Portland Pirate Festival

The boys and I went to the Portland Pirate Festival on Saturday, with a caped friend of theirs (not sure why he insisted on the blindfold).

Ethan got this idea that he wanted a "tan" shirt to wear as a costume the night before. We found an old sheet (that had previously been used as a ghost costume) and dyed it with tea.

He sketched out a pattern, which was basically a "t" and I cut out the fabric using an old t-shirt as a size guide.

They came out really well (Colin decided he wanted one as well), especially after Tad pointed out the the eye holes leftover from the ghost costume were bullet holes.

Ethan's undersized, raggedy blue corduroy jacket actually worked with his costume (he's worn that thing since kindergarten). Colin looked swashbuckling in one of my longer blazers. Bandanas finished off the look.

It rained that morning, but other than creating some wave action coming down the slides in the bouncy area, it didn't really dampen our enthusiasm. We've gone to every single Pirate Festival since the beginning and we're not about to let a little rain keep us away.

The highlight for the boys wasn't the puppet show, the sword fighting, the bouncy house activities, having parrots climb all over them, the cannon battle or the other entertainment. No, it was the discovery by Ethan of a little miniature dagger set (two little knives plus a sheath) for only $4.

Even the non-knife-loving person in me had to admit that this was a good deal.

He and I discussed the matter at length and I finally let him purchase it with some ground rules.

The evening of the Pirate Festival, I wouldn't let him bring the daggers to the neighborhood block party (duh!) but he went around the entire neighborhood making appointments with all the neighbors to show it to them the following day.

We spent much of today on his agenda: Paul and Tricia got the first viewing in the morning. Alan got a look at it after that. We went by Dan's around 11. We were due at Ken and Lenore's at noon, and so on.

I can't believe how blissfully happy this has made him. He seriously has had this incredibly happy smile on his face for much of the day and I know it's because he's thinking of his daggers. At least he's being responsible with them and following the rules...