A Sombrero and a Box of Cigars

We went on our first ever trip to Rocky Point, and may I just say that we had a blast.  All of my fears and apprehensions were ungrounded. Well, not entirely true.  There was that first part after crossing the border, when it was already dark (we left way later than planned, imagine that), and we lost the lead car which contained Andrew and Dawn's family, as well as the map, and the one person who spoke Spanish.  I was trying to be ultra calm, because Jody was intense enough for both of us (and anybody within a ten mile radius).  The four men in the back of a truck with AR15's at the Circle K where we stopped for directions didn't help his stress level, nor did the fact that he got different directions (in mostly Spanish, which we don't understand, remember?) from everyone trying to help.  And they really were trying.  While Jody was out of the car I tried to explain to the kids, without scaring them, that daddy was trying really hard to find our place, and that any questions such as "When will we get there?"  "Are we lost?" or "How much longer?" would be hugely unhelpful, and maybe slightly dangerous, considering Dad's state of mind.  Jody came back and off we set in our enormously long van, towing a more enormously long trailer, afraid at any point that we would turn down some street that we would get stuck on.  After many turns and one long, winding dirt road, Jody stopped abruptly in the middle of the road and walked up to the cab behind us, almost pleading with the man to be able to communicate in English- and miracle of miracles (and answer to more than one fervent prayer) he spoke English!  He said  "No worry.  You are not lost!"  (I had to laugh at this)  He then told us how to get to "The Reef" and then wished us Merry Christmas and Happy New Year at least four times.  He was one of the happiest, kindest cab drivers I will probably ever come across (because I come across so many, you know).  This man deserves blessing from heaven.  True to his word, we made it to "The Reef".  The worry was over and the fun began.

It was an awesome vacation.  The mornings were chilly enough for sweatshirts and the kids spent their time carefully walking across the coral (or in Caden's case, not so carefully-he was fully soaked within 1/2 an hour) and exploring while the tide was out.  Midmorning saw them in swimsuits and the rest of the day was spent in the water.  Even the babies ventured down once the tide came in.  The evenings grew chilly and the sunsets brought blankets of darkness, a perfect setting for a cozy fire to sit and warm ourselves around.  The kids feet fell casualty to the combination of water, sand, and new crocs, and we have been nursing many a blistered and bleeding foot.  Jody, Conner and Cooper chartered a boat and went fishing one morning.  The fruits of that trip are still sitting in my fridge, waiting to see if I have the courage to cook them up.

All well and good, but what does all of this have to do with a sombrero and a box of cigars, you ask?  Well, the first morning we were there Jody and Andrew had left on the Ranger for a little bit, and that's when it all started- the sweet Mexican's walking along the beach selling all kinds of things.  Anybody who knows me should have thought to warn me, since my inability to say "no" is widely known.  I also, much to the frustration of my husband, cannot (notice I didn't say will not, because I really can't) bargain.  I will always pay the asked for price.  So it began, and I shortly had in my possession one bracelet, necklace, life size plaster turtle, beaded purse, two shark tooth necklaces, and probably a few other things that I can't think of right now.  Just one or two things from each person that had stopped at the trailer thus far.  I knew I was spiraling out of control and that Jody would give me a hard time.  Just as I was thinking this, two men came up, one selling sombrero's and the other cigars.  I had a vision of Jody returning to find me sitting on a chair clad in Mexican jewelry, my plaster turtle by my side, wearing a sombrero, with a box of cigars on my lap.  How was it to be avoided?  The roar of the Ranger saved me from my own vision.  Andrew told them we don't smoke, and Jody uttered the first of many "No Thank you"'s to the sombrero man.  As best I can remember, we are now the proud owners of:

• Silver bracelet
• purple necklace
• turquoise bracelet
• green bracelet
• flower bracelet
• beaded purse
• sun dress
• small carved turtle
• small carved tucan
• aforementioned plaster turtle
• 38 braids with beads (on Braelyn's head)
• more braids on Brookie
• bobble head butterfly
• four shark tooth necklaces
• one ying/yang necklace
• one anchor necklace
• one very large pancho
• four slingshots
• colorful pitcher
• matching colorful plate
• Mexcian blanket
• One womanly pedicure on the beach
• One manly pedicure on the beach (YES!  Jody got a pedicure)
• Fireworks

That might not be all, but it's all I can remember right now.  Hopefully we left Mexico a little happier than we found it.  Jody is confident that word had gotten out and that everyone selling was looking for the blonde lady that would buy almost anything -except cigars and a sombrero!