Welcome to the Scharrer family's real life story! Most of our story is written for, and about, our four kids and the spice they add to our lives. It's our story of happiness, craziness, and sometimes ridiculousness. We've journaled through childbirth, the terrible two's, private school (and our public school experience), an autism diagnosis, medical school, residency, and long-term mission work in Africa.

Now we're following a new adventure, which involves a 45 foot motorcoach, homeschool, and as many ski slopes as we can go down in one year.

For posts from while we were living in Zimbabwe and updates about our future plans in Zimbabwe, please see our mission blog...

www.ourzimbabwejourney.blogspot.com.





29 May 2009

Memorable Memorial Day *FREE* Hotel Stay

Erik got a free hotel room in the month of May because it was his birthday. We decided to use it on Memorial Day night because Erik didn't have school the next day. The thought of spending a night alone without the kids was intriguing - all I have wanted for the past two months is to have one night away from the kids - just one measly little night where I don't have to be responsible for anyone else but myself. Well, I couldn't convince my mom that she should come take care of them overnight, so we had to got to bring them with us.

I had high hopes of leisurely sitting in the hot tub, playing some quarter machines at the hotel casino (which I've never EVER done before), eating a nice, relaxed dinner, and then staying up late to watch movies with Erik. Well, we arrived at 4:00, checked in, unpacked the car, took Barkley! for a pee (yes, we had to bring him, too), swam for a half hour, showered ourselves and the kids, ate waaaaay too much at the hotel/casino buffet (with Skogen tied to my abdomen while he slept - making eating a challenge), and then had to put the kids to bed. After an hour of getting them ready for bed and in bed, they eventually fell asleep, but only after we shut all the lights and the TV off. So, there we sat at 10:00 at night, in a dark hotel room, unable to talk in fear of waking the kids. It was a loooooong night in which I just kept thinking of everything I could be doing at home, instead of just sitting there in the dark...

We all slept in until 9:30 the next morning and between waking up, and checking out at 11:00, we scrambled to try to get everyone dressed, ready, packed, and fed. I made oatmeal for breakfast in the coffee pot that was in our room because there was no continental breakfast.

Needless to say, a one-night hotel stay with the kids is a hassle. All in all, next time I think it will just be easier to stay home (unless we can talk Nana into coming up from Oklahoma to stay with the kids!!). I will admit, though, that it was a nice vacation from needing to have Erik study all the time. It was fun to be with him and the kids, laughing and having fun.

We did manage to take some pictures of our memorable Memorial Day hotel stay...

2 comments:

  1. Oh, I am so sorry!!! I know what you mean, though...it is so nice to just get away! Kevin and I went to Kansas City in January (our first night away from Caleb) and I maybe slept 3 hours that night. Our last hotel experience Caleb woke up at 3 in the morning and wouldn't go back down until 7, only to be awakened by a hotel "wrong number" call 30 minutes later. Needless to say, it is easier being at home! Kevin and I have talked about what we will do for our 5-year anniversary this summer and I told him that I just wanted one of the grandparents to take Caleb and then we could go to dinner, a movie, (and wherever else we want to go) and then come home to an empty house and sleep in my own bed! Not very exciting, but it sure sounds relaxing. :)

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  2. Kara- next time you want to do that just call me. You could have brought the kids here and stayed in the cities and I would have loved to have them. My girls would have had a blast with them too. If you ever want to again just let me know! :-)

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We write to taste life twice, once in the moment and in retrospection.”
~Anais Nin