Ride Bus!

On Saturday Walker, Eli, Grammie, Gran and myself all went to Alabama Power's Family Counts Day (Jason is knee deep in his training for Ironman and was off doing a 78 mile ride. Although he really hated to miss Saturday, it will all be worth it when he carries the boys across the finish line). Family Counts Day is a fair that is free to Alabama Power employees and their family members. Jason and I went with his mom to one in Tallassee when we were in Auburn and it was a lot of fun. We were all looking forward to the fun we were going to have with the boys. Now we all know that with kids, things do not always go as planned. :)

That morning Eli had struggled to take his early nap. He went down late, so of course his nap ran later than usual. I ended up having to wake him, and we left later than we had hoped. When we arrived we realized that they were making you park away from the site and then be bussed to the event. We drove over to see if we could unload the kids and all their equipment with the grandparents, but that was a no go (if Jason had been there, he would have ignored the pseudo-authority and solved many of our problems).

So we go and park to wait on the bus. After 45 minutes of waiting, my father-in-law (the hero of everyone standing in line) stood in the road to make a bus stop for us. He explained our situation and we were loaded up and taken over to the fun. By this time it is noon and rapidly approaching Walker's nap time. I thought we should eat first, since Walker had not had anything since breakfast. That was the wrong choice. He pretty much chanted "go play" the whole time we ate and only allowed a few bites to pass his lips.

We head out to play. We try one of the smaller inflatable kids' jump around things, but Walker did not think that was any fun. Grammie wants to take Walker down the big slide so we head to that line, and we all know Walker loves slides. At this point Eli decides he is done with the stroller and needs to be held. There is no shade in sight. Eli and I head to the tent while Walker, Grammie and Gran spend 30 minutes trying to do everything that seems age appropriate. By one o'clock I make the mommy call that it is time for everyone to head home. We ride the bus back and load up the van. Eli is asleep before we are out of the parking lot, and Walker makes it home but crashes as soon as he hits the bed.

The most ironic part of the whole day is that Walker's favorite part was riding the bus. He beamed the whole time. That was the part that frustrated the adults, but he would have been happy riding the bus there and back and then going home. Eli had a good time too, he loves being outside. It was just more of an abbreviated trip than we had planned, but that is what we get for planning with two small children. :) Next year it will be more fun, and I will better know how to plan to adventure.

I do think anyone who raises more than one child should be given a honorary logistics degree by the time the youngest makes it to kindergarten. Keeping children fed, rested, dry and happy is a bigger challenge than coordinating anything in the business world.