Oh My Word, our first wedding with kids

One of my friends got married today in Pretoria.

It is hot as hell in Jhb and even hotter in Pretoria. I've said it a million times, "I don't know how those people cope!"

We were considering letting V come in to babysit for the afternoon but she can't leave later than 6pm otherwise won't find transport home which means we would have had to leave at 5pm from Pta.

Since the wedding started at 3, that seemed silly.

So we took them with us.

They were all excited to go to a wedding (their first) and they looked very cute - a pity I got about 3 photos since both D and I were too busy chasing after those two.

I think they sat still in the chapel for about 10 minutes before Connor started going crazy.

It was very hot inside and he (like me) doesn't like the heat.

So D took him outside to let him stretch his legs.

Well, he never made it back.

Kendra and I sat and listened to about 80% of it thanks to the book and crayons I had in my bag. But then she'd had enough too so now both our kids were running around outside with their parents in hot pursuit.

In the heat! In heels! In a tight skirt (because I've put on a kg somewhere - I need to stop my Monday evening baking)!

I heard the crucial bits - the vows, etc - and afterwards managed to say congrats to both of them, and her mother. I met her mother 19 years ago............... had never met the sister or brother but both of them came to me and said, "you must be Marcia". I checked just in case we'd met but they said I still look the same as the pics of us together at 17/ 18 years :)

And here is wher it went south, fast.

They told us that they were going to take pics and we could have something to drink.

The venue was very disorganised (Deja Vu, Laura), not enough waiters and remember it was HOT so lots of disgruntled people.

Add to this that we weren't allowed into the reception area because they were still putting the last touches up. Crazy.

So I parked my behind on a stair and eventually D followed suit.

Our kids got bored and were getting hungry so started throwing tantrums when I said they couldn't just run anywhere.

They literally listened maybe 10% of the time we spoke to them - there were too many people and I also felt like I couldn't just start counting because by that time they'd be off in a forbidden place causing havoc so we had to run after them and grab them before they 1) pulled glasses off the tables 2) ran out into the road 3) messed with the sprinkler systems 4) wrote with crayons on the paved patios.....

I had water (always have), a yoghurt, one pumpkin muffin and 2 ProVita for each of the kids.

Connor told me, "Mummy, want food. Hungry." Uh oh.

I gave him the yoghurt and the 2 ProVita.

Kendra then followed suit.

We waited outside for about 1.5 hours with me getting more and more shrill with the kids.

Eventually they returned, we went in and we looked at the order of events.

D then said, "I think we should go" but I felt like we'd waited so long and I wanted food!

Kendra then said, "Daddy! Kendra want food!" and I quickly hauled out the pumpkin muffins which they polished off.

The kids were crabby, hungry, and Connor said, "Connor tired. Want bed"

This boy almost never asks to go sleep so I knew.

D and I exchanged a look and we started packing up.

We left at eactly 6 pm and on the way home, stopped at a McDonalds (I haven't had McD for about a year - I may have had a cone more recently though) for supper.

D and I had shovelled in a starter (savoury pancake), Kendra had some but Connor didn't want any.

So they had chicken nuggets and chips tonight. Their first takeaways. Hmm, not a milestone I want to really note down but there you go.

We dumped them in the bath when we got home because they were filthy and needed to calm down. I gave them bottles and they were out like lights.

I do hope tomorrow is better - you can be sure we're going to stick to our normal routine of church, a nappy run and home so they can get back to being the children they normally are.

As I've been blogging I just had my first cup of tea for the day and it was DIVINE.

I'm going to get started on my Christmas lists now and by the way, D overruled me - he says we're DEFINITELY getting them presents so I said, "no problem. that's now on your list" Teehee.


But enough about me... how was your Saturday?

And seriously, you guys in Pretoria, what do you do to cope with that heat? Airconned houses? Live in the swimming pool, what?