Orlando/Bahama Cruise Vacation!

This trip to Orlando was all about the roller coasters, and to do that you have to go to Universals Islands of Adventure. We spent 3 days there going between Universal Studios proper and Islands.

Here is how the itin went:
Friday-Fly in
Sat-relax and pick up tickets for the week
Sun-Islands of Adventure
Mon-Wet and Wild Water Park
Tue-Sea World
Wed-Universal Studios
Thur-Islands of Adventure and Universal
Fri-High tail it down to Miami for Cruise
Sat-Bahamas-Justins Shark Dive
Sun-Fathers Day/ Day at Sea
Mon-Back to Miami/Drive back up to Orlando
Tue-Fly back home


We had fun playing in "cartoon land" at Islands with the funny clouds over our heads. There are just a few we did.

At Sea World they have a Shark encounter and at the end you can feed cut up squid to some of the sharks which are just the small cute ones, but the kids enjoyed it. That is a baluga whale behind the kids in the photo.

No we didn't let the kids go that wild, just a fun photo op at Universal.

Art said I had to get my photo with the Grinch since that is my nick name for him, especially during Christmas when he doesn't want to go shopping with me.
The coaster above is Dueling Dragons at Islands which was everyone favorite. It is 2 coaster that go at the same time, like a race. The Ice Dragon and Fire Dragon, and you meet in a head to head loop. Each coaster is going head on to the other and then you just fly up in the loop. AWESOME FUN!!

This was on the cruise, tiny cabins and the boys when we were waiting to get of the ship. They had fun but a 3 night cruise is too short to get to know alot of people their age and Justin was too old for the kids clubs and too young for the adult clubs, while Jason being 14 was in a weird place because the 12-14 club was "lame" and the 15-17 club was too....weird with the kids on board. Enough said about that :)

When Justin went shark diving we took Jason and went over to the big Atlantis resort there behind Art and I in the photo. I am sure you have seen it on TV and movies. It has an GREAT aquarium too. Those are my fat toes in the sand. I had to take it because sand on my feet makes me happy..... Jas had a blast playing in the waves. Can you believe how clear the water is there.

That is Jason parasailing on the Atlantis Beach. He had a blast being a "human kite".

For Fathers Day, since we were at sea all day we played on the ship. Art wanted us to enter the slots tournament and he qualified for the finals in 4th place. He ended up coming in 3rd over all! Not too bad, but it would have been better hand there been a CASH prize for it!

OK all you Moms out there. Hooters has been a running joke in my house since the kids were little and Art has loved to take them there, I am sure for a bonding thing so he says. Anyway, on our last night we found a Hooters and had to take a photo with the boys and "girls". Doesn't Justin look HAPPY!

It was a great trip. I seems like we were up against alot to get us there and we will probably be paying for it for a long time to come, but it was worth it. This is my family and these were memories I will always Cherish. I love them so much and I am so proud of the boys. They were very appreciative of everything we did on the trip and understood what we couldn't do. I think all of us know that we might not get this chance again with the age the kids are now and with Justin moving on in life with his choices. I will always be grateful we were able to make it work.