Our House...


I met my family in the Orlando area last week and it was very sweet. My brother rented a five bedroom house with a pool for all of us to gather not to far from the Disney parks. The weather almost screwed it all up; it was a close thing, but we all managed to get there. Most of the family waited for almost four hours to leave the storm tossed northeast, but they finally took off. It was a near thing; most of the flights that day were canceled. My sister's partner was trying to leave Rochester the same day and she did not get out. Delta offered her a flight out 5 days later. I checked the internet and found three flights the next day and we got her on one, and so, completed our party.




The Man!





The Kids!


The first night there for all of us, we went to the Pirate and Princess Party at Disney World and Evan and Emma dressed for the occassion, as well as my sister Karen, (pirate!).

I wish that I had done a costume also, there were a lot of adults done up at the park, as many with kids as without and the adult costumes were the best.






The park was beautiful...and Tinkerbell went by during the parade....




After the parade we rode on the rather 70's delerious "It's a Small World After All" ride and lil' Evan held my hand... it was his first time. For me, it was so bizarre, so seventies weird and trippy!

Then we watched the fireworks, which were truly amazing! Better than I had seen before.

After that, my sister, my niece and neph want on the mad teapot ride, which was a huge hit. And after that, we did the "Winney the Pooh" ride, which was a classic "dark ride", beautifully done and we all loved it.

Then it started to rain. But we did get a few other rides in, and then we got back on the tram for the parking lot. We were in the "Dopey lot", so we chanted "Dopey!, Dopey!, Dopey!"until they let us off. It was so much fun!





Friday was a more quiet day; we had all been on the edge about actually making it to the house in Orlando; it was touch and go because of the weather... It was a day of just hanging around and taking naps and that was just the thing. Mid afternoon, my sister and I went to Publix and found some stuff to make jambalaya with and thats what I made when we got home. We had dinner together and tucked in fairly early.







On Saturday, we went to the MGM Studios Park.


I told my family that I had to take a pic of the Brown Derby for Alex.


It was the greatest thing; my brother and sister and I got to go on a few "big" rides, like the Aerosmith rollercoaster which was fabulous!


The Tower of Terror ride was also amazing! We screamed!!! (My sister, Karen ,is the best screamer though and it adds so much to the experience! hehe!)

After that...



We met up with the kids who had been doing the more kiddie things with their mamma and ended up at the NYC and San Fran backlot sets.


So this is my sister, her partner, my niece and me on the "streets of New York".

We left the park with the intention to return to Epcot for the fireworks there, but once home, we realized that we were just tired. Our nap time just ran on... so we watched some movies and finally all dozed off for the evening.

The next morning we went out for breakfast which took a rather long time, but a pleasantly long time. Then back to the house for more naps and some computer time. Finally it was time for me to get ready to leave. I was packed, so there was time for lots of hugs from my neice and nephew; there was a bit of contest about which one of them would hug me the most; that was sweet.

They all drove me to the airport. I got my stuff out of the van, Hugged my sister, her partner and my brother goddby, then leaned into the van and hugged ny neice. My nephew was farther back, so I sent him a kiss and he shrugged and turned his face away. He doesn't like to say goodby to anyone.

My sister called me on my call just before boarding and told me that it was quiet in the car as they drove away. And then they heard lil' Evan quietly say "By Bunny".



I sure do love tham all! We will be together again on Cape Cod in June in another big house and this time I'm taking a week.

Tomorrow is Mardi Gras Day!

I won't be there again... sigh.