We FINALLY got to go on our beach vacation at the end of August. I didn't think it would ever happen! Since we went to Disney in January, we planned our beach trip to the end of the summer to space things out a bit.
We spent four nights there and Reid's Granna got to come with us. She made the drive from Alabama, which is much farther than our 3.5 hours from Greenville. But Reid was so glad she was there. The weather wasn't great but it could have been worse. It was the warmest/sunniest on the afternoon that we arrived, and we didn't waste any time getting out onto the beach. The days that followed included a morning of rain and some cooler temps, but we were still able to build sand castles and play in the pool. No need for sunscreen!
Reid is a total beach kid. He completely loved jumping in the waves and had no problems when he got knocked down. Of course, it made for a less-relaxing trip for the adults, who were trying to make sure he didn't get swept out to sea. Why does the salt water not hurt kids' eyes but bath water does? Ross made Reid a cool sand "castle" that was really more of a fortress. But, it had a sand throne in the middle that Reid could sit on. He would sit down and wave at everyone passing by like he was the king of the beach. :)
Besides doing the regular beach stuff, we also went to Ripley's Aquarium - along with every other person in Myrtle Beach, the morning it rained - and spent a lot of time at Broadway at the Beach. Our resort package includes some attraction vouchers that can be used at a variety of places, including (thankfully) the kiddie rides at Broadway at the Beach. They have some pretty neat things to choose from but Reid was not interested in trying anything new. He only wanted to do the kiddie rides we did last year and, even then, he only did three of them. Over and over and over. We were there at some point for three days straight.
Ross also took Reid out to the NASCAR theme park and for his first mini-golf game, but nothing compared to the kiddie rides for him. They went to Jurassic Golf and, of course, Reid decided he was afraid of the dinosaurs. It wasn't very crowded and Ross said they covered the first 9 holes in about 6 minutes. Oh well. :)
It was a great trip - much too short, but still great. Would have been better only if I had come home with a tan...
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Myrtle Beach 2009 - Photos
Reid was fearless at the beach. How is it that the kid who won't jump into the pool because his head might get wet has no issue diving face-first into huge crashing waves?
Lots of fun at Broadway at the Beach.
Reid's first mini-golf excursion and some of the MANY photos we have from riding the kiddie cars...
We ate dinner at Margaritaville one night. Reid totally loved the theme-i-ness of it all. He insisted on having his picture taken (top right) with this parrot/palm tree condiment caddy from our table. And, he got a balloon parrot - named Polly - from a guy on stilts. Super fun!Monday, June 22, 2009
Birthday Trip to Maine
My best friend and I have birthdays that are only a week or so apart and, as we have gotten older (and more "adult"), we have upgraded our birthday celebrations.
When we both lived in the same city, we loved celebrating and even once took each other on an all-day shopping trip. He bought what I wanted and I bought what he wanted. Come to think of it, that was pretty fun. :)
Five years ago, we drew a city out of a hat (okay, an ashtray at a restaurant) and decided to take a birthday trip to whatever city we drew. That year it was Providence, Rhode Island, which also included a day trip to Newport and a spur of the moment trip to Boston.
This year, we planned a trip to Ogunquit, Maine. What an beautiful little town. If I remember correctly from something I read during our trip, Ogunquit means "beautiful place by the sea." The trip was a quick one - Friday morning to Sunday afternoon - but it was a much needed one for both of us. (Ross and Reid stayed home while I was gone, but more on that later.)
There is so much I could say about the trip. It was relaxing and gorgeous and fun. The town was quaint, the seafood was good, and the locals are really awesome. And I got to have some one-on-one time with my friend of 14 years that I don't get to see nearly enough of. Happy (early) birthday, friend!
I totally want to go back. Here are select few of the photos from the trip. (There are many, many more...)
Here we are at dinner on the first night there. What a great night!
My absolute favorite pic from the trip, taken from our lighthouse boat cruise.
Nubble Light, the lighthouse we took the boat out to see. You can drive up fairly close to it, but the boat view is way better. :)
Also taken from the boat cruise... just the epitome of the trip. A sailboat on the water. So pretty!
Self photo taken on the boat.
When we both lived in the same city, we loved celebrating and even once took each other on an all-day shopping trip. He bought what I wanted and I bought what he wanted. Come to think of it, that was pretty fun. :)
Five years ago, we drew a city out of a hat (okay, an ashtray at a restaurant) and decided to take a birthday trip to whatever city we drew. That year it was Providence, Rhode Island, which also included a day trip to Newport and a spur of the moment trip to Boston.
This year, we planned a trip to Ogunquit, Maine. What an beautiful little town. If I remember correctly from something I read during our trip, Ogunquit means "beautiful place by the sea." The trip was a quick one - Friday morning to Sunday afternoon - but it was a much needed one for both of us. (Ross and Reid stayed home while I was gone, but more on that later.)
There is so much I could say about the trip. It was relaxing and gorgeous and fun. The town was quaint, the seafood was good, and the locals are really awesome. And I got to have some one-on-one time with my friend of 14 years that I don't get to see nearly enough of. Happy (early) birthday, friend!
I totally want to go back. Here are select few of the photos from the trip. (There are many, many more...)
Here we are at dinner on the first night there. What a great night! 
My absolute favorite pic from the trip, taken from our lighthouse boat cruise.
Nubble Light, the lighthouse we took the boat out to see. You can drive up fairly close to it, but the boat view is way better. :)
Also taken from the boat cruise... just the epitome of the trip. A sailboat on the water. So pretty!
Self photo taken on the boat.Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Finally... pics from Disney
Sorry it took so long. Here are a few select pics from the trip. There are so many to choose from... in no particular order. :)
This is actually the last day of the trip, on the way home. Reid played a little too enthusiastically at the last hotel and got carpet burn on his nose and busted his lip on the TV. I don't know how he managed that one.
Our last Disney day, Animal Kingdom, ended in a lot of rain. I thought it would make a funny pic, though. Look at Reid's face- he is none too happy.
I don't care if half the people on the world have this photo, I had to take it.
On a parking tram.
The 1st Disney day, watching the parade in Hollywood Studios. He was SO tired... but he got his second wind later.
Riding the big carousel!
I just LOVE this photo. It is of an "upside down" tree on the African Safari. So pretty!
We love 3D glasses!
Reid got to meet all the "important" characters, plus a few extra. I like this pic with Donald the best.
Another photo of a very tired boy.
See, Grandma likes 3D glasses, too!
Getting ready for the Toy Story ride at Hollywood Studios.
Chatting with Goliath the Lion at our character breakfast. It was so fun.
A big hug for Leo!
Waiting in line at Sea World. Notice the "picture face" back in action here. :)
This is actually the last day of the trip, on the way home. Reid played a little too enthusiastically at the last hotel and got carpet burn on his nose and busted his lip on the TV. I don't know how he managed that one. 
Our last Disney day, Animal Kingdom, ended in a lot of rain. I thought it would make a funny pic, though. Look at Reid's face- he is none too happy.
I don't care if half the people on the world have this photo, I had to take it.
On a parking tram.
The 1st Disney day, watching the parade in Hollywood Studios. He was SO tired... but he got his second wind later.
Riding the big carousel!
I just LOVE this photo. It is of an "upside down" tree on the African Safari. So pretty!
We love 3D glasses!
Reid got to meet all the "important" characters, plus a few extra. I like this pic with Donald the best.
Another photo of a very tired boy.
See, Grandma likes 3D glasses, too!
Getting ready for the Toy Story ride at Hollywood Studios.
Chatting with Goliath the Lion at our character breakfast. It was so fun.
A big hug for Leo!
Waiting in line at Sea World. Notice the "picture face" back in action here. :)Thursday, January 29, 2009
Disney or Bust: Days 7, 8, & 9
Day 7: Animal Kingdom... is SO much better than I expected! I don't know what I thought, but there was some really cool stuff there.
We weren't in a hurry to get there, so we didn't arrive until almost 10am. Still, the crowd was not bad at all. As soon as we got in, we ran into a Caribbean/Reggae-type group performing in the street. They were playing some awesome music and had drums and rhythm sticks for all the kids to join in on. So fun.
Then, we made our way into "It's Tough to Be a Bug." It's a 4D presentation in a theater hosted by some of the bugs from Bug's Life. I didn't know what it would be, but it was great! Let's just say that you feel/hear/see/smell some unexpected things in there! :) The African safari ride was awesome, too. We got to see some beautiful animals and (if you could ignore the cheesy radio broadcasts about looking out for animal poachers) you really did feel like you were in another place.
We saw some really good things that day but, by far, the highlight of the day was "Nemo: The Musical." I can't believe we almost skipped this! It is a 40 minute, real musical - totally Broadway quality. Seriously. The singing was great and the effects and scenery were gorgeous. Reid was riveted the entire time.
We were planning on heading to the Dinoland section after the musical but... when we came out, it was really raining! There were people scrambling all over the place. We had ponchos and umbrellas so we were prepared, thank goodness. The park was only going to be open for another hour anyway so it wasn't too big of a deal, but it did ruin our plans of seeing the fireworks and Spectromagic parade at the Magic Kingdom later that night. That was kind of a bummer.
In the end it all worked out, though, because Reid fell asleep before dinner and was quite cranky when I had to wake him up. The rain came down all evening so we just chilled at the condo. All in all, we were really happy about how everything went - we had awesome weather up until the last afternoon so we can't complain!
Days 8 & 9: Friday (day 8) was our day to begin traveling back to SC. We were in no hurry and I HAD to make time to visit the outlets. It is not a vacation to me if I don't have some outlet shopping (even though I live within an hour of two different outlets here, but I digress).
Ross' mom and I shopped for a few hours while Ross took Reid to Monkey Joe's. (Yay for Monkey Joe's!) Then we drove the hour back to Sumterville to drop Grandma off, and we were on our way back north.
We didn't plan on driving all the way back in one day so we stopped in Tifton, Georgia for the night. We used one of those coupon booklets from the rest stop to figure out where to stay, which I have never done. I figured that nobody really uses those. Correction: nobody our age uses those. When I walked in to check in, there was a line of old folks a mile long, all clutching their coupons. Don't get me wrong - I love a good coupon and am not ashamed to say so - but these people were laughable. It was just too funny. :) I won't even get into the complimentary buffet breakfast the next morning. There's nothing like wrestling somebody's granny for the last waffle!
After the above-mentioned breakfast, we were on the road again. We made it back to Greenville in about 5 1/2 hours, which isn't too bad. It was a great trip, but we are glad to be back home!
(Oh, and I should mention that we ended up trying the roofbag again on the trip home and it worked just fine. We just had to fill it up all the way so it could be secured tightly enough not to slide off. It was nice to be able to ride in a not-so-full car...)
We weren't in a hurry to get there, so we didn't arrive until almost 10am. Still, the crowd was not bad at all. As soon as we got in, we ran into a Caribbean/Reggae-type group performing in the street. They were playing some awesome music and had drums and rhythm sticks for all the kids to join in on. So fun.
Then, we made our way into "It's Tough to Be a Bug." It's a 4D presentation in a theater hosted by some of the bugs from Bug's Life. I didn't know what it would be, but it was great! Let's just say that you feel/hear/see/smell some unexpected things in there! :) The African safari ride was awesome, too. We got to see some beautiful animals and (if you could ignore the cheesy radio broadcasts about looking out for animal poachers) you really did feel like you were in another place.
We saw some really good things that day but, by far, the highlight of the day was "Nemo: The Musical." I can't believe we almost skipped this! It is a 40 minute, real musical - totally Broadway quality. Seriously. The singing was great and the effects and scenery were gorgeous. Reid was riveted the entire time.
We were planning on heading to the Dinoland section after the musical but... when we came out, it was really raining! There were people scrambling all over the place. We had ponchos and umbrellas so we were prepared, thank goodness. The park was only going to be open for another hour anyway so it wasn't too big of a deal, but it did ruin our plans of seeing the fireworks and Spectromagic parade at the Magic Kingdom later that night. That was kind of a bummer.
In the end it all worked out, though, because Reid fell asleep before dinner and was quite cranky when I had to wake him up. The rain came down all evening so we just chilled at the condo. All in all, we were really happy about how everything went - we had awesome weather up until the last afternoon so we can't complain!
Days 8 & 9: Friday (day 8) was our day to begin traveling back to SC. We were in no hurry and I HAD to make time to visit the outlets. It is not a vacation to me if I don't have some outlet shopping (even though I live within an hour of two different outlets here, but I digress).
Ross' mom and I shopped for a few hours while Ross took Reid to Monkey Joe's. (Yay for Monkey Joe's!) Then we drove the hour back to Sumterville to drop Grandma off, and we were on our way back north.
We didn't plan on driving all the way back in one day so we stopped in Tifton, Georgia for the night. We used one of those coupon booklets from the rest stop to figure out where to stay, which I have never done. I figured that nobody really uses those. Correction: nobody our age uses those. When I walked in to check in, there was a line of old folks a mile long, all clutching their coupons. Don't get me wrong - I love a good coupon and am not ashamed to say so - but these people were laughable. It was just too funny. :) I won't even get into the complimentary buffet breakfast the next morning. There's nothing like wrestling somebody's granny for the last waffle!
After the above-mentioned breakfast, we were on the road again. We made it back to Greenville in about 5 1/2 hours, which isn't too bad. It was a great trip, but we are glad to be back home!
(Oh, and I should mention that we ended up trying the roofbag again on the trip home and it worked just fine. We just had to fill it up all the way so it could be secured tightly enough not to slide off. It was nice to be able to ride in a not-so-full car...)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Disney or Bust: Day 6
Day 6: Magic Kingdom...
Of course, the Magic Kingdom was great. (Isn't it illegal to say otherwise?) Seriously, we had a great day, but missed out on some of the more fun rides because Reid is 39 1/2" tall - not 40" - which is the cutoff for several good ones. And, I know they have rider swap, but that's not really our style. I wanted this trip to be about him, not us.
We had a very full day, though. Some of the highlights were the Barnstormer coaster in the kiddie area, the carousel, the teacups, the Buzz Lightyear ride where you shoot the aliens (whatever it was called), and of course all the rides that that lift you up and go around in circles (i.e. Dumbo, the rockets in Tomorrowland, etc.). Reid likes the fast rides but is really not a fan of anything that rides around in the dark, like Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Winnie the Pooh. We didn't even try It's a Small World after all that. :) I am already looking forward to our next trip when we can really do all the fun stuff...
Somehow, though, we managed to spend 8 hours there yesterday. The crowds were pretty low so we finally got to the point where we felt like we had done all we could and didn't have the energy to hop over to another park. We ended up having dinner outside the park and Reid passed out in the car on the way home. He was pooped and, frankly, so were we. :)
Of course, the Magic Kingdom was great. (Isn't it illegal to say otherwise?) Seriously, we had a great day, but missed out on some of the more fun rides because Reid is 39 1/2" tall - not 40" - which is the cutoff for several good ones. And, I know they have rider swap, but that's not really our style. I wanted this trip to be about him, not us.
We had a very full day, though. Some of the highlights were the Barnstormer coaster in the kiddie area, the carousel, the teacups, the Buzz Lightyear ride where you shoot the aliens (whatever it was called), and of course all the rides that that lift you up and go around in circles (i.e. Dumbo, the rockets in Tomorrowland, etc.). Reid likes the fast rides but is really not a fan of anything that rides around in the dark, like Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Winnie the Pooh. We didn't even try It's a Small World after all that. :) I am already looking forward to our next trip when we can really do all the fun stuff...
Somehow, though, we managed to spend 8 hours there yesterday. The crowds were pretty low so we finally got to the point where we felt like we had done all we could and didn't have the energy to hop over to another park. We ended up having dinner outside the park and Reid passed out in the car on the way home. He was pooped and, frankly, so were we. :)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Disney or Bust: Day 5
Day 5: Hollywood Studios and Epcot...
We had a great first "Disney" day! The day started with our character breakfast with some of the Little Einsteins and Jojo and Goliath from Jojo's Circus. It was at the Hollywood & Vine Diner. Now, some folks might opt for a meal with someone like Mickey or Minnie but I know my kid, and Little Einsteins are currently #1 in our book. Reid did a great job talking to the characters and was really excited to see Leo and June. We got some great pics (which I promise to post as soon as we get home - I just am too lazy to do it here).
After our HUGE buffet breakfast, we spent pretty much all of the day at Hollywood Studios. The new Toy Story ride is great - you ride through and shoot at things in 3D, like you are part of a video game - and was by far the most popular ride there. We rode it first and then got a FastPass for later, which was a good thing because the lines just longer as the day went on. We saw Lightning and Mater, the Muppets in 3D (which Reid was amazed by), among other fun things. One of the best things was Playhouse Disney Live on Stage - it was fun to see all the other parents singing along to the theme songs... this is how I know other kids watch as much TV as mine does.
The parade was okay but the timing during the day does not jive with Reid's peppiness-schedule, so he was kind of cranky. One of the dancing chicks came over to him to try and get him to join in and he just waved at her in a very "talk to the hand" fashion. She looked stunned for a minute, which was entertaining. :)
We bailed on that before the parade finished and decided to hit Epcot for the rest of the day. We got there at the perfect time, because we happened upon the Epcot Character Spot when ALL the good characters were doing photos. In just 45 minutes or so, we pretty much saw all the characters we needed to see so we don't need to worry about that for the rest of the trip. Yay! Reid was great with these characters, too, I think because he was sooooo tired by this point. He got his second (or third) wind by this point though, so we saw the Nemo and Crush activities before we had dinner and called it a day.
It was an awesome day. We are looking forward to the Magic Kingdom tomorrow!
We had a great first "Disney" day! The day started with our character breakfast with some of the Little Einsteins and Jojo and Goliath from Jojo's Circus. It was at the Hollywood & Vine Diner. Now, some folks might opt for a meal with someone like Mickey or Minnie but I know my kid, and Little Einsteins are currently #1 in our book. Reid did a great job talking to the characters and was really excited to see Leo and June. We got some great pics (which I promise to post as soon as we get home - I just am too lazy to do it here).
After our HUGE buffet breakfast, we spent pretty much all of the day at Hollywood Studios. The new Toy Story ride is great - you ride through and shoot at things in 3D, like you are part of a video game - and was by far the most popular ride there. We rode it first and then got a FastPass for later, which was a good thing because the lines just longer as the day went on. We saw Lightning and Mater, the Muppets in 3D (which Reid was amazed by), among other fun things. One of the best things was Playhouse Disney Live on Stage - it was fun to see all the other parents singing along to the theme songs... this is how I know other kids watch as much TV as mine does.
The parade was okay but the timing during the day does not jive with Reid's peppiness-schedule, so he was kind of cranky. One of the dancing chicks came over to him to try and get him to join in and he just waved at her in a very "talk to the hand" fashion. She looked stunned for a minute, which was entertaining. :)
We bailed on that before the parade finished and decided to hit Epcot for the rest of the day. We got there at the perfect time, because we happened upon the Epcot Character Spot when ALL the good characters were doing photos. In just 45 minutes or so, we pretty much saw all the characters we needed to see so we don't need to worry about that for the rest of the trip. Yay! Reid was great with these characters, too, I think because he was sooooo tired by this point. He got his second (or third) wind by this point though, so we saw the Nemo and Crush activities before we had dinner and called it a day.
It was an awesome day. We are looking forward to the Magic Kingdom tomorrow!
Disney or Bust: Day 4
Day 4: Our first full day in Orlando! We actually decided to go to Sea World first, before tackling Disney the rest of the week. Grandma and Grandpa drove in and joined us for the whole day.
Sea World is literally right across the street from our resort so getting there was super easy. We started the day at about 9:30 and did not leave until 5-ish (much later than I thought Reid would last). We saw the entire park, including the Shamu show and another show with two sea lions named Clyde & Seamore. Don't get me wrong - Shamu was great. But Clyde & Seamore were hilarious! It's basically a very cheesy play with some bungling pirates, two sea lions, and a mischievous otter. You have got to see this show if you get the chance...
We ended the day at Sea World in Shamu's Happy Harbor, which is the kids area. There were some really fun rides. Reid got to take his first roller coaster ride (and his second, third, and fourth) and, among other things, rode a big crab ride that takes you up in the air and drops you, then up and down and up and down some more. He loved it! So far, he has shown no fear on any of the rides.
After some down time at the condo, we grabbed a bite to eat at Downtown Disney and then came home for some rest. Tomorrow morning - breakfast with the Little Einsteins!
Sea World is literally right across the street from our resort so getting there was super easy. We started the day at about 9:30 and did not leave until 5-ish (much later than I thought Reid would last). We saw the entire park, including the Shamu show and another show with two sea lions named Clyde & Seamore. Don't get me wrong - Shamu was great. But Clyde & Seamore were hilarious! It's basically a very cheesy play with some bungling pirates, two sea lions, and a mischievous otter. You have got to see this show if you get the chance...
We ended the day at Sea World in Shamu's Happy Harbor, which is the kids area. There were some really fun rides. Reid got to take his first roller coaster ride (and his second, third, and fourth) and, among other things, rode a big crab ride that takes you up in the air and drops you, then up and down and up and down some more. He loved it! So far, he has shown no fear on any of the rides.
After some down time at the condo, we grabbed a bite to eat at Downtown Disney and then came home for some rest. Tomorrow morning - breakfast with the Little Einsteins!
Disney or Bust: Days 1, 2, & 3
So, we headed out on our much-anticipated trip to Orlando on Friday evening after Ross got off work. Since it is about 9 hours and Reid is still working on potty-training, we decided to make some stops along the way.
Day 1: Friday night we drove about 2 1/2 hours to somewhere south of Atlanta. We got a decent room at a Sleep Inn so we could get a good night's sleep before the long drive the next day. It went great and was fairly uneventful. Plus, compared to our drives to Bama these days, that trip was a piece of cake.
Day 2: We got up and enjoyed a lovely continental breakfast. :) We got on the road early and started the drive down I-75. Boy, that road is long and boring. However, it wasn't so boring for the folks at a Starbucks somewhere in south Georgia that got to watch us completely dismantle the rooftop car bag in their parking lot - because it was threatening to slide off the side of the car. Oh... yay.
The thing is new and had worked well on the first leg of the trip. But it had rained just a little overnight and apparently the nonslip mat under it decided to slip (um, hello?) from the wetness. So, rather than fight with the stupid thing every few hours and risk causing some major interstate incident, we decided to scrap it and put it all in the car. So... our slightly full car went to WAY too full just like that. And I got a big ole' coffee following the drama of it all.
We finally got to pit stop #2 Saturday afternoon, which was lovely Sumterville, Florida. It is a little in the middle of nowhere (sorry!), but the in-laws live there so we stopped to visit. We got to see the new place on the golf course and stayed this time in a Microtel.
It was a decent place, too, but apparently has some bedding with down in it. Down does not agree with Reid at all, as we are learning. All three of us spent that night up and down, doing breathing treatments, sitting in the steamy bathroom, stripping the bed linens, etc. Of course, the next day he ended up being perfectly fine but it was a long, long night.
Day 3: We started the day by visiting Grandma and Grandpa again. Reid has discovered a new love - playing "pick up the golf ball" with Grandpa's ball picker-upper thingy. He probably did this 50 times at least. We also got to see the local alligators sunning by the pond on the golf course (which is kind of creepy, if you ask me). After a yummy lunch, we headed off for the hour-long drive to Orlando to check in to the resort.
Let me just give a shout out to the Hilton Grand Vacations Resort at Sea World. We got here right at the earliest check-in time. Not only did a concierge meet us at the car, but he was awesome and there was no line. We were in and out in 5 minutes. So much smoother than some comparable places we have been. Our condo is awesome - so comfy and cozy and roomy. Oh, and we got to take a dip in the pool, too - on January 25th. :) So far, so good!
Day 1: Friday night we drove about 2 1/2 hours to somewhere south of Atlanta. We got a decent room at a Sleep Inn so we could get a good night's sleep before the long drive the next day. It went great and was fairly uneventful. Plus, compared to our drives to Bama these days, that trip was a piece of cake.
Day 2: We got up and enjoyed a lovely continental breakfast. :) We got on the road early and started the drive down I-75. Boy, that road is long and boring. However, it wasn't so boring for the folks at a Starbucks somewhere in south Georgia that got to watch us completely dismantle the rooftop car bag in their parking lot - because it was threatening to slide off the side of the car. Oh... yay.
The thing is new and had worked well on the first leg of the trip. But it had rained just a little overnight and apparently the nonslip mat under it decided to slip (um, hello?) from the wetness. So, rather than fight with the stupid thing every few hours and risk causing some major interstate incident, we decided to scrap it and put it all in the car. So... our slightly full car went to WAY too full just like that. And I got a big ole' coffee following the drama of it all.
We finally got to pit stop #2 Saturday afternoon, which was lovely Sumterville, Florida. It is a little in the middle of nowhere (sorry!), but the in-laws live there so we stopped to visit. We got to see the new place on the golf course and stayed this time in a Microtel.
It was a decent place, too, but apparently has some bedding with down in it. Down does not agree with Reid at all, as we are learning. All three of us spent that night up and down, doing breathing treatments, sitting in the steamy bathroom, stripping the bed linens, etc. Of course, the next day he ended up being perfectly fine but it was a long, long night.
Day 3: We started the day by visiting Grandma and Grandpa again. Reid has discovered a new love - playing "pick up the golf ball" with Grandpa's ball picker-upper thingy. He probably did this 50 times at least. We also got to see the local alligators sunning by the pond on the golf course (which is kind of creepy, if you ask me). After a yummy lunch, we headed off for the hour-long drive to Orlando to check in to the resort.
Let me just give a shout out to the Hilton Grand Vacations Resort at Sea World. We got here right at the earliest check-in time. Not only did a concierge meet us at the car, but he was awesome and there was no line. We were in and out in 5 minutes. So much smoother than some comparable places we have been. Our condo is awesome - so comfy and cozy and roomy. Oh, and we got to take a dip in the pool, too - on January 25th. :) So far, so good!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Better Late Than Never!
Okay, it has taken me forever to get the Chicago pics up. Sorry. It seems, somehow, that we have had so much to do the past few weeks even though I can't figure out what it all was. Just lots of time-stealers. Plus, since the era of no-napping has begun, my blogging time is limited.
So, here are a few pics from the Chicago trip:
So, I lived there for three years but this picture just never gets old. Here we are before the Cubs game.
The whole group during our Wicker Park/Bucktown food tour. Here we are in Wicker Park.
Toby, me, and Ross at Houndstooth (the Bama bar) watching the Bama game before the Cubs game. We even saw some UNA folks there. It was a big sports weekend!
So, here are a few pics from the Chicago trip:
So, I lived there for three years but this picture just never gets old. Here we are before the Cubs game. 
After the game, elated because we were there when the Cubs clinched a spot in the playoffs. Woohoo!
At brunch with some of my Chicago frends before the Bears game: Casey, Fred, Tracy's mom, Tracy, and us. FYI, Yolk is yummy...
Before the Bears game vs. the Bucs. We lost in OT... but did I mention that the Cubs are in the playoffs?
The whole group during our Wicker Park/Bucktown food tour. Here we are in Wicker Park.
The day before the Cubs game, on Michigan Avenue.
Ross and me with our good friend, Harry Caray.
I was determined to do a self-pic with Harry. I'm not tall enough to get all of us in the shot apparently.
Toby, me, and Ross at Houndstooth (the Bama bar) watching the Bama game before the Cubs game. We even saw some UNA folks there. It was a big sports weekend!Saturday, September 20, 2008
Windy City Fun...
No pictures for this post. Just a quick update on our trip.
Ross and I have been in Chicago for a few days after dropping Reid off in Alabama to stay with Granna. We took the scenic route to Alabama this time, going through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama, instead of down through Atlanta. It took a hour longer than usual even though the mileage was actually about 50-70 miles less. We're tired of driving through Atlanta every single time so we are looking for alternative routes that don't take forever.
So, we dropped Reid off with Granna. We stayed overnight Wednesday and then were off to the airport Thursday morning. Reid and my mom drove us there and, fortunately, Reid was willing to let us go without a fight. We talked about it for a few days ahead of time which seemed to make the transition easier. He knows we are here in Chicago - though who knows what that means in his little head -visiting Uncle Toby. We really played up how much fun he was going to have with Granna and he seems to be doing just fine. We have talked to him on the phone every day so far. You can imagine how in-depth those conversations are. :)
We are visiting Toby here, but we are also here to celebrate Ross' brother Neal's 40th birthday. Neal, Kristi, and their three boys are here from Texas, so we are excited to spend some time with them, since we get to see them once a year at most. (I wish Reid could have come on this trip, but dragging a 2-year-old around would not make this trip enjoyable for anyone.)
Since I am very familiar with Chi-town and Ross has been here before, we have tried to come up with some things for the Texas Weavers to do. We took them to Navy Pier (very touristy) and walked down Michigan Avenue Thursday night. Yesterday, we did a three-hour food tour through Bucktown and Wicker Park - not a tourist area at all- and it was great. We got to sample food from 6 different places and walked all over, learning about the neighborhood architecture and history, and hearing some neat stories along the way. Ross and I really enjoyed it and I think everyone else did as well (well, maybe the adults more than the boys). Highly recommended for anyone visiting Chicago!
Today, we are off to watch the Alabama game with Toby at Houndstooth, the local Alabama bar, before we go to Wrigley to watch the Cubs. Then, tomorrow, we have brunch with my Chicago friends before the Bears game at Soldier Field. It's a good trip so far... woo hoo!
(Side note: Apparently, Toby's disgustingly good luck appears to continue on as he was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show Thursday. These things just happen to him. Amazing. It will be showing within the next few weeks, most likely. As a consolation, he was on there talking about his receding hairline. :) At least that's something...)
Ross and I have been in Chicago for a few days after dropping Reid off in Alabama to stay with Granna. We took the scenic route to Alabama this time, going through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama, instead of down through Atlanta. It took a hour longer than usual even though the mileage was actually about 50-70 miles less. We're tired of driving through Atlanta every single time so we are looking for alternative routes that don't take forever.
So, we dropped Reid off with Granna. We stayed overnight Wednesday and then were off to the airport Thursday morning. Reid and my mom drove us there and, fortunately, Reid was willing to let us go without a fight. We talked about it for a few days ahead of time which seemed to make the transition easier. He knows we are here in Chicago - though who knows what that means in his little head -visiting Uncle Toby. We really played up how much fun he was going to have with Granna and he seems to be doing just fine. We have talked to him on the phone every day so far. You can imagine how in-depth those conversations are. :)
We are visiting Toby here, but we are also here to celebrate Ross' brother Neal's 40th birthday. Neal, Kristi, and their three boys are here from Texas, so we are excited to spend some time with them, since we get to see them once a year at most. (I wish Reid could have come on this trip, but dragging a 2-year-old around would not make this trip enjoyable for anyone.)
Since I am very familiar with Chi-town and Ross has been here before, we have tried to come up with some things for the Texas Weavers to do. We took them to Navy Pier (very touristy) and walked down Michigan Avenue Thursday night. Yesterday, we did a three-hour food tour through Bucktown and Wicker Park - not a tourist area at all- and it was great. We got to sample food from 6 different places and walked all over, learning about the neighborhood architecture and history, and hearing some neat stories along the way. Ross and I really enjoyed it and I think everyone else did as well (well, maybe the adults more than the boys). Highly recommended for anyone visiting Chicago!
Today, we are off to watch the Alabama game with Toby at Houndstooth, the local Alabama bar, before we go to Wrigley to watch the Cubs. Then, tomorrow, we have brunch with my Chicago friends before the Bears game at Soldier Field. It's a good trip so far... woo hoo!
(Side note: Apparently, Toby's disgustingly good luck appears to continue on as he was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show Thursday. These things just happen to him. Amazing. It will be showing within the next few weeks, most likely. As a consolation, he was on there talking about his receding hairline. :) At least that's something...)
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