Bounce House of Horror

It started out like a normal enough day... Labor Day weekend, and a barbecue birthday party for my nieces, who celebrate their birthdays only 2 weeks apart, with Josie turning 2 on Aug. 25, and Faith turning 5 on Sept. 12 (and Lydia being born on Aug. 25 as well!)

There were many children, and a kiddie pool, and a new climbing structure and cake...

And a bounce house.

That became the bounce house of horror. *cue evil cackling*

The kiddos are all having an awesome time bouncing, and before too long, the choruses of "Auntie Lizz! Come bounce with us!" have started. (Even Max calls me that when he's with his cousins)

Even kids that I've just met that day can tell that I'm the fun one of the bunch, apparently.

Same way dogs can smell fear.

So anyway, I climb into the bounce house and we're all bouncing happily away. The kid find it hilarious that a grown up is in there (making an ass of herself) and I'll admit it, it's pretty fun.

As it so often seems to do, it ends up with me on my stomach and the kids piling on top of me. Yay! Super fun, right? All is fine when we're in the middle of the bounce house, this 9 or so kids and me.

I manage to get up and shed the short people holding on to my limbs.

Panting and tired (I'm too old for this!) I crawl over to a corner and lean against the inflateable column at the corner of the bounce house.

And they dogpile on me again.

And then it gets hairy.

So here I am, with all of these preschool/early elementary school aged kids piled on top of me in the corner of the bounce house. Each stick-kid represents 3 actual kids. I'm the one with the hair and the feet.

I didn't realize it, but I'd chosen the corner of the bounce house where the generator and fan resided; as the kids piled on, my butt managed to cover the vent for the fan that was keeping the bounce house upright.

Before I knew it, I was upside down, resting on the back of my head, feet in the air, kids piled on me, with no way to get up.

My view:

I had a thought: "I have no way to get these kids off me, and no way to help myself up. I am TOTALLY stuck like this! OMG, the bounce house is collapsing and we're TRAPPED inside!"

It's times like this where my cop brother-in-law and his paramedic buddy come in handy! They got the kids out (and off me!) and to safety.

I was now upside down and not sure how I was going to myself out. And then my handsome knight in shining armor appeared!

Jamie found a rescue hatch in the ceiling of the house, and was able to help me out!

Once I was up and off the fan, the bounce house reinflated in moments, but holy crap, it was a scary couple of moments there! LOL