Oktoberfest weekend

This has been a wonderful weekend so far. Friday I got to meet up with an old friend for lunch at an Indian buffet. It was great getting to catch up and since she will be moving to College Station we will hopefully be doing more of it. 

Jack and I have had tickets to Oktoberfest at the Renaissanse Festival for a while now but it was only Yesterday that I, for some reason, decided it was important that we dress the part. So, I spent a large chunk of my night Friday sewing Lederhose and I wanted a new Dirndl for myself anyway. I had sewn a Dirndl skirt a few weeks ago so I decided to just do a separate bodice out of the same fabric as Jack's Lederhose (which was redtag @ Joann's and all redtag fabrics are an additional 50% off so I got it at $4/yd. yay!)

The straps were the last thing to go on, and I got pretty lazy. I was making breakfast, finishing the costumes, and trying to get ready at the same time. So I did something pretty dumb. Instead of pinning things in place while fitting the straps I just sort of tucked them under the waistband and starting marking stuff with chalk and the middle breastplate thingy was way too high and uneven. I was hoping this could be our Halloween costume in which case I would just replace the straps but I don't think that's happening.

After I had finanlly finished the costumes and we were almost done getting ready, I was running around the house gathering last minute things. Jack kept following me around the house complaining, "mooooooom, I don't look like a German. but moooooooooooooooommyyyyyy I don't look like a German." Luckily, when he finally told me why he didn't look like a German the reason was an easy fix.

Unfortunately, not too long after we arrived at the festival, it started raining really hard and kept raining for a long time. We spent most of the rainy time playing a bow and arrow game and we made friends with the people next to us, but they didn't speak English. Jack shared his arrows with the boy (with a little coaxing) :) The boy's dad showed Jack a different way to shoot the arrow holding it horizontally and the arrows went sooooo far! (but Jack liked his own style better)

The rain finally slowed to a drizzle and we got some Ice Cream. I have no idea what makes it German other than eating it in Lederhose (Microfiberhose?)

Then we sat and ate it and you know what happened a little later? Someone walked over and vomited very close to us. I feel like that really authenticated our Oktoberfest experience.
 Then a comedy group showed up and we ended up staying for the show until it got grossly inappropriate (and not just inappropriate for young kids, inappropriate period). There were lots of kids there too and Jack and I were the only ones who left. I was really surprised at that. Am I the prude parent??

I always forget that for a family event Renaissance Festivals are very adult centered. I guess you just have to search out the good stuff and take solace in the fact that your child doesn't understand the innuendos.

 When we finally got tired and decided it was time to go we walked in circles for over an hour. I don't appreciate the lack of signs and maps, it's like they want you to get lost and disoriented. It wasn't so bad though, since even just walking around is entertaining and there's something new to see even if it is the fourth time you've past that area.

 We picked this picture up on the way out. They should have done before and afters today because after hours schlepping through the mud we looked like half drowned rats. Speaking of rodents, this photo does remindsme a little of Fievel Goes West.