orlando & daytona!

[Took a little summer break from blogging.  I can't believe my big boy starts first grade next week! Oh how times flies! Here's a recap from our trip to Florida in May!]

Orlando



End of the day. Soggy. And yes,
Big E is shooting the camera guy.

We took a family trip at the end of May to Orlando and Daytona Beach. We did one day at Magic Kingdom, and it rained on us almost the entire day thanks to a tropical storm.  Baby girl did an amazing job sleeping in her stroller with her feel hanging out in the rain. The rest of us had ponchos on and made the most of it.

The kids both loved It's a Small World and Pirates of the Carribbean.  As we were leaving, the person at the exit asked if we had met Mickey yet. Well, no. There goes another hour of waiting in line, but it was worth it!


Meeting Mickey and Minnie!

After we left the mouse's theatre, the skies had cleared and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful evening.  Only an hour or so until the parade, and then another hour until fireworks.  That's not so bad, right? 

We had one foot out the front gates as the fireworks began.  We survived. It was fun. And I think we're good for a few years on Disney.  I really don't understand the Disney-obsessed who must go there every year. Maybe it is better when it's not pouring rain? Although I'd take that over a heat wave any day.


Daytona Beach

Next it was on to the relaxing part of our vacation: the beach!  Seriously, why didn't we head here first and stay? Oh the lure of the mouse. 

We checked in to the wonderful Bahama House.  C'mon, free breakfast, free happy hour, and there's a beach too?  Awesome. Also, the balcony was huge, the room was large with a full kitchen and plenty of room for baby girl's crib. It was perfect.


The view from our room at Bahama House.

We loved Daytona Beach too. I had totally underestimated it based on the "time warp" comments I kept reading everywhere.  There is a slight time warp, but there is so much to do, the people are so nice and the food is so good. Plus you can drive on the beach!  We spent one naptime going through a drive-thru and eating our lunch while we drove the minivan rental down the beach.  Lovely! 



Ice cream truck driving down Daytona Beach.

Baby girl didn't know what to think of the beach at first. I mean, it was squishy under her feet, water kept splashing at her, and it left a weird gritty aftertaste. But once she figured out that it wasn't food, she absolutely loved it! 

Letting the waves tickle her toes.

I absolutely love these two yahoos!

His biggest fan.

We had one more important task before we left Daytona: renew our vows on the beach.  It had been a gorgeous day, but when it came time to go to the ceremony the clouds started forming and there were storms headed our way. We did a last-minute location change to a gazebo near the beach, but it turned out the storms stayed away and we still got to take photos down on the sand. 

Our wedding day ~ May 31, 2012

Our first wedding was 10 years ago. We've had to overcome some big stumbling blocks, but look where we are now! Two beautiful kids and still crazy in love with my best friend.

Our wedding day ~ June 29, 2002