Preening for a (play)date

In direct contrast to yesterday's events, one amazingly good thing has come out of my rantings about WoW. (Damn it. And I swore I wouldn't mention it again! Dollar for the "Don't Say It" jar.)

One of my self-described lurkers came out of hiding last year and became a regular commenter. Soon after, she started her own blog and I started stalking her.

Have I ever told you how awesome Rachel is? She is awesome. Have I ever told you how much Sprite adores her two daughters Lilli and "Lissie-beth" (Elizabeth)? She does.

We've met for a number of play dates, usually at the playground nearby, where our children could run free (yet contained, always a bonus) and we could start (and pause) an unlimited number of stories while running to the aid of three girls whose imaginations could kill them. (and us if they tried..)

Taking the plunge, I invited Rachel, Elizabeth, and Lilli over to our house for a playdate. We set the time for last Friday evening, a pizza dinner, some cookies, a movie, and of course, lots of play time. I had a week to get the house ready and thought I would attack things bit by bit so it would all be done by Date-Day.

Oh, life. Why must you mock me? (And the crank calls are just bad form. Really.)

Due to the art project I will subject you to tomorrow, I was caught up and tied down and constantly playing defense to a toddler who was hell-bent on 1. joining my art project  2. taking my art project and 3. making improvements to my art project. ("No, Sprite. Macaroni and cheese should NOT go in the paint." "No, Sprite. The paint is NOT ketchup. And since when have you ever seen pink ketchup?")

Friday morning, I looked around at the debris from the past week, the dust bunnies which had banded together with the dog hair and was currently waging war on EVERYTHING, and the toys which had become more of a sidestepper than a picker-upper in our daily obstacle course. And Sprite's room? Ha! I had resigned myself by Tuesday to just clearing a path to her bed, the shoved toys now creating a rocky knoll of tossed aside treasures.

There was no way my house was date ready.

I couldn't cancel. No! This date was as much for me as it was for the kid who I'd been psyching up all week and had glowed when I woke her up and confirmed that, indeed, Elizabeth and Lilli would be coming over this evening.

I snuck out of the office at lunchtime to clean. That's right, I cheated! I hurried home, got out the Dyson, (yes, we've had it for almost 6 years and I still refuse to refer to it as a vacuum. Now hush. You'll hurt its feelings.) made Sprite's bed while shoving nice looking toys into appropriate places to encourage playing, and the rest under the bed, (the bed may have raised a few inches, but it was sturdy enough. I checked.) and tackled the dust before it could tackle me.

All doors to destinations too messy to travel into were closed and the couches were covered for possible food related injuries.

Finally pausing to take a drink, (and, you know, breathe) I looked around, satisfied at the result. My house may not be ready for its close up (ever), but the Hazmat suits wouldn't be needed. And our guests would never know that I had spent the better part of my day making it look like it was all so effortless.

Rachel and her girls arrived to a somewhat neat home at 6:30. Sprite's somewhat neat room was completely trashed by 6:31. I admitted my clandestine cleaning to Rachel by 6:32.

We had a great time. We ate, decorated cookies, saw three Cinderella's vye for "Who Wore it Best?", and even took in a movie.

Rachel and I made promises for a Mommy's Night Out so we could finish those started stories without the girls needing help with a Princess or a Pony.

And no one mentioned the few stray bunnies that were forming an alliance in the corner.

The perfect ending? Sprite was asleep within minutes of Rachel's car pulling out of the driveway. (Rachel, your plan for a pj theme worked out so much better than you can imagine.)

So that WoW post did more than I thought it would. I may have gotten a troll, but I also got a friendship I treasure. (And ANOTHER dollar for the "Don't Say It" jar..)

Comments

[Rachel]

hee hee. I think I was a lurker at first, but once I figured out that you lived somewhere near me, I officially became a blog stalker. At least its worked out nicely :)

The girls had so much fun on Friday, and they want to know when we can have another play date, but I think the mommy play date should come first! There are so many stories I've only heard the first half of. It's just no fair!

[Jan]

I can so relate to the whole cleaning thing - I am skipping out on work this morning to clean my disaster of a house before Beloved comes home, after a week and a half out of town.

And on that note, I better get cracking.

[K]

That's awesome!

I still haven't met a blogger in real life yet, but it must be quite an experience.

[The Dental Maven]

Vacuum, Vacuum!

Did it get angry?

[Cathy]

Another example of why I miss my now-grown children: Nobody to blame the house mess on! Thanks for the chuckle this morning.

[Stacy (the Random Cool Chick)]

Oh I love it! I've been known to do last-minute clandestine cleaning, too. In fact, I'm saving up all the dust bunnies and doggie hair and piles'o'toys to do just that early Saturday morning before the FIL makes his appearance for a visit. You know, because I do much better under pressure. ;)

How cool that you have an awesome bloggy friend that lives close enough for play dates - and future mommy dates! Maybe we should move to Florida. ;)

[Ginny Marie]

My SIL tells me not to mop the kitchen floor before company comes, because it will only get dirty again when the company's there. So I choose not to mop my kitchen floor. (Maybe that's not the best decision I've made...)

You definitely need a mommy playdate to finish those stories!

[Heather]

For some reason, I do my best cleaning when I am expecting company and there is no point in starting to early, your just going to need to again. My hubby and my 3 chihuahuas can make just a big a mess as my 3 grandsons!

I don't get to see cindrellas, I see the incredible hulk or superman. Both can be very destructive to a room!

Glad everyone had a good time (even the dust bunnies). What is a mommies night out? jk, lol

[kyooty]

Great job!

[Erin@TheLocals Love It]

That was a great post.

[Maureen@IslandRoar]

Happy endings are so much better than trolls!

[mrsbear]

They are too cute, snacking in their jammies and all.

Having people over always puts me in to panic cleaning mode. The hairballs are at the top of my list since they begin to collect about as soon as I can vacuum them up. Next time around I'm going with a bald dog. Or a naked mole rat.

[vodkamom]

i love love love meeting bloggers. And ESPECIALLY loved meeting you............

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

I wish I could meet more bloggers and organize some playdates....you Fla. gals are so lucky.-!

[jessica]

I had a playdate with Kelcey from Mammabirddiaries and I was so happy to have our kids meet each other. Sounds like such a great time

[Keely]

I think I must move to Florida.

Anyway, the best friends don't give a crap what's growing in your fridge.

[kristina]

I'm always a last-minute cleaner. But I don't want to clean too much. I know that I am always relieved when I go to another mom's house and see some dust bunnies. If it's too clean, I'm suspicious.

[Casey]

That's hilarious since I spent all day Friday cleaning for a play date too! We pulled ours off and nobody cried, pushed, bit, or punched. Next time, you guys are invited too!