Orlando

Orlando 2011 was a great adventure.  I am so glad we had to go (since we prepaid and all).  Otherwise we would have done nothing but work on our house all summer (no end in sight by the way). 
This year we went to Orlando with our dear friends Becky and Daityn and also family from Pennslyvania- Grandma Deb and Grandpa Stan. 
The trip started out with Grandma Carol and Grandpa Jim driving us to the airport.  We aren't quite the early birds these two are so Stan wasn't even packed and we were shopping when we came home to find some of our bags packed into the trunk of the car ready to go.  We got ready quickly of course.  Our first flight was delayed so ended up getting into Phoenix about 2 a.m., sleeping for a few hours and leaving the next day for Altanta where the flight was delayed again for a couple of hours and we ended up getting into our Orlando hotel room about 3 a.m.   The next morning Becky and Daityn were waiting for us in the pool because they had been up for a while and Stan, well, Stan was completely incoherrent.  I can't even tell you what he said when I asked him a question because I don't speak that language so I let him sleep for a while, got a hold of Deb and Stan and took Taylee to the pool.  I think we all finally got up and around and ready to head for a park about noon.

Day 1 Epcot
We saw all of the things we loved the first time: dolphins, manatees, Crush the turtle and hit Taylee's favorite ride- test track as well as finally got to go on Soarin.  The only thing we missed that we wanted to do was the character spot--the line was unbelievable.  We spent a lot more time in the "countries" than we did last time and went on a few rides there as well.  It was a good ease-in to the crazy 13 hour hot day that followed.  Although, I almost forgot... Stan and I had a little stroller race at the end of the day in which he edged me out to win by pushing Daityn into a garbage can.  Nice.

 Puffer fish from Epcot.  I had to delete SO many pictures from the camera (Taylee was in charge) of this fish that I had to include just one.

                                              Misting spray

                            Outisde the fairy garden

                          Bec thought I needed some mouse ears too

                                              Ouside China

                                         Taylee felt inspired

                                                  so did Daityn

                                                            Such great friends

                         Gotta play the drums

Day 2 Magic Kingdom ( I have not pictures of this day because my camera battery was dead but will upload some once I get a CD from Bec)
Once again we started out bright and early around 10.  Today put Stan's directing skills to the test- trying to get on all the rides we wanted to go on, get fast passes for the ones he could and be aware of when the little ones were ready for a break.  He did an excellent job.  Becky, Daityn, Taylee, and I headed to our princess lunch- always worth the price.  The girls got to decorate their own cupcakes for dessert.  As usual Taylee only ate the frosting and the candy/marshmallow stuff on top.  We went on every ride we wanted to except Splash Mountain which was closed for repairs.  Last time Space Mountain was being renovated so this time we made sure to ride at least 3 times.  We ate dinner there and then stayed for the fireworks and Tinkerbell show and then stayed for the light parade that followed.  Such happy memories on that 105 degree day.  The girls were amazing although both fell asleep on Becky on the ride home.


Day 3-Universal Studios
Another hot, hot day in Florida.  We all started off on a pretty fun ride (although Taylee is not allowed to watch the show), the Simpson ride was definitely entertaining.  It was a virtual roller coaster.  The girls loved it.  Grandpa Stan....not so much.  Then Becky and I took the little ones to little one land and the adults went somewhere to ride rides.  After finally figuring out that today was not the day to run around in plastic tunnels and climb ropes and nets, we found a raft ride and a couple of roller coasters.  Daityn was tall enough to go on by herself and Taylee loves roller coasters so we went on that one at least half a dozen times.  And there was no line.  We also went on the ET ride which was fun.  Before leaving we went over to the Adventure Island side to scope it out for the next day.  Becky, the girls, and I waited in line for 45 minutes for our 2-minute zip on the pteranadons and then we headed home, but not before stopping off at Hard Rock Cafe for a hurricane glass, which I guess I am collecting.

    Catching a wave-I'm almost humming Barbie in a Mermaid Tale

                                 Some more mist

           I have at least 12 of these pictures.  This is how the girls spent most of the day

                         Favorite roller coaster on this side of the park

                       Our 2 minute zip around

                    Stan's favorite super hero

Day 4- Universal Studios Adventure Island

                                          pretending to be x-men

                                     2 Who's from Whoville

                        flower hats from Margaritaville

                             strollers on parade

                             Leaving the park. 

I can't believe I didn't take a picture of Stan pointing the Hulk roller coaster.  "The best roller coaster of all time.  You are not going to believe this ride, I'm not going to tell you about the beginning except to keep your head back against the seat."  So any roller coaster fans out there be sure to try out the Hulk.

Universal wrap-up-- so 2 years ago we didn't go to Universal at all.  We are so glad we went this time.  We all loved it.  Some of our favorite rides were the Hippogriff roller coaster (Harry Potter), dueling dragons roller coaster..both the red and the blue (Harry Potter), Jurasic Park River adventures (raft ride that takes you through animated dinosaurs and then at the end there's a serious malfunction and you almost get eaten by a T-Rex but are saved by plunging down a watery cliff and getting very wet, Spiderman 4-D, and I found I really liked the shoot you straight up in the air Doctor Doom's Fearfall.  We finished off Universal with the Caro-seuss-al.  So many rides, so little time.

Day 5- Animal Kingdom

                              watching lion king show (amazing)

                                  It's a bug's life

                                   good friends, happy memories

                       not sure what Becky's doing but it looks impressive

                      Taylee's excited about the roller coaster- Expedition Everest.  At the start of the ride Taylee was saying she couldn't believe she couldn't go on this last time, this ride was a baby ride....then the Yeti ripped up the track and it was all downhill from there.  She loved it though.

                                  Waiting for the safari ride

                                    not entirely sure what they are looking at

                              Such a cute baby elephant

                            Tree of life poses

                                some sort of clawed creature poses

                                      a view from below of Expedition Everest

Uh oh.  Day 5, end of the day, super hot temperatures and only one control knob to....share

                    Not a pretty picture, literally.  Thankfully Grandpa Stan distracted T with his excellent Hannah Montana dance moves.

Day 6- Sea World

                           The day started with a relaxing dip in the pool.

               meeting Shamu

                One of the high-lights of the day...petting the rays

                      shamu roller coaster

                 Again there were about 20 attemps at taking a picture of this fish so I am posting one.

            shark tunnel (this is actually a fake shark the other sharks looked a bit tame :-)

                      Grandpa Stan makes a friend

                     This and the dog show are probably the ones Taylee remembered most from 2 years ago.  In fact, she had said before the show started, "Where's the pink door the princess comes out of?  Is this a different show?  Do you remember the pink door?"  I did not remember the pink door, but just at the very beginning a pink door emerged.   

                              Taylee coined a new phrase on this trip, 'ball of sweat.'  She could be frequently be heard to say, "Mom, I'm a ball of sweat."

                             Two balls of sweat

                         jumping dophins

                           Petey Penguin

                           Favorite mode of transportation over the last 6 days

                               goof balls

                                     catching some zzzz's before the pet show

                                  Whoa, where's his head?

                                       Oh, there it is. 

                                   jumping rope

                          petting dolphins.  We got there just in time before they closed the dolphin feeding.  My camera's battery died so this is really the only picture I got.

Day 7- Goodbyes, Downtown Disney and more goodbyes
Grandpa Stan and Grandma Deb left early for their drive to Tampa.  We decided to head to Downtown Disney before we dropped Becky and Daityn off at their hotel and headed to the airport.

                              Not sure this is what this fountain is for, but it is a very hot day.

                 Goodbye to CiCi's Pizza.  Nobody else seemed quite as impressed as us--and they had changed their pasta and salad.

                    Trying on sunglasses that cost as much as our plane tickets.

                                   Lego land

                               All Legos.  Impressive

                           One more dip in Becky and Diatyn's hotel pool before leaving for the airport.

                              Are you following me?

                                Another delayed plane

Tuscon, Arizona
Unbelievably hot.  WOW.  Every day it got up to at least 110.
Our friend Torrey picked us up late that nigh.  I feel like the plane out of Atlanta was delayed again, but I don't remember.  I'm fairly certain all of our flights were delayed except 2 out of the 6.

                               Mr. Torrey pretending to fall into a cactus.  He did tell us about a "Jumping Cactus" that leans toward body heat and so pokes you.  Spooky.

Sabine Canyon hike 110 degrees

                            That stroller got a lot of use this trip

                          Relaxing on Torrey's patio.  Not really.  I was just posing.  It was 110 degrees and as soon as the picture was taken I went inside.

Going home

I am so thankful to have such great family and friends to have share these memories.  It was an amazing trip.