When I Saved My Son From Being a Hobo, (and other interesting weekend news.)

**GIVEAWAY WINNERS ARE AT THE END…(Hang in there!)

Aloha from rainy, relatively cool, Pupukea.

Really.

As much as I do miss the seasons, it is kinda great this time of year when I know how so many places in the country are sweltering hot.  And our weather is quite similar to…last December.  Or March.  Nothing extreme.  Just mid-80′s and hang’en.  I like that.

But I’m not really here just to rub that in…  I’m here to tell you about our weekend.  Which really wasn’t so exciting so I won’t blame you if you wander off about now.

Did you?

Anyone still there?

Ok.  Then I’ll carry on for the three of you.

My guys have been surfing the South Shore in Honolulu a lot lately.  Which makes me realize how far we live from the city.
I love these guys, but I gotta say–it aint the same without Josiah.

Josiah, by the way, finally DID call home.  Once again he chose 3:30 AM on Friday night (Saturday morning,) to cheerfully greet me.  Our phone connection wasn’t very clear, but I did hear him say a few things:

1)  He’s “not even a tiny bit” homesick.
2)  He has been surfing “MILE LONG barrels.”
3)  He is having the “best time of his life.”

Oh yeah, and 4)  He probably won’t be able to call for a couple weeks because they start their boat trip soon and there will be no way to call then.  ”But don’t worry Mom–I’m doing GREAT!”

Let’s just keep moving now while I force the tears back into my eye sockets.
(Of course I’m truly thrilled!)

The highlight of our weekend was that our family was invited to do a “FAMILY CAST CALL” for some sort of a commercial.  Normally this is the sort of thing that Dave shies (WAY) away from, but after Jonah’s experience last winter, he welcomed the chance.  The audition was right in Haleiwa, so we thought it couldn’t hurt to try.  Here’s how THAT went:

About ten minutes before we left for the audition, Levi started rolling on the floor having a two-year-old fit.  Dave and I exchanged looks, knowing we were nuts for even attempting this cast call.  Next I remembered the hair…Oh dear.  Levi had just woken up from his nap and his rat’s nest was big and furious.  I gently combed it, but hardly made any progress,  knowing that anything could throw the kid deeper into fitzville.  So we headed out.  As we got into the car, Luke started in criticizing Jonah for the baggie, high water pants he was wearing.  (I hadn’t noticed.)  Then Jonah went right back at Luke with how ridiculous his tank top was.  Then Dave joined in and told Jonah that his shoes looked horrible.  (This is NOT going in a good direction, family!!)  Jonah tried to explain that he couldn’t wear his slippers because “Josiah says that the slippers make me look like a hobo!”  (A hobo?)   Dave didn’t skip a beat but argued that the shoes look much more like a hobo than the slippers would.  And then I had to ask what in the world got everyone talking about hobos?  

I somehow stopped the fighting, and we quickly stopped into the Quicksilver store where I found Jonah a new pair of shorts and slippers (flip-flops mainland friends.)  Problem solved.  It just wouldn’t be right to show up for an audition with someone looking like a hobo now, would it?

I’d say for our family things were going quite smooth so far.

When we arrived at the audition, there were plenty of other families coming and going.   The “tryout” (what do you call it?) part was pretty simple.  Some photos were taken and some questions asked.  They videotaped us answering questions like “What do you do on a typical weekend?” and “Tell me about family vacations.”  We all spoke a bit, and even Levi broke in with a few “TRACTOR BACKHOES.”  Splendid.  I’m sure he got us the job.  (NOT.)

Of course you’ll be the first to know if we get a call.  But if nothing else, it was a great experience, and I think I did save my son from being mistaken for a hobo.

After that we spent a very peaceful night at the beach condo.   Which reminds me–it was actually Jonah’s eleventh birthday on Friday and I still haven’t even mentioned that.  You know how much I love Jonah, how could I forget?  He had a special day out with Dad, Luke, and his friend Ezra, hiking, playing, and going to the movies.  The family celebration was put off until Saturday night at the condo, because Dave was doing a night shift on the actual birthday night.  (Which meant movies and campout in mom’s room, and a lot of fun too.)  We had already shopped for his long-anticipated iPod Touch last week, so he has been pretty consumed with that ever since.  It was a mellow birthday, but a happy one for sure.  I’m having some difficulties downloading the photos I took of his birthday celebration, but here’s the Instagram I took of his thrilling morning breakfast. (You’ll ONLY see this on a birthday around here!… The cereal part anyways.  Cinnamon rolls are always welcome.)

While at the condo we did the usual beach activities, and enjoyed a peaceful night.

Then we took an evening walk to visit the turtles.
These are some of my favorite times.

And that my friends, wraps up MY family’s weekend.

Thanks for stopping by to hear—

And if you’ve lasted this long–you MUST be wanting to hear about the (2!) winners to last week’s Shopping Giveaway!?

We did a random drawing, and the winner of the Up&Riding grom-gift is…Tina Curran!!!!  (Who has two very deserving groms of her own back in Washington State!)

And the winner of the Hawaii pamper-package is….KARA!!!   (Congrats, and tell us more about yourself Kara!!)

I’ll email each of you directly, to get your address and mail you off your prizes!!

ALOHA!!!  And thank you EVERYONE for playing!!!  I so appreciate it when you comment, share, LIKE, follow, and all of that.  You are wonderful!!

The grommom, and her hobos family.

Linking up again with…