When It Rains...

Faithy is sick.   We came home from NM last Friday and she became sick promptly after that.  Well, I guess I should say that Friday we got home, Saturday we had to re-stock the groceries, Sunday we had an impromptu 4th celebration and Monday she woke up with a fever. I thought the fever was related to teething since she STILL only has two bottom teeth and 7 or 8 top teeth.  But I was wrong.  The fever lasted 3 days then came the congestion.  We went and picked up my niece Thursday and Friday I decided to take her to the doctor.  On the way to the doctor's office I had to pull over and jerk her out of her car seat because she was choking on her phlegm.  I was so scared!  Then she was a TERROR waiting for Dr. Kuhl's, who took his DST by the way.  I mean pulling chairs, throwing toys, and ripping tons of the paper they put on the table into shreds.  I finally got her calmed down before he came in my playing with her in the mirror.  A few minutes before he came in she fell and bumped her mouth on the mirror and that was it.  She screamed, flailed, and all around went crazy while he was examining her. As we walked out to the car in the pouring rain I see that Faith had accidentally rolled down the back window of the 4-Runner and her new box of diapers were soaked.  Then she cried the ENTIRE WAY HOME!  I was thinking she take a long nap, but she woke up 40 minutes later HYSTERICAL with a mysterious bug bite on her face.  I searched her bed frantically for a spider, but I didn't find anything.  She also has blisters on the back of her feet from a new pair of shoes and mosquito bites all over her legs!  She has basically cried, hit, and been a little banshee for a week.  I'm tired.  And ranting.  Tired and ranting.  And oh, did I mention my husband's on a fishing trip that he left for today and won't be back until Tuesday?  Because I would hate to leave that out of my tired ranting.

The Fruits of Our Labor

I love our garden!   Look at the harvest from just ONE DAY!!!!

Squash, cucumbers, cherry tomatos, roma tomatos, banana peppers, jalapenos, and GRAPES!!!!

Faith loves it!  She goes out with us and picks her own banana pepper every single time.  Then she gnaws away at it as we pick the rest.  On the fourth of july I was able to make jalapeno poppers from our jalapenos.  And my mom helped me make fried squash for TJ since its one of his favorites and I'd never made it before. 

I am so glad it has done so well.   One of my main goals for the garden was to give away a lot of what we grew.  I am still waiting for my tomatos to ripen up, but if you like banana peppers let me know.  We have

A LOT of them and would love to share.

Mark this resolution as a SUCCESS!!!!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

When vacationing with an 18-month old baby:

1.  DO take along a dvd player of some sort.  God bless Ariel and Sebastian.  They saved my life with their calypso grooves.
2. DON'T expect your child to eat a single vegetable the whole week.  Even when your child has a diet of 50% fresh fruit and vegetables they will not eat one on vacation.  (Not that there were any available, but I'm just saying.)
3. DO budget money for a pedicure when you get home.  Even if you don't believe in pedicures, you will need one if you ever want your husband to cuddle with you again. 
4. DON'T bring any type of reading materials for yourself.  The books will stay in the door pocket of your car where you packed them so just forget about it.
5. DO let your husband's aunts take your child on walks and play with them when they ask.  It's the only 10 minutes of rest you'll get that day.
6. DON'T get upset when people continually tell you "Amanda, you look tired" after waking up at 5:00 am, catching a train to Santa Fe, walking miles around Santa Fe being led by two men that feel a happy pace is running, chasing a 1 year old around the square, and taking a 2 hour train ride home with a baby that didn't nap a lick. 
7. DO go to Sonic and get a Route 44 DDP at 10pm after your baby goes to sleep just to get out of the house.  Who cares if people think you're crazy!  Its your vacation and you can enjoy it however you want.
8. DON'T stop and eat at real restaurant on the way home.  People will look at you like you are homeless or just escaped from the prison down the highway.  Just a get a dang Happy Meal and call it good.
9. DO let your husband take you for a ride in the hills on a 4-wheeler.  Its pretty, a smidge scary, and you'll get a good laugh when a bug goes right down his throat going 60mph on the ditch bank.
10. DON'T get upset when your child sneaks off, finds a container of salt, and pours it throughout the house on the carpet.  Just go through and move it around with your shoes until its unnoticeable.  I know, I'm horrible, but I don't care.

Please feel free to comment and leave your own tips for traveling with toddlers.  I'd like to know what kind of company I'm in.