We broke with tradition. I mean, not the big, important traditions like going to Ren Faire or watching the Birds of Prey show. Those we don’t mess with. Jousting, however, is negotiable. Layna decided she was over jousting, with its excess of people and noise, the first year we went but the rest of the kids didn’t really outgrow it until this year. And that was ok with me. It meant we had so much more time for the rest of the fair…which was convenient because my kids are now old enough to be interested in all the various and sundry shops. Well, except Layna. She and Neil were buddies and she did all the things she wanted to do, even if there were other times she had to sit and wait impatiently for her siblings to browse. She isn’t a browser. She is a rider of ponies, a drinker of frozen lemonade, and an aspiring eater of caramel apples (not quite there yet). Also a lover of mermaids. This was her last year riding the ponies but I’m pretty sure she’ll be eager to meet mermaids for many years to come. Most of the time we are out and about lately without Tatanka, Neil and Layna are glued at the hip. They both love this arrangement and it frees up my brain space for chasing the other three. Sometimes though, she’ll still hold my hand voluntarily. Gasp.

Corra, Naomi and Garyn on the other hand, are here for all of it: costumes, the weird people, the things to buy and the things to do.

Garyn tried some games and bought a cool fidget toy. Corra wanted to buy and do everything so we had to pace ourselves…but she ended up making a wax hand and buying a feather headdress. After talking to the leather armor crafter, Corra also wants to take up leather working with the goal of a full suit of leather armor. Naomi is the most deliberate of my shoppers…and I still don’t have a picture of her big purchase. She bought herself a pair of super, ridiculously wide-leg harem pants. They are so big and flowy they look like a skirt and are her absolute favorite things ever. Naomi also upheld the family tradition of hatching an egg at the Drabbit Hatchery. My costumed three talked to everyone and looked at almost everything and left the fair very content.

My youngest girls are very, very different in what they want out of life. Shocker. Luckily, they are good friends and have willingness to roll with each other’s weirdness. They can definitely still agree on fairies though. So while their older sister would rather talk corsets with me in the shop, they still have one another for fairy visits.

The random performers were everything I hoped for and I was able to add to my ornament collection. Naomi thought I was crazy, but I just go with the one that speaks to me. Obviously, I’m speaking Halloween right this moment.
Garyn now only has one Ren Faire left as a denizen of our household. I’m just grateful he still loves it as much as I do.
Naomi is growing up so much and has already laid claim on one of my other costume corsets for next year. Sometimes she seems like an alien creature sent to teach me lessons. Then I get glimpses of my DNA in there somewhere and I remember that she and I are going to be just fine.
I’ve got lots of years left with my babies, so I won’t wax poetic about them…but I could talk mushy about this guy for days. I’ll spare you. His quiet competence and rare but genuine smile when we are at events like this make me melt. Sure love him.