Florida 2012

 

Another Spring Break has come and gone. We added an extra day this year and it still wasn’t enough. There has yet to be a trip in 6 years where we have wanted to come home when it was time. I guess that says it all when it comes to how much we love it in Florida!

 

This was the year of the family! We started the week in Orlando with Mike’s side of the family. Cindy and Dave, the Mensink’s , and us…..all 13 of us were excited for some fun in the Disney parks!

 

We stayed at a three bedroom condo, and the others rented a whole house. Both had their own pools, along with a resort pool which was a lot of fun for the kids.

 

 

The first park we visited was Magic Kingdom. Disney isn’t complete without fireworks and the lighted parade.

It rained that day, which cooled it down some…which was okay! Florida was experiencing hotter than normal temps, 10 degrees hotter as a matter of fact. It was steamy!

 

The second park we visited was Animal Kingdom, which happens to be my favorite. It was just as hot and sweltering…

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We seemed able to go on more rides this day. Mike loved being able to ride the bigger rides. The last time we were here the kids were too little and scared. Not this year….

 

The third day we were there we went to Hollywood Studios. Two of our favorite things there are the Stunt Show and the Indiana Jones Show.

 

 

I just have to brag a little bit here….

You would think traveling with THAT many kids, there would be issues. Can I just say, there was not one whine, not one complaint, not one crabby kid? They certainly had reason to to do all of those things; it was so hot (over 90), they walked miles and miles each day, they stood in long lines for short rides, they waited for each other to ride various rides that they maybe didn’t want to go on…and not once did one of them say a negative word. We did good raising these kids!

 

This trip was mostly paid for by Mike’s mom, Cindy. This was a trip grandpa Dave and she had wanted to take us on when the kids got older. Even though he wasn’t with us physically, I am sure he was watching over us and smiling. THANK YOU grandma Cindy for making this wish come true. It was one none of us will forget!

 

We then hopped in our very little rental car and headed 3 hours south to Ft Myers where my parents were for part II of our family vacation. We went straight to the Twins game and met my parents there. We were able to get tickets to the last preseason game this year…..

 

 

It was SO hot! We only were able to stay through the 5th inning. When we left, the ambulance arrived with a stretcher. I am sure due to the heat. It was fun to see, but even the kids couldn’t take that heat anymore. We headed straight for the pool instead!

 

 

Mostly while in ft Myers we swim and eat! This year we took the free waterboat from our resort over to Ft Myers beach. It was an hour long ride and it was a lot of fun. They picked us up three hours later, which was perfect.

 

We even saw a bald eagle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

On this trip we tried a couple of different restaurants that we found in the back of a book in our room. Edison Restaurant and Crave. Both were awesome and I miss that food already. I had the best huckleberry martini at Edison’s and the best chicken salad sandwich at Crave!

 

Thanks for joining us, Mom and Dad! We hope you loved our home-away-from-home as much as we do!

 

       

Such great memories every year. I think Connor is even starting to remember some of them…..

LB