Art Festival...Teaching Ground

The Des Moines Arts Festival was one of the first places I took my four kids alone last year.  And we had a great time!  It was something we definitely wanted to do again this year, and it was equally as fun... almost.

The weather was great, the crowds were light and the kids were happy.  Des Moines is such a cute little city- just the right size for our cute little family.

The kids loved the different art stations- they crafted and colored and braided and cut and glued to their hearts content, and each came home with a stack of creations.  We watched a silly street show, gathered up our balloons and headed over to the fountains for a quick splash before going home.  

 But when two of the balloons floated up into the sky while the kids were playing, two of my kiddos melted down.  We don't have meltdowns around here very often, but put them in a public venue along with "You're a bad mommy!  It's your fault!  I don't love you anymore!" and my fuse shortened right up and the other two balloons were sent up in the sky as well.  The two particular kids were told in no uncertain terms that they could shape up immediately or receive some serious consequences, and we marched out of there in record time.

It made me sad.  It was supposed to be a fun day that instead ended with consequences and lessons learned.  But really, it was just a good reminder that we're all still learning how to act, talk, and treat one another.  So I changed my phone screen to that beautiful picture up there- my four small children huddled under the care of their endlessly loving and large mother- to constantly remind myself that, while every day may not be perfect, I can get through the hard moments, that I am so blessed to be the one that guides my little ones through their emotions and frustrations and triumphs and failures, and that I can always do it with enough love and space in my heart for all of them.