It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it is that time!

The Austin City Limits Music Festival is upon us and I am so dang excited.

Our city is decorated with ACL billboards like ornaments on the Christmas tree.

And it makes me feel like at kid at Christmas.

I was out working on a school project with a few lady friends Monday night and all the ladies were talking about the festival this year. One of the gals mentioned this article that was in the newspaper.

I was laughing at myself this morning, because when I read the article yesterday, it kind of irritated me.

And then I had to remind myself that as long as their are women having babies and families raising children, there will be someone waiting to criticize them and offer a better way to do things.

I know lots of people roll their perfect eyes at the fact that we mostly take our kids to the festival all three days. Our general rule for all things during this time of our life is that we all roll together. We've got some common sense though. Last year when it was pouring, we let the Sweet Baby and Miles stay with our dear and trusted friend.

And the year before last, Wyatt was only a few weeks old and he was having a rocking good time at the festival.

And can you even imagine that when he was hungry, I fed him?

And you know, babies and kids need naps and those naps can only be taken at home.

And gosh, everyone knows it is just too loud for babies to attend a music festival. It is very very dangerous for their young ears.

And and there is NO WAY that a baby could actually have fun at one of these things.

We make a point to make sure that our kids are OUR responsibility and that they have great festival manners.

So for all of you out there that wanna poo-poo us for having an incredible time with our kids at one of the most outstanding festivals in the country, try thinking about your own festival manners.

I have seen way more adults act like idiots than kids. (And yes, I know that is a grown up choice.) But being drunk is never an excuse for having bad manners. NEVER. So when you are drunk and falling on me, I'll turn to my kids and remind them that YOU (not them) are the perfect example of bad manners.

And when you are SOBER and walking right across our blanket and knocking my $27 coke over, I'll turn to our kids and remind them that only assholes do idiot things like that without saying sorry.

So maybe the article should have said something along the lines of 'bring your kids and make them behave.' (What a concept.) And if you don't have control of your spoiled freak kid, then leave, or get a babysitter, or call grandma or whatever you need to do to keep the other 59,999 folks from being bothered by YOU. (And please notice that I put being bothered by YOU. Yes YOU. It is YOUR reponsibility to make sure that your kid does the right thing. NOT your child's responsibility.)

And if you are a grown-up acting a fool, you will be used as an example of how not to act when you are grown. See...ACL is actually a learning opportunity!!

And oh, I am still so so so excited!!! :)

Okay, I'll step off my box now.

Almost Famous

We went to the Austin City Limits Music Festival again this year. I've got tons to post and a gazillion picture to go through, but I thought I'd give you a little peek into our Sunday excitement.

Once again, the kids made the best of a very muddy situation. And then they became almost famous because of it. While we were watching Raul Malo play at the Austin Ventures stage, the kids got out the beach ball and started playing mud soccer.
Before we knew it, there was a crowd of festival goers gathering and lots of people asking if they could take pictures of the kids.

Once Raul Malo finished his incredible set, we made our way through the mud and over to the Dell Stage to see Sam and Lake's favorite, Michael Franti and Spearhead. Boy-o-boy, what a show. And what a crowd of professional photographers gathered around our kids.
It was crazy. I was starting to wonder if Brad Pitt was standing behind us or something.

I love that our girls are willing to get down and dirty and have a good time with the boys!

Once that show was over, we got some water and helped the kids wash the mud off of their faces. Sam had so much mud covering him that even his teeth were brown. Ick.

I've gotta say that I think Sam, Lake and Alex are pretty darn cute, even when they are covered in mud!


And the very very best part of the whole situation is that we were given another beautiful example of the kindness of strangers. I started going through our pictures yesterday and was really bummed out to see that I didn't have one single shot of the kids hanging over the front rail at the Michael Franti show. And then I realized that a lot of my mud pictures didn't turn out so great because there was a bit of mud on the lens. (go figure) So after much internal debate, I decided to go out on a limb and email a couple of the folks that gave me business cards when they were taking the mud photos. Well, lo and behold, I received a reply message today from my new buddy Karen, the Digital Executive Producer of KXAN here in Austin. Can you even believe that she took time out of her busy day to send me a few really incredible pictures?!?! I mean with a job title like that, she must be super duper busy - and she still sent us the pictures. I am so so so thankful. What a kind and special person she is. (Thank you SO much Karen.)

So here are a few of the pictures that I received from my new friend Karen with the swanky business title who works for KXAN the NBC Affiliate here in Austin.


Photo credit:
Super talented memory saver for taking pictures of my kids in the mud: Charlie L. Harper III, photographer

One of the nicest people ever for sending a mud tired momma some great pictures: Karen Brooks, Digital Executive Producer KXAN.com

Oh, and you can also find a picture of our muddy kids on the Michael Franti and Spearhead flicker page by clicking here. And did I remember to tell you that the muddy kids got to get up on stage with Michael Franti and dance and sing in front of thousands of people. Yep, they sure did. And nope, I don't have a single picture of it.

Oh, and you can also see a few photos of our Ella singing at ACL with the Barton Hills/Palm School choir here.