I remember when I used to have good ideas. It really did used to happen, but it’s been a while (measured in years now). Recently, I thought it would be marvelous to stay in a fun hotel while our house was packed up for our long-awaited move to the Northwest. This kids could play and we could have some good family bonding time. Well, both of those things happened this week, but not entirely the way I envisioned. Here are a few highlights/observations:
- Pushing the button on the elevator is, in fact, the most important
task any of us will ever perform. I learned this because I watched my four little people fight over that little button as if pushing it would end the school year or cause it to rain Go-Gurts. - I’m gonna need a pediatrician to explain how kids can so freely transition from the hot tub to the ice-cold pool without the slightest shiver or slow-down. It doesn’t work that way for us old people. And I’m pretty sure my efforts to keep up with them knocked a few months off my life.
- So I saw ALL of my kids slip & fall down while running next to the pool, and 3 of the times it happened directly in front of the sign that says “NO RUNNING.” There must be something really wrong with me, because this was kinda satisfying. If only our kids could immediately see the results of their huge mistakes – like when they don’t brush their teeth for a week or date convicted felons.
- The breakfast buffet was fun, but I had to explain to my petite 5 year-old-princess that she had to eat something other than just a plate-full sausage. And we all learned that sugar-free syrup tastes exactly the way you’d expect it to taste.
- The most memorable moments happened pretty much all night on Sunday. This was when 3 of the 4 kids . . . got sick. At 3 in the morning I called the front desk to report the . . . uh . . . mess, the guy who answered
quickly asked if I needed a wake-up call. I told he, “Thanks, but I’m already awake.” He didn’t laugh. Then I got to ask him how to “clean things up.” He, being a guy, told me that the housekeepers didn’t come in until 7 and to, and I’m not making this up, “COVER IT WITH A TOWEL.” Of course, being a guy, that’s exactly what I did. The Mrs. HTF was unimpressed.
Anyway, it was a memorable time, and I guess the point is to make memories, however hard they are to clean up. And sometimes those memories are better off covered up with a hotel towel.
7 comments:
First of all, that title is one of the best. I was cracking up that you found it satisfying that they fell in front of the NO RUNNING sign. A plate full of sausage kind of makes me throw up in my mouth a little (but makes me admire her in some strange way).
COVER IT WITH A TOWEL is also the way I clean my house!! hahaah Actually, I'm thinking that you could apply that phrase to anything broken and/or messy & it sounds kind of like you know what you are saying & have a plan of attack. Flat tire? COVER IT WITH A TOWEL. Broken dryer? COVER IT WITH A TOWEL. Think you fell in a hole & just broke your ankle? COVER IT WITH A TOWEL.
By the way, I was looking through the HTF tunes again & saw the BBD & reminded me - did I tell you that I saw New Edition in concert just a couple of years ago??? If I remember correctly, they were all dressed in white & danced the whole time even though it was like 1,000,000,000 degrees outside. They were all kinds of awesome!!
As long as we're noting things, don't forget:
-the broken elevator and having to haul all the luggage up to the 2nd floor
-how our kids liked racing down the hall and stairs to beat us in the elevator
-the beauty of 3 rooms each with its own television
-your awesome bedtime stories (just like in the movie)
-that being the possesor of the room key was just as important as being the elevator button pusher
I have to agree with AGM - awesome title! Why can't I think of creative and descriptive titles like that for my blog posts?
I had previous knowledge about the excitement over the elevator button. You should see the tears when one of my children is not the designated elevator button pusher.
Overall, absolutely hilarious! Thanks for sharing and helping the rest of us realize that our families are completely normal.
We've had some great memories with our crew, too. Yes, the elevator button pushing assignment is a critical one - especially if your age is less than 2 digits long.
We did find with our older kids (via the hotel manager) that even more fun than pushing the button is...are you ready? Taking a bucket full of ice to the top floor (in this case #18) and "timing" each cube's descent. It turned out to be a very unscientific experiment, as nobody bothered to take a stopwatch.
Good times.
Beautiful story. Now we are all going to be using "cover it with a towel". Kinda how I deal with my basement, close the door and, basement? What basement?
Also, every time some well meaning grocery store clerk says to my kids "you better sit down sweetie or you'll get hurt" I just want to say
1) they have, a million times, does it look like they care?
or
2) let them fall - maybe they will learn because they sure don't listen
Satisfying, yes. Aggravating, yes.
So we Roll our eyes while we love them and they cry.
The whole time trying to hold back the I told you so's.
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