DisneyWorld 2012

One of our favorite place to visit is Orlando!  There is just so much to do.  We really have fell in love with the Water Parks there.  We also discovered DisneyQuest this time.  It is a big arcade that has 5 stories of arcade games.  Some life size and those good old ones--like Pack Man!

So when my aunt Debbie, who lives in Florida invited us to go with them and stay in their timeshare on Disney property--how could we say no!  (By the way, we packed our lunches and snacks everyday!  We spent $32 per person for the entire week!)

I ended up buying a season pass for both DisneyWorld and DisneyLand.  Since it include parking and some discounts I will come out ahead with all the trips we have planned in the coming year!

Here are a few pictures of our highlights!

Cassidy did Sydney's hair and tied a bow with it!

 Disney water parks done Disney style!  If you have never been, they are a must!

Lazy River at Blizzard Beach

Debbie and Chris (my aunts) testing Coke from different countries in Epcot

More funky Coke!

 EPCOT

 Rapid Ride in Animal Kingdom with Chris and Ethan.  TIP--Bring ponchos.  They are expensive in the parks!

 Uncle Charles and cousin Megan

Waiting for Beauty and the Beast in Hollywood Studios

 Back Lot Tour in Hollywood Studios

 Toy Story Mania in Hollywood Studios

Tiki Room in Magic Kingdom.  Yes--we did make everyone wear matching shirts!

 Small World--we took up the whole boat

First Boat

 Second Boat--we all stayed pretty dry

Waiting for the Electrical Parade!

Good Bye until Next Time!

A Dolphins Tale April 2012

We absolutely fell in love with the movie "A Dolphins Tale."  When we were watching the movie, I noticed it was being filmed in Tampa.  We had scheduled a trip to Orlando for Spring Break.  I knew that Tampa was only about 90 minutes away from Orlando.  As I am always up for an adventure we decided to go in a few days early and fly into Tampa so we could visit Winter the dolphin at the aquarium.

In Tampa at the movie set

Robbie at the Aquarium

 

Part of the movie set

 Winter herself!

Saint Augustine, FL March 2012

Roger had a seminar the first weekend in March in Gainesville, Florida.  We flew into Jacksonville and drove the 2 hours to Gainesville.  I had a free night with Hilton at ANY hotel regardless of the cost.  Hilton usually does a Winter promtion where every 4 nights you stay you get a free night.  We had earned one but it expired in April.  I always love to go explore new places so I looked at the most expensive hotel I could find (because it was free) within about 2 hours of Gainesville.  I stumbled across St Augustine, Florida.  I did a little research and it looked like it might be a fun place to visit for a few day.  There was history, a cute town, a draw bridge and a Fort!

Our hotel was the white one with the red balcony!

 Castillo de San Marcos Fort

Our hotel was in the center of town.  It was an old historic building they had converted.  It was very cute and close to everything.  We happen to be there when they reenacting on of the battles that was fought there.  They whole town was dressed up and we became part of the scene!  My dad would have loved this stuff!  If you are ever in that part of Florida, it would certainly worth a visit!

February 2012--SKI TRIP

I am not a proponent of time shares.  I usually can get a great deal at a hotel without having to be locked into owning a timeshare.  With that said, I love my friends and families who have time shares and let us come with them!  Like we did in February with our best friends, Ryan and Heather Johnson!  

We planned our ski trip to be a the height of the snow season!  Little did we know that there would be almost no snow in Utah this year!  That is okay--we always have fun with them.  We took a weekend and went up to Ogden canyon in a little town called Eden.  We discovered this fun little town a few years ago and we have made it an annual Knecht-Johnson retreat!  Either in the Summer or Winter.  The Johnson's reserved their timeshare and we were set.  Man made snow or not we were set!

Dressed up and ready to hit the slopes!

 

Eden is one of the prettiest valleys!  

 Ryan humored all of us by staying with us most of the time.  okay--i was pretty much the weakest link, since it had been about 20 years since I had done this!

Heather and I ready to go!  You can see behind us the lack of snow!

Roger did a pretty good job of keeping up with Ryan

Heather and I were done at about 4:00 pm.  We went back to the condo, iced our knees (you have to do that after you hit 40!)  and got dinner ready for the guys!  We picked them up and had a nice steak dinner and watch Smokey and the Bandit!  Great memories great friends!

Western Caribbean Cruise NCL January 2012

I am still a little behind in getting these posted--but I am trying to catch up!

In January we decided we were ready for another cruise!  Really, I am ready for a cruise at any time.  It doesn't take much to talk me into it.  I really think they are the best vacation for groups!  No stress!

Roger had a seminar in Fort Myers.  So we flew in with Robert and Sydney.  Mom and Gary came the next day.  They brought Cassidy with them.  She had a play at school and couldn't come any earlier.  My aunt and Uncle, Sandra and Gary also came with us!  It really was fun!  7 day cruise stopping in Costa Maya, Belize, Roatan and Cozumel!

Roger with his "cruise"  hat!  The only time I will let him wear it!

 One of my favorite parts!  Lying around on deck.  We always wear our swim suits on board.  It may be hours before our luggage gets to our room and we want to start playing!

This was the highlight of our time on Roatan!  We did a tour of the island.  We stopped at a monkey farm and got in the cages with the monkey's.  

Roger loved it!

 It took Sandra and I to warm up to the idea of getting in the cages with them.  But we figured, when would we have the opportunity to do it again.  So in we went.

Syd wanted nothing to do with the monkey's, but they were on to her.  Eventually, our guide gave her enough peer pressure, she caved and went in..

I would have to say, that is is Syd's favorite part of the cruise.  Dressing up for dinner and being waited on hand and foot!

So when we cruise, we go the cheapest route!  Which means inside cabin.  This one was literally wall to wall bed at night.  In the morning the would put the bunk up and slide Cassidy's bed under ours.  We were a little cramaped!

We took the kids cave tubing in Belize.  Roger and I had done it before and we really wanted the kids to experience it.  They had a blast.  Sorta reminded me of the jungle cruise.

In Costa Maya we just got off and shopped around.  However, there was this big pool in the center of the shopping area! 

Roger always tries to counter balance the meals--it does NOT work!

Waiting for the show on "White Night"

We had a great time!  We did have a few hiccups the last night when Cassidy stayed out past curfew with some friends she met on the ship.  We were not happy parents as we were looking for her in the wee hours of the morning.  There is a lot of ship to look through--but we finally found her!

We can't wait to go on our next cruise.  Unbelievable, we don't have anything scheduled yet.  Our cruise buddies (Ryan and Heather) have decided to have another baby so we are patiently waiting until they can go again.  We are firm believers in cruising with friends and family!