Every year this is the one thing the kids look forward to the most. Maybe its because its the most camp-like experience they get. Maybe its because they get to sing songs and play water games and climb on inflatables. Or maybe its because its the one week of the summer that stresses me out more than anything else.
Wait a sec, a week without my oldest three kids three hours every day? Why on earth would that stress me out? A number of reasons. One is that we have to be at church (which is 30 mins away) by 9 o'clock every morning. I am not a morning person. And I am especially not a get-five-kids-up-dressed-and-fed-by-8:30-morning person. Then, once they are dropped off, I have the two littles to contend with, and the big decision of "Do I drive home, only to return two hours later?" This year, that question wasn't too hard. With gas prices the way they are, the decision was easy.
Monday I take Eli and Lizzie to Borders. A couple hours and $25 later, we return to get the kids. I start to wonder how economical it really is to not drive home.
Tuesday, I decide on a more wallet-friendly option of going to the library. We arrive minutes before the doors open, and the parking lot is filling up quickly. I run into a friend on the way in who informs me that there is a magic show going on in the children's section. Hesitantly, I go ahead and bring the kids in. The toys, puzzles and games were all set up in the meeting room, so that is where we hung out. Free Internet access, kids kept busy, relative quiet (except for the magic show commotion), can't ask for much more than that. Except maybe an nice Starbucks frappachino, but I digress.
Wednesday I decide to try out a different (but equally close) library. As we're walking back to the children's section, a library volunteer informs me that there is a puppet show going on in the meeting room. I'm starting to wonder how much reading is actually accomplished at the Johnson County Libraries during the summer.
Today we headed back to the Oak Park Library. I actually checked out books today. Eli got bored fast and was hungry because he woke up too late and only ate some Cheerios in the van. So, I do the unthinkable and take him through the McDonalds drive through and get him some fries. Ugh. I haven't taken the kids to McDonalds in months. It kept him happy for a dollar. And they have free wireless internet. Weird, huh?
What have I learned this week?
Eli: His personality amazes me. At Borders, he sorted the Wonder Pets stuffed animals and then counted to see if there was less of one than the others (nope, same of all three). He is probably the most easy-going three year old on the planet. He just kept himself busy coloring, doing puzzles, playing with the toys for hours this week at the libraries and Borders.
Lizzie: She is quite a piece of work. She was climbing everywhere, she made about a dozen friends, and made me take her to the potty twice. She discovered her love for sinks. I discovered how big of a fit she can throw when I take her away from the sink. She loves to dance during the opening and closing songs at VBS. She knows the word "buckle" because everytime I put the car in park, she screams it.
So, tomorrow is our last day of VBS, and I couldn't be more excited. I know I sound like a whiner. If it weren't for dozens of wonderful parents who actually spend the three hours helping run VBS, my kids wouldn't have this opportunity, and I'm complaining about having to drive them there. Why do I do it? Well, my kids would've mutinied if I said no, but even more than that, I know that these memories they're making and friends they're finding will last them for years to come. I met my closest friends (oh yeah, and Brett) and that church.
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