Fail, Chick-fil-a. Major Fail.

So I debate posting this here because it's really quite gross (You've been warned!). But I suppose I'm hoping someday (not today, and not tomorrow...but someday) I will look back and laugh on this crazy night I had.

I think some of the things I do are motivated by guilt. I know that I haven't done a whole lot of substantive things with the kids over this Christmas break. We didn't do the service I would have liked, bought gifts for others like I wanted, or baked goodies for others. I was told by a loved one that it is ok, that hopefully people understand that taking care of my three kids on my own is more than a full time job and that others will cut me some slack. Still. I feel bad. So I tried to do a few fun things with the kids. We drove around and looked at Christmas lights. I let them play in the snow one of the days. I took them (all three) to the movies for the first time ever by myself. I took them to the zoo and watched an IMAX movie and wandered some of the zoo. We did some other activities and played games at home. But really not a whole lot. It is what I needed. My brain has been fried and I needed a break at home just like them.

I needed that prefaced for my rationale in tonight's activities. I decided that we would go out to Chick-fil-a and eat inside the restaurant since they have a play place. Not many places here do anymore (they ripped down the two McDonalds near us that had play places during the past couple years). So we go to Chick-fil-a. I knew that things started out wrong when they were out of 1) French fries and 2) Chick-fil-a sauce. Those are two duh-must-haves. So that was a bummer. Then we discovered that they weren't keeping up cleaning the tables. So I had to break out a baby wipe. Strike two. After the kids ate, I sent them off to the play place where Justin discovered that he is too big to play on the play equipment (imagine that...). I told him it was fine. That unless they kick him out, I didn't care and he could play. So of course my three maniac boys were LOUD in there. Too loud. The playplace is this tiny enclosed little room. I think we ticked off some of the parents in there. I will admit it, my kids were out of control. And I don't think the other parents appreciated Justin stepping over their tiny tots on the equipment. So it was time to go. I told Justin to get his coat and shoes on. He did (thank goodness for one child who is generally obedient). I called to Spencer and helped Carson get his shoes and coat on. Spencer refused to come down. RE.FUSED. I didn't want to go ballistic on him in front of others. I said "See ya, I'm leaving." And I walked out of the place with the other 2 kids. I thought he'd follow. NOPE. So I put the others in the car and locked them in. I mean, I'm not an octopus. Being the single mom to little kids like I am, there are times when there's nothing I can do due to lack of extra hands. I went back in the store to get Spencer. He knew he was in BIG trouble. But he didn't come down. He didn't answer when I called him. I told him if I had to climb up in the tubes to get him he was really going to be in trouble. He didn't respond. So I did. Up I went. I climbed all over it and couldn't find him. I had a panic for a moment. I knew he hadn't left the store. But I couldn't find him. I climbed back down and out of the thing. Then another set of parents noticed that Spencer was hiding in a section that I hadn't climbed in. Back up I went. I told him to come out. Just as I was about to near his section, EWWW happened. My hand was immersed in a pile of red vomit. EWEEWEWWWWWWWWW!!!! So I scream. I just don't DO vomit. It doesn't matter that I am a cancer nurse at heart. Never have I been fond of the stuff and I never will be! So I realized that the only way to Spencer was to get through this tube of yuck. I yell to the parents sitting down there. One sends her husband to tell someone. He comes back. Real helpful. ARGH! I STILL have vomit on my hands. I'm ushering kids away from the place. I ask (AGAIN) one of the parents to bring some napkins to me. Meanwhile, Spencer is not coming out and saying that he is "stuck" in the little car part of the tube. I sort of thought he was making it up, but tried believed him. So meanwhile I'm telling kids to get out of the tubes, that someone needs to clean this thing out. Some boy doesn't listen to me that it is disgusting and won't leave. So he's getting all upset. So his idiot mother climbs up the thing as though I'm being a mean mother and not letting her kid pass. I tell her that there's vomit and he needs to get down so then her kid starts crying and she's wanting her kid to climb around the vomit. Seriously? GET OFF OF THE EQUIPMENT! YUCK! Some people!!! Finally the napkins come so I can wipe off my hands and find out if Spencer is actually stuck. Oh yeah, and I'm praying that a cop doesn't see my other monkey children jumping around in my van....if they're staying put in the van and not running around the parking lot. I climb through the yuck and see Spencer. He is pretending to be stuck. I swear, I could've lost it right then and there. I'm positive there were fumes escaping from my ears because my brain was on fire at that point. I couldn't even in good conscience put Spencer's coat on him after I dragged him down the equipment and out of the little enclosed playplace space and into the bathroom to wash our hands. I didn't want his coat covered in nast either and even after washing out hands, I couldn't put our coats on. Ewwww. We walked out to the car, me in short sleeves, in the 20 degree weather. And then I got in the car and (after purelling the heck out of my and the kids' hands...) broke down into ugly cries. They didn't seem to phase Spencer. As usual. It is all one big game to him. He keeps upping the ante just to see what reaction he'll get out of me. He won tonight. And Chick-fil-a won $20 from our dinner tonight that they TOTALLY DIDN'T DESERVE OR EARN.

The kids were given strict instructions to go in our laundry room/bathroom that is off our garage entrance to our house and follow the sign on the wall--"Drop Your Drawers Here." This sign has had many meanings to me through the years, but never, ever before did I desire such instructions be followed to such a T. Those kids were scrubbed with so much soap before they were allowed anywhere else in the house. Ewwww. I really don't do throw up.

I'm reminded why we only do drive thrus. *Sigh* I was just trying to be a fun mom. The universe had other plans for me tonight.