Sometimes We Do Educational Shit

Whoever said you need a lot of money to have fun was lying. Well, there is some validity to the idea. I mean, it sure is a hell of a lot EASIER to have fun when you are whipping $50's out of your pocket instead of counting the quarters from under the couch cushions, but IT IS POSSIBLE to have a pretty swinging time without spending any cash. Even if you have kids and don't want to "have fun" by pressing your finger over the nozzle of the hose and calling it "water-park-fun-time."

Our boys were busy making a zombie movie* with some friends on Sunday so Patrick and I took Corinne to the Isle a la Cache in Romeoville for their Island Rendezvous where a bunch of historical reenactors bring the 1750's French-Indian fur trading period of Illinois back to life.

I am such a homeschooling mom: can't stop forcing history down their throats, even in Summertime.

Somehow, I don't think Corinne minded and was dancing within minutes of walking on property.

I had to drag Patrick away from the beer brew tent where they discussed, in great detail, how beer has saved humankind repeatedly. I nodded and smiled. Yes. Yes. Beer is good. All praise beer and its ability to not pass on plagues and shit. Secretly, I think our forefathers (or mothers?) knew what they hell they were doing by giving their kids a little liquor every day. Methinks slightly buzzed children would be easier to handle. "I would be happy to muck the stalls and kill the chicken, Maw! Right after I slam this brewsky!"

 Ooohhhh! Reflections!

 

 I love how every fair and carnival and party we ever go to will have a beading station. I also love how my daughter is a sucker for them Every. Damn. Time. We were just happy that there was a bench made of very inadequately matched logs that were nailed precariously together. Being risk-takers who like to live on the edge, Pat and I decided to fling our asses onto the same "bench" at the same time and WE BOTH SURVIVED.

Smiling Kid Picture!
(I swear, hubs is not scratching himself in background.)

Nature! Complete with bubbling brook and touched up greenery!

Well. That's just damn adorable in its own right. Guess who was eating up all of the attention? It's a good thing she's not an only child because that man of mine would spoil her rotten.

I was there! In a selfie! Because I love the way I look at exactly 2.5 feet away from the camera.

Even girls know that weapons are the key to survival. Also, there was an awning and it was getting toasty out. Girls especially know the value of shade.

I am only slightly disturbed by how comfortable she is with skulls and all of the dead animal skins. My children don't seem to have issues with the whole "circle of life" idea. Thank God, because I need help with dead animal removal more often than I projected when I agreed to become an adult.

The canoe and backdrop set up for photo ops was just too good to pass up. So we took one.

Or two.

Maybe I took my photo shoot a little too seriously...

And then we discovered the costumes and we had to start ALL OVER because HATS!

At this point, she said something akin to "This is going on the internet, isn't it?"

Oh, silly child.

I promise you that no coercion was required to get him into this outfit, though I will admit that I was desperately trying with all of my womanly whiles to convince him that the long white dress was actually a Frenchman's SHIRT that he was supposed to belt and wear with boots but he wised up before it was over his head when he saw the lace collar...

At first, I thought Patrick took this pic because he was interested in the book about Plainfield that I was reading...

My baby girl took this shot and I have to say it's my favorite from the entire day...

More nature! 

WHAT. IS. THIS?? We seriously want to know. It was big and weird and I've never seen one in Illinois in my thirty~cough~some years.

Falcons are cool.

Hawks are cooler!

Men who have activities like reenacting past time periods with their sons/grandsons are pretty freaking awesome, to be honest. Talk about a hobby that has a PURPOSE. Bring it on. You GO Mr. Hawk man, even though you didn't tell us that the hawk and falcon show wouldn't start for another half an hour and we sat on your hay bales for 15 minutes in the blazing sun with a 7 year old.

You still rock my world.



*When they say "we want to be out of the house without you for a while doing something creative" I don't question a good thing.**

**"Mommy, know what zombie blood tastes like? Cherry Kool-Aid!"***

***don't know why I used a double asterisk up there. Seemed like a good idea at the time and now it just seems superfluous and silly.