We Finally Made It Home

So our car died while we were in Florida. Luckily, we were able to stay with my brother-in-law and his girlfriend (who are totally awesome) while it was getting a new engine (FYI, never buy a car that has previously been leased. Just don't.)  But I found it hard to blog there and I was all stressed out, except when I was trying to pretend it was an extended vacation.

Which it was, really. I mean, it was sunny and over 80 the whole time. Look.

Fort De Soto State Park. Beaches and history - it's like it was made for our family. 

Brief visit to the Car Fix set. You know it's bad when even they can't fix your car.

This is not Winter, heroine of Dolphin Tale. This is Nicholas. He is more exciting to watch. 

We did watch Winter though, I swear. 

There was too much TV watching. 

Making a movie at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Anna Maria Island is my new favorite place. 

Apollo Beach. 

Someday, when my brain is not freaking out about all the stuff I have to put away and the laundry and all the things we are behind on, I should write about traveling with kids to the Tampa Bay area. I totally feel like an expert now. 

I'm Baaa-aaack!

So yeah.

I'm sorry I abandoned you, internet.

My phone died as we prepared to leave on a 2 week long trip. We drove to Kissimmee, Florida.  We stopped in Savannah. We went to Disney. And everyone but my mother and I got sick. Really, really sick.

It started with Hugmonkey on the way down. Our entire first week of vacation was spent with everyone on painkillers and water. Full recovery didn't happen until 3 days before we were supposed to leave. It made writing for I See Kissimmee a much bigger strain than I'd expected. I mean, travel articles aren't usually about trips to the local Wal-Mart to buy ibuprofen. Though if you'd like to know which Wal-Mart is the best in the Kissimmee area, I can give you recommendations.

We spent 5 days at the parks, with my parents graciously watching Hugmonkey for 4 of them. Because I don't think theme parks are the best place for toddlers. There, I said it.

I will say that Disney is definitely the best park for toddlers. But toddlers do not care about characters, even if their parents think they do. And Hugmonkey had several meltdowns when he was too little to go on certain rides. Plus, if you only have limited time - and are unsure when/if you're going back and are not actually staying on the property - days at the Parks can be LOOOONNGGG. Even after they were healthy, Ironflower and Lovebug fell asleep in the car almost every night as we drove the 10 minutes back to our vacation house. Hugmonkey had one amazing day (except for the ride meltdowns, which were totally understandable) there and I think that was best. Especially for the rest of us.

I felt guilty when I thought it might be our one and only trip to Disney World.

But it won't be. Hot Guy - my anti-advertising, metal loving husband - fell in love with the whole Disney vacation experience. As did I. Though I don't know if I'll be able to get him to go on "It's A Small World" again. I don't know whether it was the attractiveness, the cleanliness, the friendliness of every single person who works there or the multitude of fun experiences, but it's definitely become our new happy place. Although you will never catch me there when it's crowded. Because I totally thought it was crowded, even though this was value season and everyone kept telling me it wasn't. Also? All those websites that tell you which days to go to which parks to avoid crowds are bullshit. Weekends at all the parks suck, Wednesdays are best everywhere. At least during value season.

Which I recommend, especially if you are cheap and hate people like I do.