Renassiance Festival...Round Two

I got to go back to the Ren Fest with my older girls this weekend...I had lots of extra fun because we had a really big group...and it was rather a motley crew of Scouts!!

So one of our challenges was to find Robin Hood!!

We had 11 girls from my own Cherry Bomb troop, plus two Boy Scouts, Joseph and Adam. Then, because Kate was taking her SAT's, and I had both Joseph and Savannah with me at the Fest, I had no one at home to babysit Brigham and Nicolette...so I had to bring them along, as well.

Then I had 3 moms and one dad who came to help out. So, I brought Jason as well to keep the other dad company and kinda keep up with the Boy and Cub Scouts, in case they didn't want to stick with the girls.

Jason chaperoned the Boy Scouts so they could get in on the fun and merriment of the Fest!!

So, I ended up getting to spend the day not only with my beloved Scouts, but almost my ENTIRE family as well!!

Having already done this year's Fair once with my Daisys, we were extremely efficient with the older girls, because i knew the layout and requirements of this years patch Program. We got to do all the fun stuff...explore encampments, watch the performers and parade, see the joust, and play the games.

Learning about herbs and cures at Ye Olde Apothecarie

Medieval armory instruction at the Paladin Society

Sword-swallower at the Hanseatic League

And, of course, the Tournament of Knights and Joust!!

This year, the girls were REALLY into getting fox or coyote tails, so that was the big purchase....but there was also plenty of pixie dust, elf ears, and dragon claws as well.

And we even managed to find the dastardly scoundrel, plague of the rich, and hero to the poor...Robin Hood!!!

There he is!! Robin of the Hood!! If only Kaitlyn were here...she'd start singing "Men in Tights"

 Now...if only we can get him out of that tree to collect the bounty!!

Renassiance Festival 2011...Part One

I took my cutie little Daisy Scouts to the Ren Fest today. It was their first time...

...can I get a collective "awwwwwwwww"?

We got to do all the cute little girl things that my bigger Junior Scouts are "too cool" to do...like attend "Princess Lessons"...

Meet the newest Princesses in the land...my Darling Darling daisy Scouts...

 I even brought Brigham along, because he's a Cub Scout now and has never been to the Ren Fest, either...

Brigham didn't WANT to go with the Daisies at first, but ended up having a great time...

We did the activities that are ALWAYS favorites...like visiting the Games Field...

The biggest Jenga game EVER...

Playing Giant Chess...

 Of course, we met LOTS of interesting characters...

The Catepillar/Butterfly Guy...

Urinia and Excretia, who clean the privies...the girls were grossed out and fascinated all at once...Brig thought it was genius!!

Fashion divas who sell their wares to the Duke of Bloomingdale and Lord Taylor...love the tongue in cheek humor around here...

We saw some great shows...the joust, the sword swallower, the parade, and a beautiful glass-blowing demonstration...

Kids...don't do this at home...

We cheered for Sir Roderick...the BAD GUY...although his squire kept saying he wasn't BAD...he was simply "morally grey"...

My little Daisy Scouts had a GREAT time...and enjoyed the food, fun, and merriment that goes along with the Renaissance Festival...and were innocent enough to not register the bawdiness...

Invest in the Ren Fest...their stocks are sound...

Or maybe it was just all the orange soda that kept them so happy?

Hehehehe...

 Either way...it was a good day!!

Ren Fest 2010

One of my favorite times of year is the annual Renaissance Festival here in South Florida. My girls and I go every year...and we always have a marvelous time. They have a fantastic Patch Program that allows the girls to get in for free and earn a patch by completing certain projects and talking to the different characters portrayed at the Faire. We learn a lot, it's always different, and there is plenty to see and do.

This year, some of my girls even dressed up. Next year...I am totally dressing up, too...I promise!!



Look at these shoes!! In Renaissance Venice...it was fashionable for woman to be very tall...taller than men even...so they wore these ridiculously high shoes. All I can say is...more power to them...

We NEVER miss the joust...this year we were cheering for Spain!!! The girls liked his long hair...although I preferred the English knights horse...

It's Robin Hood!! What kind of Festival would be complete without Robin and his Merry Men?

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We saw parades and shows, witnessed displays of black muskets, cannons, and the dreaded trebuchet, and of course, shopped our hearts out for fairy dust, elf ears, fox tails, wooden swords, and sparkly dragon claws.

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And during all that, we earned our patch!!

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I'm such a closet nerd...I just LOVE the Festival. I'm so glad I'm a Girl Scout Troop Leader so I can indulge in my kookiness under the guise that I'm doing it for the educational benefits it provides my troop.

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Some day, though, I'm sure they'll see through me. Hopefully by then, they"ll be just as geeky about it as me...