Update: Gabe's birthday shindig was a complete success. Three buddies joined us. Everyone had a great time and walked away with only minor injuries.
I'm not sure who invented paintball, but I am way more fond of a Nerf war. What is wrong with a nice nerf gun fight in the woods? What good can come of firing balls of paint 100mph out of an air-powered semi-automatic weapon?
I played.
I said I wasn't going to play but I did.
When we pulled up to the field nobody else was there. So it was just going to be Matt, Eli and the four 10 year olds. I thought I was safe. So I signed up, paid the fee, and got my weapon issued. No going back.
Then a heavily armored tactical Toyota Civic rolled up with 4 of Tacoma's most revered backyard militiamen. They had their own gear: weapons with multiple barrels and sights and extra ammo packs. I was scared.
And off we ran into the woods.
The firing started, I was running through trees and over ant hills, around trucks and fake buildings to get to safety. I peek my head out....nothing. I start to maneuver around the building and whoosh. Paintball blast to the finger. Yep. A single finger absorbed the entire blast of a point blank shot of purple and green paint.
As I was making my way to the dead box, Gabe saw the pain on my face, the blood on my hand and he said "mommy, mommy, my precious are you ok?". Or maybe he laughed in my face and said "ha what happened to you?" Aden happened. That innocent 10 year old shot me in my finger. Gabe looked at his friend and said "dude look what you did to my mom" then the friend ever so politely and geuninely looked at me and apologized profusely.
And that was about 45 seconds into the first of many many rounds that ended in me being shot by some boy or man who saw me as the weakest link or baby antelope in the pack. The easy kill.
I would like to say that one time I actually captured the flag and won the whole game. Heck ya. With just nine working digits I rocked that game, captured the flag and pretty much secured world peace. You're welcome.
Gabe and his friends played hard, enjoyed snacks, played some more, had more snacks, and then played more, and ended the day with cupcakes. We had enough cupcakes to share with the paint ninjas of death that played with us all day and they were kind enough to join in and sing a rowdy rendition of Happy Birthday for Gabe.
The friends said this was "the best birthday party ever". That means a lot to me considering all of them had welts, some were actually bleeding, and one might have a minor head injury.
In unrelated news: I did some follow up on why this one kid was planning to be at church from sunrise to sunset. Turns out his dad is the pastor and after church each Sunday they have Korean school where they teach Korean language and other cultural stuff. I decided that was perfectly acceptable.
I'm not sure who invented paintball, but I am way more fond of a Nerf war. What is wrong with a nice nerf gun fight in the woods? What good can come of firing balls of paint 100mph out of an air-powered semi-automatic weapon?
I played.
I said I wasn't going to play but I did.
When we pulled up to the field nobody else was there. So it was just going to be Matt, Eli and the four 10 year olds. I thought I was safe. So I signed up, paid the fee, and got my weapon issued. No going back.
Then a heavily armored tactical Toyota Civic rolled up with 4 of Tacoma's most revered backyard militiamen. They had their own gear: weapons with multiple barrels and sights and extra ammo packs. I was scared.
And off we ran into the woods.
The firing started, I was running through trees and over ant hills, around trucks and fake buildings to get to safety. I peek my head out....nothing. I start to maneuver around the building and whoosh. Paintball blast to the finger. Yep. A single finger absorbed the entire blast of a point blank shot of purple and green paint.
As I was making my way to the dead box, Gabe saw the pain on my face, the blood on my hand and he said "mommy, mommy, my precious are you ok?". Or maybe he laughed in my face and said "ha what happened to you?" Aden happened. That innocent 10 year old shot me in my finger. Gabe looked at his friend and said "dude look what you did to my mom" then the friend ever so politely and geuninely looked at me and apologized profusely.
And that was about 45 seconds into the first of many many rounds that ended in me being shot by some boy or man who saw me as the weakest link or baby antelope in the pack. The easy kill.
I would like to say that one time I actually captured the flag and won the whole game. Heck ya. With just nine working digits I rocked that game, captured the flag and pretty much secured world peace. You're welcome.
Gabe and his friends played hard, enjoyed snacks, played some more, had more snacks, and then played more, and ended the day with cupcakes. We had enough cupcakes to share with the paint ninjas of death that played with us all day and they were kind enough to join in and sing a rowdy rendition of Happy Birthday for Gabe.
The friends said this was "the best birthday party ever". That means a lot to me considering all of them had welts, some were actually bleeding, and one might have a minor head injury.
In unrelated news: I did some follow up on why this one kid was planning to be at church from sunrise to sunset. Turns out his dad is the pastor and after church each Sunday they have Korean school where they teach Korean language and other cultural stuff. I decided that was perfectly acceptable.
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