Big fish out of water

First, let me say that I did not book the hotel for the robotics team. We ended up staying at the Ritz Carlton in St Louis. At first I was pretty excited about this idea.  I have never done anything fancy. Have you ever read the story The Country Mouse and the City Mouse? I realized I might be in trouble the moment we pulled up to the hotel. Guys in suits opened the doors for me and they were giving all kinds of looks to Keith for our, eh, hum... not so fashionable vehicle. I went in wearing flip flops and grubby levis to check in. The guy at the desk (again, a very nice suit) greeted me with his best British accent.  I knew at that moment I was in over my head. I got checked in and then went to help Keith get kids and luggage. Let me preface this with this statement: Whoever designed this particular hotel was a total and complete idiot.  The parking for the peasant people is at the very back of the hotel. I can accept this. I wouldn't want my car getting in the way of your limousine.  However, in order for the common people to get from their cars to their rooms, they have to parade through the very middle of this lobby.  This isn't a small lobby.  This is more like a very fancy restaurant. The "lobby":

 Back to my story..... That evening, I had to get some things out of the car.  At this point in time, I did not realize that we would be parading through the "lobby" to get to the car.  Keith walked me down. I was already in my pajamas and a ponytail. As I walked through, I got many looks. There were many people all in their very fancy clothes drinking wine from their very fancy glasses.  I have never felt so out of place as I did at that moment. It was like these people could see my chickens and the cow following after me. It was scary obvious I was an imposter. Im pretty sure this guy... Tony Bennett... was playing the piano as I paraded my kids through some people having a party and enjoying the dance floor.

Don't worry, as we paraded through the Tony Bennett concert, I made sure Kate had a blow out diaper that was leaking down my arm and on my shirt.  I also made sure the other kids had their messiest clothes and hair.  They were also carrying McDonalds bags to the room.  I wonder if this was the first time a Ritz patron ate McNuggets in the hotel room.

The two funny things that happened.....a few days later was laundry night. A friend of mine and I needed to do laundry. The Ritz doesn't have laundry services.... well, not the kind that my kind of people use. We proceeded to haul our dirty laundry in and out of the "lobby" while they had some kind of fancy party going on.  Look what the Ritz reduced me to..... a laundromat at 10pm. (thanks Abe for the pic)

I enjoyed the laundromat itself. I had a great visit with my friend Betsy. I also fantasized about getting a washer and dryer that my entire family could fit into... let alone all our laundry.  The next night, we had a robot team party. We had been told that we MUST try Ted Drews frozen custard. We started with all of the kids (there were TONS of us) in the "lobby". Most of the kids were either in swimsuits or pajamas. It was fantastic. (thanks Betsy for the pic)

 We eventually gave into the disgusted looks we were getting and found a dark ballroom in the back of the hotel. The kids LOVED this idea. (thanks Betsy for the pic)

Not all of us were uncomfortable in the Ritz. The kids loved it. Hayden really liked the idea that someone would make his bed each morning. I don't know why it mattered so much to him. Im not very strict about bed making. I should be, but Im not.

 Its safe to say I was glad to leave. Its also safe to say some Ritz patrons went home and had some funny stories to tell about me.