Bowling

I spent the morning shampooing our carpet.  I kept shooing the boys from one room to the next.  So, around lunchtime, I thought I'd take them to do something fun and give the carpet time to dry.  I made up a schedule and we went over it, telling them we were going bowling.  We got ready and off we went.

On the way, Blake asked where the bus was.  You have to have some background info to understand why he asked this.  The kids go to Parents' Night Out at Shelby Hills and every once in awhile, they take the kids bowling.  And they take a bus.  I explained that it was just going to me me, Drew and Blake and we were taking Mommy's van instead of the bus.  Drew asked where Brian was.  (one of his favorite guys from PNO also)  I said, "No Brian today.  You'll see him at camp next week."

We got to Sidney and Drew noticed that Aldi is once again open.  I don't know why, but he really likes that store. They were closed for awhile for renovations.  He wanted to stop there.  I told him that we could go after bowling.  First bowling, then Aldi, then lunch.  We got to the bowling alley and I presented my kidsbowlfree.com coupons.  I just had to pay shoe rental, which was two bucks a pair.  They set us up on lane 3 and put the bumpers up.  It must have been senior citizens league day because there were lots of retirees there.  They must even do a carry-in, because there was a table full of food.  I steered the kids away from the food table before they ate something and tried to get them to put the bowling shoes on.  They both refused.  Blake started yelling, "MY SHOES!" and Drew just said, "I can't want bowling shoes."  One of the league gentlemen saw my predicament and asked Drew if he was going to go bowling.  Drew said he was, and the guy said, "Well, you need to put your shoes on, then.  See mine?"  And that did it.  Drew sat right down and put his on.  Blake wasn't as easily convinced.  I wrangled him into his shoes eventually and we picked out balls.  There were some older kids on one side of us and a lone kid about Drew's age on the other.  He was a serious bowler, though.  He had his own shoes and everything.  He was super-nice.  He even told Blake good job when he got a strike.  Blake wasn't too impressed with the shoes and took them off after every turn.  Drew tossed the ball down the lane with a crash every time, and every time I cringed and wondered if we'd get in trouble.  But the worker guy just smiled at us.  We only made it through seven frames and they were both done.  Blake had thrown his bowling shoes and was yelling that he was done.  Drew caught onto the idea and said he was finished as well.

I brought their shoes back and thanked them.  The worker asked if we were leaving early.  I explained that they both had special needs and I wasn't going to push them any further, but that we'd be back to try again sometime.  He seemed to think that was a good idea.

We left and Drew reminded me immediately that we needed to go to Aldi.  We went, and MAN!  that place was hoppin'!  Drew asked for some Pringles and Blake saw that Drew got a snack, so he quickly asked for some cheese curls.  I allowed it and we went to the checkout.  A nice lady with forty eleven items let us go ahead of her.

Next I went through Tim Horton's for an Iced Capp then through Little Caesar's Hot 'N Ready for a pizza and breadsticks.  We brought it home and the kids ate.  I asked if they had fun and they both said they did.  I asked if they wanted to go again sometime, and Blake said, "Nope.  Not me!"  lol.

I am thinking we might need to make up a social story about keeping shoes on during bowling.  Overall, I think it went pretty well for a first try.  Thanks to Amy Holthaus for telling me about kidsbowlfree.com.