success

we took our kids to the schnepf farms this past weekend. it's a huge family owned and operated local farm that offers tons of festivities year round.but the biggest and best of all, has got to be their pumpkin and chili party held during the month of october. we had been wanting to take the kids all month, but in true eagleston fashion, we let all of our weekends fill up, and didn't actually end up going til the very last possible minute.
it was nice, though, with the weather just starting to cool off. it was probably best we waited to go when we did...because even still, it was hot.normally i welcome the heat - inviting it to stay as long as it pleases, but not this year. this big pregnant body just can't take it. plus i have a ton of oversized cardigans and sweaters that i've been itching to wear...mostly because they'll hide some of that lovely back fat i've been growing.
throughout the day, we enjoyed hay rides, corn mazes, a train ride, giant slides, pig races, a bmx/scateboarding show (asher was mesmerized by this one), and several kiddie rides. the one i was most excited about going on was their roller coaster, but after we had been in line 45 minutes or so, i got super sick. i darted in and out of, and through, all the people in line (probably running into a few of them) until i found a big hay bail to lie down on...and then made sure there was a trash can close by. it was the worst. john, still in line with the kids, spotted me from a distance, took one look at my white-as-a-ghost face, and immediately gave up his coveted place in line (they were nearly at the front of it, too, darn it). by the time he came to my rescue, i felt as if i were seconds from passing out. in an attempt to calm my super upset stomach, he ran and grabbed me a (much too sweet) coke; and then, to prevent the kids from crawling all over me (something they seem to do on a regular basis when i'm at my very worst) he took them on another ride...
all the while i lay miserable, shifting back and forth (you know, the way you do when you're really, really sick?), on that itchy bail of hay. by the time they got back, though (only about 20 minutes later) i was almost 100% back to my normal feeling self. it was the strangest thing. i'm glad it didn't ruin our night...because we still had quite a few things on our agenda.
when it was finally time to leave, though, ruby threw a fit. she was whining and crying, wanting to do this and that...asking if we could buy this, or eat that. it was ridiculous.
i told her that her face paint was smearing because of all her tears, and that made her cry even harder. she was super, super tired. then she pulled a sly one on us. she said mom, you know how you always tell me that you never want my heart to be broken? yes, i replied (hesitantly). well, my heart is broken right now, and the only thing that will help it, is if we stay a little bit longer. so what do you think we did? well first we laughed (i mean, how manipulative, right?), but after that, we ended up staying a little bit longer (we are such suckers).we went on a hay ride, let the kids feed corn to the deer, and got some yummy roasted candied cashews.
and that was all it took... for every single one of us, to leave with a smile.
and for me, a smile = success.








asher LOVING the bmx and skateboarding stunt show