Family Vacation: Day 1

Getting ready for a nine day family vacation is very difficult. I had so much to do, and Anthony was VERY busy with work and his new semester. So I had to finish packing the van and getting everyone ready while Anthony was in class. Sam sat in the bathroom screaming while I showered. He did not stop until I was actually out and attending to him. Then he did not want me to stop paying attention to him even for a second. Either I am a horrible mother, or he is a complete brat (or both), but he made me strap him to me the entire time that I did my hair. I tried setting him down at one point, and he started screaming again. I know that I should not give in, but sometimes I just want him to stop screaming.
We left the house at 9pm and drove all night to get to California. Sam was screaming to get out of his carseat the entire way there. When we arrived we all took a short nap. Then Anthony reminisced about his childhood at Grandma Meservey's (that is where we are staying). We played games with the kids and had lots of fun. Zoe is awesome at Jenga.
We made a visit to the .99 cents store and bought some fun stuff. Then we went over to Tio Chuy's for Ita's roast and Mexican bread.
My favorite part of the day was all of the fun new things I learned about and tried. I ate my very first fig at Grandma's house. At Tio Chuy's house I had guayava juice, and I tried a guayava. I have no idea what it really is. I like the juice, but not the fruit. I tried a Mexican lemon (they are just little lemons). I ate raw sugar cane. I tried a quince (they taste like very sour green apples). I saw lots of other fruits in their yard, but some of them were not ripe yet. Hopefully I can try some of those before I leave. I also ate dried papaya. It was delicious! The kids played with the dog and cat tonight too. That was the first time Sam was brave enough to touch an animal.
We are having lots of fun so far and are really excited for what else this week will bring.