Hotel de Mama Mia Maria

One evening while driving home my 6-year-old little man said to me, "I would like to stay at a hotel tonight." I replied, "We live here, we are not staying at a hotel."

"But I want to stay in a hotel."

I could see where this conversation was going and did not want to circle this particular wagon with him. So I announced, "We are going to stay in a beautiful hotel tonight called the Hotel de Mama Mia Maria."

I saw a big smile creep over his face as I started to list out what wonderful amenities were available at this hotel:

• chamber maid
• chef
• chauffeur
• bell hop
• activity coordinator
• waitress
• mediator
• secretary
• photographer
• educational tutor
• access to a petting zoo: two cats, one dog, plus a menagerie of wild critters a mile a way on Nana's mountain
• water amusement center: a slip-and-slide is just a slip and slide; add a water gun and it is a water park; add the neighbors' kids across the street and it is a water amusement center

To me, I was sold on this hotel after a maid and chef would be at my beck and call. Hotel de Mama Mia Maria sounds better then any brochure I have ever seen for an all-inclusive resort. Unfortunately, my son was not as impressed when he finally figured out it was his house.

This is the story of how our house became known as the Hotel de Mama Mia Maria.