Doh!

Last Friday #1 and I were lucky enough to come across an available culture pass at the library. It was for the Phoenix Children's Museum. {Culture pass = free admission for four to any of 13 cultural venues of Phoenix, museums, zoos, botanical gardens. You have 7 days to use it. They are awesome. If you can get them.} {Phoenix Children's Museum=very expensive}

For the past several days I've used our impending trip to the museum to stop fights, get homework done, get chores done, and enforce general obedience.

Yesterday was the big day. As most moms know, things like this don't happen easily. You have to plan your entire day around it, from the time you get up, down to the nitty gritty details like how you're going to do your hair. (Am I the only freak?)

1:20 pick up #1. Wednesday is #1's early release day, the only day we could go in our 7 day window of opportunity.

1:35 drop off J, our carpool buddy.

1:40 'quick' stop at home to use the bathroom and get #1 out of her uniform.

1:50 on the road. Right on schedule!

2:20 arrive at museum. Kids are hyped up. Their excitement is bordering annoying. But I can't blame them. This museum is awesome!

2:25 smugly present my culture pass to the lady at the counter, feeling clever to have sidestepped the $36 it would have cost us.

2:27 lady returns with a frown on her face

2:27:15 lady tells me I've got the wrong culture pass

2:27:19 I'm incredulous, WHAT?!?

2:27:20 lady proves my stupidity by pointing to the words on the pass. Oh, it's for the other children's museum, 45 minutes away that closes at 4:00.

2:27:30 with deep, sinking, feeling I turn to give the shameful news to my poor kids who are already halfway into the first 'exhibit' - which is really just a 3 story playground.

2:26:35 the crying begins and I can't blame them. It's all my fault.

Doh!