the rest or our Orlando trip...(picture marathon)

darlene & i work side-by-side...she's my partner in crime ;0)

when work announced our eJam trip months ago, we talked about taking our hubby's along...she suggested we all drive & save on airfare...curtis & i thought it was a great idea - especially since they wanted to take their truck & brian insisted on driving the whole way!


so we headed out around lunch time on wednesday, stopped in Darien GA to sleep for the night, then got up & headed for Orlando at 7am on thursday

it was weird, cause the sun didn't come up until almost 8am in GA/FL! and at 9am, it was already 80 degrees and humid!

gas was cheap in Florida!


we couldn't come that close to the beach & not go see it!


in Daytona, you pay $5 & can drive right out on the beach

back on the road - the only traffic we hit was a lil rubbernecking that was going on near Orlando....McCain's bus & a bunch of cars with tinted windows were parked at a building right off the interstate & everyone was slowing down to look (he spoke in FL thursday morning)

we still made it to the hotel with tons of time to spare...we first walked around & checked the place out - glad we did, cause i think that's the only time i was able to catch pics in the daytime


our room overlooked the atrium in the middle of the hotel & cost $899/night!

there were so many different areas in the hotel...sushi bars, piano bars, seafood restaurants, kid pool areas, adult only areas, a market place

here's one seafood restaurant - on a ship!

here's the same ship at night - look what curtis caught?! ~lol~

there was a fall theme intertwined with the tropical jungle motif


i'd so love to go back with the kids when they have their ICE exhibition!
check out the video on the hotel's site

i saw these orchids (i think that's what they are) & thought of u, BC! ;0)

there were rivers that ran through the hotel - some with fish & sharks, sting rays & little gators

curtis came down to catch one of the gator feedings while i was in a session...i didn't get a pic of them until dark (they're on the rock in the bottom, right of the pic)

the kids would have been in heaven! look at the kids' pool area!!!

here's where i spent most of my days - ack

but at night, curtis & i would explore the hotel & enjoy each other's company :0)

felt like i was in the shining, walking the halls

i told ya about our fav spot

so many areas that you wouldn't see unless u were wandering & looking for them - jaden would have loved this!

the food was amazing! we were fed non-stop...if it wasn't meal time, there were drinks, snacks & desserts every where

at the dinner, the last night - the hotel put out a free photo booth for us to enjoy...my mom & i jumped in & then i called curtis down from the room, so we could take advantage of it too ;0)

that night, the company also paid for us to check out Downtown Disney

we had some closing sessions saturday morning, then hit the road around 11am...after stopping to eat twice & for pit-stops/gas refills as needed, we still got home by midnight - brian is one hell of a driver! i slept most of the way home since curtis & i had been out and about until 1 or 2am most nights, then i had to get up early for b'fast & morning sessions

even tho work demanded a bunch of my time - we're still glad the hubbys came along...they had time to explore on their own & curtis really enjoyed just being able to hang out in our room - sitting down & watching tv isn't something he gets to do a lot at home....and of course our late night rendezvous were fun! ;0)

we missed the kiddos tons tho! sunday morning, we gathered them up & gave them their souvenirs....we got the girls Disney bags & jaden a gator head! it was funny cause when curtis picked up jaden & told him we'd brought something home from Florida for him - he says "does it have sharp teeth?!" ~lol~ we know our boy! ;0)

they did really well for my sister & sister-in-law...very well-behaved - made mama proud! they were anxious to see pics & hear about our trip....they asked if we'd all get to go to Florida one day, but didn't at all act upset or jealous that they weren't included in this trip! how did i get so darn lucky?!

busy day at work, playing catch up today...but it feels good to b back to the normal routine
:0)