Florida!

So after our quick, but awesome time in NYC we headed down south to Florida. It was HOT HOT HOT! We had a great time visiting Universal Orlando, Universal Islands of Adventure, Siesta Key Beach, Cocoa Beach, and hanging out at our resort. We opted out of Disney World because our kids are more into the thrill rides than Disney princesses and such. We were kind of bummed because the huge new Harry Potter world wasn't opening until the following weekend, but much to our surprise they were letting people in for a few hours for a sneak peek. We were headed to a roller coaster and suddenly found ourselves in the middle of Harry Potter world. Way cool! We were a little sunburned, a whole lot exhausted, and had a weeks worth of great memories by the end of our trip!

Universal Orlando


Jurassic Park


The water rides SAVED us! We ended up soaking wet, and LOVED it!


Tyson and I with the Harry Potter Castle behind us


This picture is for my bro in law Michael...the Ron Jon Surf Shop...where he used to go school shopping! Bring back memories Michael?


YIKES!



Popeye and Olive Oil stopped by for a visit!


The following pictures are for Becky and Brenda...my sisters who are HUGE Harry Potter fans! I KNOW they would have LOVED all this...I didn't really get most of it! So fast forward if you aren't a Harry Potter fan!

The Castle






A big bird??


A huge hallway with pictures on it...and the pictures CHANGED before your eyes...or the people moved in them. It was way cool!


Dumbledorf's library. (sorry...NO idea how to spell his name?)




A candy shop complete with chocolate covered frogs!


The Hogwarts Express!


People were drinking this stuff like it was real beer! Guess I should have tried it!


Ok Becky and Brenda...I hope you enjoyed that! My camera battery went dead trying to help you feel the Harry Potter spirit! Now, back to our trip....


Brian and the girls enjoying the ocean.


Our one and only tennis experience at the resort. We decided it was too HOT for tennis in Florida!



Goofing around in the pool!


I took a lot more video than I did pictures, and I don't have the patience to load them tonight....maybe later? But don't count on it! In other news:

Kylie left yesterday for Trek. I am feeling a bit anxious about her trip, and maybe a little tiny bit of how a Mom feels sending their son out on a mission. (except it is 4 days not 2 years!) I am SOOO glad she is going, but really hoping and praying she has a great time, and returns home safe. I know it is going to be so hard for her, but I hope she learns and grows from the experience. They went to Martins Cove and the weather called for 90 degrees each day, with not a shade tree to be found in the place, so I've heard. Oh man, I hope she survives! We have been sewing our little hearts out getting her skirt, bonnet, bloomers, and aprons ready. Heather had just got back from her Trek, so she had plenty of great ideas for us, helped us sew, and loaned us her spare clothes. She saved us big time! We had to have her at the church at 3am this morning! YIKES! She was upbeat and happy at 2:30am, so I couldn't ask for more than that!

Heather hard at work sewing! I would have helped...but I had to take pictures!



Kylie cutting out her bloomers


Think we made them big enough? Maybe she was going to sneak Sydney in there with her!


The cutest pioneer ever! Keep her in your prayers the next few days! :0)


Brian and I are leaving tomorrow for Puerto Rico for our 15th anniversary trip. Good thing I am quitting jetBlue soon, these trips are getting ridiculous! Ridiculous in a good way!

New York City!

About the last 5 years Kylie has wanted to go to New York. I let her keep dreaming, hoping that her rich fiance would take her someday. Then I got a job for an airline. It happened to be that New York was one of the 2 cities that have a non-stop flight from SLC. PERFECT! So, it was only natural that New York was our FIRST big vacation spot this year. (As it turned out we couldn't get out of SLC standby, so we had to drive to Vegas and leave from there. jeBlue really needs to figure out that 2000 employees and 3 flights a day really STINKS!!) Anyway, My sweet Aunt Deeann drove us to the airport and let us park the rotten tomato at her house for the week. And...we were off! Kylie sang New York songs and giggled with delight. She was sooo excited that she didn't sleep at all on the red eye over. Neither did Brian or I. We suddenly felt rejuvenated once we landed in the big city, and hit the ground running! It was hot, hot in NY, but that didn't slow us down! We had the BEST tour guide ever, my brother in law Shawn, who has lived in NY before. He helped us to see more in a day and a half than most people see in twice that much time. Never mind the blisters we had...it was totally worth it! He also kept us away from places where we might potentially be gunned down or who knows what! Kevin and Corbin, and Grandma joined us from Atlanta, and it was sooo great for Tyson to have a buddy with him for once. Those boys had a blast together! Here are some photos of our trip.

After flying all night, we stopped for breakfast at the JFK airport. We didn't dare head out of the airport until we had our trusty tour guide with us!


Brooklyn Bridge


On the Staten Island Ferry


Statue of Liberty
\

Brian and I with NYC behind us


Brian having a 20 min power nap on the Ferry. Red eye flights are BRUTAL!


Tyson and Corbin with their NY hats! Are they cool or what?


Sydney and I at ground zero


The gang in front of the Empire State Building


Times Square at night


Tyson and Corbin loving Times Square


Rockefeller Center (where they film the Today Show)


Inside the NBA Store...a life size bobble head of Shaq. Seriously his calves were twice the size of Brian's arms! This guy is HUGE! It was almost unreal! Except that it was real!


Central Park. It is HUGE....50 square blocks! Beautiful too!


The END.