Summer vacation is over...at least from the
"trips" standpoint. We threw our 4th of July party, then
headed up to Union Pier, MI for a week on the lake. Now that
we are back we need to shift gears and get ready for Preston's
tonsillectomy. We are hoping this will end his bouts with strep
throat every year. Last year alone he had strep at least 3
times (confirmed) during the school year and complained of multiple
day sore throats an additional 3-4 times.
Nothing much else of note other than to
congratulate Brian and Mary on their high school
graduations...and Amanda on her college graduation (get a
job!).
Will has about another month of his
internship with
Walsh Construction in Naperville, IL.
That's about it for now...
We're back from Orlando! The trip was
a blast. We stayed at the "not-as-nice-as-pictured"
Regal Sun
Resort in
Downtown Disney. Let's just say the Regal Sun could have
invested more of that 25 million into their rooms and less into
their lobbies, restaurants and conference centers. The room
wasn't bad, but we couldn't get the toilet to quit flushing every 30
minutes or so and the layout of the room was just plain stupid.
Horrible choice of furniture (example: the fridge was inside another
piece of box-like furniture), poor choice of TV stations, no light
switch on wall when you come in--you have to walk across the room to
find a lamp in the dark, no exhaust fan in bathroom, and no
microwave. But for as little as we were in the room it did the
trick. Their pool renovations were nice though. Kids
loved the pool when we are around to use it.
The journey (by van) began at 9:30a on Father's
Day, Sunday, June 15. We took it "slow," stopping
frequently for eats, drinks and bathrooms. We stopped at a
point just north of Atlanta and checked into a Holiday Inn Express
around 10p after a Father's Day dinner at an O'Charlie's somewhere
near the Tenn/GA line.
We made record-breaking time Monday morning
travelling through Atlanta in the carpool lane around 9a. Got
to Orlando by about 4:30p. That afternoon was spent in the
pool, then at Pizzeria Uno across the street. Word of caution,
Uno doesn't know how to make Chicago pizza in Orlando.
Tuesday was all day at Magic Kingdom.
Took a free Disney Resorts bus from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom
and got into the park around 10a. Let me stop here and say if
you are doing an Orlando/Disney theme parks only vacation, select a
"Downtown Disney" resort hotel with free shuttle (just don't pick
the Regal Sun...the Double Tree and Hilton looked pretty nice from
the outside). After a bout with heat exhaustion (96 degrees
that afternoon) for Theodore around lunchtime, we partied on until
after the fireworks. The kids rode the run-away train
rollercoaster, the water log one and Space Mountain. Got
settled in back at the hotel after the parade and fireworks around
midnight.
Wednesday was our "relaxing day" at Sea
World. I had to wake up the family to get everyone moving.
We spent about 7 hours or so at Sea World and rode their
"Atlantis"-themed log ride. That ride was pretty cool for a
log ride. Missed the 3:30 Shamu but caught the 6:30 "Believe"
show. We caught the Sea Lion and Cirque de Dolphins shows too,
as well as the other exhibits. In the end, it was the right
day to do a laid-back park after an intense Disney day. After
Shamu we had dinner with Kelly and Reed at an Orlando Ale
House where I had probably my best meal of the trip.
Thursday was Universal day. We
did the 2 parks/1 day package because I had heard rumor it was a
waste to do just one park. I have to agree--it was not a 1
park all day environment. Of course, the kids enjoyed this
park the most because it has the infamous
Simpsons Ride. The ride was pretty cool. It is one
of those "virtual rollercoasters" where you are in a booth that
rattles, shakes, and blows air/water at you but you don't really
move. Several of the rides at Universal Studios are like that.
Universal Island Adventures is more your traditional rollercoaster
park.
Friday we checked out of the hotel around
10:30 and headed to Clearwater to check out
Sand Key Beach. I am real happy we took the kids to "the
ocean." Yes, I am aware that we were technically in the gulf,
but salt water = ocean in my book. We stayed at Sand Key until
about 5p. The public beaches are definitely a smart day trip
if you are in that area. Parking was only a buck an hour to
feed meter. After Sand Key we started driving--with
Slurpees in hand--to lovely Tifton, GA where we stayed in a
dive of a Ramada Inn. Unfortunately for us, Tifton happened to
be the site of the Miss Georgia pre- and teen something or another
pageant. Hotels were booked, but we got a room and got some
sleep. Tifton was not planned. It was simply a town with
a bunch of hotels at the right spot and time on our drive back
north.
Saturday we were back home in South Bend by
11p.
In the end, we had a blast and I still have all
Sunday to recover before returning to work. Indiana residents
will be happy to know that the moment you leave the state, gas gets
cheaper--about 25 cents per gallon cheaper. Why? I have
no clue.
One last note, we came back to find out Theodore's
team has one more game in their tournament. Go Big C
Lumberjacks!
