it's the great letdown, charlie brown

The kids hopped off the bus yesterday and slapped on their costume apparel.





We were headed to Sauvieland, a pumpkin patch, sure to be the hit it was last year. Right? RIGHT? Enter the ominous music; it was a bummer.





Sure we had a good time. The kids looked great and went on a ride around the property, pulled by a tractor.








And I snapped their picture with the pumpkins, something I do every year.





But it just didn't live up to the expectations of our cast and crew.

{Personal disappointment + hungry crying boy + preteen drama queen crying girl = Wavering Sanity.}

Finally I pulled the ripcord - I directed the sobbing children to the car, tromping through the mud, having those icky Motherhood feelings that made me come thisclose to shouting:

(Not so pretty or proud.)

But instead, I turned up the radio, some White Stripes to drown out the disappointed throng. Once I realized, 10 miles later, that Lexi may be somewhat sane again, I turned down the radio and she told me it had been so fabulous last year, so perfect, that it just really hurt her heart (oh yes, she's definitely mine) that it wasn't as good this year. That the hay ride closed early. That her friends weren't around. Soon the sadness gave way to a lesson in low expectations, my personal philosophy for getting through the holidays ahead.

They both dried their eyes and I told them I was so hungry I was gnawing on my arm. They chuckled and soon we were playing the 'gnawing on appendages game' until I found a place to fill empty tummies along the I-5.

I sure hope Halloween proper is a little less stressful. My expectations have been lowered accordingly...

(Here's our Sauvieland pictures from 2006)