Driving with Tears in My Eyes

My first car was a four door, it was great because I was in my early 20's. It was so easy, I  could load friends in to go drinking, dancing even shopping. Hopping in for a road trip was borderline epic.

 Oh, those were the days!

  Secretly, when I was alone, I would imagine what it would be like to have a child in the backseat. The whole family fantasy was alive and doing  well in my mind. The giggles and silly songs from the backseat were all I could think about sometimes.

Fast forward to my late 30's. Two kids in the back of my mini-van, singing along to their fave Leap Frog DVD. Pretty close to my fantasy, right? Until the headphones came off, then things got really interesting.

These are some of the things I heard on my drive to visit grandma today :

* DD "there are pop-stars on the road you know. Pop stars POP stars (she tries out the words over and over) to which DS responds "NO, if there were pop stars on the highway, they'd be dead. They'd be extinct"

* "Did you know, that building is a wrestling place, you know how I know? 'Cause there is a W and another W on it. Like that thing on TV. I should go there. I could wrestle."

* "there are so much at the grocery store. Forty dollars, that is how many. That's so many, it's a lot. Forty lot!" Me: What are you talking about?" "I'm not telling you!"

We nearly ended up in a ditch. I was laughing to myself, my tummy hurt. My hands shaking on the wheel. It was precarious, it was hilarious. I concluded that the mind of the under 10 set is classic entertainment and I recommend other parents really take time to enjoy it. Comedy Central couldn't write better stuff than this.

What are some of the weird and wonderful things you've overheard your children say to each other?

Parents Don't Have Super Powers.

Parent's aren't super heroes

I realized that when I was in my twenties, my father was valiantly battling a form of leukemia and my mother was helpless to stop it from destroying his body

From the time I was little I recall a steadfast belief that my parents would live forever. Mom, with her nursing background could cure anything. Dad the athlete the jock was impervious to illness. Leaving all their strength for keeping my older brother and I from harm.

Then that Christmas came.  Dad was diagnosed. A simple phone call. I watched in silence, brooding and deep, as my illusion crumbled. They were just human. Mom couldn't cure this cancer in Dad's blood and bones with a kiss. Her ineffectiveness was clear. It crippled her, it crippled us.

Now my husband has injured his shoulder, damaged rotator cuff. His livelihood dictates that he use his upper body all day. I am powerless to stop his pain.

Are my 2 kids witnessing the death of a long standing childhood myth? He is 6 going on 7, she is not yet 3. How are they interpreting this change in our family rhythm?

Babysitter Blues

After a rather harried week, I decided Hubby and I needed a date. I was up to my eyeballs planning and organizing fabulous events and needed a brain break.  This meant getting our two children their first non-family member sitter.

She is a lovely girl, 12 year old daughter of a very good friend. We spend loads of time together and she is really good with both kids. Besides, it was an afternoon date. What kind of trouble could they really cause, I thought.

OMG. She tried crafts (which 2yo loved), they raked leaves and played outside. Then 6.5yo decided to lock her and 2yo out of the house, he also detonated the craft box like an IED and repeatedly tried to sneak friends in the house!

I felt terrible and that the $25 we paid her was chump change. Then I looked over this web article and am planning to gas up the Delorean to go back and try again.

Don't be the babysitter's bench mark for a crap time, read this:
What You Should Read

Oh Baby, it's a Wild Wild World....

So I am feeling a little hyper today, had a great meeting at the bank, I LOVE learning things.
As I walk out of that fabulous experience, I get an email with this attached :

Holy cow, it's amazing! Thank you Tracy L at Duplicators ! 

So, now the work of waiting begins, see creating the event poster/file is the last step before selling the tickets and I HATE waiting. But this show will be worth it.Thanks to Duane and Mark at Creature Quest in Hamilton  we will be playing host to some adorable little creations. Mini Hedgehogs, bunnies and Chinchillas. Don't worry tough guys, we will have some snakes and lizards there too!

So are you going to buy your ticket today?

What to write....

 Welcome to the official Barnilay Events blog. Where I will do my best to keep you up to date on all the great things I plan and places we get to go.
Let me begin my telling you a little bit about Barnilay itself. The company idea came from my love of planning activities for my children and their friends. Last year I planned a New Years Gala at a local indoor playground for my children and the other families in my mommy playgroup. I sold tickets to re-coup the cost of the rental. It was a blast.

Small sampling of the party-goers on New Years Eve 2011.

My hubby getting in on the puppet  fun!

Immediately I knew I was going to do more things. So I planned a puppet show with Arms Length Puppets from Georgetown. Again I coordinated  food, entertainment and a venue. Another success. Even DH got in on the fun! So here I am a few months later, preparing another amazing New Years Eve Gala and I have a few more things up my sleeves! Stay tuned and get ready for fun!