ho, ho, ho ... hotels

So. Let's see.



How long have we been in hotels now?

I've actually lost count, although the complimentary shampoo and conditioner collection that I've compiled over the past month is close to topping 1,000. Considering the room attendants typically leave at least six bottles of shampoo and conditioner (and facial soap and body soap - what's the difference except the size of the bar?) per daily visit, and I save them all, it wouldn't surprise me if we've got a greater inventory than the hotel.

I plan to donate them all to charity. Or, construct a small bungaloo using only itty bitty hotel complimentary bath items and donate the proceeds from tours of that itty bitty bungaloo to charity.

Now that Charlie is back from his trip to California (yay!) - and his laptop is fully functional (yay!) - and he is caught up on work matters (yay!) - I finally have access to a computer where I can upload pictures to my blog (yay! yay!).

And now that we're in the FINAL STRETCH of hotel living ~ only six days remaining, unless the floor falls out to all of our plans and we spend the rest of our earthly existence in a Marriott ~ captured below are just a few of the hotel-themed photos I've taken over the past five? six? seven weeks.

We've had our fair share of Continental breakfasts. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at all white plates without vividly recalling this experience and remembering the taste of instant eggs.





We've spent a lot of time tapping in to our imaginations for play time, since our toy supply is rather sparse.



"Flight Commander, ALL CLEAR FOR TAKE OFF!"



I didn't take my camera with me to the pool, because we've recently incurred a large expense due to electronics coming in to unintentional contact with fluids, but we've spent an abundant amount of time in every hotel swimming pool. (Including those that didn't open until 5:00 PM.)

Despite the fact that we'd be in the pool every day, sometimes that wasn't enough to expel the seemingly endless energy supply of our children. So, that's when we'd pull the cushions off the couch and tell them to pretend they were on a trampoline.









Or, we'd have races where we'd have them run up and down the hallways, while wearing back packs full of their body weight equivalent in miniature shampoo and conditioner bottles.



We've washed countless loads of laundry using countless quarters and countless miniature boxes of detergent. We've climbed countless stairwells. We've ridden in countless elevators. We've lost countless key cards.

We've also made countless friends along the way. What I consider to be one of the many amazing things about children is that they are MAGNETS to other children. So when we'd meet someone in the pool, the next day, they'd sit with us for breakfast. Case in point: here's a shot of my children sitting with their NEW BEST FRIEND. But they have no idea what her name is. Or where she's from or how old she is, or what her favorite color is.

Those things matter not.

All that matters is that she's REALLY fun and can swim super fast and look at her long, beautiful hair! "Mommy? Can I please grow my hair long like ... like ... uh, what's your name again?"



We've ridden countless luggage carts.



And have taken countless baths.



Usually, after a couch cushion Olympiad, hall sprints and a dip in the pool ... we stick everyone in the tub together and quickly douse them with just enough soap to get off the chlorine, before putting everyone to bed. And then, depending upon the room configuration, Charlie and I will often sit in the pitch black waiting for the children to fall asleep.

Hence, the reason it's critical that they be VERY tired so that whole pitch blackness thing doesn't last long. Otherwise, Charlie and I have been known to unexpectedly join our children in slumber at 8:00 PM. "I'll just sit with them for a minute and .... zzzzzz."



There were four in the bed and the little one said, "Roll over! Roll over!"



We've stretched and done a lot of Yoga.



And, we've ordered hot fudge brownie sundaes from room service five minutes before the kitchen closes.



When we finally do move in to our house, I think the ability to just pick up a phone and have someone bring a hot fudge brownie sundae directly to my door at 10:55 PM, is something that I'll truly miss. But don't you worry about me.

I'll get over it.