At long last the FallFest is OVER. After much tribulation on Friday and Saturday, it was a success. I am able to say that now due in part to the fact that I've slept for the first time in several weeks and because the children's faces and delight made everything worthwhile.
Garrison getting his face painted
Kmay in the obstacle course
Me getting my face painted
Here is the detail. As of 3:00pm Friday afternoon the Fall Fest was off because someone on our board forgot to turn in the necessary paperwork to shut down the street. For two hours over 43 email bounced back and forth between all the parties trying to determine if this was taking place, being postponed, how much money we were going to lose or if we were just going to cancel the entire event. I was on the phone negotation with all the entertainers to move the deposit and no sooner had I gotten and oral agreement to move the deposit and hung up the phone, than and other email flies up that the Asst. Mayor and the Fire Chief had approved the street festival without the permit being signed! Talk about scrambling! I was back on the phone making sure no one had rescheduled. Mind you, this is less than 24 hours before the event.
After all that was done, I went to Party City to reserve the helium tank and pick up the balloons. Thankfully, they closed at 11:00pm and I was able to do all I needed to that night.
Saturday was a routine straight from "I love Lucy". Jen Newman and I proceeded to buy bails of hay, move a 150lb helium tank, buy 20 pumpkins and attempt to get all this back to the pool in less than an hour. No kidding, I blew up over 350 helium balloons on Saturday.
The Entertainment guy, who shall remain nameless, was providing 2 bounce houses, strolling balloonist, cotton candy machine and a nacho machine. He was scheduled to arrive at 1:00. At 2:00 pm I called and left a message, he called back and informed me that he was running extreamly late because he blew out a tire. He would arrive a little before 3:00 pm.
At 3:10 I started calling again because the festival started in less than an hour. When I got him on his cell phone, he hadn't even been back to the wearhouse to get my stuff! Freaking out, I started loosing my cool. He then informed me that he had dropped the cotton candy machine and it was broken. So no cotton candy. My reply, "Just get your butt over here ASAP!!!"
At 3:45, My phone rings again. I am lying on the grass in front of the pool trying not to have a heart attack while my neighbor's 13 year old daughter says, over and over, "This is terrible!!! The whole party is ruined!!! What are you going to do, Stephanie???" I answer my cell and this guy says that he's blown his master cylindar on his car and can we come get the stuff!!!????
I didn't stop to yell I just ran for my car, called to the others to get the truck and follow me.
He was at an Exxon station about 2 miles from the sub-division. We loaded up, went back, blew up the equiptment and had a great time! I took my anti-anxiety med's as soon as I got back to the pool!
After the party, which really was a blast, we wnt over to a friends Halloween Party. They had terrific decoration and everyone was in costume but us. I did have a unicorn on my cheek from the face painter but no actual costumes. (Sean had a dragon on his cheek.)
We fell into be about 11:00.
Sunday, was church, where my children actually wore their costumes to Bible school because I was too tired to fight them and the church festival was after services. Almost all the kids friends were there and they had an awesome time.
Kamy in the bounce house
Two Cinderellas, Kamy and her friend Avery.
Today was the class parties and then of course the trick or treating. We have a neighborhood hayride that all the kids pile onto and ride from house to house. The kids had a pretty good time until the wind would blow. It didn't help that it was about 50 degrees out. Several time Garrison would just sit down on rhe sidewalk and say he couldn't go anymore. Kamdyn just walked from house to house with the determination of every two year-old and smiled and loaded up on the candy!
We got home and they poured it out all over the floor and laid on it. Kamy nearly fell asleep. She had 4 tootsie pops opened at one time and still nearly fell asleep!
All are in bed now and the house is quiet, except the occasional cat hiss and dog bark. I get to reflect back and think to myself, "I am so darn tired! But it was worth every second and I'd do it all over gain just to see the looks on my children's faces."
They will be little for about a half a minute and then it will be gone. Garrison starts kindergarden next fall and his whole world will change. Daddy and I are conflicted and we pray daily that we are making the right impressions and doing all that God would have us do to plant the seeds in his litttle heart and soul for tomorrow when he's too cool for mom and dad.
Kamdyn is still little and has a bit more time to learn and grow before the world calls on her. Do you ever ask yourself, am I doing absolutly everything I can to get them ready for the world? Everyday I pray for that little person out there that will becom my son-in-law and my daughter-in-law. Are their parents doing the same and asking the same questions?
Tomorrow I start my new job with Tickelopes and I'm back in the workforce. A new dynamic for us to get used to. It will be good!
Keep on praying, friends!
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