Me.  That’s who.  On Saturday, we went to Disney on Ice.  My aunt–who is totally awesome–works at a local radio station and is able to get awesome tickets to most of the kids events that come through town that my kids would love to go to but that I am not buying tickets for because my kids already have done more stuff in their short number of years than I did through my teen years.  My aunt love my kids and loves to take them to these things (she is dying for grand kids I think, but it’s going to be a while and my kids are pretty awesome).  Anyway.  I have learned my lesson and I know prep my kids before we go by telling them they can each have one snack to eat and NO TOYS–because I have that middle class syndrome of getting my kids too much crap and then wondering where the hell all my money went.

Zoë asked if she could have cotton candy as her snack and I said sure.  We get there and of course the only people selling cotton candy are the Disney sellers and the stadium stands are only allowed to sell certain items.  So, I ask for cotton candy and the guys gives me a relatively small bag of air and sugar and asks for 10 dollars.  TEN DOLLARS.  Are you freakin’ kidding me?  It’s sugar and air.  It did have a rubber Flounder (from The Little Mermaid) top to it, but seriously–I only wanted cotton candy.

Then Noah of course wants his snack.  He wants a sno cone.  I choke a little when I look at the price of the sno cone in the Mickey Mouse souvenir cup-15 dollars.  FIFTEEN DOLLARS.  It’s ice and sugar water.  Really.  I know I am paying for the cup, but I told my kids we weren’t buying anything except snacks.  But the Disney and other people have caught on and now they sell snacks with souvenir’s integrated so they can charge you an arm and a leg.

I am certainly not a cheap person.  I don’t mind spending money, but really?  I can’t even take my kid to a show without being forced to spend money on something if I want to buy them something completely unhealthy and fun to eat?  That is what irritates me.  Is that the choice has been taken away and it sucks.  I won’t even start on the 7 dollars I paid for a fountain soda.  I know they are in business to make a profit and I can respect that, but really??? I now know why so many people don’t take their kids to these things.  I know for sure that next time, I’ll be packing my own snacks and forgoing the 10 dollar cotton candy and 5 dollar pretzels.