Spring 2011

Hey, it's been awhile! Wondering why? Well, let me just say a few things - grad school, theater schedule, Kindergarten, T-ball, chess club, ballet class, play dates, church, dr appts, stomach flu, spring allergies, spring colds, endless rainy days, random sunny days etc etc. Yeah, that sort of sums up the last few weeks for the Wohlmut family. Oh, don't get me wrong we are enjoying life for the most part, but some days we are overwhelmed with the business of living our lives.

Patrick and I often feel we are running a race together. A relay race. We are on the same team, but never on the track at the same time. Just constantly passing the baton back and forth as we run our laps. With our crazy schedules never quite allowing us to just walk a lap or two together, sometimes we have to drop the baton and just walk off the track. Today we did just that, we all played hooky.

Patrick had the day off from work, so L and I cancelled a play date, and we kept N home from school. We did so without warning, so it felt like a wonderful treat to the kids. (shh, don't tell N and L, but Patrick and I had actually cooked up the idea earlier in the week . A 24 hour stomach flu, almost destroyed the plans, but we didn't let it!) We had originally planned to go to the Coast but the weather seemed iffy (and that pesky theater schedule was flashing at me like a warning bell) so we opted to stay a little closer to home. We headed out to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon. It was a quick drive, and although it was cool, a good time was had by all.

So, just what does one do at a tulip

festival on an "off-day" (the festival is apparently really rockin' on the weekends) with a 4 and 6 year old? Well, you mostly let them run in the play area, let them eat bad food, drag them to see the flowers, tell them repeatedly to slow down, and laugh uproariously. In other words you do what you always do with kids in tow, you give a little and you take a little.

Patrick and I opted not to eat the greasy food, but the kids were hungry and sometimes it easier to just feed them then listen to, "I'm hungry" ("really, I'm Daddy, nice to meet you") a hundred times. So, sure have a corn dog kids.

'There's nothing that a corn dog and strawberry lemonade can't cure. In fact my hearing has improved!" Speaketh N (hooray, now maybe he'll hear us when it's time to pick up, put shoes on, bathe, etc)

There were large wooden shoes to stand in, tire swings shaped like horses to ride, bumpy slides, and rows of flowers to explore. Truly it was a good day.

So here's the kicker. Not five minutes after leaving the tulip farm I hear from the backseat, "I'm hungry... I was really hoping to go to the zoo....or OMSI...can we stop at the art store...." I wish I could say that I took it all in stride and didn't take it personally. Because, I get it. Life at this age revolves around them. The activity was fun, but it's over now and what's next? But, it feels like a kick in the head sometimes. Sigh... I found myself using an ugly tone of voice, attempting to explain that they should be grateful for the day they had. That actually, No, we don't always say no. Didn't we say yes to the cow train? Didn't we say yes to the corn dogs and lollipops? Blah!

And let's not forget my inner dialogue which went something like this "I'm just gonna tell Patrick to take this car straight to the homeless shelter, I'm gonna show them just why they should be grateful. They think I say no now, wait until the next time they want me to read "Fancy Nancy" for the 17th time, yeah and yeah..."

It was not my finest moment, not because I don't think they could use a reminder of how good our life really is, no because I fell into their trap and made it be about me. And the point of the day was to have a good time as a family and relax. And we did, and it truly was a great day. And they won't remember that they didn't go to OMSI or the zoo. They will remember riding the cow train and laughing at silly knock knock jokes in the car. And that's what I'll remember, too.

So, here's to deep breaths and rolling with the punches. Now... I'm hungry.