Art Barn Rant

The kids have been on Fall Break this past week.  We've taken it pretty easy, but did plan a few activities.  One of which was our visit to the Art Barn.  The Art Barn offers a petting farm, tractor rides, chicken egg collection, bunny visits, and of course, an art project in the barn.  Sounds fun, huh?  Our dear friend Kristen, organized around 8 Mommies and twice as many kids for this event. {reservations, confirmation emails and all} It was the one thing I was really looking forward to for the week leading up to our break.

Well, as I'm sure you can tell from my preface above, as well, as the title to the post, we were greatly disappointed. And it was not because the Art Barn didn't live up to all it promised.  It was because we didn't even have a chance to find out.

I woke up well before the kids on our Art Barn day, got myself ready, made breakfast, packed the car for the 40+ minute drive to the place where farms are {which is not close to me}.  Then I grabbed the kids...rushed, rushed, rushed them to eat and get dressed.  We were in the car and pulling out of the driveway at 9:00 a.m.  I was feeling pretty proud.  We talked on the way up about what we would see, what we would do.  Maggie got excited about the bunnies {buns} and Jack wanted to check out the tractor ride.

We arrived a couple minutes early {woo hoo, I was thinking} and also assuming that is why the farm house looked so quiet.  We were greeted with a boisterous cock-a-doodle-do which elicited giggles from Maggie.  This was going to be a good day.  Slowly, our party started arriving, the kids walked around in front of the farm house peering through the gates, and we all waited for Farmer Sue to come on out and greet her 10:00 a.m. reservations.

And then we saw it...the note.  It said...

Dear Friends, 
At the Doctor with a sinus infection.  Will make it up to you next time with a free pony ride.  
xoxo
Farmer Sue


Please tell me your jaw just dropped as mine did when I read this note for the first time.  Except when I read it, I had two anxious kids under my feet ready to "see the animals".  Now, doesn't this woman work with kids on a regular basis and understand a pre-schoolers level of disappointment?  I ask that rhetorically.  Could she not have called or emailed?, at least Kristen who made the reservations for our group, so she could pass the news on to us.  And really? A sinus infection?  How 'bout go to the doctor at 12:30 when our visit was over?  And I hate to say it, but a pony ride is not going to fix this wound.

Okay, so I could rant and rant.  But, it's pretty obvious we were disappointed.  Jack got over it rather quickly when he found out we were going with plan B, a trip to a bounce house place {gag} to meet some of his classmates.  Maggie, not so much.  She is not a bounce house fan {as you may remember from previous posts} and would have much rather spent her day on a farm.

So what could I do, but leave Farmer Sue a very stern note and help myself {and my kids} into the gate so they could see a few animals.  We spent about 20 illegal minutes on the farm and then loaded up {with very stinky shoes} to head to plan B.

I would like to say with a firm voice while stamping my foot, "I am never going back there again!".  But unfortunately, I just can't do that to Jack and Mags.  Jack already asked this morning, "Are we going to get our free pony ride today?".  See what I mean?  Impossible to follow through with the boycott.

I did, however, get a few illegal pictures {hope Farmer Sue doesn't read my blog}.  Maybe next time, I'll get some legal shots.  Until then...