I forgot to tell you about Florida!

OK so it's Monday morning and I am sitting here trying to figure out what happened to the last few days. Didn't I just say earlier that last weekend was insane? I was mistaken this weekend was. We had soccer games that took us from East Islip to Terryville to Manhasset. We had one 3 hour long cheer competition in East Islip on Saturday and then a 2nd one on Sunday in Dix Hills that was 6 hours long. To think this is only for 3 kids - can't wait to see what happens when all 5 are going. Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining it was crazy but somehow, along with a little help from FRIENDS and Virginia (thanks!) we got through it. Really for us life would be boring any other way. Oh and Steve was working all weekend through all of this - how he got anything done is still a mystery. For a brief moment I contemplated Samantha driving. She's very responsible and could sit on telephone books.

Well I am sifting through all the recent photos and I realized I hadn't shared our recent trip. I took Samantha and Steven to Florida for the weekend. We visited Universal Studio's and stayed at the Nick Hotel. It was a great time and nice to share the time with just the older 2. I will say that we all missed having a stroller around I mean we actually had to carry all our crap.

OK so the kids didn't know about the hotel till we got there...needless to say they freaked once they found out where we were staying - this was there bedroom:




they couldn't get their suits on fast enough:







My good friend Amanda and her son, Jack, met us for the weekend:






So since we weren't doing Disney this time. We did go to Downtown Disney which the kids had a blast at! Here Steven is at the Vinylmation store. Look it up - it' so cool!




The kids with a street performer:




We voted for Planet Hollywood to eat which was just as well. It was a 2 hour wait to get into this dinosaur restaurant:





Of course we had to stop in the Lego Store:





We aren't sure how we scored this table at Planet Hollywood but lets just say it was the best seat in the house!



Now the guilt! Bella, Sophia and Anthony would have LOVED the Nick Hotel! I am taking those 3 to Disney in February for Bella's birthday. I am gonna take them here to have lunch with their favorite Nick characters! Shhhh it's a surprise!




And now the reason for the trip!!! Harry Pooooottttter!!!! OMG it's was insane! It was the books all coming to life. I can't even tell you everything you just have to go!!





The wand shop - it's the freakin wand shop!!! Remember the wand chooses YOU!



Had to get slimmed - or at least watch someone else get slimmed.



Last we stopped by to visit Shamu



Completely different experience watching the show from years ago. This is as close as the trainers get. They don't go in the water anymore. Very somber it seemed. I was also sad to find out that there was no memorial set up for the trainer that died. Apparently she was the "face" of Seaworld so they had a lot of work removing all the posters and advertisements with her picture on it. Some of the park employee's we spoke with said they haven't been back to the stadium since it happened.




It was a crazy yet fun 3 days and just enough time for the kids to get some attention from me. They had fun and want to know what we can do next year. Oh boy! Next up Disney in February for the 1st time for Sophia and Anthony and Bella really since she was only 2 the last time she was there and doesn't remember a thing. They are gonna freak out!!! Can't wait!