Mamma don't do no puke

Family vacations.
Always interesting, fun, colorful and...well....smelly?

We ended up out time at Zion and left early Thursday morning, setting out for an easy 2+ hour ride to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Easy.

That was the wrong word to have in mind. We hadn't gone 45 minutes, when from behind me Tiff screamed , " I AM GOING TO THROW UP!"

Now, in a much earlier post, I wrote about taking the barf bags from the Delta plane, and that is wasn't stealing because I paid a lot of money for those tickets! I am SO SO SO SO glad I took those heavy duty-seal able-portable little bags!

In a half second I grabbed one of of the glove box, and had it over Tiff's face before Sam could even pull over. Not one drop of puke in the new van! YAY MOMMY!

We got him cleaned up and settled, and off we went, again.

Our little Constipated Cutie kept crying about her tummy hurting. After 5 , yes FIVE stops to see if she could relieve her constipation and one wrong turn, we were on our way AGAIN, now well over and hour off schedule.

We get near the park, marveling at the beautiful snow and the 36 degree weather and she starts giving of that scared scream, so out pops another Delta bag, Sam pulls over again, and again, Delta saves the day.

Delta wasn't there when Kaitlynn proceeded to Christin her first trip to the Grand Canyon by leaving behind her breakfast on the bushes.

WHEW! ENOUGH!!!!!!!

It was then MANDATORY Dramamine infusion for any Smith under the age of 12. We spent about 10 minutes looking at the incredible canyon, but my nerves were frayed. The second we stepped outside the lodge onto the trail, AFTER a stern lecture to the kids about obeying in this dangerous place, Tiff proceeds to CLIMB THE SAFETY RAIL!!!!!!!!!

I yell..um..scream...um...encourage him to get down, and behind me, Sam is laughing hysterically (once he is down and safe).
Because this is what HE did to his mother years and years ago. Tiff is a mini-Sam. And Kay, I need some pointers on how Sam turned out so well and how you survived these years please!

We think it was altitude sickness that affected the kids. It came on way fast and disappeared quickly. We were at 9,000 feet, having traveled about 6,000 feet up in less than an hour.

Then it was 8 more hours into the car, through Arizona and some amazing canyons to New Mexico, where I am now writing in the library when I am supposed to be at the BX getting meds because now Tiff is saying his ear hurts.

They did SO well on the drive. Thank you for DVD players!!!!! There were only a few minor spats. Kaebrie told everyone to stay really quiet because her baby was asleep. Tiff looks at her, waits 5 seconds, then shoots her baby with his wooden gun.

She screams.

He laughs.

I try and figure out how much of their college savings are going to need to go to pay for therapy.

We didn't do any driving today. Staying 2 nights at the TLF's on base here. Old base housing they have converted into temporary lodging. Old base housing that is NICER then our base housing we live in on a permanent basis. {sigh}. I was able to get caught up on laundry and spread the kids out into different rooms and we all feel rested and less stressed.

I have 8 minutes left on my library timer. Sorry about no pictures again. I will try and get some on. I am hoping we have Internet at the hotel in Dallas for 5 days.

Tomorrow we drive all day to somewhere in Texas, can't remember at the moment, then make our Dallas destination on Sunday.

Please continue to pray for safety and no more throwing up!!!!!!!!!!!