Not Enough Coffee

7:11 p.m. Arrived in MI, Mom and Dad have dinner waiting at hotel. Kids refuse to eat it. This is going to be fun

9:05 p.m. Put kids to bed, this should work, they are tired and it is about bedtime, our time.

9:30 pm. Jeremy goes into room and works his "daddy magic" kids actually go to sleep.

11:00 p.m. - We say goodnight to my parents and sneak into the room, our kids are now fast asleep.

12:00 a.m. - Jeremy and I exchange a look, we realize neither of us is going to sleep.

4:30 a.m. - Still restless, we see the turtle stars on the ceiling, a good sign that Ella is not asleep in the next bed.

5:30 a.m. - I give up and sneak into the bathroom. I plan to escape to the lobby. Ella sits up, I whisper that, if she is quiet, she can go with me. I am shocked, she IS quiet.

5:35 a.m. - the desk clerk informs me that breakfast ISN'T open yet. Seriously, it makes a big difference if I wait 20 minutes to take that stale muffin. I don't care, we didn't come out for the food. I take coffee and dare her to comment.

5:45 a.m. - Ella and I step outside the door to get some brochures to play with. We get locked out, the desk clerk gives me a look that would make a lesser woman cry when I ring the bell for re-entry.

5:50 a.m. - Elspeth spills her cup of water all over her chair, the desk clerk doesn't seem to notice, I swap out Ella's chair for an empty one by the front desk.

5:55 a.m. - Jeremy, my knight with DVD player, arrives and turns on the entertainment.

6:10 a.m. - Ella realizes there are donuts available for consumption. The sugar fest starts.

6:15 a.m. - The desk clerk notices the wet chair. I try to look innocent.

6:17 a.m. - batteries die on DVD player. Daddy turns to the Internet for additional solutions.

6:30 a.m. - We are exhausted, and Ella is bored. I'm glad the monitor works to the lobby, and am grateful that one member of our family is getting a good night's sleep.

7:00 a.m. - Jeremy and Ell head off to Wal-Mart to waste time. Jeremy doesn't have his phone, so I give him mine.

7:17 a.m. - Bored. Dana is online but inactive. I start sending her IMs to annoy her when she comes near her computer. Get Packed. Get Packed. Get Packed. I know she will be late, but I am hoping for a miracle.

7:20 a.m. - I remember that I didn't pack the flags we got for the girls and their cousins. They will be crushed. Didn't my sister say I could email a text message? I google email text message, and it seems ridiculously easy. Too easy, so I try it. "Forgot flags. Get more."

Just now - amazing husband replies "u betcha" so I know my text is successful. Thinking of crawling back into bed with Addie. This is going to be a long day.

I love vacation. Happy 4th of July.