After much contemplation and mental preparation, the kids and I decided to accompany Kenneth to Orlando last week when he went down there for a conference. If we hadn't tagged along, he would have just flown, but with all of us, we packed up the van and drove. It took a total of 34.5 hours of travel there and back. (Yes, for those of you who don't know I drive a mini-van!! Crazy! How did I get to be so old?) I can't count how many times we heard Emma ask "How many seconds til we get there?" (She's got her increments of time mixed up =) )
Luckily, little Grant is on a pretty consistent 3 hour nursing schedule, so we could drive in between those feedings, but even so, it sure felt like we were stopping an awful lot! We borrowed a DVD player from a friend and that really helped time pass more quickly for the girls. They had a blast and Grant did very well.
Kenneth and I did get tired driving so late into the night on the way down and through the night on the way back. Luckily Kenneth is better at staying awake while driving than I am. I had to eat the ENTIRE time I was driving during the night just to stay awake- I know I need extra calories being a nursing mom and all, but not that many!!!
Kenneth stayed pretty busy the whole week between the conference and studying for a big test coming up, but we were able to go out to dinner as a family a couple of times and go swimming in the fun pool at the resort where we stayed. While Kenneth was busy, the kids and I mostly spent time with my dear friend, Melissa and her family. We also went to see some of the free things to do in Orlando.
All in all it was a marvelous trip- fun to go back to the place where I grew up and to see old friends, and yes, worth the 34.5 hour trip with 3 little ones, believe it or not!!!
Emma and Grant hanging out on the couch in the hotel.
Waiting for the famous Peabody Ducks to "march" up the red carpet to the fountain in the Lobby of the Peabody Hotel.
They didn't so much march as they did run!!! The girls were so excited/shocked to see them coming so fast!!!
Standing at the fountain with the "Duckmaster"
Emma loved the ducks!!!
Arianna, too!!!
The girls got a little too close to the ducks. I was so startled I almost dropped the camera.
Kenneth took us to "Italy" for my Birthday dinner. (It's really the Portofino Bay hotel at Universal Studios Resort) So cool. They even had a lady who sang from one of the balconies overlooking the water while we ate our appetizer. It was fabulous.
Here is a picture of all of us enjoying our dessert after dinner. It was a wonderful Birthday- thanks, Kenneth!!!
We drove by my old house. They added an addition off to the left!
Enjoying the pool at the hotel. Yes, I chopped 8 inches off my hair a couple of weeks after Grant was born, in case you didn't notice in the Birthday dinner picture.
Kenneth enjoying the pool at the hotel.
Our little lounging ladies
Emma and Arianna checking out the Lego sculptures at Downtown Disney. Yes, those dogs are completely made of Legos!
Arianna creating her own Lego sculpture at Downtown Disney
Arianna and Horton zonked out on the couch one morning two days after we got home- still catching up on missed sleep during our week in Florida. Horton actually came on the trip, too, which makes this picture even more hilarious- he is positioned exactly the same way she is on the couch- this was not staged =)
Here is Arianna having fun in the seat.
