Hot pot

After our long day at the conservatory we headed to our friend Ben and Janelle's place for hot pot.  Hot pot is kinda like fondue but I guess asian style and on a much bigger scale.  There is a wok that has broth in it and then you have these little baskets that you drop in the meat in and then you throw whatever veggies or starch in there to cook.  You let it cook and then fish it out of the broth and consume.  The great part about this (because we did it once before with Ben) is the just hanging around and eating.  This event can easily go for a couple of hours and you don't really get full.  Probably because you are eating little bits at a time and not filling up all at once.

I had my doubts how this was going to go with both kids being so tired and it being way past their bedtimes.  I was hoping that they would nap on the way to Chicago, and only one of them did... but not for very long.  So they were pretty slap happy... and we had a big day at the other place running around I was surprised they made it as long as they did.

Now, like I said before one of the best parts of the hot pot is being able to sit around with friends and hang out.  I think ideally probably 6-8 people makes for a nice gathering... but this time there was about 16!  It was way to many people for their small dorm (Ben is in chiropractic school and lives on campus).  And the people this time SUCKED.  They weren't very friendly, they were looking out for themselves (I'll explain) and they pretty much all seemed like douche bags.  I know that they are Ben's classmates, but I could've done without ever meeting any of them.  That may seem like a mean thing to say, but, well, it's the truth.

None of them wanted to talk and they were really click-y.  Yes, we were the only people there with children.  Yes, we don't go to your school.  No, we don't like to get hammered on a Thursday night.  And around the hot pot they would take the food that we dropped in to be cooked.  Never mind the fact that we have two small hungry children who are trying to wait patiently for that food.  Are you serious?  Let's think a little here... ya know?  I was just a little irritated.  After such a nice trip we didn't even really get to visit with Ben and Janelle, and we were just trying to stay out of these people's way.  So, unfortunately it was a poopy end to our great adventure, but at least I got to be with my family all day.  The kids, honestly where fantastic and well, Gaetan is always.  :)

I think the thing that was the worst about that night was these people made me feel like a second class citizen.  It was like because I had kids I must've screwed up somewhere along the lines, and obviously I wasn't on 'their level' because I wasn't in chiropractic school.  A lot of them wouldn't even make eye contact or introduce themselves... and I know that I have the greatest job in the world, and that not everybody can be a good parent, but it's just times like this being 'just a stay at home mom' seem like I'm not doing enough, or that I'm not good enough.  And, of course, I know that's not the case at all, but it's just amazing how people can make you feel that way.  On the way home I knew by just looking at my sweet sleeping kiddos that I'm doing the right/best thing for me, but I just can't understand how people can be so ignorant.  Oh well.  It's a good thing I don't have to be their friend.

So, I hope that Ben and Janelle are doing well (they've been married for almost a year now) and that we can visit with them a different time under better circumstances.  :)  I'm glad that it gave us a great excuse to go see the conservatory during the day, so I will choose to focus on that part of the day.  So here's to being a stay at home mom, (and loving it!) and a big eff off to all those who don't think that I do real work.

JVG