Mint On The Pillow

I have been a stay-at-home mom for many, many years, and during those years I've rarely left my children for more than a couple of hours. Lately, though, with Adam's new restaurant, I find myself leaving quite often to help him. We're understaffed at the moment, so he's turned me into the hostess with the mostest.

Now, let me just tell you, I do this once, maybe twice a week, and I don't leave until an hour and a half before the 4 littlest kids go to bed, and two hours before the older boys. So, it's not like I'm missing tons of time with them, but with their reactions, you'd think I leave and don't come back for a month.

I feel horrible for the babysitters. Every time they walk through my door, Jovie goes into full on hysterics. She cries uncontrollably until she makes her way up to my room, where she snuggles in my bed with her blanky and watches Sprout. This has calmed her up until lately.

This week was really hard. I do the book keeping for the restaurant, too. It's something I can do from home to help out. I had to go into the restaurant this week to get all the progress I've made checked by a professional. (I haven't had to use my brain for a long time. There's many, many cobwebs up there.) So, I was gone for a little bit on Thursday. Then, I hostessed on Friday AND Saturday. Let me tell you, the kids let me know they weren't pleased with my absense.

On Thursday, I came home to find a colorful wall mural of non-washable magic marker, in my bedroom. Jovie and Stone were also kind enough to make sure my bedspread matched with the new motif. Lovely.

On Friday, Adam got a phone call from the babysitter to tell us the kids shattered the ceiling fan globe in our room, which happens to be above our bed. I came home to a rolled up bed sheet full of broken glass. Nice.

Saturday, I returned from a very LONG night at the restaurant. The thought of my bed made me giddy. I walked into the dark room and saw that my bed was still made. I let out a sigh of relief. I opted not to turn on the light. I didn't want to wake the slumbering twins. I tip-toed over and pulled back the comforter and jumped in with delight. I rested for a whole 2 seconds before I realized I was laying in, what felt like, an entire box of Cocoa Pebbles. My kids dumped a box of cereal in my bed, spread it around, then remade it. What?

Lesson 143: Twisted versions of complimentary mints left on your pillow = white trash kids' revenge

See if I ever come back to this hotel.