Another Birthday Party

Today I went to a birthday party with my girls. Honestly, I was struggling. I didn't want to go. I didn't want to spend the last Saturday before school started doing this. I have a lot I want and need to clean, read, blog, etc. but I knew if I didn't go, that Corey would, and I knew he shouldn't cause he had hours to catch up on, so I said I'd go. And I really don't know why we don't just say no to things. I'm getting better at saying no, (thanks to Holly's coaching). I hope we will say no to this annual invitation next year, cause other children's birthday parties are not important to me, and we don't have time for things that aren't important to us. But Corey and I also need to get on the same page. It was over a month ago that we were invited to come to this party, and we kinda said we'd try to come. (I just said "I have it on the calendar"...) so.... we both felt like we had to go. Corey went last year, so I reluctantly went, with plans to excuse myself at 5:00 so that I could make it to Costco. When I pulled up, and there was NOBODY there except for the birthday girl, her brother, and her dad, I knew I was in for 3+ hours... It was kinda sad. I took a deep breath. Here we go.

Uggggh... (I also felt like the "good employee" looks in that video during most of this party.

Again, I didn't look that bad, it was just how I felt. (I probably did look like this scowl) I was late arriving. The party started at 3, and we got there at 3:30. It was in Draper at Steep Mountain Park. We got out and went and sat in the pavilion. The dad asked me if I had any trouble finding the park, I said no. He was glad to hear that, and wondered where everyone else was. Oh good, it's not just us. I had a flicker of hope that more people would come, then maybe I can leave without feeling bad. But I had 7 kids in tow, which is gonna be hard to quietly sneak away anyway. sigh. I texted Corey that I didn't think I'd be leaving anytime soon. Soon, the Scary Clown came. No offense to you Mr. Clown, but clowns are just scary, and your ability to seem like a nice person isn't enough for you to be an exception to the rules.

I was impressed with his balloon twisting skills. The kids liked it too. Sophi with a flower balloon hat on her head.

Natalie making her request...

(Just FrEaKy, right!?!?)

Still waiting for other people to come, so he kept making balloons, Sophi with a unicorn.

A zebra for Lily. 

Daniel with a tall T-Rex on his head.

Thankfully 3 other kids had arrived by then. Daniel walked around roaring at them.

It was really windy and the balloons kept popping, so Lily's zebra was dead. Next she got a money on a palm tree with a banana.

Again, I am impressed with the balloons.

Natalie with a star.

We had been there for an hour when the little clown show finally started. It was the same show as last time. The kids laughed a little bit but no one cheered except for me, I was the only good parent paying attention to his jokes and when the punch line came. Again, I was wondering what I was doing there. He made a rabbit appear in a box. The kids liked that part.

I felt bad for the rabbit, hoping he hadn't gotten too hot waiting in that stupid box for an hour!!! Poor thing.

Ugh. Almost done? I missed my chance to go to Costco, so I sucked it up a little longer. The kids went to the playground.

Lily pushed Peter in the swing.

Are you having fun, Peter? Yeah, me neither. (Why am I here!?!?!?! Why am I doing this to myself??!?!)

Around 6:00, after 2.5 hours and an hour later than I had planned to leave, I went and said that we needed to leave, at which time, as I predicted, the dad said "Let's have the cake before you go!" So we stayed for cake.

Sigh. Then we were invited to stay for the dry sledding activity. No, we did that 2 years ago, so we're good, we're not staying for that. We need to leave. I let the kids roll down the hill after they used the restroom.

FOUR FREAKING HOURS LATER and I was in "we need to leave or I'm going to die" mode and Abi helped me get the kids in the car and once we were safely on our way I vented until I felt better. I told Corey that we are done with Latino obligations. I kinda ranted a voice message agreement with him on the way home. I said we are done, NO MORE. If we are in over our heads with our children, as Corey often reminds me, and if we're done having kids, then guess what - we're also done taking on more by attending to all these international people! No more birthday parties, no more lending out the car, no more "hey so and so is going to be staying at our house for a few days/weeks", no more anything with other cultures. We are only going to do us and our kids here in our neighborhood in Utah. We're done. So that was my rant, cause today I feel done. Sigh. So that's that, my raw feelings. And I'm saying it here, but I know it's all just a rant. We will do more and help Latinos again and attend their way too long activities. And since I pretty sure we are not done with all the Latino crap, then guess what: we're not done having kids either!!! So there! Buckle up, cause we have 2 more kids coming!!! As my sister said in a facebook post to me once #nevertoomanyuntillucky14! Or something like that. Aaaaand now I'm going to spend the rest of the evening breathing and finishing my recovery from my bad mood.