the adventure continues
(aka... are we DONE yet?)

Thinking I was the world's most wonderful mommy,
I decided to "reward" my children's good behavior with a trip to the movies... ( dear God, Dr. Spock fans, calm down... I don't do it often) I mean, it was "early release" day from school - and I was forced to fill up an afternoon with something besides whining, moaning, and pestering.... yes, I am still getting used to being a full time mommy. It's true, I admit. After all, the girls have been fabulous lately - and I had a few extra dollars to spend on US.... mind you, after this, all few extra dollars would be completely diminished.

So. I come home, make the girls pee as soon as we walk in the door of the house ( you know, BEFORE they actually wet the floor because they try to "hold it" all day... don't ask me why) and send them out to play in the beautiful weather. I check the movie times - and am excited to see that "Are we there yet," is playing at 3:15 at the local (and I do mean local - it's five minutes away) theater!

Damn, I am good - not only are we going to the theater five minutes away (no CHANCE of being late) but - also - we're getting the matinee price!! YAHOO! Only $5.00 to get in to a movie I would otherwise never THINK of seeing. Plenty of time to go by the gas station and pick up the normal priced candy and drinks for smuggling in.... hey - you know, when you charge $4.00 for candy - smuggling is the only answer. I am glad I can teach my girls honesty at such an early age.

So - twenty minutes before said show time - I call the girls inside.
@*(#@*!!
Jordin has on ONE tennis shoe, no socks (meaning that at some point, BOTH shoes have been removed) mud up to her calves, and dirt all over her face.... what has the child been doing, digging a hole to China? I am not sure. So - clean her up. Just in case you don't know, Jordin is, quite possibly - the world's slowest moving child. Now, we are more like eight minutes till show time. Ditch the gas station idea... (Ok Ok God - I got it... stop being dishonest with the movie smuggling... fine....)

Off we rush. I mean, I don't really feel normal if we're not rushing everywhere, so - I am sure that was just God again, trying to make sure I felt normal instead of weird about being somewhere early. Right? Buy the $5 movie tickets, and head inside to begrudingly buy movie theater popcorn and candy. $4.75 per kid for the kids combo - popcorn, drink and candy of their own... really, honestly, not a bad deal for the price. Ok, we'll take that. The lady behind the counter must not have kids. I am sure of this. Because, after preparing said snacks - she informs us that today, they don't have candy for the kids - it's cookies instead. Sarah Beth shoots me a death look - and I quickly reassure her... don't worry, it'll be great! Thinking the cookies are of course, something BESIDES the $.50 pack of animal crackers she is putting with their snacks.

More of the death look from SB. Then, Jordin sends same look.

Guilty mommy syndrome is now in full swing.

So, I buy a $3.25 bag of candy to share. The girls are happy -and, after spending $24.00 on just snacks and drinks - I need some medication. We head off to the theater. SB speaks to some friends from school, and we find our seats. I decide I really would like butter on my popcorn, despite promised better health habits... so, since the movie is late getting started (could have saved me some of that $24.00 ) we go back out for butter.

At this point, I had already made the observation that Jordin was doing an unusually good job at being graceful. I mean, the norm for the child is to spill, trip, twirl, or collapse into something... but, she made it all the way to her seat with that whole snack tray setup. I am content... smiling, actually - and heading for artificial butter. Then, behind me... I hear the sound of spilling popcorn.... alas, Jordin. The sound of spilling popcorn, by the way, is closely related to the sound of change being flushed down the toilet.

I share my popcorn (the only thing that prevented complete meltdown) with Jordin. She, however, is actually quite happy with the $.50 Animal Crackers we were able to retrieve from the popcorn fiasco. So, Jordin ate the $4.75 Animal Crackers, shared popcorn with me, and wiggled for the rest of the 1.5 hour movie.

SB laughed so hard she fell out of her seat. No joke - it's really possible. She's graceful like that. Jordin laughed so hard I was sure that she was either a.) going to wet her pants, or b.) going to shoot animal crackers out her nose. I laughed at them. Didn't laugh at the movie.

Want to hear my review of "Are we There Yet?".... don't waste your $5.00. Save it for the upcoming treats - like Robitica... or something like that. However, if you would like to spend an excess amount of extra money, pick up spilled popcorn off the floor, pray your nose doesn't get broken in the movie theater bathroom - or, see your kids laugh so hard they cry - spend the money.... it was worth it.

Rachael