I am sort of feeling a little like gangsta rapper Ice Cube (not the bad movie “Are We There Yet” actor) because today was a good day.

While Ice Cube was happy because he “saw the police and they rolled right past me” my day was spectacular because I wasn’t just Mommy today. No, no, no I was Rockstar Mommy, Superhero Mommy, Better-Than-Elmo-DocMcStuffins-MickeyMouse-D.J.LanceRock-Mommy and all it took was a car wash.

It would seem that the lying bastard Puxatony Phil is being raked through the coals for leading us to believe that spring was right around the corner. Well yesterday it was a lovely 60 degrees in Maryland, and it FINALLY started to feel like spring. At nine in the morning we were out on the playground, spent some time drawing with sidewalk chalk, and finished the morning playing a rousing game of hide and go seek.

It has been a loooonnnnggg winter and I have dug into my Mommy Bag’o Tricks one too many times in order to entertain the kids. You know those kids that can happily sit inside all day and color or make crafts? Yeah, those aren’t my kids and if you have kids like that….I hate you. OK, I don’t hate you, but I am super jealous because both of my kids go bat-shit-crazy if I keep them inside for too long.  They start jumping up and down on the couch pumping their little fists chanting “We’re not gonna take it…”

Because my son is Captain Random, I shouldn’t have been surprised when he turned to me (covered in blue and green chalk, mud, and mulch) and said “Mommy, let’s go to a car wash.” A car wash? Really? All of the things we could do on this beautiful day and you want to go to a car wash? Far be it for me to deny that sweet boy from something as simple as a car wash. So I put the dirty little playground kiddos in the car and headed off to the drive thru car wash.

It would seem we were having a Goldilocks moment because the first car wash was too busy. There was a pile up of cars waiting for a scrub. The second one was broken, and I had all but given up hope until we came across a third car wash that had zero line, was in proper working order, and took credit cards for the Mamma that doesn’t carry cash.

When we pulled the swagger wagon into the car wash the kids actually cheered. Cheered!  Who needs Disney World when you have a seven dollar car wash?

Checkout my little professor studying the multi-colored soap. Who needs a roller coasters when you are already strapped in your Goldfish encrusted car seat?

And here is Mimi, who was a bit apprehensive of the huge sponge-bristel-washer-things that scrubs the car, but she was digging the rinse cycle and celebrated with a cheerful “Yaaaaaaay!” Overpriced park admission? Not in this family. Sunoco Car wash,baby!

Like all adventures, the joy ended too soon, but don’t worry, I took the kids for a second swing through the wash. They were just as happy the second time around. When we headed home, Monkey made up a song about the car wash and Mimi mumbled along. When they Skyped with my parents that night, the first thing they talked about: car wash. When their dad came home from work, what did they greet him with: car wash.

Tomorrow, kids, Mommy is going to give you a special treat: Home Depot! Take an adventure ride on a stationary lawn mower. Hurry up because there is no line in the rug and door displays! I will even splurge for the souvenir paint chip cards! Take as many as you like!

So, tell me, when you need to entertain the kids, where do you take them?