Key Discommode

Okay. After today, I can officially say that I locked my keys in my car. Believe it or not, I have never before locked my keys in my car before now. I almost did once in high school, but the back gate of the Dodge Colt Vista I was so embarrassingly fortunate to drive to school was left unlocked. I climbed through and got them out of the ignition.

(The one I drove looked very similar to this one. Only mine was a light bluish grey color and a little less boxy, I think... It's hard to remember)

Today, Sarah's friend Parker and his sister were supposed to come over for a playdate. Nicole (Parker's mom) called and said that her car wasn't working and invited us over there instead. This was a nice suprise for Sarah because she had been begging to go to his house to play on thier new playground in thier backyard since we told her they got one. When we left the house, it was cloudy, but not raining. When we got ther (less than 10 minutes later) it was practically pouring. My story is that the rain threw off my routine. And that's why the keys were left in the ignition and locked in the car. You see, as I was unbuckling and letting four kids out of the car and making sure they got to the front door instead of playing in the chilly rain in the middle of the street, I neglected to remove the keys from the ignition of the Durango. I had a big diaper bag on my shoulder, my purse hanging from my elbow, and a baby girl in a heavy carseat on my arm while I was walking around the car closing doors. I was about to close the front passenger door and lock it with our clicker (which is normally hooked to the strap of my purse with the black climbing hook) when I decided, rather than reach around and fish for the clicker in the pouring rain while carrying a total of about 50 pounds, that I would just lock it with the button on the door. So I did. And we played and had fun for 3 1/2 to 4 hours before I realized that we couldn't get home. Nicole was such a good sport about letting us crash her house for almost 6 hours today. We all still had fun, even though naps were disrupted and it rained on the kids' playtime outside. I really owe them big time for saving the day in my moment of oblivion. I do have to say, though, that I'm so sooo grateful that it happened at her house istead of while we were shopping or at the park or something. I mean, I love shopping and all, but 6 forcible hours of it with 4 tired, hungry kids is definitely not at the top of my list of life goals. The park may have been slightly better, but I still can't imagine 6 hours of it with no shelter, no real food and no boundaries! Imagine trying to keep 4 explorative kids corralled for 6 whole hours by myself! Thank you Nicole!! I swear: I'll never do it again!(It's not the most flattering picture, I know. But this is how I felt today!)

Have you ever locked your keys in your car? Do you know what Discommode means? (and no, it does NOT have anything to do with a toilet!)