We arrived in Ft. Meyers and spent some time at my parents condo. The girls had so much fun at the pool and especially at the beach the next morning. We were at the beach and in the warmth of the sun by about 9:30 a.m.! The beach is gorgeous and full of shells - but it still has plenty of sugar fine sand to squish between your toes. We had a great time walking the beach and picking up shells. My mom and I walked a bit further to a small cove where we watched dolphins in the distance. It was so relaxing!
Beautiful turquoise water
Abby liked finding the little, tiny shells.
We had some great meals and hit up the famous Florida store - The Best of Everything!
Look at those eyelashes!
We were even able to sneak in a Red Sox spring training game - much to Bruno's delight!
After a weekend in Bonita Springs, it was off to Orlando. Unfortunately, Grace had not been feeling well on Saturday (she had to miss the game) and even on Sunday she wasn't 100%. But we were determined to have fun. So we braved the horrendous traffic, pouring rain and relived a favorite memory of Grace's from 4 years ago when we went to Orlando - we went to the Rainforest Cafe. Well, it was truly a "zoo" in all aspects. My mom and I decided to order a half pitcher of sangria - only it tasted like red pop (a Michigan term). It didn't quite do the trick - ha! Oh well, we made it through the fake monkeys hollering and the pretend elephants trumpeting and weathered the, again fake, thunderstorms.
Big smiles in the midst of Rainforest craziness - best grandparents ever!
The next day it was off to Disney. We were all excited when we got there - although a little dismayed at the lines...everywhere... I asked my mom if the lines are just one of those things you block from your memories of past trips. There were lines to park, lines to buy tickets, lines for them to search your bags, lines for them to take your tickets, lines for the bus to get to the park, lines to get into the park and lines for every ride. Luckily some of the rides have a Fast Pass option which is fabulous. We hit up Small World, the carousel, a 3D Mickey Mouse movie, Swiss Family Treehouse, Magic Carpet ride.
Of course the highlight, hands down, was meeting the characters. Even with all the waiting and lines and sea of people, the girls were absolutely perfect. Not a single meltdown or whine the entire day. And at the end of a very long day, the automated lock to our condo didn't work (apparently it is run on batteries and the batteries were out). So that was stressful but we did get back in to the condo a few hours later - whew! We kept telling Grace it was just another "adventure" for her to remember the trip!
Throughout all the lines and craziness that goes along with the Disney experience, it truly was magical to see the looks on the girls faces. The awe and wonder of seeing all that surrounded them that day was priceless. The excitement of seeing Mickey and Minnie and the princesses was palpable. I wish I could bottle that feeling of seeing the expressions on their faces and the sparkle in their eyes. These are the reasons that parents brave the lines and the crowds and the cost of Disney. Thanks to my mom and dad for a memorable weekend!
1 comment:
Awww love all the beach photos, they look so inviting!! And of course Disney photos are fabulous!! I showed them to Ava and she was so impressed. She followed it up by saying " I wish I could meet the princesses like Abby & Grace" :)
Sorry to hear Miss Grace wasn't feeling well but glad that she got better just in time for Disney!
I'm sure the girls won't forget this magical trip and never will you forget the aww in their eyes as it all happen.
Family trips can be chaos at times but they are always worth it in the end when you look back at all the wonderful memories created.
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