Monday, October 19, 2009

Staycation Report: Thumbs Up!

I think if you stay in a hotel it is technically not a "stay-cation" but richies who are used to leaving town every weekend won't understand. So I'm trying to be really clear--for all the richies who read my blog. Hi richies! (They're burning money again.) Thanks to everyone who encouraged me on my single-parenting vacation and thanks also to all my blog stalkers who didn't break into my house while I was gone. Even though if you tried you would have been attacked by a de-barked dachshund mother and her litter of three puppies who are staying temporarily in my garage. I'm trying to be really clear to all the blog stalkers out there. Oh hai gyz! Weenerdogz r in mi garage guardin mi stuffs.

Our stay-cation technically started on Thursday with a viewing of Toy Story 1 and 2 in 3D. Then we went to Where the Wild Things Are on Friday. This was an interesting movie about childhood, but not really a kids' movie. My kids liked it but it's kind of boring and full of awkward parts where monsters act like brats. I was talking about the movie with my kids later that night at dinner. It was clear that my 12 year old sort of "got it." That saddened me because I think you have to be a little removed from childhood in order to "get it." At the same time, it was fun to have a conversation with him about it. Do see it. But remember that it's not super appealing for the 2-8 set. My kids thought it should be rated PG-13. (They're prudes.)

After the movie we went to Salt Lake City and checked into our hotel. Here we are taking a picture of ourselves in the mirror on the bathroom door.

We went swimming without incident. And by that I mean that a life guard did not have to save Maggie. The swimming was probably the part I liked least, and it wasn't even that bad. So that's pretty good. Then we went to dinner.
I had the french dip. It was good. They put ketchup in little trays for us. All of the kids drank out of glass goblets--including Ellen. Nothing broke. I figured out the tip in my head. Then we went to Star Wars in concert which was more awesome than I even imagined.

C3P0 was there and narrated the show. It was remarkable. He wore normal clothes--NOT his robot outfit. His posture is impeccable. I posed with the imperial guards. I am the one in front.

Ellen fell soundly asleep at the end and I pretended to sacrifice her to Darth Vader and made Sam take a picture. It was really dumb. But I did it because I am fun and we have fun together. See my backpack? It's full of suckers. When security searched my bag I told them I had candy in there, but I had to spell it out so Ellen wouldn't hear because I wanted to save it for an emergency. I didn't even have to use the c-a-n-d-y. As we left the arena some homeless people played the Star Wars theme on their harmonicas. My kids referred to them as hobos. We didn't give them any money, but we did give a homeless man one of our extra egg McMuffin's earlier that day before the movie because we were full.

These are my wonderful hard-sided suitcases. I always look for them at DI. I am grateful for them and for the stuff in them.
Here's Ben in our posh suite. I'd like to thank the Radisson for putting us up for the night for free in exchange for this mention here on my blog, but I'm not Dooce y'all. So I won't. Cuz I paid.

And there you have it! I did it. I drove. I parked. I paid. I checked in. I carried and swam and did everything. And so can you, unless your kids are younger than mine or less obedient and more prone to mischief and running away from you in crowded arenas. If that's the case then I suggest you stay home for a few years. You aren't missing anything. Don't get me wrong--I had fun. But staying home and watching TV would have been fun too.

18 comments:

  1. I love it! Especially the part about not having to resort to candy. Now THAT is parenting at its finest.

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  2. Wow, I would have thought it too much for me to attempt with my kids, and I only have 2! Congratulations on making it through the staycation!

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  3. Sounds like a lot of fun - I don't think I stayed in a motel alone with any of my kids - unless you count staying with Hannah on the way home from taking Eliza to BYU!!

    I actually don't think they had lots of fun stuff like that to do back in the olden days when I was a mom with young kids.

    Although I did used to take my 3 kids - when I only had 3 - to the beach at Santa Monica every Thursday. And since we were new to the area, driving and parking were actually a real feat!

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  4. Until very recently, I had the enormous-size and the small-round-cute-size of that blue hardside suitcase.

    Also, what's funny is that I look at your pictures and I think, "Whoa, that is a LOT of kids." But I have FIVE. No wonder I get a lot of looks when I go out with them.

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  5. You are my new idol, which is convenient since you are my old idol as well.

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  6. i'm noticing that you have very awesome hair in all these pictures. so contrats on having awesome hair AND awesome kids.

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  7. way to go! I bet your kids remember it forever, what a cool mom! :) im glad you had fun too!

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  8. I think it's awesome that Annie thinks my hair is awesome.

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  9. In the spirit of full disclosure I should add that even though I didn't have to resort to the candy on the vacation, I did buy all of us drinks at both movies and at the stadium (probably around $50). On Saturday we got up, checked out of our hotel, and drove home where I laid in bed for several hours. During this respite, my kids ate the candy. Would you believe none of them have ever had a cavity? (Put that in your bubble gum pipe and chew it.)

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  10. This is my new life's aim: Kacy's staycation.

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  11. You have to warn me not to try the garage _before_ you leave next time. Those dachsunds are pretty ferocious.

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  12. You rock!

    I take the kids by myself all the time to stuff (my husband is married to his job, as you know) and I ALWAYS have to lock myself in my room for a while to "cool down" after. Not negotiable.

    Of course this is getting easier and easier now that my kids are getting older. I ALMOST enjoy it now.

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  13. sounds like fun! and your kids will remember the time you went on a trip to see Wild Things! haha

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  14. Anonymous10:37 AM

    That's what I did wrong. I forgot the sucker backpack. The movie we went to was at the Visitor's Center where no food was allowed and my 4 year old was hungry the entire time. Looks like we'll be staying home and watching TV for a few more years until I can be brave like you. Will you sign my Ensign?

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  15. It's official -- You are not Supermom! Go get your cape and enjoy your flight into the Mom Hall of Fame.

    Great job on a fun week! And thanks for the review of Wild Things. I was hoping it was as good as the book (one of Eliza's favorites), but it sounds like it's not geared for her.

    And I'm really jealous about the Star Wars concert -- I read the reviews in the paper and wished I could have been there.

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  16. I have always suspected that you and I looked alike, but that picture of you and the Imperial guards totally looks just like my little sister (who everyone insists looks a lot like me but with short hair) so now all my suspicions have been confirmed.

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  17. I am a huge fan (out of necessity) of taking kids a la road, solo. I think it makes them better behaved and let's face it, we would never go anywhere if we waited for my husband's job to allow him to go. I'm new to your blog. You are super-funny even if you are dressing up as a really creepy lady for Halloween.

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  18. "I'd like to thank the Radisson for putting us up for the night for free in exchange for this mention here on my blog, but I'm not Dooce y'all. So I won't. Cuz I paid."

    This is my favorite part. Wouldn't we all like to have people sponsor our lives:)

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