Bouncing on Bounce Backs (Update Pg 20 post 299)

[lovethattink]

And now for the DIS meet in NC!!

 

[blessedmom4]

It took 8 hours of driving time to get to Charlotte. Blessedmom had helped me pick the motel, a SpringHill Suites. We checked in, and the only restaurant near the motel was a Macaroni Grill. I called Judy to see where the restaurants were that she told me about and to let her know we had arrived. She gave me directions, and we were off. And ended up next door at the Macaroni Grill! After dinner, Anakin wanted to swim. So we swam until 15 minutes before Judy and family were due to arrive.

We should have gotten out of the pool sooner. 15 minutes wasn't enough time for me to get Anakin dressed and myself dressed. So I greeted them as a drowned rat, no make up, hair wet and pulled back in a ponytail.

I was surprised how nice your room was when I saw it. Now Now, as I told you, there was about 75 restaurants within one mile of the hotel...Macaroni Grill was just right beside the hotel! Did you all take the shortcut to the Interstate when you left? And NO negative self talk I told you, you looked great! No drowned rats here! I didn't even realize you weren't wearing makeup. We loved meeting you!

Now this next one, is just plain strange. We aren't sure what they were trying to do with this wad of toilet paper. A rose maybe?

The rose DID crack me up, I am glad I saw it IRL, it was even more strange up close and personal! Loved talking to you last night, sorry we couldn't talk longer...It was time for the children's meds and bed...I don't usually talk after 8 PM anyway, so talking until 9:15 was good for me. Pete finally finished getting the closet fixed...I told you, everything is falling down around here... I can't believe how quickly you are cranking out this trip! WHERE is the fish fry...did I miss it? for your Dad continuing to get better and for your Mom caring for him! I can't wait to show the children the pics! Hope to get mine posted soon!

 

[lovethattink]

The rose DID crack me up, I am glad I saw it IRL, it was even more strange up close and personal! Loved talking to you last night, sorry we couldn't talk longer...It was time for the children's meds and bed...I don't usually talk after 8 PM anyway, so talking until 9:15 was good for me. Pete finally finished getting the closet fixed...I told you, everything is falling down around here... I can't believe how quickly you are cranking out this trip! WHERE is the fish fry...did I miss it? for your Dad continuing to get better and for your Mom caring for him! I can't wait to show the children the pics! Hope to get mine posted soon!

We had all intentions of driving to those restaurants you told us about. But when we saw how empty the parking lot was at Macaroni Grille we figured it would give Anakin more swim time.

We went the way you told us to get to I-77. It was an easy way to get there!

With Anakin present I usually don't get much talk time on the phone. So it was nice to have some adult conversation while he was at the movies with Goofy!

I didn't take pictures at the fish fry. I should have. There was so much food and fish! Fried crappies and bluegills (I breaded about 100 pieces of them, while dh's mom fried them all. She had already breaded around 200 pieces before I got there), smoked trout, and catfish.

They also had catered from Stancottos, pizza, butter herbed potatoes, green beans almondine, and penne pasta. Each family that attended also brought a covered dish of some kind, mostly desserts. I brought fruit, fresh strawberries and grapes...Anakin's mainstay!!

The funniest part of the fish fry was when DH's dad's fishing buddies showed up. Dh's mom had just finished frying all the fish. She had gone upstairs and changed her clothing. Said now it's time to relax and enjoy herself. And guess what the fishing buddies brought?! Scales still on, uncooked, fish. One guy brought dead fish, the other live fish. Dh's mom was livid. She made the one guy cook his own, and bucket of live fish just sat near the front door the whole time...yuck!!

 

[lovethattink]

This is the first 4th of July DH has had off in years!! He had 3 nights off in a row.

We are really hoping with headphones Anakin will be able to handle the fireworks.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/4th_July.htm
"DISNEY'S CELEBRATE AMERICA - A FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT IN THE SKY"

Traditionally, the 4th of July fireworks at the Magic Kingdom include an enhanced presentation featuring patriotic music themed to spectacular pyrotechnics that ring through the park.

July 3rd, 2011

9:00 pm - "Celebrate America - A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky" Fireworks
10:30 pm - Main Street Electrical Parade

July 4th, 2011

9:00 pm - "Celebrate America - A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky" Fireworks

10:00 pm - Main Street Electrical Parade

12:00 am - Main Street Electrical Parade


I am seriously thinking of July 3rd watching the fireworks at MK. We have never seen the 4th's fireworks at Disney.

 

[KatMark]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad taking ill while you were visiting, but glad to know that he is home and doing better. I'm surprised you ran into hotels that still had smoking. Out here, I would say that close to 100% of the rooms are ALL non-smoking now.

Love the DIS meet photos.

 

[lovethattink]

I am so sorry to hear about your dad taking ill while you were visiting, but glad to know that he is home and doing better. I'm surprised you ran into hotels that still had smoking. Out here, I would say that close to 100% of the rooms are ALL non-smoking now.

Love the DIS meet photos.

Thanks. That would be great to have encountered 100% smoke free rooms!! The kids hit it off as though that have been friends forever.

 

[lovethattink]

Our final stop on the road trip before home was St. Augustine. We stayed at a little motel in Vilano Beach called Ocean Sands Inn. We got a great rate of $62, because I chose a room with no view. We looked out our window and only saw a grassy dune.

We took it easy, enjoyed the beach, swam in the swimming pool, went to the Alligator Farm (our annual passes from last summer were still in date, so didn't need to purchase tickets.) And we ate at the Santa Maria Restaurant. Not usually a favorite of ours, but this time the food was actually good, and the service was great. That's a first time for us for great service there!

We got into lots of smoke in Georgia, that lasted right up to Jacksonville.

Check out the strange shadow and clear, bridge type looking thing. Have no idea what they are. None of us were wearing a hat. And our fingers certainly don't look like that.

 

[momabaarjo]

By this point we had already had over 20 hours of driving time. I still hadn't pulled out any of my trip planning stuff. I was beginning to wonder why I bothered to bring it with me. Actually I didn't do any of the stuff for the car I had brought to do. Even when Anakin slept, I didn't pull anything out.

I always seem to bring things in the car on long trips...but I never seem to pull them out either! Not sure what I am doing?

So sorry about your father, I hope he is better now. I am sure that was tough leaving him.

 

[lovethattink]

I always seem to bring things in the car on long trips...but I never seem to pull them out either! Not sure what I am doing?

So sorry about your father, I hope he is better now. I am sure that was tough leaving him.

He is doing better. He has some follow-up appointments the week of July 4th.

 

[lovethattink]

We went to the Alligator Farm. We arrived just before noon, and just in time for the alligator feeding. There were so many school groups there the only place we found to view was behind a caution roped off area. It was roped off because the gators in that area are nesting and aggressive.

For the feeding shows, they feed them rats, but typically they eat alligator pellets.

 

[lovethattink]

The big draw this year to the Alligator Farm is the new zip line. There are 2 courses, one is longer than the other and more challenging. They go over alligators and crocodiles and birds.

 

[lovethattink]

We just squeezed under that 2 month mark!!!


59 days until checking into CSR and eating at Captain's Grille!!!!

 

[lovethattink]

Looking to make an lunch ADR for today, and stumbled upon this while checking what restaurants were available for today.

Rainforest Cafe Animal Kingdom
American
Disney Dining Plan Accepted Disney's Animal Kingdom Park $$ This restaurant is no longer accepting online reservations for today. You may visit the location to check for availability

Same for T-Rex and Rainforest Cafe at DTD

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

And now for the DIS meet in NC!!

[/IMG]

Oh my goodness, is this is this the sweetest picture!!

 

[momabaarjo]

The zip line looks like a lot of fun...something my kids would love to do!

 

[lovethattink]

Oh my goodness, is this is this the sweetest picture!!

Thanks! The two girls and Anakin were so sweet together! He misses them.

The zip line looks like a lot of fun...something my kids would love to do!

My 17 year old is afraid of heights so it was an easy NO from him. The 7 year old wanted to do it, but it was an easy NO from us to him, lol. It was cool to watch the other people though. You were on your own doing it. We watched people unhook themselves on the platforms and rehook to the next line. I think I could do it, if there was someone there to help you rehook or if you only went down one line. But with my luck, I'd not have it on right, or lose my footing and fall in a crocodile cage.

 

[lovethattink]

Grumpy and Goofy did alot of fishing, both in the ocean and at the Vilano Pier. Their first stop upon arriving at Vilano beach was to get a fishing license for Goofy, his was expired and some bait. (Grumpy has a lifetime license.) Then we checked into the motel.

The girl working the counter at the bait shop, allowed Anakin to come behind the counter and check out the live bait. He thought that was so cool.

I have no pics from the pier because I didn't go there. They caught angel fish, sting ray, sea bass, scorpion fish, robin fish, mullet, pinfish, porgies, and shrimp. The pinfish, porgies, and shrimp they used for bait.

On the beach they only caught whiting and pompano.

They now run a tour for horseback riding on Vilano Beach.

There were some thunderstorms that made the skies look amazing.

The last day we ate lunch at the Santa Maria Restaurant. The kids love this place. You feed the fish while you eat. There are drop boxes at each window. Everytime we've eaten there the food has been mediocre and the service poor. This time was completely different. We had an amazing experience there. Service was great, food was great, and the view was great!! It was fun to watch the boats sail and the draw bridge open up for them.

This sign was a few feet away from where we parked.

We went shopping in the historic district. I stopped by Coleman's gallery to see his Disney paintings, but they no longer keep the Disney ones there. They were further down the street. We wanted to shop St. George Street. But the only things we bought were some fun Del Sol items and icecream at Kilwins!! The Del Sol things are fun because they change color in the sun.

There were two men staying at our motel who were also fishermen. They were way out in the ocean standing to fish. Grumpy saw shark about 3 feet beyond the first breaker where he was catching fish and he said they were nuts to be out that far fishing. But they were cathing whiting left and right.

 

[momabaarjo]

I love the de Sol things...we have some t-shirts and bags MIL/FIL brought back from their Alaska cruise last fall! DD would so love the fingernail polish...I am going to have too look for some of that!

 

[lovethattink]

I love the de Sol things...we have some t-shirts and bags MIL/FIL brought back from their Alaska cruise last fall! DD would so love the fingernail polish...I am going to have too look for some of that!

They were buy 3 get one free. My niece loves the stuff. So I bought 8 colors to share with her. I tried the blue that is suppose to turn to purple, but it only changed once, the first time in the sun and not since. We kept checking it yesterday at Epcot.

We went to the Coral Reef for lunch and ended up at DTD around supper time. Got some EoS for supper, but took it home to eat, because we weren't hungry yet. It was just as good heated up! Pics are on the last page of my TR, Disney Done Differently.

 

[lovethattink]

The other day, Anakin asked if he could make some countdown Mickey heads. Goofy had made a run the other day to get stuff for his fish tanks, so I sent him to Home Depot for a few LGME. He couldn't remember the right color so he brought home two of each green close in color to it.

I really wish I had a cricut machine!! Oh well, looks like Anakin and I will be tracing and cutting. That should be good therapy for him.

Today he goes for swimming lessons, then for occupational therapy, then he needs to review his addition flash cards (he forgot how to add in those 2 weeks we were on vacation.) Also more reading practice (he forgot how to blend letters while on vacation too.) Then we will get to making his countdown mickey heads.

He has a plan all lined up. He wants to number the mickey heads and put them on the refrigerator with tape. Each day he wants to remove one. We are almost at the 2 month mark so that's alot of mickeys! I'll save the used Mickey heads for the Sept and Dec countdowns too!!

Grumpy went to the fish store yesterday and while he was making his purchases he asked if they were hiring. They are! But he doesn't have enough experience with salt water tanks to get hired they told him. They are looking for someone with at least a couple years of experience with salt water fish care. He has only had a couple months experience with salt water, but years with fresh. Next stop will be the fish and wildlife commission to see if he can do community service hours with them. He needs 75 hours or more for the Bright Future's scholarship. If not, he has already been approved to volunteer at the homeless shelter where I use to mentor.

Poor Goofy has fire ant bites all over his feet from St. Augustine. He is having an uncomfortable time at work with his feet with shoes on. It use to be his tie was the first thing he shed when he got home, now it's his shoes!

Also on tap for today is to check out easyWDW and TP to see how things are projected to change with having F! every night.

I was bummed to read that Flynn is leaving the meet and greet. Or has he already left?

Our pool sweeper stopped yesterday. And it's a new sweeper. So bummed. Our old one was taken out during a tornado or super strong wind on March 31. Insurance paid for it to be replaced. And it's stopped. The "pool man" is coming to check it out today. Hopefully it's nothing serious and something easy for him to fix.