Winterfest Medieval Festival 2011

"Jocelyn: Better a silly girl with a flower than a silly boy with a horse and a stick. Wat: It’s called a lance. Hello? " A Knights Tale.

One of my most favourite jousting quotes ever and only made slightly creepy if you know what happens to Wat/Wash in Serenity.

Oh yeah that’s right we went medieval again.

Got a much better picture of Sabrina the eagle this time.

She even has sleepy cuddles on shoulders like our Sabi does, I wonder it the eagle minds getting called Sabi???

The kids and I went opp shopping to find appropriate costumes, they are big fans of Merlin so apparently they already know how medieval people should look so there!

The kids watched the adults bash each other up with sticks….

then they had a go themselves.

I’m very proud of Eli in this photo even though he has been brought to his knees by a small girl in a pink dress. Just last year that scene above would have been to much for him and he probably would have lashed out then ran off screaming but to our amazement he just got up and laughed it off, woo hoo!

Sabi had a go to, she not one to be left out when there’s swords involved. I have to say, even though I hate being negative, that the nights training school was now were near as good as last years. There was no theatre involved in it at all, the kids were just handed at sword and left to their own devices barely supervised buy a peasant and red knight who clearly weren’t suited to the task. The red night even dashed through the crowd of small children just after this photo was taken, knocking Sabi over and reducing a boy to tears by whacking ferociously on his shield. To his credit he admitted fault and apologised to the boy but the episode soured one of the reason the kids were so keen to come back which was a shame to say the least.

They did have more fun with the replica weapons though and the guys in that tent were just brilliant mainly because it was cute to watch men in full armour go all gooey over Lilly when she put that helmet on. One was totally punch drunk though from the hammering he’d just received in the sword arena, so totally think these historical dudes are going to end up just as bad as boxers.

And after only a small amount of training Eli was able to run one through so all in all an educational day was had by all.

Our sweet little angels with their deadly weapons.

Our friend proving the only knight in shining armour a girl truly needs is her Daddy.

Glenn proving the only moving target a girl truly needs is her Daddy

By the end of the day we had collected more children than we came with, seriously, couldn’t see their parents and they were asking us the important questions like "Can I have an other ice-cream please" Glenn was getting worried I’d try
the old, "Look what followed me home"

What better way to wrap up a day of watching grown men and a few women bash each other with swords than to watch more grown men bash each other with swords. Well at least it gave us one final opportunity to call out "I am not left handed"

Then it was the turn of the men on horses with big sticks

to ride ferociously at each other and to our alarm at the spectators, in particular us, while we were peacefully spectating. As this charming example of equine glory came twirling towards us I had a small panicked moment were I realised that I was completely incapable of scooping all of my little ones into my arms and saving them. I am ever thankful that they managed to get this guy under control in the meter between the first barrier he pushed through and the one we were sitting behind because Glenn and I managed to pull three kids back but Lani just sat right in it’s path totally unconcerned waiting for the danger to pass. Must talk to that girl about removing ones self from the path of imminent hoofed danger. 

When one of the jousters shattered a lance they collected up the pieces and gave them out to the watching kids, Eli was lucky enough to get this piece. 

The Daddies thought the babies would be able to see the men with big sticks better if they were stacked up.

Which inevitable ended in an adorable game of catch uncle Glenn’s nose.

Until the men, suddenly aware of the intoxicating and unmasculine cuteness they were drizzled in, set the babies against each other in the bloodiest pink stockinged foot fight this side of last Wednesday.