Renn Faire

After a morning of trailer hauling, Shane took a noon-time nap in the car.

When he woke up, he wasn't sure what to think.

I wanted to go last year! It never happened, so I told Carrie I wanted to go this year in May.....which also never happened.

Today, it did.

Shane got a chance to see knights and a joust.

The VA Renn Faire is smaller than the MD one I'd been to, but the right size for a kid's imagination.

Maybe he

Carrie left us to eat and watch a show.

She returned in costume!

I decided to wear the water from the water bottle after the wind gusted through.

It was a hot day and I dried quick. This wasn't a planned trip, so I was much more concerned about the sun. Shane and Carrie don't need sunblock, but I sure do.

Thankfully, the Renn Faire had a wooded area. There was a pony. I got my shade.

We watched an act with acrobatics, jokes, and dogs (The Circus Stella).

Shane couldn't see, so we told him to go sit up front.

Shane really wanted to volunteer, but it was probably better he didn't. Someone would have been in the hospital.

Fire is fun.

Carrie got several business calls while we were out and about. Shane's is unconcerned about money and wanted to do everything (In this case, I told him we had a bow at home).

The children's play area was free.

We parked in more blissful shade.

I don't know how this always happens, but a pair of kids started to talk to me. The little girls wanted me to 'ooh' and 'aah' at their drawings and tell them what games I had on my cell phone. My son ignored me.

There was a presentation for kids about the Spanish Armada and the attempt to invade England.

I'm not sure how much the kids listened and how much they just played with ships and listened to people in funny costumes (My goal was for Shane to play with toys and see funny costumes, so I was fine with it).

After the Armada was sunk, Shane capitalized on the other kids' exits to build a castle with all of the blocks.

Carrie and I were willing to spring for the climbing wall.

Shane scaled it twice.

Anything to run out some energy. We bought a freeze-pop to help him cool off.

We saw greyhounds, but we missed the longsword fighting demo. I bumped into Ashlee (Bill and Dan's sister), as well! She spotted me and charged (I guess I look about the same as I always have). That was a neat note to end it on for me.

We hung out for a little over three hours before leaving. Shane napped again on the way home.

Any trip that wears him out is a successful one.

He was recharged to play in the circle after. Tae showed up a friend, Mariah.

I wanted to nap in chair, but Shane's not old enough to run free yet. Carrie had a headache and claimed the couch.

Carrie passed out while Shane and I went somewhere familiar.

John cooked fish tacos. Krista's dad had caught fresh trout. I felt spoiled.

The boys alternated between wild abandon and video games. No one was injured.

It was a day full of successes....and I saved the horse part for another post!