Florida and Disney World

 Rick had a work trip to Orlando and found out in the Spring

we originally were going to Monterey for a week but I am so glad

we had the chance to go to Florida! I still want to retire here or the Carolinas

by the way... I just love it. This pic is outside our Omni hotel

we stayed at the Omni Championgate hotel in Orlando and it was amazing!

We had no idea that it was a mini Wet N Wild! Kellan could have just

stayed here all week! These birds in the pic were everywhere. Tons of wildlife. 

 It had a wave pool, lazy river, and a slide that Kellan went on 200 times

the best part you might ask? The water was WARM

so we got to Florida Monday afternoon and hung out in the pool

and then we headed to Disney World Tues, Wed, and Thurs. 

We are so lucky and blessed that Rick made friends with the girl in charge of

security and she was able to get us in for free... yes for free, I felt super guilty

but we have never gotten anything for free, so it was exciting!

Rick got to go the first day and then I was on my own most of the other two which was 

alot, not many people do it alone, when they say world, they aren't joking

We seriously had to take a train, a plane, and a car to just get into the park, you

were already tired before you entered! 

We did 3 of the 5 worlds. Animal Kingdom,

Magic Kingdom ( Disney Classic)

Hollywood Studios

 Animal Kingdom! 

 the coolest Bug performance where you feel actual bug guts all

over you and you get wet and gross 

 Rick actually ended up taking Mia back at night for fireworks and then

they got soaked from a storm! It stormed every day we were there. 

 in line for AVATAR

 going through the Safari- they said most of the animals from Disneyworld

are the actual animals from the Lion King movie- pretty cool 

 these are all from Animal Kingdom we got stuck in

the Avatar line for almost 4 hours yes I said 4 , we could have

flown to Las Vegas in that time, ugh it was an amazing ride but

unless there's money at the end I would never do that again.

The animals were all so amazing and one of the apes just had a baby so that was super cool

When I say hot, I mean it was dripping sweat humid, dying hot, I handle it fine but the kids 

faded fast which I knew would happen, Kellan does not like the heat and would probably rather 

have been back at the hotel so that was a bummer! 

 the last day we went to Hollywood studios and I wanted to 

go on the Aerosmith ride, I had no idea it was the scariest ride there, 

an adult ride, I felt soooo bad.... 

 yup it was scary 

finally on the last day Kellan said I just want to be 

a baby and get in a stroller haha I said sure

and he was super happy. Notice Mia has flip flops on

in the background, that's because her shoes were so soaked from the rain storm!

nothing dries there ever

 the three days at Disney did them in haha! But we definitely

had a lot of fun! We kind of like how little Disneyland is :) 

 we left Orlando to head to Anna Maria island

a place I randomly read about and I got on YELP to search for a place to eat

and we ended up in the cutest little lunch and antique store on the planet!

 I guess people travel from all over the world! who knew? They had

picnic style lunches so you marked off what you wanted on a piece of paper and they 

brought it in picnic baskets. Mia was in absolute heaven.. 

 Kellan was obsessed with the porch and being

by the water, I was nervous about it because there

were alligators everywhere and they even had names!

 our picnic lunches- these ladies have been working here for years and years

I think they said 50 plus years! 

 they even had snapping turtles to feed 

we loved it ! 

 we made it to Anna Maria Island- we found a brand new

little condo right on the beach and it was beautiful! 

 luck may have it that it was Storm Barry while we were there

so there are usually zero waves like absolutely still water but

because of the tropical storm, there were huge waves the whole time 

 the kids loved the waves and Kellan said you know 

the water is warm if mom is in it! It was really fun to play in the waves...

Kellan loved the hot tub and in fact made a new set of grandparents in it one night,

they just adored him and he even had the old guy swimming with him. So funny 

 huge storm when we went to get Icecream so we had to wait until it calmed down 

 dinner on the pier and we saw a mom and baby manatee

honestly my favorite meal I had the best grouper sandwich!! 

 then we took a trip in the mangroves to see the manatees

we didn't get to see any with the storms but we did see dolphins 

up close and the mangroves were absolutely beautiful, I can't even 

describe how peaceful they were and there were huge crabs too on the trees 

that looked like spiders. 

 cuties 

 best burger place on the island 

  I could have just stayed there for the rest of my life

I didn't do my hair the whole time

I loved the weather, the warm ocean, it was peaceful 

and beautiful, definitely sad to leave!!

We will definitely be back to Anna Maria!!