A Run for the Border

The boys headed out to the beach this morning (Monday). The van was packed and only three boys have the chickenpox! (Pray for them!) The girls went North to border (not for Taco Bell) to see what the frontera really looks like. Few of the girls have seen the border and imagine it to be like Disneyland. However, as with most cities on the border, they are great places to drive through and be thankful that is not where you live. Kind of our conclusion.


As we got closer to the border, Blanca started to say, "I need a bathroom, I can't handle it anymore!" This wasn't that big of a problem until we couldn't find a parking spot. When we finally arrived at the bathrooms we negotiated because we had so many girls.


Two girls in the bathroom for the price of one! I love Mexico!



We started walking to the border. Yaneli is sitting on my dream moto. We had to remove her quickly as we apparently missed the sign that said, "Please don't sit on the motorcycles." We continued on but walking through the crowds was stressful. Everyone had to hold hands with at least one other person as we fought our way through the mass of people, trying to sell stuff or use pick up lines on the girls.


We went to the border and it was pretty anticlimatic. We turned around and felt relief with the large sign that said, "Welcome to Mexico." One of the girls said, "Amy, thank goodness we aren't going into your mugroso rancho." Border towns are never a good glimpse of the heart of a country. It seems that crime rates are high, as are drug-addicts, prostitutes and beggars. :)

We stepped out of the madness into a quiet restaurant.


Magda showcases one of her many talents for the camera.


Karla Josie shows her tongue and brain tacos. I think there are some things you just need to grow up with.


Lili and Michelle


On the way home we stopped at an artisan's store and Katie thought she should maybe buy this horse to remind her of Buddy. :) Wouldn't that be a great surprise for Bill and Joan when they get home, a giant horse in their yard?


We decided to wait for our ice cream until we arrived in Magdalena. We hit the plaza with sighs of relief as it was large, clean and not filled with scary people. It felt like home. We ate ice-cream and then started the great game of "Empty Fountian Tag/Monster-Crocodile." We had a great time until...


A man sitting on a park bench called out, "The police are going to come if you don't get down." This is our picture after we all were on solid ground again. He must have been having a bad day or not been from Magdalena because everyone in this pueblo is nice. :) (Challenge for those true blog addicts: Can you find Jaqueline?)


Katie sweeps Karla Josie off her feet.


Yaneli brought me a picture she had drawn after we returned. It also had her "story" of our trip.

"Yaneli: I behaved myself really well. I ate. I saw little old people asking for money. I went to Nogales. I had a good time."

Well said little girl. :)

The girls leave for the beach on Wednesday morning and they are ecstatic! (Ok, yeah, me too.) Claudia, Gloria's sister, and Katie are going with us, so it should be some great all-girl time!