SOOZE's Summer Fling-Mostly PICS! Update 11/15 p.7 LINK TO NEW PTR!

[Sooze]

Tyson was a little bummed that we didn't get to see the inside of the White House, but here he is trying to take it home with him!

And the kids and me with Obama's house in the background:

Our next stop was a definite highlight of the trip. We drove out to Dulles Airport to see the new Air and Space Museum. There is one on the Mall, but this one just opened up recently, and is MUCH bigger. Plus, the parking was a piece of cake... DC is INSANE!!

A full scale model of the Shuttle!

Look at the size of those babies!!

We found a hidden Mickey on a satellite... well, kinda...

Some Transformers IMAX thingy... we didn't do this... but the display was pretty cool!

There was a Concorde in the main hangar... you can see the chairs on the ground to give you a perspective of size... the plane was huge, and we walked right under it! Very cool!

We also saw THE Enola Gay... not a model, but the ACTUAL plane that dropped the bomb on Japan. Amazing...

Here is the view at the entrance of the museum (as you are leaving)

We finally left after several hours of exploring and made our way through the most MISERABLE traffic EVER! ! I will NEVER live in a city bigger than Indianapolis!! My aunt lives in Virginia about an hour south of DC. It took us almost two hours to get there. She had a WONDERFUL Italian meal waiting for us, and some very comfortable beds! We had a LONG trip to South Carolina the next day, so we hit those beds hard and early!

The next morning, my Aunt Diana made homemade chocolate chip pancakes. My cousin's boys showed up in time for Tyson and Shaelyn to meet them, say hello, then hop in the car for a long ride!

Here is Shae taking a nap with the LOST BEETIE This is how she slept in the car... hilarious!

Gotta love South of the Border!

Here is a shot Tyson took of this SPECTACULAR bridge that led into Charleston:

We ventured into historic Charleston. I would love to spend some real time here, actually exploring and walking around. We parked and walked around to peek at the ocean:

It was very windy!!!

Civil War stuff:

The next morning, it was on to Cocoa Beach, FL... getting closer to Disney!!

She was so good in the car!

We found a cheapy hotel online, and it actually turned out to be just fantastic! We could walk to the beach... so we quickly did!!

Lovin' It!!

She didn't like the water too much, but loved the sand:'

Beach baby:

Beach bum:

Unfortunately, we were only able to stay for 45 minutes... why? you ask... because of THIS:

This weather system brought in a thunderstorm like none other... the thunder was SO LOUD.. and it lasted all night! We finally got ourselves to the car to get some dinner. I found a fabulous place (on my iPhone, thanks!) that served SWEET POTATO FRIES... Oh. my. gosh. To DIE for!

But I paid for it the next morning. I awoke SO excited and ready to GO to Disney.. but I had the WORST stomach cramps. I was lying on the bathroom floor in a cold sweat for about 45 minutes. Poor Tyson was so scared and kept asking if he should call 911... my sweet boy.

Eventually it passed and we were able to get on our way! And then... this TR begins!

Hope you enjoyed the quick recap! Thanks again, everyone for reading along!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Oh wow Sooze that was AWESOME!!! I just loved seeing everywhere you guys went. Boy that was SOME TRIP!!!

You guys were right in front of the hotel we stayed at in Cocoa beach the night before our cruise! The Laquinta inn & suites. It was a newly rennovated hotel right on the beach and right next to the pier. Great hotel for a great price!

 

[timandlesley]

Wow Sooze! What an incredible road trip you had!!! Thanks for the shout out, you should have stopped by and we could have been on your road trip list, maybe next time : ) Loved the DC photo's and the beach photo's, great pics, great memories, thanks for sharing!
Lesley

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

thanks for the pre update on the Trip, i love seing sites from ohter places...that is why i am excited we are driving down for out next trip.

good thing you have friends and family along a route to FL, even if it was the long way to get there.

 

[dddisrunner]

Sooze, what an AWESOME stroll through the midwest and east coast you took us on! Looks like you truly had a blast and what TERRIFIC friends you have! LOVE all the pictures, but I think my fave is the one Tyson took of Shae while he was looking up! PRECIOUS Thanks for sharing this with us!

 

[Sooze]

Oh wow Sooze that was AWESOME!!! I just loved seeing everywhere you guys went. Boy that was SOME TRIP!!!

You guys were right in front of the hotel we stayed at in Cocoa beach the night before our cruise! The Laquinta inn & suites. It was a newly rennovated hotel right on the beach and right next to the pier. Great hotel for a great price!

Thanks! I was very happy with the hotel and with Cocoa Beach in general. Would love to spend a day or two there as a family.. and minus the scary storm!

I forgot to tell everyone that when we were crossing the bridges into Cocoa Beach, and you can see the cruise ships lined up at Cape Canaveral... that it was my first time to ever see a cruise ship live and in person. They are AMAZING!! Of course, when I saw Disney's ship, I started to cry. I just can't wait to get on that thing!

Wow Sooze! What an incredible road trip you had!!! Thanks for the shout out, you should have stopped by and we could have been on your road trip list, maybe next time : ) Loved the DC photo's and the beach photo's, great pics, great memories, thanks for sharing!
Lesley

Heck, Lesley, we could drive over there for a weekend. You are so close to us.. it's crazy that we don't get together!

Glad you enjoyed the update!!

thanks for the pre update on the Trip, i love seing sites from ohter places...that is why i am excited we are driving down for out next trip.

good thing you have friends and family along a route to FL, even if it was the long way to get there.

and thank YOU for requesting it! I had fun reliving the fabulous trip!
I actually enjoy driving to Disney... of course, we DID take the long way there! But it is a great time to make family memories

Sooze, what an AWESOME stroll through the midwest and east coast you took us on! Looks like you truly had a blast and what TERRIFIC friends you have! LOVE all the pictures, but I think my fave is the one Tyson took of Shae while he was looking up! PRECIOUS Thanks for sharing this with us!

I couldn't believe how perfect the trip fell into place, with family and friends being in just the right spots at the right times! It was wonderful seeing and visiting them. We'll have to head over to the Jersey shore next time!

 

[belle8306]

Wow! You had quite the trip before you even made it to Disney. I love the picture of Shaelyn on the beach. Your Little Mermaid mural was excellent! I can see why they kept it.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

That sure was some incredible journey! What wonderful memories you are making for your sweet kiddos! Too funny Tyson holding up the White House and Shae on the beach was too precious!

 

[Sooze]

Wow! You had quite the trip before you even made it to Disney. I love the picture of Shaelyn on the beach. Your Little Mermaid mural was excellent! I can see why they kept it.

One of the blessings of being a teacher! LOTS of vacation time in the summer. We had a blast taking such a long adventure!

Aw, thanks! I was quite obsessed with Ariel and her cute movie when it came out (the year I graduated HS)... so I drew pictures of her all the time! Guess it paid off in the mural!

That sure was some incredible journey! What wonderful memories you are making for your sweet kiddos! Too funny Tyson holding up the White House and Shae on the beach was too precious!

Thanks! I hope that they can remember some of the great times we've shared. Hopefully pictures and trip reports can keep those memories alive for them!

 

[Blueyed Girl]

Thanks! I was very happy with the hotel and with Cocoa Beach in general. Would love to spend a day or two there as a family.. and minus the scary storm!

I forgot to tell everyone that when we were crossing the bridges into Cocoa Beach, and you can see the cruise ships lined up at Cape Canaveral... that it was my first time to ever see a cruise ship live and in person. They are AMAZING!! Of course, when I saw Disney's ship, I started to cry. I just can't wait to get on that thing!

I know!! Wasn't that an awesome sight to behold?? I had never seen one either. I just couldn't believe how massive they were!



Hey, I just started a new PTR!! Come check me out at the National Lampoon's link in my siggie.

 

[jordanyosh]

You have so many friends!

Glad you got to see so many friends on the way to WDW!

Thanks for sharing those pix.

 

[praisehisname]

That's one heck of a road trip! Sounded like fun, though!

 

[Sooze]

You have so many friends!

Glad you got to see so many friends on the way to WDW!

Thanks for sharing those pix.

I sure do! I'm so blessed! Thanks for reading along, Jordan!

That's one heck of a road trip! Sounded like fun, though!

It really was. Looking back, I can't believe we did it!

 

[Sooze]

I hope you'll join me for my next magical adventure!

I Just Can't Wait... a PTR for Sooze's 12th Anniversary Trip