with anything, but we have been enjoying some GORGEOUS fall weather over the past week. The boys and I went out thursday and enjoyed a beautiful fall morning. Here are our pictures:

1.  Can you tell what happened here?