We crashed at our AirBnB for Friday night after doing laundry and having hot showers! Oh, and dinner at IHOP.
Saturday we got up early to go to Apopka to swim.
did not need to know that, gas station!
Florida Mars!
We got there at 10, but they were already closed for the day. We got a voucher to get back in after 2 and with 4 hours to kill, we made Chan's dream come true-Disney Springs.
This child, I am sure, only came because of the off chance that we might go by Orlando somehow.
Happy Level 5
We wandered, spent money on super necessary items like pins and a mini light sabre.
But mostly we walked around, looked at everything, ate various stuff and posted cell phone pics left and right for a few hours.
By the time 2 p.m. rolled around, so did the storm clouds.
The bottom fell out, so we did the only logical thing. We got on a bus to the Contemporary.
From there, we took the monorail to TCC, then transferred and rode it to EPCOT.
We got off at EPCOT and took a bus back to Disney Springs. The whole exciting event lasted exactly as long as the rain. We celebrated with dinner at the Earl of Sandwich, the only place I know of in the Springs where you can get a full meal for under $10 a person.
We split a Ghirardelli brownie cup.
Then Chan got a churro.
We split a Ghirardelli brownie cup.
Then Chan got a churro.
$125 of Matt's future income is going into riding around the lake in one of these, he's enthralled.
Sugared up, we headed for the exit. We made one more stop at Pop Art where Chan bought some more pins and I HAD to ask about the Earle prints they had for sale. 2 of them were not prints but originals selling for $22k each. They had one print of one of my favorites for $1200, signed by the artist. Chan was chanting, "roof, roof" but I nearly caved. Damn roof. And, well, we don't really HAVE $1200 for me to buy a copy of a painting with. But for just that moment, my hand was moving toward my wallet, I was already thinking of where it would hang, Dang, budgets are so the crappiest things. I was teary eyed as we left, I thought the sales guy was going to hug me, I was so bummed.
The sun was breaking through to beam the Swan and Dolphin as we got back to the van.
Matt drove us until about 11, I took over until we were nearly to Birmingham, then he finished us up getting home. I love driving overnight like that as long as I am not too tired. I set the cruise control to 71 and never had to do anything but steer for a solid 200 miles, then the speed limit dropped to 65, so I had to adjust and keep on going. Right through Atlanta and back out, waved at Six Flags, hit the AL state line before I had to use the brakes. By then it was rest stop time!
We got home in 9.5 hours, I was pretty happy to realize it's not actually a 12 hour drive after all.
We got home and I laid down at 5 for a nap and when I woke up at 9, I had not moved at all. My body was DONE moving for a while.
But tomorrow is teeth cleaning for the kids and me, it's Matt's first day at the new job, I have to get an estimate on the van, Melissa is waiting to hear if I will be joining her on the AT next week and of course there's house cleaning and yard mowing and grocery shopping already on the to-do list.
I am grateful to have had this week long lull in the day to day and to spend it with Matt and Chandler. We missed Ben, but were happy he missed out on the hair-whipping the island provided so freely.
