A trip to Danvers Ma.

Day One

It all started well enough we all were awake and on the road by 4:45am with only a couple of "How long its gonna take" from the back seat. Our plane took off on time, both girls slept on the plane our flight was uneventful and the car service was there to pick us up on arrival. However I should have known that things would not be that smooth for the rest of the week.

We get in the car and head out the driver enters some info in to his GPS and says  "I know how to get to Danvers but not your hotel." Not great news but I try not to worry.  15 mins into our 30 min trip Jitterbug starts to ask whats that smell mommy? She has noticed the less than fresh smell coming from the driver. JW and I try to change the subject to no avail she just gets louder looks at us with a questioning look and says "whats that smell don't you smell it?"   The driver kindly and quietly cracks the back window this keeps her quiet for a grand total of 2 mins then she is on to the next pressing subject. Meanwhile Lillibean has fallen asleep and is snoring gently with her head on JW's arm. Lillibeans ability to fall asleep in a matter of seconds has earned her the nickname Princess Narcolepsy from JW.

Upon our arrival at our hotel (in Nowheresville) we check in and get some lunch in the hotel bar. The food was tasty and that was good news because it was our only option more on that later.

After lunch JW and I decide that is in every ones best interest to take a nap. I mean after all we had been up before dawn and our 2 normally delightful children(haven't destroyed anything yet)were beginning to get cranky(a whine that has reached an unbearable pitch).

We all trudge back to our room and pull out the sleeper sofa for Jitterbug and Lillibean. After some discussion with the DC about who is going to nap we all climb into our respective sleeping spots and get "quiet" after a few reminders from us that it is nap time everyone finally falls asleep. So far so good.

JW's phone started ringing at 3pm and that was then end of our peaceful vacation. The insistent ringing of the DROID as it is fondly referred to in our home woke up the DC and so it began. The DC decided that it would be fun to bounce on their bed and in doing so Jitterbug bounced herself right off the side and as she was getting up she grabbed the metal frame of the bed and Lillibean bounced right down on Jitterbugs finger. The resulting scream made me sit bolt up right and brought JW from the bathroom where he had been kindly talking on the phone so as not to wake everyone an unnecessary kindness it turns out. The finger swelled and turned purple very quickly and led JW and I to the conclusion that she had broken her finger. So there were a few moments of panic with all kinds of thoughts of ambulances and hospitals flashing through my head(as we were without a car and in the a fore mentioned Nowheresville). Once clearer heads prevailed(JW stepped in) and we were able to get her to wiggle and bend her fingers. A trip down the hall and strip the plastic wrap off a cup and we have had an ice pack, applying it for about an hour brought the swelling down and the finger returned to its normal color(Hallelujah). By this time it is dinner time so we get up get cleaned up, get dressed and go down for another meal in the hotel restaurant(bar).

We meet up with some of JW's Fraternity brothers "Jungle Gym" and "Frank". Even after meeting the DC they join us for dinner. As we enter the bartender tells us to sit anywhere so we look for a table big enough to hold all of us one is occupied and the other is covered in dishes. We stand around for about 10 mins waiting for anyone(employee) to acknowledge us and chat with some other friends that are dinning.

JW is hungry and Lillibean has started to stare longingly at other peoples food so JW decides to "help" by clearing the table. Finally an employee has noticed and  hurries over but it is not to clear the table as one would think but to chastise JW for a full 5 mins. He apologizes for his error and nicely points out that we have two hungry children and maybe if they can not accommodate families in the space they should utilize the large space called a restaurant that they have. He handled her better than I would have and had I not been distracted by the DC she might have gotten a much different response (picture a large glass of water poured over some mouthy chic's head). The group decides to adjourn to the sitting area and wait. While we are waiting another brother arrives and looks around for a spot to sit and eat. He is out of luck all tables are either piled with dishes or occupied so we invite "D" to join us and he kindly accepts. While we wait the DC are running around playing with the balls from the pool table for the most part well behaved and quite patient to tell you the truth. After another 15 mins the manager finally clears the table and we all sit down to dinner. As the food arrives Jitterbug announces to the entire restaurant that she needs to go potty so we adjourn to the restroom. I take the opportunity of better lighting to look at the finger and decide that some neosporin and a band aid are in order so we take a detour by the front desk. After some tender care from Alicia we go back to eat our dinner.After dinner and with a minimum of fuss we all retire for a good nights sleep. All in all day one of our trip hasn't been so bad. Day two can only be better right?