Oct 07 2008
It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses Their Edge
So yeah; gardens, boat, sunshine. Take two. (To save your poor browsers, I went with thumbnails for this. Hover for descriptions, click to enlarge)
Ever drag 3 kids out on an hour long car ride, a two hour boat ride, and then expect them to be even close to interested in walking around some bee-infested garden? You can guess how well that panned out for the lot of us. Fortunately, I am a creative woman with a decade of parenting under her belt, and I know a trick or two for getting kids interested in something.
Besides that. Everyone knows that. It worked pretty well for me, too, truth be told.
No, no, I was talking about every kid’s kryptonite: The Gift Shop. PS: Whoever decided to put the gift shop at the entrance of everything, making it the Very First Thing every kid sees? Can suck it. Moving on. I set a challenge for my boys that day; find and photograph ten shockingly, unexpected, secret things of beauty. No small feat in the Garden of Eden, eh? Each kid who found 10 got to go to the gift shop.
Of course, when 2of3 started pointing out bamboo fences in Japanese gardens *shock* and flowers growing in flower beds *gasp*, I had to clarify that I meant things that probably shouldn’t be where they were, things that made them want to stop breathing for the sheer beauty of them.
Game. On.
2of3 did really well in the end. My favorite find was the old pulley system for the limestone he found tucked in a corner, and my favorite picture of him, maybe ever, is that one with the blue flower.
1of3 is a little more conservative, and so it took him a LOT longer to get his pictures, but he was truly dazzled by the ones he did. Especially the totem poles and that water fountain, which just weren’t there one second, and so totally massively there the next.
(Edit: Linds was kind enough to play editor and remind me that I forget to mention that yes, they all got some piece of crap that probably sitting in a landfill by now at the gift shop, even though no one actually got to 10. We have the combined attention span of one cheese stick.) I found a few really beautiful things, too. We must have showed 20 kids that spider, which doesn’t look in pictures nearly as big as it was.
But all through my day, at the gardens, on the boat, in Victoria, I found that I am surrounded every minute of the day by the most beautiful things I could ever hope to see.
Yes, even my mother in law. God, I’m getting soft in my old age.
Comments close after 14 days. And there's Captcha if you're nasty. 46 Comments to “It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses Their Edge”
Awe. You are so stinking sweet and made me feel all warm and fuzzy. ;) Lovely.
Once upon a time, OHmommy wrote..Caboose Monkey
What a neat idea for keeping them interested and involved. Those are some great pictures!
Once upon a time, Jaina wrote..Stalling
Can I ask an idiotic question?
Have any of the kids ever tried to pull on the nose ring?
Once upon a time, Xbox4NappyRash wrote..Quod erat demonstrandum
Awesome way to get them to be more invested in the trip :-D
Thanks for sharing the experience.
What a fantastic idea! They did a great job with the photos, too! At the end, did they all get to go to the gift shop? LOL
Once upon a time, Linds wrote..Unconscious Mutterings
You totally soft. Next thing you know, she’s going to be living with you.
Once upon a time, MomBabe wrote..Ghost Story
I have decided to move to Canada. Do you have any ugly areas or what? Every shot I see looks like a travel brochure. Maybe you could do a post called “The Slums Of BC” to make me feel better about Los Angeles.
Second, Your kids are amazing. Truly. You should get them into modeling or something.
Once upon a time, Matt wrote..Healing
you - all of you - are beautiful!
Once upon a time, mb wrote..single mom-hood: does it suck?
dude you really are getting soft right before our eyes! haha. Great idea with the pictures and how freakin gorgeous is your family. Seriously I am all like jealous over here.
Once upon a time, punk rock mommy wrote..I am Raising the Next Tina Fey
Wonderful post!! Love all the shots. I’m totally stealing that idea when I drag the kids to the arboretum in the next couple of weeks. They do come up with the coolest angles.
Em
Now I’m totally craving an ice cream cone, thanks. The photoshop pictures are awesome!
Once upon a time, Casey wrote..Flowbee Me
Awesome idea. Question–do your kids have their own cameras, and if so, which one? I’m looking for affordable camera ideas for my 8 year old for Christmas.
Once upon a time, Mom24@4evermom wrote..A distraction
damnit, why’d you have to make me get all squeeshy and teary-eyed and such? (sniffle) that was so sweet! (and unexpected from you . hehehehehe joking!) (not!)
Once upon a time, Lo wrote..
Gift shops are punishment for parents.
Once upon a time, Jack wrote..Who Wants To Buy An Artificial Foreskin
ice cream!!!!
(oh, and cute kids with pretty pix. love the b/w treatments)
Once upon a time, the planet of janet wrote..It’s time to look ahead
I love, love, love that shot of you and the Donor on the ferry. And the kids are pretty cute, too. But you already knew that.
Once upon a time, Latte Mommy wrote..The Vacation Correlation
AUGH you make me want to have more kids. And Im’ not even done gestating my second. What a beautiful family.
Once upon a time, Maria wrote..ten
I love the photos - especially the b&w ones with just a touch of color.
Once upon a time, Elle Charlie wrote..Take that!
I’m not sure I even know you anymore.
Snort.
XX
Once upon a time, Ree wrote..Cousins - Past in Polaroids 9
I love this post. I love that idea; I love their pictures. What a beautiful family.
Once upon a time, Katherine wrote..A Good Thing With a Side of Chips
you old softie you
Once upon a time, raino wrote..Fricken Disaster!
Great pics and great trip. I haven’t been there in 24 years.
Sweet.
Once upon a time, tracey wrote..Embarrassing Truths
This is GORGEOUS! I love how you’ve got all this zest for the beauty that surrounds us, but still with the dark whisky in the sippy cup effect underlying the whole thing.
Love it. To bits.
And in a weird coinkidink, I posted something similar in my blog!
*clinking* sippy cups. :)
Once upon a time, thedemigod wrote..The Icing on my Endorphin Cake from Yesterday
Oh and it doesn’t hurt either that you are the most gorgeous family i have EVER seen too! Screw the Brangelinas!
Once upon a time, thedemigod wrote..The Icing on my Endorphin Cake from Yesterday
Those are Gore-gee-us. Oh, the donor, lookit how fly he looks.
Once upon a time, Zoeyjane wrote..On seeking, but not finding.
GREAT pictures. I’m glad everything went well with the MIL
Once upon a time, Megryansmom wrote..We Could Be Twins!
Gorgeous pictures! The boys did really well with their ‘quests’ for photos.
And dammit, you ARE going soft! We need a hard-edge-Mr-Lady post to even us out.
Seriously though? Very sweet.
You all are too beautiful. Your photos are great!
Once upon a time, Tara R. wrote..What if I’m wrong?
What a great idea to keep the kids interested in looking around. Will have to try that.
Once upon a time, elisabeth wrote..Things I am thankful for today
How did you get the black and white with color spots? I love them! How do I do this with my camera? Or is it after in photoshop or something?
Once upon a time, micki wrote..Piano Lessons Paying Off
awesome pictures.
nobody found gum on the sidewalk…”insert shock here.”
that is such a pretty place.
i wanna go. how much does it cost to fly to canada. where specifically are these gardens wah wah.
cool pictures and more so, wonderful memories.
that last shot is like a magazine ad! you’re all pretty freaking gorgeous.
Once upon a time, tammie wrote..yummy cupcake
What a great idea! I would have just stuck with lots of ice cream!
You and your family are so gorgeous!
Once upon a time, Kristabella wrote..I Have Nothing To Say
I bet you’ve really missed me. Great photos. I visited Victoria years ago and bought a shirt with Victoria on the front (yes, in the gift shop). Then I went home and everyone was all, oooh, that’s your name. *roll*
Once upon a time, janethesane wrote..Screaming
Beautiful pics! I LOVE the one of Josh and 1of3. Gorgeous!
I can’t believe not one of those kids scored points with you by trying to get a photo with you, you gorgeous thing, you. Just proves they’re not as creative as their mother.
Great post. Beautiful perspective.
Once upon a time, Missives From Suburbia wrote..Welcome To the Sorority
Holy god those ice cream cones look so damn good right now that I am LICKING MY SCREEN. (You’re in the shot so it’s just an added bonus as well.) Hee!
Once upon a time, Loralee wrote..Form letter. (I think that I am just going to keep copies of this in my purse.)
P.S. In my awe over the ice cream I totally forgot to mention my undying LOVE for Vancouver Island. I’ve been several times.
I LOVE The Empress Hotel and Victoria in general.
I did NOT love falling into the Japanese fish pond at Buschart Gardens nor being kicked off of the premises of a local night club for “Soliciation” of my GAY friend pulling up in a taxi when I was pregnant and wearing a cardigan sweater and jeans, however.
;)
Once upon a time, Loralee wrote..Form letter. (I think that I am just going to keep copies of this in my purse.)
Looks like an amazing time. I am feeling like the slacktard mother,right now. You know the one, who never takes her kids anywhere?
That’s me, right now.
Once upon a time, tiff wrote..It’s the little things.
It’s really not fair that such a gorgeous family also got to have such a fabulous time! Love all the pics :)
That was a neat idea.
Once upon a time, zandor wrote..Voting and Politics
I am drolling over your beautiful family and crying because you are so far away. I miss you, ya know?
Once upon a time, Marge wrote..Simply Amazing
I could totally be bribed by ice cream.
Once upon a time, Kim wrote..Hi, My name is Kim. I am NOT Perfect.
Simply lovely. Great shots by the entire gang.
And - is there anything ice cream CAN’T fix?!?
2of3’s pics are BREATHtaking!
Once upon a time, April wrote..No Men