FreeAtLast

I think it's rather sad that this thread didn't get as much attention as the worst things about the ROA thread. I do remember having so much fun there from 75-85, but after that I was Way Corps and all I did was work. 75-85 though were some of the greatest times in my life.

I didn't have to wake up for a week every year to all the other state songs .

Thanks DM but sometimes I wonder. Like tonight fighting to get them to go to bed. I will tell you motherhood can be a chore especially when you are doing it as a single mother. Sometimes I just want to give up but then I see them smile or hear them laugh and I am reminded of why I work so hard.

Here's part II I was sleeping soundly on the couch in my living room since my house is too small to provide everyone a bedroom. It was seven on a Saturday morning, my one morning to sleep as the kids are generally with their dad or sleeping in as well. Not this Saturday, this Saturday Bethany was so excited about our trip to the Great Wolf Lodge that she came to my side shook me and asked me if it was time to get up. I asked her what time it was to which she responded, “Six fifty four.” “Argh! Bethany no it is not time to go. I am going back to sleep and so should you,” was my response. No sooner did I begin to enter the rem phase of sleep, when Bethany was shaking me again, and asking if it was time to get up, this time it was seven thirty. By eight I had given up trying to sleep in and started to pack the car for the trip. I still had to run to the store to get some things I had forgotten. Pop, chips and a new shirt for Scotty, and this time Scotty wanted to come along. We went to Walmart again and Scotty picked out his shirt, but that wasn’t enough, he threw the shirt in the basket and said; “Ok now I need another shirt and two pair of pants.” It was his birthday, what would you have done? I bought him two new outfits, boxers and socks; he walked out of there with a big grin on his face. I spent so much money at Walmart I had to head to the bank and get more money before we headed to the Lodge. Believe me I am not made of money and until my next paycheck we are going to be tight, but I wanted Scott to have a memorable entry in the pre-teen years, if it took spending a little money it was worth the loss of a few funds. We withdrew the money from my bank and headed home to finish packing the car. There was still an hour and a half before our planned departure time. We just sat and waited for twelve thirty to arrive so we could leave. The kids asked if it was time to leave every 5, and it was getting old, so at twelve ten I told them to get into the car and let’s go. They ran yelling into the van, and off we went. Our first stop was to pick up Austin, but since he wasn’t expecting us until twelve thirty he wasn’t there. We waited until he and his grandmother arrived and then loaded him and his walmart bag into the car. Next we picked up Ginny, the one friend my oldest daughter was allowed to bring, then Bethany’s one friend Brooke, who has a crush on my son. Our last stop was across town to pick up Scott’s friend Colwin, then on the road. An hour later we arrived at the Lodge. We met the kid’s dad there, as well as a line out the door of folks waiting to check in. I sent the kids to run around the lodge with their dad as I waited to get their wrist bands for the water park. It took nearly an hour of waiting, during which time I got to know the lady in front of me quite well. I was relieved to finally be first in the line when one of the employees closed his register after sending a patron to their room. A line out the door and they let this guy closes his register. I wouldn’t have been so upset but he didn’t leave the front area he just didn’t wait on me. Finally one of his co-workers took called me to her line, and then he got back on his register. She checked me in but didn’t give me a room, only handed me the wrist bands and told me to come back at four for the room keys. I had to purchase three guest wrist bands since the room only provided six, another 45 dollars out of pocket per day and we swam two days. At least their dad wasn’t going to be there the second day so I didn’t have to buy him a second wrist band. The kid’s dad took them down to the pool while I waited for the room. As I was sitting in the lobby I realized that no one else seemed to be waiting for a room and that the girl who checked me in was just too lazy to take the time to give me the keys. I went back to the desk where keys are dispersed and asked for my room keys, they were given to me right a way with no hassle; It wasn’t four. Now I had to find a cart, I couldn’t lug the bags of eight people very efficiently without the use of a cart. There were people sitting in the lobby waiting to leave but not budging with their carts. I didn’t understand why they just didn’t move their carts out to their cars, which is eventually what they did but the stood in the lobby commiserating for some time before they finally proceeded to the circle drive to load their vehicles. Then I spied an empty cart sitting on the second floor. Assuming that someone was probably too lazy to return this cart or too impatient to wait for the elevator, I headed up and claimed it for myself. After the long wait for the elevator I finally made it to the car and methodically loaded each bag so that nothing would fall, or so I thought. Upon hitting the first bump I was proven wrong. I tried and tried but couldn’t get the cart over that bump. Everything fell, I managed to keep the cake from falling but I was getting extremely frustrated. Finally someone offered to help and got me to the first door and over the first door jam. I wasn’t so lucky at the second jam and the cake fell to the ground face down, and so did I. I had done all I could to make that cake perfect for my boy and now it was totally destroyed. I had it well wrapped so it was still edible but it was messed up. Sponge Bob and Patrick were all screwy, and the words were no longer well placed. That was it, I had taken all I could, as I heard guests saying things like “I was thinking I should help her,” and “I thought about trying to grab the cake.” I fell to the ground next to the cake and bawled. I just wanted my son’s birthday to be perfect; he deserved to be the center of attention, he deserved the best. One of the guests took the cake to the front desk where they held the mangled mess of cake and décor until I could get the cart upstairs and unloaded. After I had everything in the room and settled my perspective became lighter and I laid on one of the beds and breathed a sigh releasing the stress. Then there was a knock at the door, it was my fourteen year old daughter and her friend, they asked at the front desk and found the room. Following right behind them were the five little ones and their dad. They walked in and I presented the cake. (I had to get that one out of the way quickly.) Scotty didn’t seem to mind, he had been swimming with his best friends. A mangled cake was the least of his worries and after all it was edible. I ran down to the restaurant and purchased three large Pizza Hut pizzas. While I was waiting for the pizzas to be cooked I watched the competition for the strongest man in the world. The funniest competition I have ever witnessed, but I digress. The pizzas were delivered to me and my bill even included a gratuity, that’s all the waitress got from me. That will teach them to take away my freedom of will. When I arrived back at the room Scotty wanted to open the presents. His dad got him a portable DVD player, and I got him a two DVDs and a CD as well as the trip to the Lodge. Bethany’s little friend got him a Naruto action figure. The boys settled in to watch the DVDs, and my two girls started showing more severe symptoms. Both had extremely high fevers and both spent the rest of the day sleeping while the boys played in the arcade and swam. Later Sara and her friend walked the hotel and scoped out the teenage boys that were wandering around. Sara was so sick that she didn’t last long and returned to the room to sleep. This morning I couldn’t drag her out of bed. She was sicker than I have ever seen her and complained that she just wanted to go home. I didn’t want to cause Scotty’s party to end prematurely so I wrapped her in warm towels so graciously provided by the hotel, and tried to make her comfortable until the kids were ready to go. Bethany seemed to recover surprisingly well and is now at her friend’s house. The kids had a blast, it was the kind of weekend that no cake mishaps could over shadow. The birthday boy had a fun and got much of what he wanted. Another event to remember.

Jim I like your angle. I went to the rock from the time I was 12 until the last one. I never missed a rock. It was a time for me to catch up with old friends I didn't mind the food, and I loved the music. Sometimes the teachings got long for the cool August evenings and the mosquitos would eat me alive but I put up with all of that to be with loved ones and to make new acquaintances. The social aspect of the ROA was the most awesome experience for me. After getting into the Way Corps that fun was minimized greatly because all I ever did was work. Even with a baby I was in an area where my leadership made me work. I really missed the fellowship with my friends and family. But I still managed to make a little time for them.

Abi you have class.

Well I am happy for Kevin, and I know that his leaving wasn't because of his newly found fortune. Why the two coincided I can't answer, only JL could tell you that. But I only took his hit the big money post as him sharing a great event in his life. He may be gone from the list but he still has friends out here and he hasn't forsaken his friends. This is somewhat reminiscent of the psychological error often made when one attributes the worst judgement in the actions of others but in their own actions they attribute better judgement. Put yourself in Johnny's shoes for a minute. Why would getting this money be his reason for leaving, I don't think he was out here panhandling or trying to get anyone to finance his life. So his reason for being out here wasn't money. And honestly 18,000 dollars may sound like a lot but unless it is reinvested it will be gone before he knows it. The money isn't why JL left. It's something deeper.

Thursday evening, two days away from the big event, my son’s tenth birthday celebration at the Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor water park and hotel. Since the day it was decided that this would be the venue for his birthday he has been able to think about little else. And now two days before we are to embark on his dream birthday celebration, my seven year old has come down with a viral infection, fever and sore throat. I spent the day nursing her to health, but to no avail. Friday morning she and her oldest sister were both sick and stayed home from school. One day from our trip and now I have two sick children home from school, and I am missing work. I spent the afternoon shopping for the party. My youngest was feeling up to the trip, especially since it was a trip to target to buy new swim suits. Now if you have a teenager you would know that it is risky at best to try and purchase any article of clothing on their behalf. But the swim suits at target were so cute. So I broke down and purchase two for my oldest one for myself and my son, and two for my youngest. You know how girls are. Well my oldest was very pleased at my selection and the smile on her face when trying them on was worth the 60 dollars worth of swim suits. I spent in total 260 dollars at target buying swim suits, new outfits for the child that went along and birthday presents for my son. I baked the traditional birthday cake. I am horrible at decorating cakes but my kids always love that I do it anyway. When I asked Scott if he wanted my homemade cake or a store bought cake there wasn’t even a hesitation with his answer. “Your cake mom, of course, you make the best cakes.” Well Betty Crocker and I do anyway. I went to Walmart to pick up some groceries and some goodies for the trip the next day, as food at the Great Wolf Lodge can devastate a meager budget such as mine. While we were there sick child number two decided she was well enough to enjoy skating, her regular Friday event. We finished the shopping got home and took Sara and all her teen friends skating, and then returned where I unloaded the groceries while sick child number one fell asleep on the couch. With the groceries all placed in their proper location, I commenced to bake the cake, which turned out well. There was enough batter left over to whip up a batch of cupcakes as well. I frosted the cake with vanilla frosting and this time I didn’t try to write on the cake but purchased candy letters and Spongebob and Patrick candy figures, with which to decorate the cake. Scotty loved his cake. It was definitely amateur work but he didn’t care because I made it. He took one look at the cake and said, “Mom you always make great cakes.” And then proceeded to frost and eat a couple of the cupcakes. I got back into the work of preparing for the trip, eleven O’clock came too soon and we were off to pick up the gang from the roller rink. I packed up sleepy sick kid number one and the birthday boy and headed out to retrieve the teenage masses. After taking each one home we arrived back at our home only to find that my lovely cake had fault lines and they slipped while we were gone, the cake had broken and split into 3 pieces. I used the icing to glue it back together, but this was only the first of many mishaps that would occur as I planned the celebration of my now pre-teen son. I will post the rest of the story as I get the tale completed. tune in to see why I was bawling in the hotel lobby.

the pic and the story just made me cry

Hey sudo, I hope you are trying to get JL fighting mad so he will come back and fight. I know I for one will miss the guy. I love his stories.

JJ, I loved the time at the campgrounds in St. Mary's. Many folks would get there early and do a pre-rock. I had more fun there than at the actual event. A couple of years VP actually came to see us all in his black whatever fancy car that was. But when he wasn't there it was lighthearted and the fellowship was great.

Groucho it was all part of indoctrinating you and brainwashing you. There are still parts of that class I can quote in my sleep. I stopped counting how many times I took it. heck i was in 28 years and some years were banner years in the category of new recruits.

WG that's the version I remember. And to think I just got that song out of my head and now I will be singing it with the Way lyrics.

How funny. Point taken

:huh: PAW!!!

WEll shoot must be a doozy since work won't let me into that site. I will have to check it at home.

So what was your secret

I am getting an education out here. Thanks for the info Paw. So are we saying that we have tried this? lol

Talk about Kinky. This intrigues me.

geeze I will be singing that song in my head this week. Gotta get some good old evil Alt rock going on the way home tonight.

well Robes you are unforgettable. You are missed.

Has anyone started a thread to wish Robes a happy birthday. If not I will Happy Birthday Robes

I will miss you JL.

You are probably right waysider. I would be more into the music than burning wooden art work.