Things We Learned on Vacation

1) Traveling on a holiday weekend can double your travel time!! A trip that normally takes 4-5 hours could take you 9 1/2.

2) Make sure to carry an extra cup or container for an emergency. Being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic with a child who has to pee could be a dangerous thing.

3) When traveling with children make sure to pack an alcoholic beverage on ice to be consummed immediatley after arriving at destination. Especially if you have been stuck in the vehicle with the monsters for 9 1/2 hours. If you are not a "drinker"....you will be by the time you arrive.

4) The sand is hotter walking back from the beach than it is walking TO the designated spot.

5) It is easier walking to the designated spot than walking back.

6) If there are no men on your trip DO NOT carry a big ice chest. There are no gentleman to rescue a 38+ yr olds that are clearly not string bikini material while being trailed by or run over by 4 excited children. Make sure to carry a small container that can be easily carried by one person.

7) Children will find a way to get something to the beach even if it means tying it to the roof of a car.

8) Some six year olds will tell anyone within earshot where sand has gathered in their suit and will continue to tell you that they don't like sand and anything else they feel is not going their way every 5 minutes just in case you forget.

9) Hiking 2 miles to the beach is not advised while carrying enough equipment to stock a small souvenir shop.

10) Pomengranate Margaritas in the pouch are very good.....two are better and three or more are highly recommended when traveling with a talkative, dramatic six year old.

11) Anyone who goes to the store and comes back with a strong drink, and demands you drink immediatley is a TRUE girlfriend.

12) When a complete stranger of the same sex seems to enjoy talking with you and getting touchy feely....it's probably time to get out of the water.

14) If a child can not eat shrimp because he is allergic to it....probably not a good idea to allow him to fish using shrimp as bait.

15) Again....Pomengranate....being frozen is not neccesary....pour over ice.

16) A sticker from a cactus is hard to pull out of a child's toe.

17) Some fish nibble and bite

18) Michelob Ultra comes in many different can sizes

19) Never be suprised at what your 12 yr old son may pick out at a souvenir shop

20) Most importantly....I learned the person who invited us to go on the trip is an AWESOME friend with LOTS of patience.