Cruise control, the vehicular sensation that’s gripping the nation

Home again, home again!

We had a blast on our vacation to Florida.  We got to rent a car, stay in a hotel, visit family, eat good food, soak up some sun, pay through the nose to visit Busch Gardens and had so much fun we didn’t want to go home. 

My brain still feels a bit like pudding, so I shall use a few pictures to illustrate our vacation, rather than try to make coherent sentences. 

We stayed with my sister, Kam and her husband, Jared and my niece, Lilah.  We had a BBQ with my parents on the 4th and after stuffing ourselves silly, we lit the sparklers my mom brought.

Kam and Lilah with a sparkler

Addie and Emma with sparklers

Nighttime sparklers

More nighttime sparklers, right before Addie burned her finger

That weekend, we went to Busch Gardens.  Despite being 9000 degrees and pouring on us most of the day, we had a blast. 

Interacting with wildlife, aka turtle that pooped everywhere

Future sunglasses models

Traveling across a rope bridge trying not to trip

Dang, I have some cute kids

This is what you look like when it pours rain on you all day

Me and Lance with creepy lady in the background

The flamingo that got fresh with me. Notice the drenched shirt.

Playing with the lion with glow sticks

 

This is the coolest story-right before the park closed, we headed over to an animal exhibit featuring African animals.  We found ourselves in the lion section where the three lions were staying out of the rain under their awning, which happened to be right where we were.  The girls were wearing glow-in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces I bought for them at the Dollar Tree. (TIP: carry your own glow in the dark stuff into the park and avoid the $9 gazillion dollar prices of the parks.  It’s a good thing.)  There was a female lion who was very interested in watching the girls walk around with their neon brightness.  So Lance got a glow stick and traced circles on the protective glass where the lionness tried to bat it, much like a housecat would.  It was the coolest thing ever. 

All in all, it was an awesome trip and so needed.  We got to visit our family, some of whom we hadn’t seen in several years.  I got to spoil my niece and ply her with toys and books and love on her.  Lance, the girls and I had hours to spend with each other having conversations and enjoying just being together.

I had hoped that I would literally, sweat my butt off, but alas it’s still very much there.