It occurs to me that since I posted a "Notes from our vacation - Part 1" that our readers may assume that there would be a Part 2. Of course those who really know me that it's also possible that Part 2 would never materialize.

Here are some of the things we discovered on our trip...

You can find ANYTHING at the Flea Market, including cool furniture, old school video games, and some of the ugliest artwork I've ever see:

You can also find a deep fried Twinkie which, I must say, is the most decadent thing I have ever tried. You can't tell, but I'm holding one in this picture:

When given the option, dinner by the pool is one of summer vacation's greatest luxuries. After a long day in the car the kids can run wild, swim, and not drive their parents crazy while waiting for dinner. And, if you are lucky, you can also buy beer.

Sometimes you need to resort to letting the kids play video games or watch a DVD while at the table, even if you swore you never, never, never would allow such behavior.

Unpacking when you get home... sucks. Everything is dirty and a little damp. There are crumbs everywhere, including in the car, and everyone is exhausted.

Other things we learned:
- If the car doesn't have leather seats, invest in a plastic shower curtain to line the back seats. The kids will spill, or crush, something which will stain the seats if they aren't lined. I know it sounds very un-Kristin-like to give this kind of advice, but trust me. You will thank me later.

- Bring wipes for cleaning up - But forget the baby wipes because most smell like a clean baby's bum. Instead, pick up a couple packs of the Method all purpose wipes. I bought the pink grapefruit and they kept the car smelling sweet!

- Lock yourself in - As everyone knows, my daughter is a runner. While at the hotel she figured out how to open our door, allowing her to run into the hallway - twice. To prevent escapes while we were sleeping, my husband bought a cable clamp to keep the security bar closed. It was very easy to open and close, and let me sleep soundly.

- Take a few days to yourself - Today the kids are at camp and my husband is back at work. Which allows me to hang out with . . . me! I'm catching up on e-mails, cleaning, doing laundry and generally enjoying the peace and quiet.

Guess I should enjoy it while it lasts. Real life starts again on Monday.