The deets... in 2019

So. Maddie had her very first gymnastics competition last weekend in Milwaukee, WI. A while ago, I had brought it up to James to ask his parents to come with since they’re Maddie’s Godparents and it’d be nice for them to get away, spend some time with the kids and us. We never spend time together without the other kids, so I thought it would be good for all of us.

BOY WAS I FUCKING WRONG.

James called them the night before and confirmed that they were indeed still coming and that we’d be picking them up at 12:30 and (in my words) to be ready.

We had the kids go to the bathroom and the boys (GPA and Brady) were sitting in the back, the girls (GMA and Maddie) were sitting in the middle and James and I were up front…with me driving for a good portion. (I have a Ford Explorer.)

From the minute his dad got in the car, it was AWFUL. He goes, “So, can I recline the seat, so I can get a nap?” I said, “No…that the back was too full.” He immediately got super grumbly. We ended up leaving their house at 12:45. I had told James - since I was driving - to see what they wanted to do as far as stopping & dinner. I said we’d stop about 3/3:30 to stretch and get gas. Then I had James look up on Google Maps for dinner places on our route. We ended up eating at Pizza Hut…which whatever. I don’t mind Pizza Hut. While we were waiting for our food, James & Brady went to the gas station and filled up quick, so we wouldn’t need to stop anymore before hitting Milwaukee. His dad was worse than a kid asking, “ARE WE THERE YET?!?!?!!?”

We get to our place…a VRBO of an upper level of a house. So, it was a “small” apartment…2 bedrooms (decent size, IMO), a bathroom (small, but very functional), kitchen, & a living room. The bedrooms each had a queen bed, then there were 2 fold down futon couches in the living room. We had offered up the bedrooms to his parents, but his dad said he’d sleep in the living room. I had Maddie in with me, Brady was in with GMA, and the two guys were in the living room. His mom goes, “Wow. I think the TV is bigger than the whole apartment.” Now…I understand it was small…but at this point, I was already irritated from the drive down. I didn’t need to listen to it.

James & I had to run to a nearby Walmart to get water because I couldn’t fit it in my car for the drive. There were only 4 towels, so we needed to grab 2 more for the kids and a jug of milk. While we were there, his mom called and said to get some more Halos for the kids and some paper towels. Now…I’m not racist, but when we pulled into this Walmart, there was some SkyCop something or other in the parking lot. And when we walked in to do our shopping, we were the only white people in the store. One never realizes that they can be a minority until THAT moment…

We got back to our place and GMA is washing cups to drink out of. The kids were in their jammies and having a popcorn snack. His mom and the kids went to bed and his dad fell asleep on the couch. James & I had a couple beers and decided at about 10 that we would hit the hay also. I had told them that I wanted to be out of the house about 10 to go to breakfast. His mom goes, “TEN O’CLOCK?!?!?! We’re up by 6:00!” Um…not my fucking problem. I’m not getting up at 6 a.m.!

I didn’t sleep very well because I’m SO used to having a fan…but we couldn’t fit my fan in the car with all the other stuff. It was 8:00 and I hadn’t heard ANYONE in the shower yet. Why nobody showered right away when they got up is beyond me…if you know everyone needs showers…why are you not showering?!?!? So, I got up and hopped in the shower right away. Maddie needed to potty while I was in there, so I told her to just stay in there and she could shower when I was done .She showered while I brushed my teeth, put my contacts in, etc. Brady showered after that. We all got ready and were at the restaurant before 10, so that was nice. It was super busy, but we got seated right away.

Hector was our server and he was very nice. GPA looked at the menu and was like, “I can’t even read this frickin’ thing. It’s not even in English.” (It was all in English, but it was not Perkins…so apparently, he couldn’t read the menu.) He THEN proceeds to go on about, “I just want a frickin’ piece of meat, some frickin’ eggs, and a frickin’ piece of toast. Why can’t I frickin’ get that?” (He could have…but he didn’t read the “non-English” menu to see that he could have done some ala carte things.) I got a Rocky Mountain Omelet and it was SO good. James got a skillet with ham, chicken, potatoes, peppers, onions and something else with an egg on top. He said it was super good. The kids both got a little combo thing with eggs, a pancake, sausage, and bacon. GMA & GPA both got Eggs, potatoes, and toast or something. They could have “ala carted” some meat if they wanted, but they’re totally in the box kind of people. They do NOT venture outside the box on ANYTHING. Totally vanilla. We agreed (why I did this, I dunno…never should have, but whatever) that I would pay for breakfast and they’d pay for dinner. I asked her SEVERAL time, “Are you sure?” And she goes (I feel as sort of joking), “Oh, is dinner gong to be like $100?” James & I have gone to dinner the TWO of us and it’s been $100 with tip.

After breakfast, we were right next to Target, so James & his dad went in and James got me a fan and his dad got some snacky things. After that, we found the Beef Jerky Outlet that Maddie wanted to go to. (She LOVES jerky!) We all tried some jerky and got some goodies. His dad was SO RUDE to the guy! (I realize maybe in the way I’m typing this, it doesn’t SEEM rude, but his tone makes it rude…just how he says it.) There were no specific prices on things…which I understand can be frustrating, but there’s a nicer way to ask than to say, “How much is this shit?” (Seriously.)

After we left there, I needed to get my ring inspected because we weren’t too far from a Zales store and they closed the one close to where we live. (SO ANNOYING!) I asked them if they’d like to come into the mall for a bit instead of sitting in the car. They decided to come in. Maddie & I are fast walkers…curses of a gymnast and a waitress. LOL. James goes, “You CAN slow down.” Maddie goes, “Dad. Mom & I are FAST WALKERS.” (It was really funny.)

Once I got my ring inspected, I said I wanted to pop into Justice (they have gymnastics clothes, but I am not willing to spend that much on kids clothes even on clearance). We took literally 2 minutes and that was that. I guess while Maddie & I were looking around, James’ dad goes, “What are we doing next? I don’t just want to go back to that PLACE and watch TV.” James told him that we could come up with a plan in the car because there were bad neighborhoods and we need to figure out where we shouldn’t go. We decided that we’d take the kids bowling. The first place we drove by looked…um, not so great. So, we found another place. It was a bit spendy, but the kids had fun (And I won the second game, so BOOM). After that, we went back to the apartment. Got there about 3:30ish. I looked up about 50 places to eat. I didn’t want to go to a chain that we had in our area because BORING. But I literally could not get his dad to agree to ANYTHING. He was like, “I just want a burger.” Uh Ok.

We decided on Champps. It is a chain, but we don’t have any here, so I was like FINE. I wanted to try Milwaukee Burger Company…which you can build your own burger, but his mom was like, “IS IT GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE?” Which THEN I knew I made a mistake agreeing to let her pay for dinner.

We get there and of course there’s a wait. I don’t mind waiting. It’s a Saturday night at 5:30! What do you expect?!?!? We get seated, ordered (I got a salad…extra $3…but I really wanted a salad with Blackened Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo, Maddie got a Cheeseburger with carrots & ranch, Brady got a little pizza, James got hot wings, GMA got a hamburger & fries, and GPA got…and I quote…”I just want a frickin’ hamburger. NOTHING on it. A PLAIN FRICKIN’ HAMBURGER.” Literally what he told our waitress. James & I looked at each other like WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK.” James & I each had two beers and we told his mom we’d be happy to pay for our own beers and my $3 side salad. She said, “No, we agreed to pay for dinner.” Okay. Fine.

All was good. The bill came and GMA took it She’s inspecting it like she’s going to perform surgery. I see her slide a $100 bill into the book and close it up. I look at James and mouth, “How much was the bill?” He shrugged his shoulders. I started doing the math in my head and I’m like…the bill just have been about $90 or so. After everyone left the table, I went to take Maddie to the bathroom. I flagged down our waitress and asked how much the bill was. $92.63. She left $7.37 on our bill. I was SO FUCKING EMBARASSED. I gave her a $20 and apologized a million times. WTF. When we got back to the apartment, I was putting my jammies on and James knocks on the door and says, “Wanna go to the local watering hole?” I asked him, “Did you ask your mom if that was ok?” He said, “I asked my dad. He just said he didn’t want to hear any complaining if we were running late in the morning.” FINE. WE OUT!

Found a little place called the Buzzards Nest. We got $2 Busch Light pounders and could have spent hours there, but after an hour, we figured we should probably get back. Kids went to bed shortly after that and I think we were in bed by 10 or so. I played on my phone and shut it down at 11.

James had most everything in the car by 7:30. I had to get Maddie all ready to go…so we took off at 7:46. Got to the school and she got where she needed to go…we paid and another mom had saved us spots in the bleachers. We had a pretty good spot to kinda get an eagle-eye view of the gym.

She did SO GREAT for her first competition. She said she was a little nervous when she first walked in, but found her team and saw where we were…then it was all cool as a cucumber. Me, on the other hand…I was sweaty, shaky, goosebumpy! She ended up tied for 2nd on Vault, but got 3rd due to All-Around score, 3rd on Bars, 4th on Beam, Tied for 4th on Floor and got 4th, and 3rd in All-Around. This next competition will be a little more on the stiff side from what I understand. I explained to her that she won’t always get ONE medal much less FIVE medals and that as long as she does her best, we will be proud of her.

After the awards, we left. Stopped at Culvers for lunch (where GPA’s burger was “ok”)…I love Culvers. Maybe if one would get more than MEAT and BUN…it’d be a better burger?!?!? We only made one more stop for gas and dropped his parents off at 5:30. Had to go get the dog quick and got home about 6:30. We fed the kids, put them to bed, and had ourselves some pizza. Talked about how AWFUL his dad was. I had asked them at one point where they go to eat. Their answer? Texas Roadhouse (with the gift certificate we typically get them…because IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE), Perkins, and the place I work because they get half price. Uhhhh…this makes a lot more sense.

James said his parents don’t go ANYWHERE. They go to work, the grocery store…that’s like it. They never go on adventures. They don’t vacation. They don’t go outside their box. VANILLA LIFE. I couldn’t NEVER live my life like that. I have brought James WAAAAAYYYYY outside his comfort zone in the past almost 13 years. He lived here his whole life and I had lived here 3 years and I knew more of how to get around St. Cloud than he did. He’d never eaten at Olive Garden. He didn’t grow up with money, so his family just didn’t do these things.

I asked James why he never said anything to his parents about how his dad was acting. He said that’s just how he acts. I said that it’s unacceptable. To treat a server/business owner/person that way is just fucking RUDE. I told my mom that if she were acting in a rude or unacceptable fashion, you can bet your bottom dollar, I’d be taking her aside…especially since we invited them to be kind.

So, yeah…never again. They can babysit…but we’ll never invite them on an extended trip EVER AGAIN.

Long entry…gotta shower and eat lunch!