The Cheeky Monkey,”what about me?” Florida Trip June 2014 Day 3 Thursday 12th June

[pretty71]

DAY 3 THURSDAY JUNE 12TH

The question for this morning was always going to be what time are we going to wake up? It was 4am a whole hours improvement on yesterday, hooray!
I get up with Grace who is obviously in our bed by this point and Nanny is up not long after when she hears us moving around. Daddy and Grandad stay in bed longer, Daddy for ages which will soon be rectified tomorrow as he is duly nominated to get up tomorrow so I can have my lie in

Daddy and I take advantage of having Nanny and Grandad with us and go out for a run, now last year I ran for most of our holiday as I really didn't want to put loads of weight on eating all that lovely food so the same applied to this year. Daddy wasn't in to it last year so we have never actually run together before. At 6.30 we were out the door and ran 2 miles around Sandyridge, it felt really good and I kept up with Daddy no problem and felt I could have gone on forever! This feeling very much dwindled over the rest of the holiday as we went later and later and the humidity really got to me!
It felt great that we had done it and we came back and I had porridge and a couple of Ryvita type crispbreads. Grace had toast and Grandad and Daddy had cereal. Nanny had some fruit a bit later. We spent some time setting up the Ipads doing some boring chores before getting outside and getting some sun.



Apologies, these are the only photos we took today.

We wanted to get off this morning though as we wanted specifically to go to Kay Jewellers at the Premium outlets on International Dr to drop our wedding and my engagement rings off to have them rhodium plated as it takes a week. We went up to the Mall of Millenia first and went to Macys where I saw some Levi's on offer so everyone was wonderfully patient while I tried some on and made my choice, I was really happy with them and it felt really good to fit into a skinny pair Abercrombie and Fitch was next where Daddy got a couple of jumpers and a polo shirt and he was very happy with his purchases. After we had paid he realised he had left his sunglasses in the store while trying on a million tops so I was sent on the mission to find them, which I did on a random shelf next to some jumpers!
We left there and found everyone else who had waited outside and then Daddy and I made a quick visit to Pandora as I wanted to see if I could get a ring to wear while all my others were being sorted as I feel naked without any and all my others at home are too big and even my Mums were too. I managed to get one called “My one true love” at a total of $85.20, very appropriately named and I was very happy. Nanny and I went along to the Apple store next as I wanted a wireless keyboard and Nanny a case for her new Ipad. We found these with no problem and paid the assistant. Daddy and Grandad were given the task of going to Starbucks while we were in there and we met them outside. Nanny had a Latte and Grandad and Daddy a cappuchino and I had a sparkling water. I am not sure what Grace had as I didn't write it down!

We had finished at the Mall so then made our way to the outlets, day 2 wrong turn coming up! The outlet appeared on my right a turn sooner than I thought so I had to do a left on to International Dr and then basically do big turn as there were roadworks...I don't know what was wrong with me, honestly, we made it in the end! We did a pass around the spaces but it was pretty busy so we decided to park opposite where there was hardly anyone and walk over. Grace was really looking forward to visiting here as she plays on the kids ride machine things outside the shops.
Daddy and I went straight to Kay Jewellers to hand the rings in while Nanny, Grandad and Grace went to amuse themselves on the “rides”.
We have purchased all our rings in the past at Kays and they all have insurance policies with them so we can have whatever done to them that is needed at no extra charge.

Daddy decided he needed to have his wedding ring made smaller and I decided to leave mine the same size, so Mick decided to go down a couple of sizes and then they were all in for rodium plating and polishing. I have a wedding ring and a princess cut solitaire engagement ring as well as an princess cut eternity ring and then also Micks wedding ring, luckily they do it in a week so they are due back next Thursday in time for us flying on the Saturday.
I always feel sad letting them go, silly I know but I love my rings and what they represent and feel so lost without them which is why I am hoping the Pandora ring will fill the gap...well a little anyway
The paperwork takes ages so I send Mick off to find the others while I stay and sign everything.
I then go up to find them myself and Grandad has treated himself to two pairs of Nike trainers and Grace has discovered that they have changed all the “rides” (I do of course use this term in the loosest of terms as it does not seem right in Florida where a “ride” really is much more of a “ride”) so she is a little disappointed but beginning to get to know all the new ones

We decide to head out now as when we collect the rings we will shop then and Daddy and I also usually go out shopping on our own so it could all wait a bit. We wander back to the car, enjoying the little walk over the road away from the parking madness and space patrolling. As we make our way back to the villa it starts to rain so we abort our mission of spending time by the pool and decide to go up to Posner Park for a little retail therapy. We pop back to the villa to get the buggy as the jet lag still lingers for Grace and we want to enjoy the mooch around the shops so we decided we needed it. It was still raining so I ran out to get the washing in we had left inside, Nanny ran in for the restroom and Daddy got the buggy. We did have a little issue locking the front door this time, it wouldn't lock, and as Mick tried the door it opened and the alarm started to go off so I had to leg it in as I was the only one who knew the code! We managed to get it locked but this really was a story to be continued.

We arrived at JC Penneys and what a great time we had ...I got two pairs of ¾ length Levis for $24.99 each..bargain! And I got a white maxi skirt, I was chuffed as I had been looking back home for one for ages and just couldn't get anything I liked. This was perfect and less than half the price of anything I had seen. Nanny shopped till she dropped too, she had lost loads of weight the year before and got loads of tops which were much overdue for her, so all in all we did great. Grace was good too and chilled in the buggy and I had to take her to the restroom at one point and did a whole circuit of the store before I found it..I had gone clockwise and it was right where we were...hey ho I needed the exercise but next time I will go anti clockwise!

It is now pushing 4pm so food is now really overdue for us! We head over to the car..still raining! And follow the US27 round to Rolling Rocks and into Longhorns. Now this restaurant is by far Daddy and Grandads favourite, Nanny loves it too but Grandad is now beside himself to be back here We tumble in and I realise I have forgotton the coupons, but hey never mind. Daddy said I could have a drink tonight and he would drive back so the lady takes our order and Daddy orders a bud light!...coke for me then! Grandad has his usual no. 4 or whatever number it was tonight and got a sam adams and Nanny has a strawberry lemonade. The first day of the world cup is today and they have Brasil v Croatia on the tv which we can just see so it is nice to be able to keep in touch without being right in front of it. We have the now regular discussion about how many starters and which ones...we agree finally on two and the boys pick one and Nanny and I pick the other. A texas tonion and wild west shrimp. We had the tonion before and love it but the shrimp I have to say was amazing, a great choice and I could thoroughly recommend. Grace ordered her own little kids sirloin and an apple juice. Nanny and I both had the chicken fillet with spinach and feta and both daddy and Grandad had the 8oz fillet. Everyone enjoyed immensely, even Grace ate some of hers. I didn't really enjoy mine, it was a little strange, but there you go, I should have stuck to their salmon.
Nanny ordered a dessert sampler and Daddy, Nanny and Grace polished that off. I ordered a peach and raspberry tart to go so I could enjoy it later...it comes with ice cream, this becomes an issue and you will see why shortly!
We pay the bill $144 and the 20% tip and roll out in to the car park, it is not raining now but is damp still, hopefully that is the end of the rain for the day.

We head back to the villa, me feeling very happy that shortly I can put Grace to bed and then eat my lovely pudding
We cannot open the door! It will not unlock at all, we tried all sorts of combinations, doing the lock symbols before and after etc but it just wasn't having it. Eventually this leads us to have to use Grandads credit on his phone to ring the management company for the second day in a row. I ring and speak to Jacqueline again, who gets me to try a couple of things but it doesn't want to work and Jacqueline cannot get to us quickly so we agree to give the door a rest and go up to Publix for a restroom break and then come back and try again. So off we go up to Publix, now the observant in you will realise that MY ICE CREAM IS MELTING! I am not happy lol.

We do what we need to do and then head back, I try the door and it doesn't work! We have a conversation that Grandad is going to have the magic fingers and he is going to try, so he is busy memorising the door code. I am concious that the alarm is set (there is no way he is going to remember 2 numbers) but I am convinced it is not going to open anyway so I don't even get out of the car, in fact I am already on the phone to Jacqueline..next second I know he is yelling he has done it and I am legging it round again to do the alarm...phew...and we are in

My ice cream my ice cream! To be fair the damage is not extensive as it is packed in a separate pot and I put what is left in another and straight in the freezer. With the door drama behind us and yet to be continued lol I put Grace to bed. My notes say this was easy and she must have been very tired. I eat my yummy scrummy pudding, glad I had it to go, if I had had it in the restaurant I just would not have enjoyed it as much, but I still remember it now it was lovely.
We were obviously all tired too and suffering the jet lag as we were all in bed at 8pm...hopeless I know...but another great day and looking forward to our one and only ADR at the House of Blues tomorrow.

[beck_loz]

Great day x

[summersun]

great day x

[Loulabelle18]

We've had the same thing happen with villa alarms. What a mare! :angry:x

[KittyBlackDog]

What a lovely relaxing day (apart from the door and alarm issues :angry

I love being able to remember great holiday food. We've not tried longhorns yet but it's had sooo many favourable reviews on here it's now been upgraded from our 'could do' list to being on our 'MUST do' list during our next visit.

It's very strange not having your wedding rings on, it's never quite the same with a substitute even if you know you're getting yours back

You must feel so pleased with yourself losing loads of weight and being able to get some fab jeans. You've been able to get some lovely purchases already, even before your main outlet day

Off to read day 3 or should I say day 4

[Guest]

Great shopping day, what a myther with the door