What I learned on my summer vacation

Forgive me while I jump around a little bit on the blog. I had some other things to report about our trip to Hawaii but got side tracked with more pressing life events so didn’t get to it. I have gone back and written up my other notes and observations so please indulge me to go back in time and finish up our “trip of a lifetime” discussion.

Mamma Sharka
The MP has a one track mind. This is not news to anyone but the level it hit on vacation was kind of funny. I have a favorite t-shirt shop in Hawaii (I have a lot of ‘favorites’ in the 50th state) and their mascot is a surfing shark. Now this shark is a cuddly kind of guy – not all teeth and muscle like sharks really are. The first time we stopped in one of the shops (there are plenty of locations to choose from) the MP found a large stuffed shark that HE HAD TO HAVE.
This was on day 1 or 2 of our trip. So I told him he could have a smaller version and if he remembered and reminded me then he could have the larger shark later on in the trip. He more than remembered, he brought it up EVERYDAY, and started referring to the smaller shark as the ‘baby’ and the larger, not yet in his possession as the “Mama” and the baby NEEDED its mother. FINE. I bought it for him (it was only $10) and he carried both sharks and Ellie around for the rest of the trip.

Also to out myself and my geekiness: this store gives you cards to punch every time you buy a shirt and when you fill the card you get a free shirt. I bought my first t-shirt at their shop in Palm Springs in 2000. I still had the cards on our trip this summer – and managed to fill one finally – seven years later. It has traveled with me in my wallets everyday for seven years. I am a GEEK.

Pearl in a shell
Another item that the MP saw early on in our trip that he had to have was a pearl that came in a shell. You get to pick the shell and the person working at the shop/kiosk opens it up for you and gives you the pearl. The pearls were $15 or so but we found one at like 70% off. Now the trick to this? You have to buy something to put the pearl into b/c what are you just going to do with a loose pearl? I let the MP buy his pearl (you get to make a wish and ring a bell so it is lucky) and I asked the boys to find a setting for it for my birthday b/c they were PRICEY in Hawaii. A $4 pearl in a $100 ring? I don’t think so.

Dragon tattoo and underwear
The MP loves temporary tattoos and usually requests that they be put in less than conventional (as opposed the upper arm or something) areas. So on vacation we bought some dragon tattoos. One was really big so he decided he wanted it on his belly. Being four and rather short in the patience department, he put on his clothes over the tattoo before it had dried all the way. Result? He got stuck to his underwear. I had to pry the tattoo off his underwear and it hurt a little bit. I think he talked about it long after the tattoo had worn off b/c of the pain associated with it. He likes to remind regularly of any injuries or pain he incurs at my hand.


“Captain of the bus” conversation
When we were on our way back we had an extended layover in LA so we rented a car and I gave the boys a tour of the town that entertainment built. We were driving down the highway (stuck in traffic which is normal for LA) and we saw a city bus. Joshua asked me to pull next to the bus so he could talk to the Captain of the Bus (the driver is the Captain) and that he wanted to get on the bus.
I told him he couldn’t since a. we were moving in traffic b. I didn’t know where the bus was going and c. it costs money to take a bus. He then wanted me to call the Captain’s Mommy to see if he could get on the Captain’s bus.

I know I was sleep deprived but Scott was a witness to this completely random and weird conversation.
When we left for Hawaii and while we were there the MP wanted to be a vet but after seeing the bus he decided he wanted to be a bus driver in Hawaii, I can visit when I want. Scott has not yet been invited. That will teach him to hook us up with the best vacation ever.