Burger King & InkHeart

First, let me just say that this weekend is going immeasurably better than my week went. I'm happier, and I'm more relaxed, as well as actually making an effort to make sure the boys have fun. It's difficult to talk oneself out of a rut, but boy did I give myself an earful...
Friday was supposed to be our second OWL (Our Whole Lives) meeting, but as I was getting myself ready, going over the materials I realized that one of the facilitators wasn't going to be there that night, so it was pushed to the next Friday afterwards. Ok, I can work with that. Instead, on the fly I decided to check my local movie listings and found Inkheart was playing at a theater downtown (you know the type, it plays movies out of the big arena on their way to the small screen & rentals), so I told D what we were up to, made sure the Mr knew what was going on, and got us ready. Now, last month there was a book fair at the school (You know, Scholastic & all that jazz) where we purchased a few books for D, one of them being Inkheart. We read the book together, and loved it! What an adventure it was to read. Well, we read it the once, put it down, and forgot about it. Until the movie...
D was so excited to be going to see a movie, and not just any movie, one he'd read about...with me! He was bouncing in the truck, grinning from ear to ear when we paid to get in (though he was trying to hide it), then running from one end of the room to the other (there was a small lobby where the register for everything was located) as I made our snack purchases. They had fabulous fair-style lemonade for sale, SUCH a treat. He got the kids pack, candy, a cup of water, and popcorn. I got a popcorn, a chocolate bar, and a super dee duper big lemonade. There I was trying to juggle all of this, while he was darting in and out of the door to the theater our movie was going to be shown in, just to make sure it wasn't on yet, before I got him calm enough to carry his own stuff. We chose our seats, and he was bubbling, "when it's gonna start mom?" Every minute that went by was excruciating to him, you could almost see how painful it was for him to be patient.
Then...the movie started, and he was grinning, and quiet, and still. With each part of the story that showed up on the screen that he recognized from the book, he kept tapping me on the elbow "Mom, ... is what's coming next!" He'd hiss at me in his best attempt at a whisper. "Mom, this is a good part coming up!", "Mom, this is the happy ending!"
In the aftermath, we called for our pick-up ride home, then we toured the rest of the place, and the owners were kind enough to give D and a couple of other boys his size a quick tour of their projection room. What fun! They had posters for sale, as well as some older movies & DVDs, and an old Atari Arcade game that we looked at while waiting.
Not being one to pass up an opportunity, I had my ride bring me my donation request letters, and I left one with them, after the gladly offered me 10 free passes without me actually having to say anything.
All the way home D chattered about the movie, the plot, the characters (there was even someone named Darius in the film!), and how much fun he'd had.
As soon as we got home he dug out the book and asked me to read it to him. I think I know already that this is a movie we'll be buying when it hits DVD. He's even asked me to take him to see it again, though I don't know much longer it'll be playing there, it would be fun.
Saturday, well, it was more of the same. I couldn't tell you what we got up to during the day, I think we did some sort of shopping...ah yes, it was the fabric store & sewing for me.
As a treat for the boys we decided to take them to the Burger King close to the fabric store that I was at. It has a play place, though in our experience it's a hit & miss as to whether or not it's open. We arrived and it was swarming with kids. Yikes. We place our order with the Mr, and the kids and I head in for some before-meal play. I notice, gee, there's an awful lot of people sitting outside the playplace, and a then, a chair is propping the door open. As we enter, I find out why. There's no heat in the play place. It's f*ing cold. The kids, being excited shuck everything off and go running. Did I mention there was only one other parent in there to monitor their child? Yeah, I suffered through the cold, and kept a close eye on my boys, as everyone else seemed to think it was ok to just abandon their child so they could stay warm, and sat in the restaraunt. Every child in there was screeching at the top of their lungs, running helter skelter, seeming to understand that parents didn't care how loud they got because they were busy staying warm. I'm walking around the structure, keeping an eye on my boys, and as I come around a corner two little heathens damn near knock me over. So, being the person that I am, I say "Walk, boys", in a firm voice. Cause, really, they were tearing around so fast they could've slipped any time (and it's against the rules). Well, one of the boys turns around, stops what he's doing, and growls at me. Yes, you read that right. I replied with "It's not nice to growl at people, it's impolite. Please don't growl at me again". He gave me that blank stare that kids get, almost that deer in the headlights look, but like they have no comprehension of what your saying at all. Well, the food arrived, removing me form any further uncomfortable run ins with said boy. We ate, then the kids were dying to continue playing, only by this time, I was partially deaf. So, I get up again to monitor, and realize there are a small group of boys kicking people as they pass by them on the structure. I guess it's was partially on purpose, but more because they were playing a game unto themselves and everyone else was getting in the way. Well, all I had to say was "Boys, please be careful and watch for other kids so they can pass" for them to pay more attention, and stop to let others by. It wasn't much longer before we'd had it, and left.
As we were getting ready to leave, a woman and her child came in, she was getting her herd ready to go, and she had instructed her little girl to grab everyone's coats (there were at least 5 of them). Girl did as instructed, but lady being unsatisfied, followed her back in to make sure she had done it correctly. On her way by us, I heard girl complaining "But I did bring the coats out." and lady replying with (picture Goofy voice, like someone trying to act retarded) "Uh, no you didn't."Of course when she sees she was wrong, she didn't even bother to apologize for either implying her a liar, or belittling her with a voice like that. That made me feel sad.
I get sarcastic with my kids, I don't deny it. I get exasperated too...and I even have a hard time apologizing. That doesn't stop me from doing it though. I continually wonder after displays such as this, why parents decide to become parents in the first place.
It's displays like that that make me thankful for the kind of parent that I strive to be. I needed a good reminder to help kick me out of that rut. I'm a participator...always will be.
In the eve, after the Mr went to work, the MIL came over for a visit. Well, I had already had plans of what to do with them, she just happened to pop on by, so I elected her as my helper (though in the aftermath I realize she should have remained a by-stander only, due to medical ailments). She helped get the boys ready while I put everything into action. Now, I could have also gone more out of my way to get things prepared than I did as well, but alas.I got ready by tossing in my space heater in the garage (just a bit more, considering it's already heated), and hauling down a few bucketfuls of hot water, and one of cold. I put up the baby pool, with a blanket around the edge so they wouldn't track the sludge in, and let them have at it. It didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped, but there's room for improvement on everything I do. Next time it'll be a heckuva lot more enjoyable. They splashed a bit, and dunked a bit, and had fun, but then it was back upstairs to warm jammies, and a goodnight book. Off to sleep with minimal fuss.
Lovely weekend so far. We went to church today, though I never stay in the service because H refuses to go into the nursery without me, and he's too loud to keep in the sanctuary. So, I played in the nursery with H, and reconnected a bit with an old friend from the summer. She was pregnant when I first met her, we spent 3 days a week together for over 2 months, at the park. I hadn't seen her in a bit, and she actually goes to our church now, which is nice. I got to hold her baby, and even got a smile from him. Such an adorable little pudge. *sigh*
Only downside to everything is that my back is k-i-l-l-i-n-g me. I can't wait to get home to a chiropractor.
Hmmm...I wonder what we can get up to tonight?