SauerHudoba Family Blend

Last weekend my family and I went to the MN Renaissance Festival.  We don't go religiously, nor do we own the period garb to really do it "right."  But we do love to go, and we like to participate on some level.  I, personally, adore dressing up, as I have discussed in previous posts.  But I have this deep internal struggle with following the crowd.  It's really less of a struggle and more of a complete neurosis.  Even in a place where weird is embraced, I can't look like everyone else by dressing in the full costume.  Sometimes, I will wear the breast-bunching wench-wear on top and low-slung jeans on the bottom (ok, that was before kids) and sometimes, like last weekend, I will wear my own clothing put together in a way that implies Ren Fest, but could still go to the mall without too many stares.

But the boys?  The boys we dress to the nines.

Urban donned his shining armor and Beringer became a dragon.  (He's on Brett's back in this picture.)



Here is what I learned this year at the Renaissance Festival:

Lesson #1:  There are still genuinely kind people in this world.  

When we first arrived, the court of the realm was seated on a platform greeting people – the queen, king and courtiers – Urban, of course, wanted to meet them.  We walked up to their platform and waited in line behind all the little girls oohing and ahhing over the queen.

While we waited, some of the courtiers began talking to Urban.  Urban is not afraid of strangers.  So, he chatted with them about knight stuff until it was his turn.  I whispered to him as he approached the "throne" that he needed to bow before the queen.  He did.  She smiled and gave him a gold coin.  He was thrilled.  Then the king looked down and said, "Sir, knight!  You are clearly a brave and noble night, for you have brought us a dragon!  But, where is your sword and shield?"  (I had told Urban he had to leave these at home because I didn't want to drag them around all day.)  but Urban replied, "I haven't earned them yet."

"Ah," says the king, "Well, I believe you have.  Come with me."  He gets off the platform and, followed by two "guards," takes our whole family (Auntie Chris and Grandma Mary were with us too) to the weaponry shop nearby.  (They were wooden weapons.)  I'll be honest, I became a bit tense at this point thinking 'what is he going to get Urban's heart set on that I will then have to buy??'

They walked around the shop together, the king and Urban, and chose a long sword ($20) and a hand painted shield ($38).  My heart was beating faster as I did the math.  Then the king walked up to the shop keeper and said, "This all goes on the king's bill."  And promptly lays the cash on the counter.

He then turns to Urban and, using his own sword, knights Urban, saying, "Sir Urban, you are clearly already a powerful knight, for look at all your servants!"  (laughs from the crowd that has gathered)  He then tells him that he must be brave and noble and kind, never fight with his brother and always listen to his mom.  He then gave Urban the King's Coin – a large gold coin with his face imprinted on it – and took a long sip from his cup.

We were in total shock.  And Urban, over the noise of the crowd said, "Thank you King.  You are a really good king."The king smiled and patted Urban's helmet.

As we left, we overheard the young boy who was working at the shop say, "Why would you just buy all the stuff for someone you don't know?"

To which the King replied, "Sometimes you just do things for people and expect nothing in return."

Amazing.  He is a good king.





Lesson #2:  There is still magic in the world.

There is nothing more magical than seeing a place like the Renaissance Festival through the eyes of a child.  Everything is real.  There are fairies and nymphs and dragons.  They all exist.  You believe.  These are not tax accountants and hair dressers in elaborate costumes.  These are real enchanted creatures.  And they can give you magical protection spells and whisper things in your ear.

Lesson #3:  No one gets more attention than a baby dragon.

We were constantly being stopped – Brett and I passed Beringer back and forth between us all day – and told we had a dragon on our backs.  People took pictures of him and cooed over him constantly.  Beringer ate it up.

Lesson #4: It may be a short ride, but it's still an elephant.

Urban decided early in the day that he wanted to ride an elephant.  We worked our way slowly through the festival, constantly promising that we would get him back to ride one.  Finally, as we were all winding down, we got back to the elephant area.  We knew this would be our last event of the day.  Urban, his cousin Mason, and Brett waited in the long line.  Brett hoped that he could just put the boys on and then wait to pick them up again.  Mary and I waited at the fence with Beringer so he could see the elephants.  

"KITTY! KITTY!" Beringer shouted as they lumbered by.  

"No, that's an elephant."  

"DOG! DOG!  RUFF! RUFF! RUFF!"  

"Really, baby, it's an elephant.  See?  She has a big trunk and grey wrinkly skin?  Elephant."  "THPPPTTTT..."

Well, it turned out that the boys were too little to ride by themselves.  So, Brett had to pay to ride with them.  $13 later they had completed their 1 minute meander around the small circle and were disembarking.  Urban came down the stairs with a big frown on his face.  

"That was a really short ride.  I wanted to ride longer."  He whined.  Brett crouched down next to him, hugged him, wiped away his tears and said, "I know, buddy, I wanted to ride longer too, but, in the end, you still got to ride an elephant."

So true.

Lesson #4: Nothing beats a day of family fun and a fantastical escape from reality.