Flordida & Disney World (November 16-21, 2008)

Ok, I have got to get back to my old blogger self. I used to dig through my brain trying to think of something exciting to blog about just because I loved making new posts. Now with a new baby (well, not so new anymore) and all the holidays and excitement, I have plenty to write about and I just dont have (or make) the time.

We went on an amazing vacation. The fact that it was 2 months ago and I'm still raving about it says how much fun it was. Heres the travel log:

Sunday 11/16


We arrived in Florida after two long squishy flights around 9 pm est. After waiting for Colling and Dani Brinkerhoff's flight, renting a car (mini van actually), and driving to Chris' sisters house (Anna) a couple of hours away, we were exhausted. We went to bed pretty late and woke up the next morning to a boy that Anna was babysitting. To put it nicely, he had a pretty annoying cry. It was a good wake up call though.



Monday 11/17


After breakfast and getting all ready for the day, we headed to our resort in Daytona Beach. It was another couple hour drive. We got there and we all put on our swim suits. We went all that way, I was gonna work on my tan... NOT. we got out to the beach and it was FREEZING. It was windy and in the low 60's... which, by-the-way, was a degree or two from record lows for Daytona beach in November. Anna's three girls and Addysin didn't seem to mind though. Chris and Collin couldn't care any less. They were in the ocean probably for an hour. Afterwards we warmed up in the hot tub, then checked into our beach front resort. Chris' parents had given us the vacation for Christmas 3 years ago and we never found the time to use it. The condo had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, full kitchen, living room, dining room, laundry, and a balcony facing the ocean. Anna and her girls went home and we went to a cute Diner across the street for dinner. Addysin was so tired she just fell asleep on the booth's bench.

How sad... our only picture of the four girls together.

Tuesday 11/18

We woke up later than planned and got ready to go to Disney World. Once we got in the car and a few blocks away, we decided to wait untill the next day to go and we would wake up early to get to the park when it opened so we could spend more time there. That day we saw the town a little and hung out. It was just sooo windy so Dani, Addysin, Caiden, and I stayed in the room and watched Chris and Collin boogy board in the ocean. They dont let anything ruin their fun. For dinner we went to a delicous homestyle kinda restaurant.

Wednesday 11/19

We got up early and drove the hour and a half to Orlando. We starting the day with Waffle House, an east coast restaurant chain. At Disney World, we each got a 2 day park hopper pass since their are so many parks to see. You could EASILY spend more than 2 days at Disney World. We started in Hollywood Studios. Addysin LOVED seeing all her friends from Playhouse disney. She really does think they are her friends. She was so shy when she would see the characters in real life. We were sooo glad we waited a day because the weather got a little warmer and we didn't have to wear jackets the whole day.


Collin and Dani

Addysin saw Minnie, look at that smile! Not Chris'... Addysin's :)

We went to a playhouse disney performance. Addysin loved it... and so did Chris. He sang all the songs :)

Caiden was so good for us. He was just over 3 months when we went.

For the evening, we went to Epcot. It was super awesome. I thought it was just the big golf ball thing before we went. Nobody ever told me it is like a big city around a lake. It has houses/builings from all around the world. I felt like a literally walked around the world in an hour and saw so much!

Colling and Chris had been dying all day for a turkey leg. They looked like carnivores. Dani and I got Chinese food. You could eat food from where ever in the world you wanted, but since we're cheap skates we found the cheapest place there.

The park closed at 9 and finished with fireworks. We got to bed late and woke up early for our second day.

Thursday 11/20

We started at Animal Kingdom. The weather got a little warmer and we were soooo happy. Animal Kingdom is also really cool. Its like a big, awesome zoo full of exotic things you never see.

This is how I carried Caiden the whole week when we was tired of being neglected in the stroller. He LOVED the sling more than anything in life (he has finally out grown it). My back and shoulder got very sore after so long.

This is how we got through the park.

Ok, just kidding.

Look at the huge fake mountain built just for a roller coaster. Disney doesn't mess around. That was my favorite roller coaster.

Addysin wants to be a grown up. She loves to mimic everything.

I think she was most excited to see Pooh, Tigger, and Eyore.

We went to Magic Kingdom for the second part of the day. Collin and Dani say that it is almost a replica of Disney land in California. The was my least favorite park. Maybe I was just exhausted. It is definitly a great place for children though.

We just happen to be there on the night they did the Christmas kickoff. It was sooooo beautiful. Everything was lit up and they had a fake snow machine. We figured out it was tiny little bubbles stuck together, but it looked exactly like snow was falling.

Our trip was so wonderful. Disney has made everything so perfect. Every building and ride are so cool. You just feel like you're in another world. You know that commercial where the mother and daugher are there and then the mom becomes the daughters age and they have a ton of fun together? That is kinda what its really like. You feel so excited, amuzed, and happy like a child!

Friday 11/21

We made the drive back to Orlando one more time (whew, we spent A LOT of time on the road) and flew non-stop to Salt Lake City. It was the perfect flight. We got 3 seats, even though we only paid for 2, and the kids were wonderful. It finished off our vacation nicely.

Thanks MOM & DAD LEE for the vacation!!!