Power to the People!

I was so tired last night I never posted. We had a good evening. The kids loved the Hotel for Dogs movie! When they got back, Ethan was StiLL sleeping! I took the kids to Target to get the boys swimsuits (I got Mary Claire one earlier in the week because it was so darn cute!), some more Kleenex for the car (I got pink!), gum for Ches, laundry detergent and fabrics softener for future evening activities, and more peanut butter crackers (oh, and 3 AdoRaBLe pairs of shoes for Moi-they had new summer shoes!! I got turquoise moccasin flats with a ribbon bow, patent orange thong/flip-flops, and navy/white/green sandals to go with all the new navy clothes I got!).

Then we met up with Ches and Ethan went to the mall (one of thousands in Dallas!), then to IKEA to eat dinner and shop. Boy, they have it figured out! They have a great little eating area for the kids at circle tables (very social)in front of a tv (Nick was on), and the parents sit at the bar tables behind them so they can see and monitor them. It was awesome! I’d eat there once a week if we lived near one! And the food was good-we got pasta.

Then we headed back to the hotel. When we called our house (for the 798th time!), and my voice answered! We had electricity!!! We were sooo excited! We called the insurance adjuster who is going to meet us there when we get home, and told her! We also called Mom-we just had to celebrate by notifying people! So, now we can head home for sure. It’s quite a relief to know there’s an end in sight. Not that it’s not fun, but in the back of our minds all the time is worry about how our house is doing (besides it missing us of course). We also are mentally preparing to see the devastation that is Northwest Arkansas (and our yard, so-we’ve-heard).

The kids quickly changed into their new swimsuits as is always fun. We didn’t have a swimmy diaper for Ethan (do you see where this is going?), so we just put on the suit, thinking he’s partially trained, nothing will happen. Well, he starts saying, “Pee, pee!” “Pee, pee!” so I told him to go peepee in the toilet, but it appeared he’d already relieved himself. On the carpet. In our hotel. And he starts screaming since he’s a clean freak like me and his pants are wet, and it’s getting colder. Of course, I ran to get a towel to clean it up, and he’s just yelling. It was quite a scene. The kids are laughing since they think this is sooo hilarious! They don’t remember being his age. They too peed on the floors.

I spent the better part of the evening doing laundry since I was shopped out, and we were just going home. : ) I got my handy-dandy black Wal-Mart bags out of the van, sorted some laundry (just a light- and a dark load), and went up to the laundry room. Well, you had to PaY for the washers and dryers (like we’d overuse them for fun if they were free!), so I had to lug my five bags (4-laundry, 1-wallet, jugs of cleaners, key card, etc.) back down to the front desk for $8 in quarters! Back up to the laundry, loaded the clothes, then read the “lid” of the washer. You are supposed to add the detergent first! I shoveled all the clothes to one side, and poured some in, then redistributed the clothes, and tried again. Get this. It says to add the fabric softener when the Rinse light comes on. Like I have nothing to do but wait for the light! It estimated the wash time was 25 minutes, so I ran down thinking I could come back in 15 minutes to catch the Rinse light. Hmph. Yeah, well, when I came back, it was spinning, so I waited. Then it stopped. Done.
Like really done washing. No rinse, or I’d missed it. Ugh. Rough clothes are not okay. I’d read in this magazine about how to use fabric softener in the dryer, so I figured that was God giving me the heads-up the week before. He was Preparing Me. (Yes, I think He does!) So, I followed the article’s directions, and my clothes were soft and smelled delicious! (I happen to LoVE clean clothes smell!! And my fave Yankee Candle scent is Clean Cotton!) Here’s all you do: Get a washcloth (not one you use all the time-I used the hotels-handy!- and get it wet. Squeeze it out, add half a capful (it only said a tablespoon (but again, I love it) of fabric softener sprinkling it all around the washcloth. Then, throw it into the dryer with the clean clothes, and it acts as your dryer sheet!

Ok, I must admit-when I was getting around this morning, I looked in the zipper-y top of my large suitcase, and guess what I saw? Yep, individually packaged dryer sheets. Huh. It’s been a while since I put those in there! I am also making a mental note what else should be in your suitcase ready to go: detergent (measured), dryer sheets (check!), meter supplies for Mary Claire, tissues, phone charger, straws (as drinking from the glass stains your teeth), lots of baby wipes, extra spoons, quarters, trash bags, bottles of water, extra crayons/markers/play-doh/stickers for those crazy long roads, fingernail polish, band-aids, Tylenol/Tums/Benadryl, and M&M’s for when you NEED it!

I keep my cosmetics bag ready to go: shampoo, conditioner, facial soap, razor, body wash, tweezers (hairs can grow in at any time!), q-tips, lotion, toothbrush (although I prefer my favorite one), deodorant, and hair spray (although I only use it sometimes on Clay’s hair). That way, I can zip out in no time (you never really know when you’ll be gone for a week!). Ahh, but I was running low on everything. Today when I took my shower I felt like I could overwash my hair, and be really extravagant! I could use that stuff all up! Since I would have my regulars at home by tonight! I had been using as little as possible just-in-case. When I get home, I’ll have to fill them all back up. But oh, the last day…you get to use all the product you want! Woo-hoo for little luxuries! : )

This morning, we got around quickly, knowing the drive was ahead of us and excitedly since we are going HoMe! We are currently on the road north. We stopped for a break about 10:30 at Booger King (solely based on the indoor play area-we are So Judgmental!). The kids instinctively requested Happy Meals (which booger king doesn’t have) even though it was only 10:30! They are Pavlov’s dogs: they salivate upon seeing pictures of food and a playplace (which Booger King doesn’t call it). Anyway, they had cool toys: a Cabbage Patch doll with stickers, and cars for the boys (the top flies springs off when it hits a bump or bumps into something). We are almost halfway, so only a little over three hours more. We’ve now seen Over the Hedge, Elmo in Grouchland, Tom and Jerry, and Incredibles. Even the new movies are getting old…

I’ve been reading my latest Better Homes and Gardens (finished) and Traditional Home (halfway done!), and typing. I’m sure I’ll take a nap as Oklahoma’s roads are not so entertaining: lots of brownish grass, some trees, and distant houses. If not for the abundant police cars, colorful semis (and the TieDieTravel bus) it’d be Downright Blah. Peace to ya!