Day trip – brace yourself!

Soooo I took the 3 hooligans off to Spier today on Daniel’s school trip.  Seeing as how I couldn’t exactly leave them home by themselves

We managed to get everyone fed and dressed and out the door by 08h00 this morning – an absolute first for us.  Arrived at the school and uploaded my friend Sue and her little girl, R, Daniel’s best mate. 

Off to Spier, with 4 little ones jabbering away in the car.  The usual complaints about who is hitting who and threats about stopping the car etc etc etc.

First off we went to the Eagle Encounter enclosure where I had to peel Daniel off my neck after he almost stepped on a poor eagle that was minding it’s own business attached to a perch.  Whilst trying to herd the girls and carry a heavy basket. (one of my less clever choices in luggage)  Then we had a lovely presentation on eagles and owls and the kids loved it. The bigger kids.  I was trying to keep the girls from eating EVERYTHING in the basket before 10h00.  My friend Sue was doing her best to help and we juggled girls on our laps every few minutes.

Here is Daniel with Barney the Barn Owl on his head:

And here is R with Barney on her head, Sue with Daniel on her lap and the girls looking with great trepidation.

After the Eagles we had a quick picnic and then off to see the Cheetahs.  Where the fun began.  We all traipsed into a wood hut, about 30 children and as many adults.  Where we were entertained by a tour guide on a power trip that spent more time trying to threaten and silence a bunch of 3-6 year olds than keeping them entertained.  In a wooden hut.  In summer.

By this stage the girls, Daniel and R were lap hopping between Sue and myself and when an argument ensued about a water bottle that ended in both girls screaming I called it quits.  Thank goodness the show was almost over.  I could almost feel the other Moms’ eyes burning in my back..

But THEN we got to walk from enclosure to enclosure to look at all the cheetahs, dogs, a couple of goats, a baby puma and probably a lot of other animals I missed as Sue and I were trying to carry the girls in any way possible as they POINT BLANK refused to walk.  And I narrowly escaped having to carry Daniel as I somehow had the presence of mind to pack shoes for my barefoot wonder and could convince him to walk after extended conversation begging to get him to put them on.  At some point I had also outsourced the carrying of the blasted basket to another Mom.  I’m SO buying a rucksack!

We survived, pride barely in tact, and had 4 snoring children on the way home.  After a brief stop to swap seats of course.

Sue, you rock, thank you so much!