The Next Few Days

With rain on the way, we went to...a tourist trap!

We went to our AirBnB for the night, did laundry, had hot showers, and went to sleep by 9 or so.

The next day we got up and drove to our last spot, camping near Apopka!

We stopped for what turned out to be four HOURS to get the power steering pump replaced.  It was crappy since on the road repairs are always stressful, but being able to steer was AWESOME!

Gopher tortoise at the campsite

We set up the tent, spread out the backpacking gear along the fence to dry out, then went to the springs!

The next day, we spent the WHOLE DAY at Disney Springs.

I had a really happy kid.

We rode the monorail.

We went to the French Quarter by because we got bad bus info.  

But that was okay because we took the boat back from there!

We had dinner and got back to the campsite.

Wednesday morning, we packed up everything but the tent, which we left to dry in the sun and went back to swim in the springs one last time.

This hair thing worked out well.

We went back to the head and swam it again!

Chan has a unique way of snorkeling.

I call it foot first.

Such clear water!

Chan needs no oxygen.  I don't think she ever used the snorkel

Um...

Well anyway, as the sun got up, it started getting warmer outside than inside the springs which makes a body COLD.  So we decided to head on out.

We got the nice dry tent put away and headed out without much drama.

I left the buns in my hair.  It was kind of adorable.  hahaha

Super long and not exciting drive back home.  I drove a while, Gina drove a while, I drove the last stretch.  It took 10.5 hours to get back.

I don't think those middle seats will be going back in any time soon. 

Madness

Yesterday, I had a minor mental snap during which I decided I wanted another baby.  I am in recovery now and throwing myself into the only other thing I can think of that would cost thousands of dollars and bring me the near-comparable joy and exhaustion of a baby: Disney World.

Look!  I got a Disney countdown timer!  LMAO.  There's one on my phone as well, assuring me it's only 885 days till our next vacation!  I think I'd be in jail less time for writing bad checks.

So, that's February 1, 2020, which is approximate.  We are going for 2 weeks and planning to be in the parks 10 days of that.  Last time, we were there 2 weeks and in the parks for 8 days of that but we had water park passes as well, which I think we are skipping this time. Only one water park is open at a time in February and it could be chilly!  Plus, without Disney Quest, there's not as much pull to get the 'and more' add on.  We sure won't be using it for sports related stuff.  Zzzzzzz

Have I watched the 2017 planning videos?  Yes, yes I have.  Do I have my fast pass list made yet? Yes.  Do I know what color magic band I will be ordering?  Of course.  AAA says I can't book until June 2019 because they won't have the 2020 pricing before then.  I say pshaw.  They will know by the end of next year.

Matt is already being a party pooper saying the kids won't be able to take off work for 2 weeks, but none of them currently even have a job.  Jake finally got fed up enough to turn in his notice.  He processed out last week.  He and Chan have been filling out applications, but no luck yet.  He's been looking at renting an apartment with a friend of his and that friend just unexpectedly inherited a small house on the backside of nowhere-it's seriously further away from civilization than we are.  I don't know where that puts Jake, perhaps moving out sooner than I envisioned.  Or perhaps not at all-I guess it will depend on if there's internet access.

I don't think getting 2 weeks off 2 and a half years from now is our more pressing issue, to be honest.

So much will change in that amount of time and it will pass so much more quickly than will seem possible.

Part Three: Disney Springs

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.

$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.