A Ren Festing We Will Go

As part of our new family mantra to share more adventures together, we jumped into our car and hit the Texas Renaissance Festival this weekend.  The Festival runs every weekend in October and November, but I honestly never thought that we would be able to go, because most weekends we had soccer games, and we take those sorts of team commitments seriously and show up ready to play.  However, once I looked over the schedule, I realized that there was an open weekend in November where no games were scheduled.  Most soccer moms will understand that the rare, rain-free, soccer-less weekend is a gift to be grabbed with both hands. 

"What if we go to the Texas Renaissance Festival?" I asked Larry.  "You could wear your Viking costume from Halloween."  

This got Larry's attention; he is of the strong opinion that anything done is best done wearing a Viking costume.  He was in.  Zane was skeptical, until we mentioned that we'd be staying in a hotel.  Zane loves staying in hotels.  I booked the room, purchased the tickets, and we were off. 

Three hours later, we arrived close to the middle of nowhere in the Piney Woods of East Texas to find a long line of cars with the same idea in mind.  Zane and Larry put on their costumes, and we walked a short distance to the gates, where men in Beefeater costumes were waiting.  We saw lots of people in costume, but there didn't appear to be a rule about said costumes actually being from the Renaissance.  In fact, there were lots of Steampunk costumes and more than a few Furries.  There were Barbarians, and lots of fairies, their wings all aglow.  There were even Stormtroopers, from the Highlands of Scotland.  

We bought turkey legs.  We strolled around and looked at the costumes.  Zane and I rode a couple of rides.  The three of us watched  a jousting event, and rooted for England.  Zane had a fake axe, and he joined in several minor skirmishes with random costumed people.  I bought a bottle of mead, thinking that it would be unopened.  It was not, so I drank said mead while we walked around.  Thankfully, mead does not have a high alcohol content

We had a great time, but as we walked back to our car, Larry mentioned that we hadn't seen everything.  There were parts of the grounds that we wandered past, apparently, which is why it is always good to have a map.  I had also wanted to see the glassblowing and the blacksmithing, as well as some woodworking, things that nine year olds do not normally get excited about.  We thought about going back on Sunday, but Zane had developed a cough, so we headed home. 

"We could come back next year," I said, outlining a basic plan for a weekend stay.  I might wear a costume this time.  If I can find a Renaissance outfit that comes with a tiara.  Besides, I need to see if these guys managed to ever purchase actual wizard's clothing(they're "wizards on a budget")!

My Creativity Only Goes So Far

Zane brought this letter home from school the other day.  Actually, he stuffed into his backpack, and I found it when I was attempting to pull out his lunchbox.  Because organizational skills are genetic.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The 1st grade students will have a nutrition parade on October 27th (Monday) at 10:00. Each student will need to dress up as a type of food. Please be creative!!!

Examples:

*Grapes- use balloons attached to a shirt.

*Cereal Box- decorating a box and cut a hole out for their head.

*Sandwich- using poster board or foam.

~Students can dress up as any type of food.

The parade will take place in the church parking lot (weather permitting).

On October 27th the students will also need to bring a food from the food group to share with the class. (Store Bought Only)

Please have the students bring their food to class with them in the morning.

The students will receive a participation grade for the costume and food item.

Thank you,

The 1st Grade Teachers

I'd hoped we could avoid such events, especially after last year and the Egg Incident. My son and a few of his classmates were overheard making fun of one of the girls in the parade. The poor girl was dressed up as an egg, and the boys couldn't resist.  Everybody knows that eggs should never be unescorted; they should always be accompanied by bacon.  The principal disagreed, of course, and we got a note AND a phone call, unheard of in the world of private school discipline. You can bet that my son heard all about it.

Now it is Zane's turn.  Ever the vigilant mother, I leaped into action. Box of crackers for the grain group?  Check.  But then...I reread that part about the costume. 

Be creative?

My first reaction was to become defensive.  What the heck is that supposed to mean, "be creative"?  Are they insinuating that my child-decorating skills are lacking?  Be creative? Are they saying that I can't make a blankety-blank costume for my own child?  Is that what they're saying here?  Blankety-blank.

Yes, I went there, and I spent a good twenty minutes griping to myself about it.  Then I got a little depressed.

Be creative?  Really?

I can create worlds inside my head, kingdoms full of witches and fairies and knights in shining tin foil, and put those worlds on paper.  I can write a relatively decent song lyric.  I can do a passable watercolor, one that sort of looks like whatever I was going for.  I can make my own jewelry.  I can cross stitch, and crochet, and occasionally dance.

But my creativity only goes so far.

When it comes to making a stupid costume, I'm all thumbs, and I knew that.  I had to face reality:  I have difficulty using scissors without cutting myself at least once, and I cannot sew in a straight line.  I broke one too many needles on my mother's sewing machine and was banned for life, so that was out as an option.  Staples and duct tape, my usual clothing repair choices, are probably not going to work here.

I just am not a Macgyver Mom(if nobody else has coined that yet, dibs), who can whip something up out of leftover toilet paper rolls, paper clips, and wire hangers. It's not going to happen, either.  More than my lack of skill in costume making, however, I realized that I was panicking at the thought of trying to rush through creating a costume in the middle of working, soccer, housekeeping, and cancer.  I know myself.  I would spend more time freaking out about the costume in a fit of indecisiveness than actually working on the costume, which would likely be completed at 2am on Sunday, October 26th. Except that I have my lumpectomy scheduled for Friday, October 24th, and who knows how that's going to turn out?  I'm supposed to be outpatient, but at best, I'll be doing a lot of lying very still and not moving.   Not a good position from which to work on a costume. Something had to give in this situation. 

In the words of pop culture, "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That!"

The extent of my creativity in this particular venture, after all of that angst?  Amazon is a mom's best friend! They actually have costumes of food! Zane is going to be a fried egg, because I have a quirky sense of humor, whether the principal appreciates it or not.  The boy is going to participate by making himself some bacon out of construction paper to carry with him for his little parade. 

He is better at using scissors than I am, anyway.

Halloween: Now With More Chocolate!

Halloween is a big deal for my husband. Actually, most holidays are big deals for my husband, but Halloween is one of the biggest ever since our son came along. Larry starts planning for Halloween months in advance, looking at costumes for Zane. Although Zane's first Halloween was spent in the NICU, in the years following he's been Yoda, a pirate, and a knight in shining armor. We have kept the costumes after the holiday; Zane likes to play dress up, like any kid.

This year, my husband asked Zane what he wanted to be.

"Robin," my son replied immediately. "And you be Batman."

"You want me to be Batman?" Larry had not anticipated this response. He had planned for Zane to be a Star Wars character, so he could play Darth Vader. Larry had his heart set on being Darth Vader! But yes, indeed, Zane wanted to be Robin, and he wanted his father to join him as Batman.

This was an even bigger deal for Larry; a father-son Halloween event! Larry googled Batman and Robin costumes almost immediately. Not just any Robin costume would do; Zane wanted to be the Robin from the television show Young Justice. And the Batman could not look shabby; it had to be the RIGHT Batman. With the correct ears. When the costumes arrived, Zane's outfit, minus the plastic mask, was declared a success. Larry's outfit required that another set of Batman ears be located, and the cape was pronounced a bust because you could see through it. Many trips to Halloween stores all over town later, the outfit was complete. The Father-Son Halloween event will be a blockbuster hit! Male bonding will occur!! Candy will be shared!!

My job tonight? Staying at home and handing out the candy to trick or treaters.

No costume. No frills. No fanfare.

I'm scary enough without all that!