Festival 2012: Two Days of Fun!

The weather was not overly promising for Festival this year, but somehow we managed to visit two days in a row!  According to one Festival worker, the weather on Friday was so bad that it kept most people away ... attendance was the worst she thought she'd ever seen.  So it was no surprise that it was super busy for the events on Saturday and Sunday.

The kids were not overly excited about going, largely because they had no idea what to expect.  But I think in the end they ended up having a good time.

Mollie starting things off fashionably with a double-dose of sunglasses.  

She eventually settled on the zebra pair and we set off for some chilly Festival fun.  I can't remember ever going to Festival this bundled up, and even with sweatshirts on we still got cold when we stopped to eat.

We had the kids' caricatures done for the first time.  It turned out great (hopefully I'll remember to post a picture of it on here sometime), but it wasn't a whole lot of fun for the kids.  Granted, it didn't take long, but they didn't seem to be in a cooperative mood.  Mollie wouldn't even give us the satisfaction of smiling even once.  And Baylor was too busy chatting with the artist and turning his head pointing out this or that.  Still, it was a fun experience.

Baylor has a fun book called Signs in Our World that includes a "No Dumping ... Drains to Ocean" sign in it.  So, needless to say, he was thrilled to see the Michigan variation of the sign spray painted on the streets of Grand Rapids.  And of course, being who I am, I just had to snap a picture of it.

Both days we attended we watched people dance, and the way Mollie responded to it convinced me that she will likely be in dance lessons before I know it.

I packed the kids a lunch both days as I didn't want to have to worry about what they were going to eat, and I'm so glad I did; it gave us the freedom to get them lunch as soon as they needed/wanted it without having to search out the perfect festival food for them.  They were more than welcome to try whatever the adults were having, but at least I could count on the fact that they had had something nutritious and to-their-liking in case they didn't want to partake.  Of course, we had to eat in front of the clock tower.

Once the kids were fed, I walked over to my favorite stand and got some pierogis.  Much to Bryson's surprise I bought six of them ... way more than I could eat myself ... but I thought he and the kids might like to share them with me.  I was right!  And Baylor loved it!  Kid after my own heart, I tell ya.

We listened to some music and enjoyed the coolness of the day.

Soon it was time to go, but before we left we just HAD to get dessert.  Grilled cinnamon roll, anyone?

Since she isn't a huge fan of sweets, Mollie looked for other ways to entertain herself while we were snacking.  Jumping off the curb is great fun!

After analyzing the covered parking meters and wondering who had the key to unlock it ...

... Baylor rather hastily informed us that he had to go potty.  Bryson sprung into action and found the nearest port-a-potty he could.  And that is where our nightmare adventure began.

It took Mollie and I a second to find the guys as they had sprinted off rather quickly, but in no time we had located the handicapped john they had fled to.  As we stood outside and waited, I began to wonder what was taking them so long.  Then, Bryson popped his head out the door and asked if I had any Clorox wipes; the seat was disgusting.  I didn't, but I had some other wipes that worked out well enough.  More waiting ensued, then Bryson popped his head out again and insisted we come in there with the diaper bag.  As it turns out, Baylor hadn't had an accident, per se, but certain parts of his anatomy hadn't been pushed down at certain critical points in the event and now his underwear and pants were soaked.

I have to say, going into a port-a-potty is no fun when you're by yourself, but being in there with both your kids and your husband is a nightmare.  I spent most of my time barking at Mollie not to touch anything and memorizing which fingers I would later need to sterilize, while Bryson tried to get Baylor's clothes changed without touching ANY surfaces.  We both failed.

The next day we went to Festival with our friends Trevor and Mackenzie, and the weather was much warmer.  I packed all three kids a lunch, and they enjoyed their meal while watching a folksy little band that included a lady playing a washboard.

We had a lot of fun until the very end when Mollie and Mackenzie went on a giant tire swing.  Mackenzie had a great time on it, but Mollie began sobbing after the guy pushing the swing made it spin a little.  After watching a little swing dancing while the other kids were using the potty, she calmed down and happily rode home.

As always, Festival didn't disappoint, and I am so looking forward to going back again next year.