Florida

Florida!  If you asked me many years ago what I thought of Florida, I'd probably have said I don't really think about it.  But over the years, I kept getting drawn back there.  First was a work trip for Ken in 1988 which the kids and I tagged along to.  Then when the Angie graduated from high school in 1999 I arranged a short trip to Florida and the Bahamas as a family senior trip.  Then there were a couple of my work trips there for winter meetings in Orlando.  Dad joined me for one of them and bought into the RCI resort I had gotten a bonus vacation at (Orange Lake Resort).  So Dad and I started going almost every year to use his 5th week of the year at Orange Lake Resort.  Then we started venturing out to S. Florida.  Eventually Angie and Josh even moved to S. Florida and we really started going there a lot.  I was hooked!!!  Fell in love with S. Florida.  We even moved there to be near the kids, then they moved to Georgia.  So we followed them to Georgia and are back to vacationing in Florida.

 

1988 Orlando

 

1999-Florida/Bahamas trip

 

2002 Jan. first trip to Orlando with Dad

 

2003---Orlando, Feb., with Dad and Angie

 

2004 winter Florida/1st cruise experience!

 

2005 Orlando with Dad followed by a do-over Disney Cruise

 

2008 Orlando---last trip with Dad

 

2009 - June; Sunny West Palm Beach

 

2009 May Orlando "Sunshine state" trip

 

2009 Oct Pompano trip with Ken 

 

2010 Orlando with David and Jane

 

2011 Oct.--Pompano Beach, Florida Sisters' trip 

 

2012 -April trip to Orlando with a Disney fanatic

 

2012 Sept to Coral Springs to visit the kids

 

2012 Nov. S Florida to visit the kids

 

2013 Feb. trip to Florida (Sea World)

 

2014 Just a little cross country drive to Florida in June/July

 

2015-2016 Living in South Florida!!!!

 

2017 Feb. 4-11 Orlando trip:

 

2020-Feb 1-4 Orlando 

 

2020-6 Panama City Beach trip

 

2020-sept 27- Oct 1 Destin, Fl. 4 night vacation

 

2021-May 17-25 Reunion and Clearwater Beach, Florida

 

 2025 Dec. Panama City Beach Respite trip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021-May 17-25 Reunion and Clearwater Beach, Florida

 

2021 May Florida trip to Reunion

 If you told me a year ago we'd have at least 4 road trips with Ken ahead of us, I would have been skeptical.  Especially with a worldwide pandemic going on for over a year!  But, thankfully, we have---Panama City, Destin, Lake Marion, and now Orlando!  And in a couple weeks, we're off to St. Louis and Knoxville for another 7 nights (around Ken's 51st class reunion).  

This was another rather impromptu trip.  Josh had vacation time he had to take and we had Worldmark points that were expired in a Hawaii reservation for March 2021.  I knew if I called WM I could have them put them in another reservation, but it had to be for a trip before the end of June or the points would be gone for good.  So I let Angie search for a trip.  She found a 3 bedroom accessible condo in Reunion, Florida, for 3 nights and another 3 nights in Pompano, Fl.  With the extra room in Reunion, Ken agreed to go, too.  But I didn't want to drive back from S. Florida, and didn't want to just go for 3 nights, so I booked 3 more nights at Reunion before Angie's 3 using our VIP Wyndham membership.  Ultimately Angie also decided they didn't want to drive back from S. Florida, too, so I moved her reservation back up to Reunion following the 3 days they already had reserved. They couldn't go earlier because of Layla's school.   About a week before the trip, I found 2 nights at the Wyndham Clearwater Beach resort in a 1 bedroom condo and asked them if they wanted to go there, too, since it was almost the same distance from Atlanta as Orlando.  She said yes.  Only problem with that was that Wyndham isn't allowing guest check in at their premium resorts right now since owners had to cancel so many vacations last year.  No problem, Ken and I just stayed in Reunion the extra days with the kids, then drove out to Clearwater and checked them in.  I was always curious about that resort, so I didn't mind going and spending the day with them, then going back to Reunion for our last night (minus the kids, again).

5-17-21 travel day to Orlando

our accommodations: Worldmark/Wyndham Reunion Resort

5-18-21 hanging around the resort and shopping 

5-19-21 Lakefront Park  

5-20-21 waiting for the kids to make it down 

5-21-21 Disney Springs

5-22-21 Animal Kingdom 

5-23-21 Apopka Wildlife Drive 

5-24-21 Clearwater Beach (Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort) 

5-25-21 back to Atlanta

 I was somewhat anxious about this trip.  With Ken now 16 months since being diagnosed with Glioblastoma, I was afraid it would be really hard on him.  But he seemed to enjoy it---as did the rest of us.

10-1-20 time to go home

 ANgie had mentioned they passed an aviation museum on their way down.  Too bad we didn't think about that on the cold day.  Would have been neat to check out since it wasn't far away.   I assume it's part of Elgin AF base.  Why wasn't Dad ever stationed here?!

northern Panhandle of Florida

a few hills

little towns.

even cotton fields!

 

 

This time we followed Angie and Josh and got home in about 5 1/2 hours.  It was a pleasant drive.

Seemed like we had the highways to ourself until we got to I-85. 

Sweet Home Alabama---this route took us through Montgomery

and lots more cotton fields.

and other farmlands

cute barns. 

I-85 was more crowded, but still not bad.  Almost home---heading into Georgia.

 Josh led us through back roads in SW Atlanta so we didn't have any of the Atlanta city traffic.   Got home about 4.

9-30-20 back to Beasley Park

 Another beautiful morning!  Layla up and at it.  She loves playing with window clings, so Angie broke out some of them for her yesterday.

Love the pink morning light

Yep, up before sunrise.

Layla and Packos

 

breakfast done---eggs and biscuits and gravy today.  NOw getting ready to head out.

 

First stop---to the Emerald Grande shuttle to their private island

birds going after a school of jumping fish---wonder what's under there making them jump?!  We did see several dolphins, but I didn't get pictures of any.

near the shuttle dock

neat map on the dock area

here comes the shuttle!  Nice feature of the resort

cool reflections in the water

should have taken some reflection pictures without the pelican

 

Fortunately Ken was able to get up and step onto the pontoon.  Then I brought his wheel chair over and he enjoyed the ride.

 

Ken and his little buddy on the boat

Looking back at the resort

Layla enjoying the ride.  Just last Feb. she was terrified on the Disney boat ride.  This time she loved the sand and the boat.

Her expressions were so content

big yawn

looking to daddy

hi, layla

 

Ken actually rode the shuttle back and forth until we were ready to go back.  But we didn't stay long.  

 

 But I think he enjoyed riding the boat and chatting with the workers and passengers.  See you in a little bit!

 

It was really nice having the free loungers and umbrellas.

the beach was really nice, but the water was especially dirty

Layla playing at the shoreline

she still loved the beach, but didn't want to go in the water

 

 

Surprisingly the water was rather clear, even though it was tea colored.

too bad it wasn't crystal clear.  The lack of waves was really nice

more resort chairs.  Nice that it wasn't busy

maybe next time

cheese

her cheese smile

 good bye private beach

 

 

a better picture of the tea colored water!

 

 

 almost back to the dock

 

 

the "lighthouse" on the harbor walk.

 

good ride for the season.

  

Back at our room.  Layla taking pictures again.  Then she was off to bed for her nap.

 

Soon after she got up, it was time to hit the road again.

headed back to Beasley park.

Ken stayed at the lookout this time.  We covered him with 2 umbrellas.

me heading down the "handicap accessible" ramp.

 

 

The kids even brought their fly so we could enjoy the shade on the beach, too.

Layla playing with her toys and making a sand castle with Mom

 

 

time to hit the water

it was actually clearer this time

Layla even got brave enough to swim with her puddle jumper between Angie and me.

No, that's not Layla's beer!

I could stay here all day.

Heading back to the resort we stopped at some of the dunes to take a few pictures.

 

 

wonder what the endangered species are

the pictures don't do them justice.

with the road to the left

the beach was just over the horizon.  I wanted to walk over there, but the guys and Layla were waiting in the cars, so we didn't go far.

neat lighting.

so much sand

looks like a lot of people have gone to the beach

one more

back at the condo---Angie and Josh took off for the belated anniversary dinner.  So Layla and I made cookies.

she sure likes the dough, but not crazy about the baked cookies.

I prepared a gourmet meal of leftovers.  Trying to get rid of everything before leaving tomorrow.  So we had salad, spaghetti, and pizza. 

Then I got out another surprise for her---a book.  She loves books!

I had wanted to go down to the dock for sunset to take pictures through the bridge footings, but forgot about that when there were no clouds in the sky.  But Angie texted a picture of the red horizon and I had to run out on the patio.  Sure wish I had taken Layla and gone down to the docks!

The kids had a great night out.  We had a great night in.  It was a great day!