Riverfest, Tears, Worst Mom Ever, Pizza Hut, Shopping, Best Mom Ever!

I LOVE having a big family.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I really wouldn't.  However, there are times that having a big family doesn't allow you to do as much as having a smaller family would.  For instance.  When Dan came home from work on Friday night, I thought it would be a good idea to take the kids to Riverfest.  Riverfest is Watertown's version of summer fest....But think Watertown now!  I checked out the fest on their website and they were having a "ride special"  from 4-6.  We have never been to riverfest before and we thought we would give it a chance.  Not a good idea.  I will explain...

 Here we are all walking happily to Riverfest.  Ready to take on the fest Wilke Style!

 Okay, cool...we saw a juggler on stilts.  Gavin wasn't having it...but I think we made the man's night by asking for a picture with him.

 Then we ran into the trout man.  He walked around all weekend asking people for worms or for water.  I am not sure how much this guy got paid.  I am sure not enough.  I don't know what inspires someone to hire himself out as a big fish...but this guy was lovin' it!

 We stopped to watch the guy who was making a huge sidewalk chalk masterpiece.  Little did he know that it was going to pour later that night....and it would all wash away.  It rained on and off all weekend....poor guy.

Okay, so back to worst mom ever.  I told the girls and Gavin we would check out the rides.  Well, the rides each required a certain number of tickets.  Between 3 and 5 tickets each ride, per rider.  That would be $3-$5 per ride per kid.  That would be $15-$25 per ride per kid.  We sadly had to say no.  The kids were devastated.  We felt horrible.  Then we walked over by the games.....they each wanted to play a game.  We decided against it for the fact that one kids would probably win something and the others wouldn't and then we would have to keep playing so each kid could get something.  More devastation.  Then we looked at a treat for them.  We were looking at $30 for a snack for them all.  We had to say no again.  They handled it as well as they could.  A few shed some tears, a few held back tears.  I felt like the worst mom ever.  Had we only had 1 or 2 kids we probably could have done some rides and gotten a treat.  I know those thoughts go through the older kids heads sometimes.  We decided to just leave.  On the way out we saw some friends....more devastation again.  They got to go on rides and get a snack.  They only have 2 kids!  Hopefully our children will understand, but I felt like I took them into a candy store and waved every piece of candy in their faces and then told them they couldn't even have a lick.

So, we decided to do something else.  The kids each earned a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut for doing the reading program in Watertown.  So off to Pizza Hut we went!  Oma came along and met us there.

 Dan was being sassy.  He said I was full of bad ideas for making the kids go to Riverfest.  Then he picked on me for blogging.

 I LOVE this picture of Lanie.  She was happy to get some food in her tummy!

 Oma was nice and got the kids bread sticks and pepperoni things.  Oma is always there to spoil them.

 I wanted a quick picture before we left Pizza Hut.  I think Dan gives me a harder time about pictures than all of the kids put together.

                                            Then we lost Gavin.  He dropped something.

Then we got goofy.  I try...I really try!  Expecting perfection is out of the reach as far as pictures go!  Then Oma decided to take us to Kohl's.  Oma has a Kohl's charge and had an additional 30% off.  The kids were in heaven.  Oma let them pick out a new pair of pj's, new undies, new socks, and a special piece of jewelry for back to school.  I heard one kid say, " this is the best day ever!"  Perhaps Riverfest was forgotten?!?!  They didn't ask to go back to Riverfest.....they were happy with their new undies!  Thanks to Oma for saving the night.  Our kids have to learn that we can't get everything we want and we just can't do everything we want to do either.  Just another life lesson!