Let 'em know they deserve it...

Yesterday was an amazing day and my kids deserved it! After church we drove 2 hours to Pocono Raceway where my husband, my brother-in-law and my dad fought G-force speeds in their long-awaited ride in a Nascar! The three of them were like kids in a candy shop putting on their gear and posing for the cameras. You couldn't have scraped the smiles off their faces with a putty knife. My three little ones were watching in excitement not really grasping WHY Daddy, Uncle Frank and Pap were excited about going 165 mph - but they were being good sports. What they didn't know was my husband and I had a HUGE surprise for them after the race (which at 165 mph, 3 laps last about 4.5 minutes). The baby was going home with my parents for a night alone with Nana and Pap - otherwise known as King and Queen Spoil Machine! But my older two were headed to a JUMP 5 concert albeit another 2 hours away. We told them nothing. They were curious when the baby and all his "travel accessories" were re-located to Nana and Pap's car, in fact, I think for a minute they were a bit jealous. We fielded the questions with simple answers, "Just trying out a new place for dinner." They continued to ask but were also engrossed in a movie in the backseat. When we realized we were running out of time, as our friends who were meeting us at the concert had just arrived and called to say there was a line but they would wait out front with our tickets, we decided to hit the SONIC drive-thru for dinner - forgetting we had told them that dinner was the BIG surprise. "Uhhm, Mom, I don't want to sound disrespectful, but is this really where we are eating? We have already eaten at a SONIC before." "BUT, have you eaten at a SONIC in Brownstown before?" "Where's Brownstown?" "Here." "Oh. No." We got out to go to the bathroom while my husband hit the drive-thru. This is when they felt more comfortable showing their disappointment. Behind closed doors and without Daddy in earshot. I tried to convince them that the excitement was because we had never been IN a SONIC restroom, they weren't buying it and quite frankly they were a bit disturbed. I mean, truly disturbed, they were looking at me as if I had flipped my lid and was headed for the cuckoo's nest. They were nervously smiling and their gaze darted back and forth from me to each other...me...each other... Now for those of you who are not familiar with JUMP 5 - they are a Christian pop band whose music is all over the DISNEY CHANNEL and RADIO DISNEY. They sing the theme song for Lilo and Stitch as well as songs for Lizzie McGuire and many other kids' shows. This was our fourth concert and JUMP 5's last time in PA - forever. This was their FAREWELL TOUR. Our church hosted them in concert 2 years ago and our kids (my own and those of the friends we were meeting at the concert) were helping the band in their dressing rooms to cover widows with paper - my husband and I cooked for them - and the kids begged them to stay after the concert for a special ice cream social. We even went on their tour bus - so NEEDLESS TO SAY - this was going to be a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE surprise! We pulled into the parking lot and they started to put the pieces together when they spotted our waiting friends as they darted in front of the car at the entrance. My dear friend Anne-Marie handed them their tickets and then we all went momentarily deaf with the high-pitched shrieking from the back seat. The concert was a blast! They danced, sang and squealed ANYTIME any of the band members looked in their direction. It was a bittersweet night as they realized this was the last time they would ever see them in concert again. We waited in line for autographs and they melted when the members of JUMP 5 said they remembered having ice cream with them. We got tons of pictures and created memories to last a life time. As we left the building the kids were feeling a bit sad about the Farewell tour - but that was nothing a LIMOUSINE couldn't cure. Our friends had rented a limo for the night and since my husband had to leave earlier in the evening, we ALL headed out in style. "NO seat belts! We don't have to buckle up!" "Is that a DVD player" "Can we play my JUMP 5 CD?" "Look, I can almost stand up - we could dance in here." "I love these lights." "We can eat in here?" "Who has a movie?" "I'm hungry." Tony, our driver, must be a dad or at least have a heart for kids because in less than 2 minutes our kids were delivered in style to DUNKIN' DONUTS/BASKIN ROBBINS! It was 11:10 and they were chowing down on chocolate, scanning every digital camera for pictures of the band, giggling and laughing and, believe it or not, I got a few hugs and a "You are the BEST, Mom!" Sure, they were tired this morning and I probably could have left them stay home but then walking into school with their concert Ts and telling their friends about their midnight limo ride would have felt like old news. Matthew, Emily, Natalie-Anne and JT, you are good kids - you SOOOOOOO deserved this one! Love you guys!