We started with the school's Fall Carnival. Now let me just say a few words about what I think of these school activities. It's not just the Fall Carnival...it's all these non-school school-related things. Know what I mean? I mean, every week there is something going on that I usually have to pay for. There are book orders, fundraisers, field trips, pictures, t-shirts, PTA, etc (and we're only in the second month of the school year!). These all cost money. And they seem to come up every week. I don't mind paying for those things I want to pay for (like PTA, field trips, pictures...). I, however, do mind being pressured to pay for things I don't want to pay for.
Like the book orders. Yes, I see that it's a great deal to buy books through Scholastic, but a) we have a lot of books, b) I'm trying to use the library more, and c) I don't always want to buy the kids new books every month. But when the kids bring the order forms home, having already perused them at great length and picked out their favorites, I now have to play the bad guy and say "No" and explain that their sorry excuse for a mother just really doesn't love them as much as they thought. Or when they bring home the fundraiser booklet full of over-priced wrapping paper and kitchen accessories, having just been told by their teacher that they will get a prize if their parents "fill out the form," I have to explain why I am such an evil mother who hates everything they love...
I get it. The schools are trying to raise money. They are pressed for cash. But lately I've been feeling like they have been using my kids as a tool to get to my wallet. It's a bit annoying.
So when the school had their Fall Carnival on Friday, Damon and I were not too keen on going, especially when it was $10 a kid and went until way past everyone's bedtime. But they were at their after-school program until 5:45 and the Carnival started at 6:00. The kids watched them set up and were soooo excited. Was I going to again be the wretched mother and say "No, guys, you can't go. We're having leftover macaroni for dinner." Well I guess I could have, and I have said "No" often enough before, but sometimes you are tired from work, tired of saying "No," and you just want to avoid yet another riot.
All in all, it was OK (but not really "$20" OK). The kids ate pizza (which cost extra), played games, Adelaide got her face painted, and they each chose a book (which cost extra). They put their names in the hat for some cool prizes with the tickets they won from the games, but we weren't going to wait until 8:30 for them to draw. We've got 3 kids who all go to bed before 8:30. It just wasn't happening. So who knows if their name was called, but I'm glad to not know. (God forbid if one had won something and the other didn't!!!)
As an added bonus, I left my phone at home all day, and so when I stopped by after work to get it, I realized that the battery was about dead. I managed to get one blurry picture before it shut down.
So that was the Fall Carnival.... Meh.
But then, on our drive to and from work, we've been noticing that the arboretum was having some sort of "Trees, Trails, and Creatures" thing. Come to find out it would cost $1 each. You heard me: $1. Now that's what I am talking about! And it was a pretty decent program. The kids each got a free pumpkin to paint...
Walk along and see funny scarecrows... (No, I really don't know what Kestian is doing there.)
And listen to animal/plant-people talk about their life as a whatever-they-were-dressed-up-as... like this butterfly...
frog...
sunflower...
pea pod... (who by the way was the tallest pea pod I'd ever seen!)
Then the kids shared a hot dog, Adelaide got her face painted (two times in two days), and played in the hay bale maze while I tried to push an empty stroller while wearing Fenton and trying (unsuccessfully) to not spill my hot chocolate.
But then it started to rain.... so we went inside and let giant roaches crawl up their arms! Ew!
Now that's money well spent! In fact, I would have happily paid more. So I guess it's a wash in the end...(Speaking of money, it seems our lovely tradition of going to Little Goblins Galore (like last year and the year before) is off. Damn budget cuts!)
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