Plan to Distract Kids as Chronicled by my Phone's Camera

Back in the depths of winter when I was wracking my brain for the perfect Christmas present for my husband, the greatest idea came to me.  Every summer a PGA golf tournament plays not far from us; why not buy tickets for it?  In the process of buying tickets, I found out children under 15 are free.

So finally the weekend arrived and Peter had to choose who was going.  Would it be the whole family?  One choice child?  After explaining that I wouldn't chose for him, he made the wise (and brave) choice of taking the oldest 4 kids, who all happen to currently be taking golf lessons.  That was great, but left me with the job of making sure the two little ones didn't feel left out.    How, you may ask, does one distract an almost 6 and 4 year old from noticing their siblings aren't around? Project Fun Day with Just Mom was born.  I present to you the PLAN as chronicled by my iPhone.

#1- Breakfast out.
Include donuts and hot chocolate in neighboring tourist town.  Also include son pointing out loudly and excitedly that the family the next table over has TWO DADDIES, which must not have been too offensive as one of the daddies later helped out when other son spilled his hot chocolate on way out the door.

#2- Stop at small theater while strolling between donut store and book store to get picture with their favorite local whale.

#3- Spend way too much time at the Best Used Book Store on the Planet.
Seriously, you should be so lucky as to have this book store near you (which is big enough to actually be several buildings on an old farm outside of town AND two satellite stores in already mentioned touristy town)

#4- Leave first tourist town for other tourist town to visit other favorite store, a.k.a. Consignment-store-where-people-who-have-one-child-while-in-their-late-thirties-bring-their-barely-used-name-brand-clothing Store.  Now THAT is some name, huh?

Spend under $150 to outfit all the kids for summer.

Wonder why you would think driving to the two biggest tourist towns on a Saturday in the summer was a good idea.

#5- Have compassion on kids and let them take a break for lunch.  With only the smallest kids with me, there was no Playland angst involved.

#6- Drive home.  Enjoy naps, reading, and Netflix streaming of Karate Kid on laptop.

#7- Head back out and let the kids spend their allowance money for the toy they've been saving up a month for.

#8- Just as day is ending, get call from husband's counselor in Youth Program (Young Mens) asking why Peter isn't answering his phone as there was a glitch in rides home from Youth Conference and 4 kids need ride from drop off spot over an hour away.  Need someone there in 45 minutes.  Hop in car and enjoy 3 hour detour in plan.

Joseph asked only once where the other kids where.  When I explained they were (quietly) watching other people play golf all day, he was completely satisfied with our alternate choice of entertainment. So was I.

Peter and the kids, however, had a blast and it was totally a fantastic Christmas present for him.