Date.prototype.toFormattedString = function(include_time){
  return Date.padded2(this.getMonth() + 1) + "/" + Date.padded2(this.getDate()) + "/" + (this.getFullYear()); 
}

Date.parseFormattedString = function (string) {
  var regexp = "([0-9]{2})\\/([0-9]{2})\\/([0-9]{4})";
  var d = string.match(new RegExp(regexp, "i"));
  if (d==null) return Date.parse(string); // at least give javascript a crack at it.
  var offset = 0;
  var date = new Date(d[3], 0, 1);
  if (d[1]) { date.setMonth(d[1] - 1); }
  if (d[2]) { date.setDate(d[2]); }

  return date;
}