Mr B's second trip to the mouse...

[Bootrip2]

Just caught up - hope that you've managed to stay safe! x

[wanye]

Yup, all fine here, nothing worse than a few pool screens.

Was up at 5am to get Kylie tix, so grabbed the chairs out the pool so it was all ok for when B wakes up later

[wanye]

looking for a fun day out with the kids? you cant go wrong with a trip to orlando science center! we enjoyed the $12 family day so much last weekend, we came back for a whole day!

https://www.osc.org/

we went today (friday) and it was loads quieter (the family day on a saturday afternoon was HECTIC!)

(for those who go regularly, IIRC a family pass for the year is $200 and includes free parking, plus other perks.

B got to stroke a MASSIVE snake, and did loads of laps of the aquarium. we also saw the sloth!

you can park onstreet for free for 3 hours here. its literally next to the multistorey carpark:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/7...oASAFQAw%3D%3D

we set a timer for 3hrs, then went for lunch by the lake (a 5 minute walk away) then moved the car onto the next street (and took photos of the car in the different places in case we needed to argue a ticket! it might be policed more at weekends, so be wary, but we saved $15 by parking onstreet rather than the official carpark!

around 12ish, B was getting grumbly, so we took him to the lake for a nap. by the time we got to the pagoda thing, he was out, and stayed asleep until we got back into the science center. it was a lovely place for a break and some food!

we packed a coolbox with some pastrami and pickle/cheese bagels. used some of the frozen water bottles for icepacks

in the afternoon, we did the other 2.5 floors, ending up in the kids bit to wear him out (we spent most of the family day in there, so didnt get to see the rest of the place)

the cafe and coffeeshop are very reasonably priced (iced tea/chai latte/etc were about $3 each!)

we left about 4:30, and went 8 minutes down the road to CHICKEN GUY (guy fieri's chicken shop - theres one at disney springs too)

way better than shake shack, and loads cheaper too, we got two meal deals and a kids meal for about $40 (£30.72 to be exact! This included tip, as the staff there were lovely, and I'm not sure I should've got the milkshake/Mac and cheese as sides in the meal deal!)

got back about 7:30pm, and my amy grant signed vinyl was waiting on the doorstep for me

now, a glass of wine and some tv before bed...

Tomorrow, lakeridge winery, and possibly the outlet malls/bass pro

Sunday, dunno yet
Monday, Busch gardens for a coaster visit the day before my birthday

Tues (my birthday) or weds, Legoland, and a nice birthday meal on tues, possibly Nagoya sushi

Thurs/Fri, hopefully Busch again!

[Bootrip2]

Sounds like a great day, love it when you find somewhere out of the way that the kids love!

[Gryff]

Looks a great day our grandsons loved it as well
Screen company have the work order but they are inundated with requests and are trying to source even more rolls of screen they did stock up but it runs out so fast
H

[wanye]

Today we went to lakeridge winery for one of their family days, as well as the normal tour/wine a tasting, they also had food and drink outside, as well as a guy singing. They do it most weekends during the summer, so if you fancy something a bit different, go take a drive up the US27 (about half an hour north of cagan crossings Walmart by the 192 junction)

Afterwards, we drove over to bass pro to pick up a couple more pairs of darn tough socks, then we tried going to the outlet mall over the road, but couldn't find parking, so sacked it off and went to Vineland instead

Got home about 8:30, watched toy story 4 with B, then made some food after he went down.

Cooked off 3 cups of rice for tomorrow (doing beef curry - was meant to do it today, but it was too late by the time we got back)

So I did leftover steak and lobster Mac and cheese! Cooked off a bag of pasta, and threw in the leftovers into the pan we used for the pasta, along with two packets of Velveeta, a big handful of shredded cheese and a few other bits. Added the pasta back into the pan and mixed it all (cold, so it was ok to have the leftovers for lunch!)

Decanted to bowls and microwaved for 2 mins before eating. A great easy dish, with enough leftovers for another bowl each tomorrow!

Tomorrow we're doing a lazy day, as my foot is really sore from all the mall walking today, so I'll be ok for Busch on Monday...

[wanye]

Pre-birthday at busch gardens! Walked the whole park, did nearly all the coasters, all were walking ons compared to over an hour each last Saturday! Enjoyed it so much, we are probably coming back on Thurs or Friday! Birthday tomorrow (now uk-time) and a lazy day, and a foot rub and some cat scraps from Nagoya sushi!

The food court was an expensive abomination of nature and as chick fil-a is the only other real (last resort) we skipped it and went to wa-wa on the way home instead.

Got what I've named "heart attack in a box"

16 inch meaty pizza. Utter filth! (Bit we still smashed half it between us. The rest can get bagged and frozen for some quick 3-5 mins air fryer snacks, still got a week here, and just too much food!

If I'd known it would be so ridiculously overloaded with cheese, I won't regret buying it, but I'll never have another one. If that sort of pizza is your sort of thing, good luck to ya! But I want more neopolitan style/less of EVERYTHING! Was kinda hoping for maybe a new York slice style, but alas, it was not to be!

The burger we split before we got home was a solid enough effort tho!

(We may oray not leave a boxed pizza and lasagne in the freezer as a present to the maid, or whoever is staying here next (if that's ok? Don't wanna be breaking statute 476 or something by offering these leftovers, of not, anyone know of a local place to donate unused food?

We've barely eaten out this trip mostly quick service type joints but we've saved a packet, and am now eyeing up a possible return sooner rather than later!

Pool wise, B is a bloody superstar! Since we got a proper armbands/jacket thing ($20 from dicks on Posner park, he's been in the pool every day at least once (twice on lazy days, one before or after breakfast, then nip out for a bit while the sun is hot, and then hopefully a pre-bed swim to wear him out of we've not been to a park, or got back late

Oh, he has slept though till at least 6am every day, but usually up 7-8ish with now real wake ups or getting upset. He's been a bit cranky due to teething, bit of that's the worst we get, I'll take ot!

(I'm saving my rant about idrive premium outlet parking atrocities untill we've been back on a quieter day. We unfortunately chose 5pm on Saturday to attempt going.)

MISTAAAAAKE!

Unless you pay valet ($15ish) you are well and truly gonna be slowly driving trying to find a free spot for an hour!

But that's another time...

One week left, and its mah burfdy here in 8 minutes time (EST)

Going to bed, will finish this tomorrow!

Will do Legoland on weds

Now for a nice sit down and an icy beverage! I've drunk so much water I'll be waking up to pee every hour the amount I've had today!

[wanye]

Really didn't sleep well last night. It eventually took 3 omeprazole and 4 antacid chews to tame the fire in my from last night's wa-wa pizza hate crimes!

Had a lazy morning. Watched toy story in bed with B, then a cream cheese and salmon bagel for breakfast. In the pool, straight out for his afternoon nap I also napped!

Off to i-drive premium outlet. Only really bothered with Disney and old navy, of course they are opposite sides to one another!

B started having a bit of a meltdown at the mall after he saw one of them kid car trolley things and we wouldn't let him on it (it was some other kids stood next to it!)

By the time we got to Nagoya sushi at Dr Phillips he wanted no part of anything!

Fortunately, we were the only ones there at 5pm, and had him settled down shortly after shoving his face with special fried rice. Kept him content enough so we could finish the meal we'd ordered

(Was lovely as always!) - I regularly go there for a birthday meal of cats scraps!

Back to the villa, put him down, and now spending the last couple of birthday time drinking wine

Legoland tomorrow. Any hints or tips?

(Specifically not doing Peppa sodding pig land!)

[Bootrip2]

Just caught up- another week to go, lovely long trip! Busch Gardens sounded good- and hope you had a lovely birthday! X

[wanye]

we've done all the big parks many times before b came around... but i think MNSSHP is going to be our last visit to disney/universal for the forseeable. would much rather get a busch gardens fun pass for $15 more than the price of a single day ticket... so we can go multiple times?

yeah, go on then! will be looking out for black friday offers on next years fun pass!

and yeah, birthday was gooooooood!