Pinecorns and RainPuddles: How to Travel with Knights and Princesses

Last weekend we ventured to the Renaissance Festival in Apache Junction. Since it is over an hour away from where we live and Mr. P has lots of hard-earned hotel points, we decided to make it an official weekend vacation. I know what you're thinking. But an hour in Arizona is different from an hour in a major city.

I chose a hotel at the halfway point to shorten the drive AND because this restaurant is 5 minutes away from where we lodged. The food is delicious, organic and family-friendly (i.e., they have pizza and hamburgers for the kids). I also love that it sits on what used to be farmland where the old, large trees remain and you can perch on a picnic table beneath them. The restaurant is designed around the remains of the ranch-style farmhouse that the family used to live in. I wish I'd taken a picture of the bathrooms. They framed the children's G.I. Joe dolls in acrylic shadow boxes into the walls and have tv's mounted on the wall showing re-runs of G.I. Joe cartoons. In the bathroom.

The next morning we (meaning not the children) woke up baggy-eyed, drank 2 cups of coffee, grabbed our standard continental hotel breakfast (I really wanted to head back to Joe's Farmhouse) and hit the road.

I've heard that people that frequently attend these Festivals really get into character. And I can honestly say, there were a lot of characters. And plenty of entertainment.

We filled our day visiting fairies...