Buenos Aires, Argentina

We have been here for a few days now. I have been stuffing myself with media lunas, empanadas, and seriously good wine. I wish my pics could be better, but it is so much easier to upload pics from my phone than my camera. Better pics to come later, I promise.

As much as I tried to plan for this trip, there are several things that I forgot and a few things I will have to remember for next time. Here is a sample:

- You would think that an umbrella would be something that I would think of packing considering every time I travel it rains, and I need to go hunt one down to purchase. Well... unless you are in Rome, where the street vendors magically appear with a ton of cheap umbrellas for a not so cheap price as soon as the first drop hits.

-I learned on the plane that dum dum suckers are dumb dumb. Instead of sucking them to help their ears, the ate them in three bites. Tootsie roll pops of even Blow pops would have worked a lot better.

-I also did not pack enough stickers. The kids LOVED playing with stickers on the plane. When the little one would get fussy, I would bust out the stickers, and she would sit there quietly peeling and sticking. Needless to say, I need more sticker for the ride home.

-Another airplane mishap was cream and milk are not the same thing in other countries. I ordered coffee after dinner on the plane. The lady asked how I took my coffee. I responded, "Crema. No azucar por favor." She looked at me like I had requested baby's blood or something. Then after she poured the lovely coffee and what I consider cream in the gentleman's coffee beside me, she handed me a packet of dried creamer. YUCK!!!! Apparently I should have asked for leche (milk) and not crema (dried crap). I just started drinking coffee in general so I had never ordered coffee internationally. LESSON LEARNED LADY!!!!!

-Upon leaving the airport I decided to stop by the tourist kiosk. Sooooo worth it!!! They had so many free guide books, maps, and a ton of knowledge.

- Wash cloth!!!! I really enjoy using a wash cloth to wash my face and although it is not a necessity for me it sure is important to have one for the kiddos. Do other countries use them? I have not encountered one in my travels at the hotels or apartments. I will pack a few next time.

- Entry fees!!! Last year when we had traveled to Argentina we were not required to pay an entry fee. The U.S. charges entrance fees to Argentinians visiting to the U.S. so Argentina implemented a reciprocal fee to U.S. citizens. Whoa! It was $140 per person. On the upside it is good for ten years, Downside is we are a family of four and that stinks :( We will have to make it up with lots of steak dinners since the exchange rate is so amazing.

Last but not least.... If your child runs around your house all day dressed in a princess dress at home, you better pack it. Trust me! This is all I am hearing about from my 2 year old. I am truly regretting not packing the dag gone "princess dress".

Here We Go!

It has been a long few days with all of the packing and organizing for the trip. What really helped the most was making a list several days ago for each individual person's suitcase. As I would think of something, for instance nail clippers for the kids, I would write it down. Today as I was putting everything into the suitcases, I did not have to think about what needed to go in. I simply looked off of my list. That saved my sanity as well as a ton of time.

Traveling with kids is a learning experience. I have learned to make take a few toys and books for when we get to our destination as well as a few activities for the plane. Packing a few snacks and a couple of suckers for take off and landing has been helpful as their little ears tend to hurt. Sounds simple enough, but I have actually not done this on a few trips past and suffered. My oldest who was 6 months old at the time was hurting so badly one time, she head butted me in the nose. Ouch!

Quick tip: If you are traveling with car seats, cover them with a large plastic lawn bag before checking them on the plane. This will keep them clean.

If you have a computer savvy hubby like me, you can take your Vonage box with you to Argentina and still receive and make calls without incurring international calling rates. Whoohoo!

Last year when we were in Argentina, the three year old was fighting over the stroller with the one year old. Thank you Craigslist... I went online and found a Sit and Stand stroller so everyone will have a spot to sit and.... it was only $40. Sweet!

I am sure there are a ton of grammar and spelling errors, but the taxi is almost here. So.... gotta run! Next time we meet, I will be in Argentina :)

Just a Little Shopping

I am soooo tired!!!! Slowly but surely I have accumulated things as I am out and about. Today my mother-in-law came over so my hubby and I could check off everything from our list and do a major shopping spree. Remember how I mentioned I am a procrastinator? This is when the self- loathing begins. Why or why did I wait 5 days out to gather all of this stuff?

Stores hit today:
*Wolf Camera- twice (bought something and returned it. Highly inefficient.)
*Walgreens- medicine for kids and adults
*Costco- ended up getting a few things for the trip and a lot of crap (excuse my language) that we do not need for the trip
*Lowes-wanted patio furniture covers but all they had was Christmas decorations...it is not even Halloween people
*Wal-mart- for essentials like hairspray because it was fairly expensive when we were in Argentina last and snacks for the plane. Also for suckers because they help with the girls' ears on the plane and keep them both quiet. Win- win!
*Aveda store and Cigar store-get some stuff for friends who are in Argentina.

Shew..... Of course I forgot to buy bottle liners for my child (who is way too old to take a bottle, buuuuut it helps her sleep so I do it anyway because at the end of the night I am exhausted....don't judge me) while I was at Wal-Mart. Doah!!!!

After editing this blog I am going to have to check my bank account and make sure everything is in order. Then I am turning on the T.V. and vegging out. Tomorrow is a long day at the zoo... literally.

The Countdown Begins

I cannot believe we are leaving the country for a month with two little kids in less than 10 days. It seemed like we had all of the time in the world, and now I am feeling the pressure. (Insert screeeaaaaaaam!)

We have started to make a list of things we need to pack, get, and/or prepare for the trip. I put a piece of paper out on the counter and every time an idea popped in our heads, we wrote it down. The serious list has yet to be made. Hmmmm... maybe I should do that today.

I started seriously working out a few weeks ago. The Argentines are serious about looking good. I had read somewhere that boob jobs were covered by private insurance plans. Not sure if it is true, but the women there were in fabulous shape. I should have started working out a long time ago. Oh well. With all of the walking we will be doing I am sure I will burn a calorie or two. Did I mention I would be walking to places that had creamy gelato, beautiful steaks, decadent wine, and handmade fresh pasta? I may not burn calories, but maybe I can break even???

A few things from my list:

*Make sure care for dog is arranged (food, leash, vet info)

*Refill precriptions before we leave

*Cancel and reschedule doctor/dentist appointments

*Put together an emergency medicine pack for kids (they may not have exactly the stuff you are used to using)

*Pack Always tampons and pads (TMI but trust me from experience, you want the good stuff)

*Pay bills ahead of time if you can

*Go to airline website to enter passport info

It is Spring in Argentina right now which makes packing early so much easier. We are not wearing Spring clothes right now since it is Fall here so we can easily pack weeks ahead of time. Added bonus: More use out of clothes for the girls that otherwise would not get anymore wear.