a stab at failure

Emi's weeklong attempt at veganism:
lots and lots of oatmeal consumed
+
salad
+
Diet Cokes
+
Grande, Non Fat, SOY chai tea lattes
+
Four pounds (unintentionally) lost (I didn't change anything as far as exercising more :or at all:)
=
FAIL

Being a vegan is definitely for someone who cooks (which I don't) and doesn't eat out as much as I do, and is surrounded by people who are on the same page as they are (which I am not).
Granted, I went into this experiment possibly the "wrong" way. I didn't tell anyone what I was venturing to partake in, I just did it. Also, I decided to partake right before the holiday season (and our vacation to the All You Can Eat Buffet Capital of the United States) gets into full swing. I don't eat cows or pigs, or other type mammals, so its not a stretch for me to just say no to a Spam sandwich, but DANG! dairy is in everything.

<--- theres dairy in that

Anyway, it was tough. And I wish I was tough enough to handle it, but I'm weak. I love desserts (which have eggs no doubt). So its a fail. I'm so dissapointed in myself.

I think I just need to suck it up as lesson learned and just become a pescetarian

Pescetarian :

Eats this -->

<-- but not that

Enough with the excuses, I'm sorry I failed you, world.

sin city

So, the jig is up. I'm super excited for this Thanksgiving. We are going to L.A. and Las Vegas, our first "real" vacation in awhile (and no, our Staycation doesn't count, does it?). We usually vacation separately. I go where I want to go, Jason goes where he wants to go, who ever is going wherever they are going take the boy if he is interested in going.
We are flying in to Los Angeles, will be in San Diego for Thanksgiving (Jason's uncles house), then heading over to Vegas to stay at Mandalay Bay, in THEhotel for three nights. which according to their online suite stats, is bigger then my first apartment in Seattle, and I don't mean even close. I mean, dwarfs the apartment.

Holla!

We plan on hitting Lion King, Shopping, Dining ourselves silly, the spa, et. al. oh and Jason plans on gambling, of course. I'll find something super Vegasfab to have as a prize for a raffle. So keep your eyes peeled.

Oh, and PS and FYI, I totally plan on staying completely vegetarian (and if at all possible, vegan) this vacation. Now that I said it outloud and you are aware, it must be done, but just in case there is a kickass ice cream shop on the strip I'm giving myself the vegan out (I'm so weak, but you all knew that allready).

ahoy mateys

Did you have a good Halloween? We sure did. It was a full weekend of nonstop partying, candy gorging, and all around mischief making.

Yeah, Snax was a pirate this year. arrrrr.

Gavin had a Halloween party at school on Friday night. There he is in his Buzz Lightyear costume. That costume is freaking awesome. It lights up on the wings and glasses. Yup, and I was Captain Kirk. That costume is a size 12 (as in, year old). I'm being serious. I fit in a tween boy costume. sad.

To Infinity! And Beyond!!

Getting his party on.

Good to see I'm not the only parent dumb enough to spend $60 on a kickass toddler Halloween costume.

Captain Likeke and Buzz Gavin

So, Gavin took off at the crack of dusk to go marathon trick or treating on Saturday night.

Jason was warming up his running muscles all day to prepare.

We hit it hardcore.

And (I'm totally not making this up) he got 12.2 POUNDS of candy (yeah, I weighed it).

Thats like almost 2 1/2 Gavin's at birth. It was insane.

So, Halloween was awesome.

I should raffle his costume off for next year for anybody who has a kid in the 4-6 year old size range.

Next:

We are finally getting our Solar. We've planned it for awhile, but since we don't like to finance anything (well except the house, kind of have to get a loan for that...). We were waiting until we could pay for it without having to pay interest. It is going to be sweet. Did you know that the average household water heater uses the same amount of petroleum as the average family sedan? Crazy. We want to do this not only for the money savings (because energy costs are crazy expensive in Hawaii), but also for the Earth. After all, Jason is the dude who uses a push mower (think Leave it to Beaver's dad).

They are going to begin installation in early December (because we are going to Los Angeles and Vegas for Thanksgiving, so we won't be here), but once it begins, you bet I'll blog about it. Oh, and the trip too, don't stress....

This is our Christmas gift to Planet Earth.

tag! I win

So, I'm assuming you all have been unable to sleep.

--->Emi, when are you going to have the annual Neubauer Family pumpkin carving contest? I can't wait to vote!!

Well, here's the deal:

The pumpkin carving contest was originally going to have to be canceled this year, because Jason was supposed to go to Samoa, and he was going to be gone for Halloween (which really upset him, he loves taking Gavin marathon trick-or-treating).

Then, TA DA!! His trip to Samoa got canceled (which he was not upset about at all), so he would be here for Halloween. yay. This being Hawaii, and its still mid 80's and humid here, a person can't carve a pumpkin too early without risking the growth of new and unusual subspecies.

Our two pumpkins have been hanging out for about a week, itching to get carved.

Wednesday, I finally couldn't take it anymore, and sat down to carve my pumpkin.

and it turns out pretty sweet if I do say so myself. So, last night, Jason sits down to carve his pumpkin, and something bad happens. He picks up his pumpkin, and it literally liquifies in his hands. Something nasty happened to the pumpkin.

No problem, I'll get him a new pumpkin today.

Target: No pumpkins

K Mart: sold out

Wal Mart: I wouldn't know since I absolutely refuse to shop there based on principle.

Grocery Store: Sold out and told the story that the (one) pumpkin patch on the island is out, so the island is sold out of pumpkins.

No More Pumpkins on Oahu.

Jason's sad, according to him he had a contest winning design he's been kicking around in his head for a week.

But, based on the fact that my pumpkin is the only contestant in the running this year, I guess that means I win by default. But I am sure you would have voted for it anyway (right? RIGHT???) So I win this year (which I feel good about because he was threatening  to make me to see Paranormal Activity if he won). So there you go. I win.

don't forget to accessorize

thong fail

Yesterday was Friday.


AKA Aloha Friday

AKA End of the work/school week

AKA Water Play at Gavin's school (cause, you know, this is Hawaii... he can do "water play" all year round).

The highlight of his school week.

Every Friday he packs up his swimsuit, "water shirt", towel, sunscreen and begs me to take him to school ASAP.

Here's a pic of him on his way to school last week. I had no idea they go deep sea diving in the kiddie pool.

Well anyway, yesterday (being water play and all) he got to school with his backpack laden with all his water play goodies, and wearing his slippers. No, not these:

Sandals. Flip flops. Thongs (which I honestly can't say without laughing). Hawaii calls them slippers.

Jason had plans to go out to dinner and a movie in the evening, so I offered to pick Gavin up from school and head over to Jason's work so we could make our way over to Ward Warehouse for a family date.

When I picked Gavin up, he was out on the playground riding a tricycle shoeless. I asked him where his slippers were and he said they broke. He took me inside his class and showed me his right slipper strap had broken and the teachers attempt to tape it back onto the sole. We didn't have time to go all  the way back home to get another pair of shoes, so I thought it would be OK, the slipper will hold. So, we go to dinner.

After dinner, as we are walking out of the restaurant, Gavins shoe gets a total slipper failure. The tape detached from the sole, and then literally (before my very eyes) looked at me, laughed, and folded itself into a little unstickable cube of tape. OK, now he for sure can't wear this slipper, let alone keep it on his foot while Jason carries him into the movie theater.

Ward Warehouse has shopping. I'll just go search for a place that might possibly sell a new pair of shoes for him. Gavin and Jason sit down at a table right outside the pet store so he can see the puppies while I take off in search of shoes. As I'm walking, I keep peeking into all the stores hoping against hope I see toddler sized shoes on display. Nope. As I walk further down the walkway, getting more discouraged, I begin to kick the idea around in my head that maybe I can just buy a stapler, and staple the strap back onto the sole.

Then I see it.

Like the heavens parted.

There it is.

The Island Slipper Company.

Our evening was saved.

Gavin got a rescue pair of slippers (which glow in the dark, btw), we could go to our movie, I got my Red Vines. All was well.

the mole

This is the way it works around here:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday: its all about Gavin. When he comes home from school, he watches his Tivoed Phineas and Ferb's, Scooby Doo's, Penguins of Madagascar, etc. Because he's selfish like that. But Tuesday night. It. Is. All. About. Me. And. The. Biggest. Loser. Yeah, we have another TV, so technically someone could go downstairs to watch their show, but since we bought this fancy new big TV, we all have to fight over it, and don't even go downstairs anymore.
I love this show.
So last night, I sit down to watch it, and Gavin comes popping over to drive me crazy.

OK, first off... anyone else watch this show? Am I the only one who totally thinks Tracey is planted to increase the ratings? How is this woman still here??? That streak of three challenges she won in a row to pick the teams ??!! immunity ??!! trainer ??!! I mean come on!!! Everyone hates her, yet, she is still there. It really chapped my ass that she threw Coach Mo (her partner) under the bus so she could stay.

The show starts, The blue team comes walking in and Tracey starts into her (totally fake) crying spell of : "oooh! you all hate me! It kills me to go to the elimination room!! booo hooo hooo!" And Gavin starts piping in with: "OK Mom, its my turn. I want to watch my show now. my turn. my turn. my turn".

Seriously? So now I'm watching trying to focus on the show (yeah, I tivo it at the same time, but thats not the point. I have to watch it while its on).

As the teams start into their training/trip home segments Gavin breaks into : "Mommy, I wish I had those little sings (his word for "things") that you can put together to make sings"
huuuh?
"What things, Gavin?"
"Those little plastic sings that look like dippin' dots but they're plastic. Janice (his BFFGF at school, the ballerina slipper shirt girl) had it and I want it. You put the dots together"
"Oh, pixO's?"
"Yeah PixO's! I want that"
"Can we talk about this later, Gavin?"

(commercial break)
"OK, that was great! My turn now!!!"

grrrrr

Jason: "Gavin, why don't you draw, or play with your legos?"

Gavin: "Ooooooo! Maybe I'll just throw all my toys away!!" (Yeah, he's a drama queen)

So, when Shay (my favorite BL this season) breaks into the Subway product placement, Gavin has to break in to the Subway Five Dollar footlong song.

Five. Five. Five dollar Footlong!!! At Subway! Eat Fresh!!!

GRRRRRRWAAAAA!

speaking of.

One of the shows on Gavin's tivo schedule is Phineas and Ferb. Great show.

This is "Agent P" AKA Perry the platypus.

now what Gavin came home with from school:

<--- that's his Agent P, complete with hat (and too many legs)

now his pumpkin patch --->

<--- Talent