lessons learned while living in a hotel..

• If you are going to spend a month in one small room with your family make sure it's during the Olympics. There's usually nothing on TV (except for Law and Order, which runs 24/7) so being able to watch the Olympics together was such a thrill! Of course, we wished we had our DVR so we could rewind the good stuff (and fast forward the commercials) but Beijing 2008 will be memorable for our family. We stayed up WAY too late!

• Bed-jumping should be considered an Olympic sport for 2012. It takes serious practice and effort. High scores were given for form, speed, and concentration.

• Three boys can EASILY fit in one hotel bed. But some nights they would rather make a "bed" on the floor.. and that's okay-- as long as they eventually fall asleep. (And after their "Hotel Olympics" they were usually exhausted.) Zack was always the last one awake- go figure.
  

• If your hotel curtains are shut tight and you keep your room cool and DARK, the kids will sleep in until lunch time! Now that's my kind of vacation.
  

• You MUST have access to a swimming pool... especially in Vegas when all you do is swim, eat, swim, meet your husband for lunch, swim, take a nap, swim, watch a little TV and then go to bed.

• Don't pack very much. Less is always better. If you run out of clean clothes for your kids to wear, keep them in their swimsuits all day. If their swimsuits get dirty, take them swimming. All problems solved.

• When your 7 year old gets out of bed in the middle of the night and opens the door to your room (instead of the bathroom door) wake up and stop him from walking down the hotel hallway. When you ask him what he's doing, laugh when he says, "No Thank You" with his eyes closed. But don't go back to bed and tell your husband about it. He has to work the next morning and doesn't want to talk at 3 am.

• Stay in a hotel where there are fun things to do, like daily stingray feedings and mermaid shows. Make your boys go even if they say they hate mermaids. They will complain and try not to look at the mermaid when her face is inches away from theirs, but secretly they like it..
  

• Going in an elevator is thrilling no matter HOW many times a day you ride. It's very important to take turns pushing the buttons, or a fight will brake out. When you have more than one elevator to ride, it's really fun to stand in front of the one you think will open first. This can be quite an exciting game for little kids.

• If you're bored and don't have anything else to do, collect McDonald's Star Wars bobble head toys. Make sure to pick a set that has a LOT of toys--say, like 18. Your kids will think it's a treasure hunt and you will become the coolest mom on the planet-- especially if you make the drive-thru workers go in the back room to check what other toys were just shipped to them. When they come back with a new toy, your kids will shriek with excitement.

• DON'T take your kids to the drive-in (or any theater) to see the new Star Wars movie. It's really, r.e.a.l.l.y bad..
  

• Make sure to drain the water immediately after your relaxing bubblebath-- because a little somebody might want to get in, even though he's fully dressed.
  

• And even though you want to scream and yell at your 2 year old because he's crazy and loud and thinks he's the energizer bunny at midnight, don't. Because he's just so lovable. Stop trying to hate him and realize that soon he'll be old and grown and you'll really miss this freckle face.. tongue out and all.