Winterfest 2012

So I can be honest here, right? After all, I am the author of this blog!  I can express how tired I've been?  Because. I. Have. Been. Very tired. Tired of working long hours. Tired of teaching the kids how to play nicely. Tired of teaching them not to tattle on each other and 'use big kid words' instead of whining and hoping we can interpret their request. Just tired, when all I want to do is curl up in bed until 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning...a silent bed without being kicked in the ribs.  I know I preach to the choir of all other mothers with my complaints, but sometimes it just feels good to be honest. Motherhood is tiresome at times!  But this is the time of year that memories are MADE.  And regardless of my lack of energy, my enthusiasm still exists. As does the stubborn bone that I inherited from my father.  I'm not going to allow my exhaustion to win!

So we packed up and hit the road, as planned. Downtown Tulsa Winterfest, here we come!  And let me tell you that I couldn't be happier that we went!  I didn't want the night to end.  Everything was better than I had ever imagined!  The kids LOVED the parade. 

We had front row seats, but were blocked by others, so nobody could see what was coming.  As soon as something would pass by, Brooklyn would start jumping up and down saying, "I wonder what's next!  Who's coming next?!" 

We loved every minute of the parade.  The kids were full of genuine excitement - the anticipation of what was to come.  I felt their energy and excitement that night more than ever before in this life as Mom. It was awesome! 

The fireworks came, startling Brooklyn, and making Bryson run towards them as if to guard his sister. 

Brooklyn actually asked if she could go into the bushes to "be in a safe place" as they exploded, while he waved his sword in their direction. 

She was concerned that they were going to catch a building on fire. Her level of concern just reiterated her compassionate personality.  Always worried about others. And he was fighting off her fears - doing anything he could to make her laugh and keep her happy. 

After the fireworks came the workout.  I mean ice skating.  So, let me preface by explaining that when Bryson gets tired, his legs turn to jello!  Literally. He'll just be walking along and then he'll release his knees out of nowhere and let his legs dangle, relying completely on the person holding his hand to catch all of weight.  Next comes the twirling. Is it twirling, or dangling? I'm not sure. Either way, he's not in control of his body. His body has gone to sleep. Just his mind is functioning...barely, if that.  So, back to the ice skating. Well, Bryson turned into Gumby an hour before we got the skates on.  So you can imagine gumby legs on an ice skating rink. Well he upped the ante of that challenge with parents that don't ice skate!  Father and son made it a quarter of the way around the rink before we exchanged children to finish the next quarter of the rink. After the next exchange, we finally made it one round and called it a wrap on the ice!  $30 later and only one man down.  We call that a success!

Disclaimer: 'Man down' was brief - daddy just needed both hands so that he could capture his princess on ice.  Next thing he knows, he looks down, and his mini me is on the ground!  Proud memory, he recalls. And the pic didn't even turn out!