The Cargills: Welcome to the Waldorf=Astoria

Before I go into our luxurious stay at the Waldorf=Astoria, a little back story is necessary. For those of you that have been on a cruise you may already know this. Typically when you go on a cruise the night before you disembark you are required to put all your luggage that is going to be checked outside your room the night before. The porters will then take your luggage (that night) to the belly of the ship to be easily placed out the next morning in the port. You may also know that because of TSA rules you cannot carry more than 3 oz. of liquid on your carry-on. Therefore, the night before we backed everything up (including make-up) and put it out as instructed. Friday Morning (Flight Home) We wake up and I put on the stylish Mickey Mouse sweat outfit that I purchased on the ship. Remember how I said it was cold? Here is a the picture of the exact outfit I was wearing.

Eat your heart out fashion world............ Also, I was wearing no make-up. I did brush my teeth, hair, and put on contacts. I also was sporting flip-flops. I always try to wear flip-flops when going to the airport. It makes it so much easier to go through security while holding a kiddo.

So........ our flight was at 2:40 p.m. We get to the airport around 11:00 a.m. We sit down and have lunch. Payton spills some of her lunch on my lovely outfit. Make it to the gate around 1:00 p.m. Notice that a thunder storm is approaching. No big deal. It moves on. We finally board the plane at 3:00. Sit back and relax. Payton falls asleep as we are pulling away from the gate. SCORE!! Told we are number 12 for take-off. Proceed to sit on the runway in the exact same spot for 2 hours. Flight attendants start to pass out food and drinks. Allowed to walk around and use electronic devices. Payton still asleep. Approaching hour 3 on tarmac. Begin to wonder if we are ever going to leave. Announcement made that we are going back to the gate because of some radar issue.

Upon our exiting the plane and being back at the gate, I notice all hell has broken out in the airport. Long lines at all the gate terminals. Then the announcement is made that the airport is shutting down due to a fire at the FAA radar thingy in New Jersey. This is the time Payton decides to wake up from her three hour nap. Everyone is told they need to rebook and that it may be faster to call American than to wait in line.

Our family decides to divide up responsibility. I wait in the American line, my sister in on the phone on hold to them and watching the kids, and my mom is calling my dad to tell him what is taking place. As I am waiting in the line, with 20 people ahead of me, you can hear Saturday all booked. I am about three people away from the line when we start to hear Sunday booked. Mom tells dad what is happening and that we are going to be stuck to at least Sunday maybe Monday. It is know almost 7:00 p.m. Dad tells us not to worry, and to focus on keeping track of the kiddos and rebooking the flight. Dad will get the hotel arrangements. By the time I make it up to the front, I am told that a direct flight to Dallas is not available until Monday; however, we can leave on Sunday with a stop in St. Louise. Great......... we will take it.

Okay then................ flight taken care of, and now we call Dad to see what he has arranged. My Dad has to travel a lot with his company. Therefore, he is a Hilton Reward Elite blah...blah... Member. My Dad is also under the opinion that New York is unsafe, unclean, and pretty much nasty. I don't think he has actually been there. My Dad calls the Hilton Reward number and tells the lady that his wife, children, and grandchildren are trapped in New York for two days and needs to find the safest cleanest Hilton they can stay at in Manhattan. Not a problem the lady says. I have the perfect hotel, the Waldorf=Astoria. My Dad confirms that it is in fact in a safe area. I think my Dad may have heard of the hotel, but it didn't click with him that this was one of the most luxurious hotel in New York or the fact the President of the United States of America actually stayed there the Friday before.

So my Dad informs us where he has made arrangements and I almost die. I have grand visions of my first stay at such a nice hotel. It involves me winning the lottery and taking my family, along with my fabulous friends, for a long shopping weekend in the Big Apple. I will be wearing a designer outfit, sunglasses, and fabulous heels. I will also have a personal sitter/ supervisor to entertain the little ones. (I can dream, right?) I did not envision myself ever really staying there or arriving in Mickey Mouse jogging suit with no make-up, tired, hungry, and generally beaten down by the world. But here we were, all looking like we had endured the longest day ever arriving here: