I can't believe it's time to start my TR! I'm a little bit sad about it but here we go!!
February 28th - We woke up earlier than usual. DH had to go to work as he couldn't get the day off. He was planning on getting the train to Gatwick later in the day SO he thought it'd be a good idea to go in early in the hope he could leave before 5pm.
My dad had been working nights the night before so he was coming to us straight from work so he could drive DH to work. I didn't have to be up but had told DH I'd get up and cook them both a nice breakfast..bacon sarnies all round!
Dad and DH left about 7:20am and I headed to the spare room to make sure everything was packed! I was so worried we'd forget something important that I wrote a 2 page checklist the day before! I went over and over it but eventually admitted defeat and just had to assume I'd packed everything we needed! I got washed and dressed, dragged all the cases down stairs (I've no idea how I managed that...they were heavy!) and then watched the last 2 gossip girls I had taped on my planner while I waited for my mum to arrive so we could take Toby to the cattery. She picked us up right on time, we both had our excited faces on (I wish I had a picture of that!) and we loaded the car up and were on our way!
Toby's been to the cattery so many times it's always really easy dropping him off although I always miss him the minute I leave him! He's like my baby!!
Once he was comfortable in his temporary home, mum and I headed back to hers to have some lunch. We still had a few hours until we needed to leave for the airport and we filled that time watching tv, talking about what we were going to do when we got there and grazing in their fridge! Waste not want not!
We reached our first obstacle when dad started to load up the car...too much luggage not enough space! Mum's got a big car but it was touch and go as to whether or not we were going to get all four cases, my wedding dress, mums emv, 3 adults, 4 lots of hand luggage, 2 over night bags and a partridge in a pear tree into the car! (That last one was a joke BTW!) At one point dad was getting a cab!!
But being the star that he is he got it all in with just enough space for us too!
We left for the airport about 2:30pm and my sister and her family left their home around the same time.
I text DH to let him know we were on our way and he replied with 'so am I, I've had 3 guiness!' Men eh?! Any excuse to go to the pub!
The ride to the airport went quickly with lots of singing of country songs (we're big fans of country music and always listen to K92fm when we're in Florida) and before we knew it we were at the Hilton!
My sister had been dropped off at the airport instead of the hotel so they had to walk through the airport to get to the Hilton so we waited up in the bar area for them (minus a cocktail that, to be honest, I'd of quite liked right then!)
Checking in was rather painful...I was wearing my Minnie Mouse bride ears and a 'happily ever after' button but for some reason the woman checking us in asked if we were going to Germany?!
We told her we were going to Florida for my wedding and she asked if we were going to Disney...er hello, did you see the ears?! She told us we were going to love Disney and by then we'd given up and were just nodding politely at her!
DH said he wouldn't be with us for a while as he was still on the train so we headed to our rooms to drop off our hand luggage. There was yet more drama when we got to the rooms. When my mum booked the rooms she told them we would need 2 beds and a cot in one of the rooms but when we got to the room there was just one bed and we were told we couldn't have another bed AND cot in that room. My mum had the confirmation on her email but we didn't have access to the internet so she ended up having to pay more money to get a family room so there was enough room for my sister's family! Once that was all sorted we headed to the bar to wait for DH (again no cocktails!) The boys had a beer and the rest of us entertained the kids.
Here's me and my sister and my nephew Stevie
DH finally arrived and we headed into the airport to check in. There was no queue at the Virgin desk which is always good! We got checked in and then headed for dinner. What we didn't know however, was that there was a lot of building work going on and there was nowhere to eat in the south terminal so we had to get the train to the north terminal! There was only 2 places to eat and we'd planned on eating at Frankie and Bennies but had to pick somewhere else in the end but foods food eh ? It was still yummy so we didn't mind!
Once we'd all been fed and watered we headed back to the Hilton for a drink (finally!) before heading to bed. I had a cockatil and then went back to the room to shower. The boys stayed on for a few more. We all slept well and before we knew it the morning had arrived and we were leaving in just a few hours!!
Here's DH looking at the 'view' from our room (it was of the car park!)
I was up, washed and dressed quickly and then headed to the bar with DH to wait for everyone. Once all assembled we headed back into the airport and through passport control so we could have breakfast at Frankie & Benny's. It's traditional now that we have breakfast there. I'd never dream of suggesting anywhere else and now when I go to any Frankie & Benny's it reminds me of going on holiday!
Here's DH and I at breakfast
All the family
After breakfast there was some shopping, shopping and more shopping! My neice got a new game for the DS
She left her dad playing with it so she could shop with her mum! This is my BIL singing to the DS!
DH, BIL and I went for a drink in one of the bars and then it was time to head to the gate ready for boarding!!
Here's my mum waiting to board
And my dad
We flew on 'hot lips'
and had pretty good seats too. DH and I both watched Harry Potter on the flight. We listened to our ipods, he played on his PSP and we played with my neice to pass the time. During the flight is when we got our first bit of pixie dust!
We got a bottle of Moet! We don't know if it was gift from my family or a gift from the hostess as no one is owning up but either way it was very nice and much appreciated!
We landed on time and stayed seated while everyone else left the plane. I collected my wedding dress from the airhostess and they got my mum a wheelchair as her emv wasn't there yet. DH pushed her through passport control and nearly got himself arrested when he took some pictures by baggage claim!
He was asked to delete the pictures and they stood there and watched him do it! Our cases came out quickly and by the time my sister and her family were through passport control we had all our luggage and theirs too! We just had to wait for the car seat and buggy to arrive.
We managed to get lost trying to find our car. People kept getting split up and when we found them we'd lose someone else! It was driving my crazy! I was not a happy bunny by then!
When we finally found our car we got in and drove off to meet my mum and dad. DH hit the breaks and I swear he gave me whiplash!! He's not used to driving an automatic as we have a manual at home. We left the airport, mum and dad leading followed by my BIL and then us. We managed to get lost after about 5 minutes and it panicked me so much I nearly cried! I called my mum and they had noticed we weren't behind them and had pulled over to wait for us. We'd got lost as we'd followed the wrong car into a car park!
Once we caught up with them it was all ok. We got to the villa in about 45 minutes, took all our luggage in and then went back out to Perkins. We went in mum and dads car. It was late and with the time difference our bodies thought it was silly o'clock in the morning but that didn't stop us! We were going to Perkins if it killed us!! Laura was shattered so we ate and then went back to the villa. I unpacked while the others chatted in the lounge then we all went to bed!
Up next - Day 1 - Shopping for MOH dress * alert - total drama!!*
she told me it was going to take 12 WEEKS to get it in stock as it was a new colour! In my head I'm screaming! 
12 weeks?! What do you mean 12 weeks?! I have 6 days!! On the outside I am silent...doing a fish impression...everyone is silent...and staring at eachother...12 weeks? My sister breaks the silence with 'don't cry' Seriously?! Probably the one phrase practically guaranteed to make you cry! 
(I didn't, but I wanted to!) My mum suggests another colour or maybe a different shade of blue. I tell her this isn't possible...everything, EVERYTHING, for the wedding has been based around this colour (I hadn't yet put 2 and 2 together about the difference in colour) I cannot change it 6 days before the wedding (how much would Warren of hated me if I'd sent him an email telling him to change it all?!) So we decide we'll go with the first dress. She tries it on again. It's the right colour. It'll need some alterations but nothing major. I know mum and Sarah didn't love it but it looked good on her and really, beggers cant be choosers eh?! My fault for leaving it so late I guess!
I had the chicken buffalo wrap...delicious! I actually had it like, 4 times while we were away! 
I won't lie, I was nervous! 
I made sure I had a full battery on my phone, just in case!! 
We got to the courthouse without any trouble! 
...tut tut...causing trouble everywhere we go! 
We stayed for a drink and then headed home. When we got back to our villa about 10pm everyone was in bed!! 
