From a distance, the world looks pink and lime green

I spent a few blissful days in El Paso during the middle of April. My sister Robin lives there, and even though we are technically in the same state now, it still took 9 hours to drive there. That's almost as long as the drive from Denver to El Paso. But it wasn't a bad drive since I-10 is 80 mph the whole way across. Plus, all the children are decent travelers (did I mention I made this drive by myself with three kids?) and they cower to the power of....dunn,dunn,dunnnnn....THE GOOD BEHAVIOR BAGS!

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Let me explain. Robin has travelled solo a lot with her children. She's learned a few tricks that I would love to pass along to each of you (these can be applied to any long car trip with or without two parents).

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1. Before you leave, spend a little time at the Dollar Store or the dollar spot in Target buying at least 5 new toys/special treats for the children. This time spent will be quadrupled in time not spent yelling at the kids to stop fighting or whining.
   


2. Wrap the toys up in a few brown paper lunch sacks (the more, the better). These are the Good Behavior Bags.
   


3. The children earn the GBBs by, well, having good behavior. They don't get to ask for it when they want it, you just pass one to the back seat when they are behaving and least expecting it.
   


4. Give them a really special, fun toyed GBB at the beginning of the car trip. Then feel free to use the GBBs at leverage to elicit a quiet, peaceful ride. If the kids start fighting, just remind them that they won't earn a GBB that way. If whining occurs, feel free to use the phrase, "Aww, that's too bad. I was just about to give you a Good Behavior Bag, but I can't now because you're using your whiny voice."
   


5. And just as a side note, don't start the dvd player until after the halfway gas stop of your trip. Fill the time up with books, music, coloring, toys, etc. If you introduce the dvd player too soon, the kids will get bleary eyed and whiny long before it's time to get out of the car. Think about it: how would you feel after watching 6 hours straight of Dora on a screen 2 feet from your face?

I will get off my carefully placed soapbox now.

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Text topic: El Paso, Texas!

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We had a delightful time in El Paso. We ate lots of Mexican food, did a lot of dishes, changed a lot of diapers, picked a paint color, went to parks, and took naps. It was a successful vacation, in my book. .

Robin took us to Border Highway. That's right, we drove right along the fence separating the US and Juarez, Mexico. There were border patrolmen about ever 200 yards. And a huge chain link, barbed wire fence.

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We also went to the El Paso Saddleblanket store. It is a store full of everything you could buy for cheap at the tiendas in Mexico if we were allowed to go into Mexico. I bought a bird cage. My children rode a horse on a real Mexican saddle.

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We also went swimming at the next door neighbor's pool. Correction, it was too cold to swim in the pool, so the big kids played in the "hot pool" while the little 'uns and the grown ups chatted it up on the deck chairs.

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We also went to the El Paso Zoo. It is literally a block from the border. Here is the sign saying so: It says "You are leaving the United States." Quick! Turn! I don't have my passport!

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This photo was too priceless to leave in my hard drive. I gave all the boys haircuts one evening. After Andy's haircut and before his shower, he could be seen doing some acrobatics on the trampoline in his underpants. So funny.