THAT Bounce Place.

Late last night, I remembered I had forgot about the LivingSocial coupon I had purchased for a new local "Bounce Gym", which lured me in with the "7 Regular Admissions for $20". I am a Sanguine. My instincts are to not read the small print. I was happy to think that i bought a full morning's worth of fun for my small tribe, plus a friend or two, for a very low cost. Before moving to our current town, we visited another air-n-vinyl filled gym that my three children enjoyed while their pregnant-with-twins mama observed them from the whale deck. There were no "off limits" and there was no limit in their enthusiasm for being there.

That was then and there. Today is here and now. The twins are no longer tucked securely in my womb, but run, run, run...sometimes in opposite directions, but always at a speed that amazes me, given their run still has a waddle-esque movement about it. I had chosen today for this Funapalooza in honor of my little girl's impending third birthday. What better place to celebrate this little wild child than in a place she can climb, jump and bounce off the walls to her heart's content? No place better than "That Bounce Place", right?

So one would think.

I tucked my camera into my diaper/lollibribepop-filled purse, as I was sure in such a colorful setting I (being the studied photographer I am) would capture vibrant close-ups and nifty mid-air jumps of each of my children as they reveled in the fun that their generous and God-fearing mother had graciously treated them to. I hesitate to share them with you, as it may tempt someone out there to feel inadequate in their basic photography skills ( it might surprise you,as you take in the following scenes, that my camera is not of professional grade. The dirty little secret Nikon and Cannon doesn't want you to know is that you do not need their 3,000 dollar lenses. Nope. Just a good eye, steady hand and a quick forefinger). Without further adieu......

 

Sensational, aren't they? All above photographs were taken within the first ten minutes.

After that, things began to get interesting. Here are a few of the things that happened in reality, which had not played out in my mind's eye earlier that morning: 

The birthday girl loses interest.

Big time.

She went down the slide, took in one or two of the inflated obstacle courses but when she discovered the water fountain, it was all she wrote. If I could not find her, I looked here and there she was. If she couldn't be there, she didn't want to be anywhere. Keep clicking for resulting scenes.

The children hypervented over the Clifford balloon. And all the 2,304,283 small trinkets and toys they had practically sitting on top of the benches provided to remove one's shoes. 

Brilliant marketing. Head-banging frustration. (I forgot to  mention that the small print on the coupon I had purchased included that it was one free admission for seven different visits. Ah, yes. What a deal. It might be, except that it expires December 2011 and I am not planning on returning until after December 2013.).

And here..oh, here is the sight that surely secured 'Mother of the Year' in the minds of the young mama's who followed their happy little tykes around:

This is what 'hitting the wall' looks like from the back...

...and the front.

And whilst their big sister was putting on a show of amazing endurance and longevity, these boys-one in particular- seemed to be trying to make their way BACK into their mother's womb (screaming during the entire attempt, not unlike their original trip down the old canal), where they found it much more enjoyable the last time they were in a "Bounce Gym".  Let me tell you, at this point I was begging the Lord to return, or at least take me quickly, without much of a scene as to not traumatize the children...

 As I put the children back in the van in shifts, with them fighting me tooth and nail as I secured their car seat straps, I marveled that I had not been heavily medicated when I originally came up with this 'great idea'. The only medication I had taken was Ibuprofen, and as far as I know 'delusion' is not a known side effect. The lady behind the counter at "That Bounce Place"  politely spoke the words, "Leaving already?"  Her face, however, look much like that of the Egyptian Pharaoh's did after the tenth plague as it silently spoke, "Thank the good Lord. Please. GO, already."

And go I went. On the way back, sitting at a red light, I called my husband and quickly asked: "If you hear me talking about taking all of our children to the bounce gym within the next two years, please remind me that I would rather have a root canal performed by a chipmunk than do this again". He assured me he would offer that gentle, albeit, strange reminder.

The GOOD news is that I came home to this:

 

 My dear, sweet neighbor dropped off a homemade version of delicious Iced Coffee, 

and shared the recipe with me.

The even GREATER news?

I am passing it along to you!

 

Here's to Living and Learning!!!

(and knowing when to stay home!)