Double, Double, Toil & Trouble: a Halloween-inspired trip of “two’s” – an October 2016 TR

[chiamarie]

Again, if more people would be more understanding like you two, the world would be such a better place!


Also, you're cute. But I think you have your big cats a little confused....that is a lionfish. They are very venomous; and about 15-20 years ago people started to decide they wanted them for their home aquariums, not knowing how big they can actually get and that they'll basically kill anything else you have in the aquarium. so people started "releasing" them off the coast of Florida. Now their considered an invasive species. They've taken over the south east and Bahamas area and are out competing all the other animals that are native. I know Florida has an annual hunt for people to go kill as many as possible to try and get rid of them. But alas, the Lionfish population continues to grow, while native species are slowly dying off. As a conservationist, I hate when people do what they think is right; but is totally wrong. And theres your education for the day!

ETA: (don't know if this will work, but heres an article that explains it a bit better)
http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...h_are_eating_so_many_native_species_that.html

 

[pigletto]

I'm sorry you didn't get to see Jake. I can only imagine how much you must be missing him by now. I hope you are able to get a visit in soon.

 

[afan]

I think I've been to that mall! Is it the only indoor outlet mall in the area? We had a family thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle's house in Flint and I think that's the outlet my aunt took us to. I bought a dress for my sorority formal there. My aunt bought my necklace and earrings That was almost 20 years ago, so it may not be the same but it looks familiar.

 

[dancin Disney style]

That sounds like great fun . Those sports trips can make for some great memories when you're lucky enough to have kids with great parents on the team. Steve and I both still miss those adventures with Jake.....probably as much as he does.

Congrats to your DD and her team!! Nationals are a pretty big deal!

Between the two girls we have been doing this for 21 years. More team trips than I can remember. Some were very independent where others where true group trips. I think the absolute best was about 8-9 years ago to Myrtle Beach. We spent that entire week together as a group. Went to dinner every night, to the beach, golfing, shopping, etc. Adults and kids had the best time. That group was very special....everyone liked everyone else. We are all still friends even though the kids have all moved on to different teams. I think this year is going to be fun for sure having our friends return to the group. There will be lots of sneaking off for cocktails. It will also be very bitter sweet being GC's graduating year. I predict a lot of tears.

Thank you! Nationals are a big deal for sure. It's a lot of extra work and costs but I'm glad that GC will have this last chance to go. In the past she has been fortunate enough to actually win the top title. Which sorry I have to brag....the only Canadian team at US Nationals and they won it all on the 4th of July AND it happened at WDW. Another trip to nationals also at WDW and she took home 3 positions in the top ten. Brag over!

BTW, I've been to Great Lake Crossing a few times. That area is really interesting. You can drive in any direction and be in a very poor area and then drive 3 more minutes along and be in a very affluent area. There is another mall pretty close to there (can't remember the name but it's something Hills) and it's like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The main parking option is the valet. The Palace at Auburn Hills(5 minutes away from Great Lakes Crossing) where the Detroit Pistons play is surrounded by a huge landfill and you can see it and smell it.

 

[Callie]

Sorry you didn't get to see Jake Hopefully at least you guys can facetime! Is it possible for him to come visit at all?

 

[pattyw]

There will be lots of sneaking off for cocktails. It will also be very bitter sweet being GC's graduating year. I predict a lot of tears.

Go for it @dancin!
Yes- graduation means many tears- been there twice but look at it this way- one step closer to no kids trips!!

Congrats to DD!!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Go for it @dancin!
Yes- graduation means many tears- been there twice but look at it this way- one step closer to no kids trips!!

Congrats to DD!!

'go for it'...do you mean the cocktails? Ok if you insist!

We've done many no kids trips. It will be nice though not to be tied to anyone else's schedule. I suspect that I will still be trying to figure out a way for GC to travel with us. To be totally honest I enjoy her company (most of the time) more than almost anyone else.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi Gina! I'm sorry you did not get to visit your son.

The Auburn Hills aquarium looks nice! We always visit aquariums when we can. We hope to hit a big aquarium this Summer and do some scuba diving in the Keys! And I hate to correct you, but that is a lionfish not a tiger fish. I was just reading about how they have "invaded" the US east coast. They can be pretty dangerous.

You are exactly right about the Lionfish ; I have edited my post to fix my whoops! I am with you on the aquarium love: I could spend hours and hours in one.....there is just something so soothing about fish. Maybe that's why SeaWorld give me such a warm and fuzzy feeling every time we go?

Since we're within a 4 hour drive of Chicago now, I hope to make it to the Shedd Aquarium some weekend with a side stop at Navy Pier. That's on my summer wish list .

The mall you visited reminds me of Opry Mills in Nashville! It used to have an aquarium but flooded a few years ago and that's one thing that wasn't brought back. (The entire mall flooded because it's near a river. Very devastating when it happened.)

Oh, what a sad story . I wonder if my parents ever visited that mall? They went to Nashville several times before my dad passed away. They were huge country music fans and Nashville was one of the few places they traveled to more than once.

Again, if more people would be more understanding like you two, the world would be such a better place!
Also, you're cute. But I think you have your big cats a little confused....that is a lionfish. They are very venomous; and about 15-20 years ago people started to decide they wanted them for their home aquariums, not knowing how big they can actually get and that they'll basically kill anything else you have in the aquarium. so people started "releasing" them off the coast of Florida. Now their considered an invasive species. They've taken over the south east and Bahamas area and are out competing all the other animals that are native. I know Florida has an annual hunt for people to go kill as many as possible to try and get rid of them. But alas, the Lionfish population continues to grow, while native species are slowly dying off. As a conservationist, I hate when people do what they think is right; but is totally wrong. And theres your education for the day!

ETA: (don't know if this will work, but heres an article that explains it a bit better)
http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...h_are_eating_so_many_native_species_that.html

You are such a smartie pants . Thank you for the correction!! (and the cool little backstory ..... kind of shocked that a creature that beautiful can be that destructive ). I guess my momma was right: its the pretty ones you have to watch out for .

Now I know why the Lionfish tank didn't have any other residents .

I'm sorry you didn't get to see Jake. I can only imagine how much you must be missing him by now. I hope you are able to get a visit in soon.

We've been back home once since we moved, only about a month ago. Steve works at least part (if not all) of most Saturdays, and this was one of the rare ones that he could have more easily taken off, so it seemed like a good idea to go if we could. This time of year, we always know that weather can be a plan ruiner, but yet....we were still rather bummed. We talk to Jake every day but there's nothing like spending time with someone in person. Sometimes you just need to wrap your arms around your kid and give 'em a big ol' hug .

We are going to try and make the trip this weekend, if the stars align and everything falls into place. I know my mom is missing us something fierce, too.

I think I've been to that mall! Is it the only indoor outlet mall in the area? We had a family thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle's house in Flint and I think that's the outlet my aunt took us to. I bought a dress for my sorority formal there. My aunt bought my necklace and earrings That was almost 20 years ago, so it may not be the same but it looks familiar.

There's another outlet mall just outside of Frankenmuth, but I don't think its an indoor one......so this is most likely the one you are remembering . Sounds like you have some very special memories from that visit! While I didn't find the deals there to be anything to write home about, I was rather impressed by how pretty it was inside. They even have an indoor merry-go-round :

Between the two girls we have been doing this for 21 years. More team trips than I can remember. Some were very independent where others where true group trips. I think the absolute best was about 8-9 years ago to Myrtle Beach. We spent that entire week together as a group. Went to dinner every night, to the beach, golfing, shopping, etc. Adults and kids had the best time. That group was very special....everyone liked everyone else. We are all still friends even though the kids have all moved on to different teams. I think this year is going to be fun for sure having our friends return to the group. There will be lots of sneaking off for cocktails. It will also be very bitter sweet being GC's graduating year. I predict a lot of tears.

Thank you! Nationals are a big deal for sure. It's a lot of extra work and costs but I'm glad that GC will have this last chance to go. In the past she has been fortunate enough to actually win the top title. Which sorry I have to brag....the only Canadian team at US Nationals and they won it all on the 4th of July AND it happened at WDW. Another trip to nationals also at WDW and she took home 3 positions in the top ten. Brag over!

BTW, I've been to Great Lake Crossing a few times. That area is really interesting. You can drive in any direction and be in a very poor area and then drive 3 more minutes along and be in a very affluent area. There is another mall pretty close to there (can't remember the name but it's something Hills) and it's like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The main parking option is the valet. The Palace at Auburn Hills(5 minutes away from Great Lakes Crossing) where the Detroit Pistons play is surrounded by a huge landfill and you can see it and smell it.

I've been there too, my friend, so I can appreciate the emotions of that final year. It's bitter sweet but very special. What an impressive sports career your girl has achieved . Brag away, her accolades sound as if they are well deserved!

Auburn Hills is close enough to Detroit that yup, a few minutes in the "wrong" direction and you're in some pretty sad communities. The poverty in some areas is heartbreaking: boarded up houses are the norm and others that have been partially burned to the ground. The city of Auburn Hills itself is pretty nice, though.....at least most of it that we saw. We did see the Palace on our way to Great Lakes Crossing: it was so odd to see it out in the middle of nowhere, especially being used to the Air Canada Centre being smack dab in the heart of downtown Toronto.

Sorry you didn't get to see Jake Hopefully at least you guys can facetime! Is it possible for him to come visit at all?

No Facetime for us.....he has an iPhone but I have an android. That's okay with me, though, because I hate people being able to see me when we talk (I know, I know.....I'm weird . I like to think its part of my charm ) . We are hoping to get him up here within the next couple of months, but his work schedule makes it hard (he doesn't generally get two days off in a row). Making things even more difficult right now is that his agency is currently on strike, so his schedule isn't even known for the next few weeks until the strike is resolved and in the interim, he has picket line shifts to report to. Very frustrating from a planning perspective.

Go for it @dancin!
Yes- graduation means many tears- been there twice but look at it this way- one step closer to no kids trips!!

Congrats to DD!!

And maybe a mega-Dismeet?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

'go for it'...do you mean the cocktails? Ok if you insist!

We've done many no kids trips. It will be nice though not to be tied to anyone else's schedule. I suspect that I will still be trying to figure out a way for GC to travel with us. To be totally honest I enjoy her company (most of the time) more than almost anyone else.

I'm still a little sad that she won't end up being my daughter-in-law. Jake's current 'apple of his eye' is a wonderful and amazing young lady, but her mom is not nearly as entertaining as you are .

 

[Callie]

Oh goodness! When I first moved away from home facetime is what got me thru. I like being able to "See" my mom. The quality is so clear too. We facetime still about 5 times a week. Hopefully they get his schedule situated How's little Moo?

 

[dancin Disney style]

I'm still a little sad that she won't end up being my daughter-in-law. Jake's current 'apple of his eye' is a wonderful and amazing young lady, but her mom is not nearly as entertaining as you are .

Don't worry, there's still time to 'arrange' things.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Oh goodness! When I first moved away from home facetime is what got me thru. I like being able to "See" my mom. The quality is so clear too. We facetime still about 5 times a week. Hopefully they get his schedule situated How's little Moo?

Growing like a bad weed . I get regular Snapchats of all his cuteness . He is such a sweet little kitten!!

Don't worry, there's still time to 'arrange' things.

But....I like the current girlfriend a lot, too . Any chance your garden shed could accommodate a Sister Wives-type scenario?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sunday, October 23rd

Tonight was the second of our two Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween parties which meant a late night was in our immediate future, so we did our best that morning to sleep in as late as we possibly could. Unfortunately for both of us, the natural instinct to rise and shine was as strong as the Florida sun and I think we might have made it to 8 o’clock before we were shuffling around the kitchen and brewing that first pot of Tim Hortons coffee. No matter how good our intentions, we are simply not sleep-until-noon people anymore . Parenthood just zaps a person of that wonderful talent.


We enjoyed a simple breakfast on the balcony, and were thrilled to find it wasn’t nearly as chilly that morning as the day prior had started out to be. In fact, it was a breathtakingly perfect morning: brilliant sun, a gentle warm breeze, and the most pleasant temperature of our entire two week vacation . If ever we had the ability to custom order Florida weather, this day would have been the day we requested .

It was too nice of a morning to spend inside, so after breakfast, we ventured out for a stroll around the grounds. Most other guests appeared to have already left for the parks (or were having greater success at sleeping in than we did! ) so it was blissfully peaceful and quiet. Other than the maintenance, housekeeping and security staff, we didn’t see another soul. This beautiful tree was in full bloom right at the bottom of the stairs to our villa, and the flowers were so bright and colourful. Autumn at home was slowly stripping our trees of their leaves in preparation for the winter season, but here, it still felt like summertime.

On our walk, we took note of the new signage at the resort: installed, sadly, following the alligator attack at the Grand Floridian a few months earlier in June.

We, personally, have never seen at gator at the Vistana but I’m sure it’s possible given all the ponds that are scattered around the resort. Certainly snakes must be abundant…….something that strikes a chord of terror in my heart every time I tippy toe to the pools after dark. The day one of those hideous, slithery creatures crosses my path, I guarantee you the entire resort will know : in fact, you might just hear me screaming all the way back in Canada .


Our morning stroll took us around by the Fountains recreation area. There was barely a sign of any children in the Fountains playground:

……and the pool area was completely deserted. The waterfall provided some rather soothing background noise, but other than the soft and continuous rush of the water, there wasn’t a sound. So peaceful.

We picked out a pair of side-by-side loungers and stretched out for a bit in the morning sun. A little natural vitamin D would do these northern bodies good.

While we were there, another person or two with books in hand quietly sat down to read......no one wanted to break the tranquil silence.

Eventually, we headed up to check out the hot tubs (both located up and behind the waterfall, nicely secluded from the pool area) and they too were empty.

We looked at each other and both knew we were thinking the same thing: time to get on the swimsuits. How could we waste the chance for private use of the pool on such a glorious fall morning? We strolled back to our villa, dumped off the camera, changed into our swimwear and grabbed a couple bottles of water from the fridge before heading back to the Fountains pool area. This is where we spent the next hour or so, spending a little time in the pool before transitioning to the hot tubs (swim, soak, repeat).

Once we were wrinkly from all the water and chlorine, we headed back to the villa to shower off and dry my hair. Sufficiently refreshed, we were due for a hearty lunch before it was time to don our costumes and ready ourselves for the Halloween party later that afternoon.

On deck: open-air dining on International Drive .

 

[dancin Disney style]

But....I like the current girlfriend a lot, too . Any chance your garden shed could accommodate a Sister Wives-type scenario?

I'm open to negotiation

 

[Raeven]

in fact, you might just hear me screaming all the way back in Canada .

I'd probably scream too.

 

[sk8jdgca]

Between the two girls we have been doing this for 21 years. More team trips than I can remember. Some were very independent where others where true group trips. I think the absolute best was about 8-9 years ago to Myrtle Beach. We spent that entire week together as a group. Went to dinner every night, to the beach, golfing, shopping, etc. Adults and kids had the best time. That group was very special....everyone liked everyone else. We are all still friends even though the kids have all moved on to different teams. I think this year is going to be fun for sure having our friends return to the group. There will be lots of sneaking off for cocktails. It will also be very bitter sweet being GC's graduating year. I predict a lot of tears.

Thank you! Nationals are a big deal for sure. It's a lot of extra work and costs but I'm glad that GC will have this last chance to go. In the past she has been fortunate enough to actually win the top title. Which sorry I have to brag....the only Canadian team at US Nationals and they won it all on the 4th of July AND it happened at WDW. Another trip to nationals also at WDW and she took home 3 positions in the top ten. Brag over!

BTW, I've been to Great Lake Crossing a few times. That area is really interesting. You can drive in any direction and be in a very poor area and then drive 3 more minutes along and be in a very affluent area. There is another mall pretty close to there (can't remember the name but it's something Hills) and it's like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The main parking option is the valet. The Palace at Auburn Hills(5 minutes away from Great Lakes Crossing) where the Detroit Pistons play is surrounded by a huge landfill and you can see it and smell it.

Sommerset Mall. It is pretty nice https://www.thesomersetcollection.com/

I miss dance comps. Both my kids are at Canada's National Ballet school....and they DONOT compete. Have fun at Nationals

Sorry Gina got the hijack

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

What a lovely day and it all looks so inviting and peaceful at the resort

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I'd probably scream too.

Let's just say I'm not exactly known for my bravery where anything buggy, creepy, crawly, slithery or otherwise icky is concerned .

What a lovely day and it all looks so inviting and peaceful at the resort

I am crossing my fingers that our weather is equally as favourable in May. It sure would be nice to enjoy some pool time and sunshine after a long and dreary winter .

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Sunday, October 23rd (continued)

We had lots of time before we needed to dress for the party, so we took our time meandering up I-Drive and enjoying the relative quietness of an otherwise busy area on that sunny Sunday morning. It’s always nice to enjoy the tourist areas early in the day before the masses descend on it for the dinner hour and beyond. With a buffet dinner at the Magic Kingdom on the itinerary for that evening, we thought burgers and fries would be a good lunch option: so, we pulled the rental car into the parking lot just adjacent to the Eye complex and made our way here:

We have been dining at Red Robin for the last few trips, and other than the first visit (which was a mealtime fail) we’ve enjoyed it very much. This restaurant always serves a reminder to give an initial poor experience another chance .

The menu and concept are pretty simple, but the food has been consistently good and sometimes, fancy is just not needed. This particular location is only a few years new, so it’s bright and clean and still has a just-opened feel. It was pretty quiet on this visit, so we noticed a few little decorative details that we had missed on prior occasions: the little burger stools were absolutely adorable.

On this particular visit, we were seated for the first time in a different section of the dining room: a side portion of the building which featured large windows that opened to the great outdoors, giving that indoor/outdoor feel. Considering the simply PERFECT weather that day, we couldn’t have picked a better location. The warm breeze was blowing through and we savoured the opportunity to lounge in the fresh air as we awaited our meal .

This indoor/outdoor section had a cute little waterfall along the one interior wall, made entirely of beer taps.

We perused the menu and eventually placed our order with our very efficient young server (she was really great). Knowing we had a big meal later that day, we skipped any appetizers (a tough choice when we LOVE their onion rings) and opted just for two standard entrees: a burger and bottomless steak fries for Steve:

……and a grilled cheese sandwich with fries for me.

As always, Steve gave high marks to his burger: portions are large, the toppings are fresh, and it was cooked exactly as ordered. My grilled cheese was surprisingly yummy as well: the bread was super fresh and it was a perfect balance of cheesy and toasty. It was also a nice change from my typical order of chicken tenders: I’m not much of a culinary adventurer, and while this was a little different than “the usual”, it was still well within my comfort zone.

On this visit, we also developed a strong appreciation for their signature seasoning, a bottle of which is located on every table. This stuff was seriously yummy on the steak fries: not too strong but very tasty . Steak fries, in general, are not our favourite (we both prefer a thinner cut fry) but Red Robin's version, piping hot from the kitchen and sprinkled with their seasoning, might just make us steak fries lovers after all.

We didn’t rush this lunch at all: in fact, we enjoyed a complimentary refill or two on our beverages and Steve indulged in a second order of the bottomless steak fries while we savoured the quiet, the sunshine, and the beautiful day. We would walk a thousand miles later in the day, so this would be one of our last chances to relax before the evening’s party festivities were in full swing.


We toured through a couple of the gifts shops in the general area before waddling back to the car, then made our way back to the villa to don our costumes. It was time to transform ourselves into a pair of swashbuckling pirates and conquer the Magic Kingdom!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and a “buffet with character”, is next .

 

[tortilla24]

Wow that grilled cheese looks good. Looks like they put a crispy cheese layer on the outside of the bread, too! Red Robin's always been a reliable food choice for us and I usually go for a burger - glad to see you've had good experiences there too since your first incident.

Curious to know where the rest of the family went today. Did they take the kiddos to MK?