Sunny Acres and Busiest Sunday Ever

I love Sunny Acres. It is a tradition like most other families to go once a year. We went yesterday. I looked forward to it all week. Finally we were going to do something as a family that didn't include going to a sporting event or eating after a sporting event. I knew it was going to be colder than when we usually go but with football, we couldn't get there on the days when it was warmer. I thought maybe that would mean no bees but I was wrong. They were awful. I'll give you the shortenened version of how it went. Keep in mind that we were meeting good friends of ours that we don't get to see very often (Leo and I pretty much grew up with the other couple...started dating at the same time...got married at the same time...) at 2:00 and Leo was still dragging his behind from not feeling well, coming home from a business trip and playing poker (in the stupid poker club) on Friday.

Leo and I fought to get out of the house to be there by 2:00.
I fought with the kids.
Leo fought with the kids.
The kids fought with each other.
Gia cried.

That was just in the car on the way over. Once we got there:

We took the yearly picture.
Nico went off with his friends who met him there (because God forbid he ever just hangs out with his family). Tommy cried because I wouldn't let him go with Nico and his friends.
We found our friends.
Gia didn't know what to do first.
I ran around like a maniac swatting the stupid bees that for some reason love Gia and me.
Tommy cried some more.
Nico found us and said, "Moooom. I look around and what am I doing here? This place is for little kids. I get it is for family time but can't we do something more fun?" (This from someone who was with us for all of 30 seconds of "family time")
Tommy cried and then argued using my own argument to be able to go with Nico in the Haunted Barn. He said, "You said this is family time and Nico is my family and I want to go with him in the Haunted Barn because I never did before." He won but only on the condition that he went in the Barn and then came back to us. Our friends have a second grade daughter and son that is in preschool so I wanted Tommy and Belle to stay with them.
Isabella doesn't like scary things so she complained that there was nothing to do
Nico left.
Gia went on the ponies and OMG, if I could buy her a pony just to see the glee in her face and hear those giggles, I would. She LOVED the pony ride.
More bee swatting.
Rock climbing for the twins.
Gia had a meltdown in the Kiddie Koral and then she was done with Sunny Acres.
Good times.

The best part besides seeing Gia on the ponies was seeing our friends. The four of us were always close and being with them guarantees a lot of laughs. You know how after you have kids, you drift apart from friends that don't have kids? Well it was never like that with them. It only got hard to see them when our kids got older and into travel sports. Then it was hard for us to see anyone other than the other parents of the kids on the team. It was so good to catch up and be with people that knew you before all the craziness. It was also a reminder that they are definitely lifetime friends.

Today is one of those days when no matter what I do, it isn't the right thing. I went to Tommy's game and left Nico and Belle with Gia. She's not feeling that great so I worried the whole time. Tommy had a nice run for a touchdown so I was so happy I finally got to see one in person instead of on the game tape. Belle is cheering at 2:00 (on the same field that I once cheered at which will bring back a flood of memories) and that is right when Gia naps so I got a babysitter but maybe I should have gotten a babysitter for Nico's game at 4:00. I had a few back up plans but they all fell through so now I have to bring her to Nico's game with her not feeling well and hating being at the games. I have this weird thing about Nico's games. I don't want to miss any of them right now because I don't know when it will be his last game. We are in the playoffs so if he loses, he is done. I know he is going to play next year but who knows how much field time he'll see so I just want to enjoy every minute that he is still playing. After today's game, I have to drive Nico to basketball tryouts for his high school feeder team. On the long drive to Hinsdale, I thought about the future and wondered if someday I'd miss all this craziness. Right now I think that is hard to believe but I bet I will.