From Shorts to Snow - all in five days???

As most of you can read (from the previous post) we lost our luggage on the beginning of our adventurous spring break to Florida! I like to call it Flo Rida - like the singer. Anyhow, our spring break started out very stressful, but in the end it was all good, and I think in about a week I can laugh about it all!

We arrived in Jacksonville and got us a rental car and drove south to the famous Daytona Beach. We checked into our hotel on the beach and moped about our luggage for sometime. After moping got us nowhere we then went out to the beach in our jeans and laid on the beach wishing we had our luggage, which contained our swimsuits, to which we thought about buying new swimsuits but they are expensive; and Jessie was bound and determined through her positive energy that we were going to get our luggage. Of course with her positive attitude/energy, and my slight positive attitude and faithful prayers from the three of us our luggage showed up the next evening. I will definitely recommend to anyone and MYSELF the next time I travel, IF I EVER DO AGAIN, I will pack an extra change of clothes in my carry on bag.

Tuesday we went to Ponce De Leon which is the largest lighthouse on the coast of Flo Rida. It was pretty scary at the top, which I went to all by myself since Holly and Jessie couldn't handle the heights.

I have to admit when I was at the top it was a little scary, but I was bound and determined to get to the top so I could get pictures!

After the jaunt to the top we went to a fun little restaurant overlooking the water and had a meal full of seafood. The best part of our meal was the key lime butter they gave us to put on the rolls. OH MY GOSH THAT WAS SOME GOOD EAT'N!

(Also we went to a chocolate factory for Jessie, and got to sample some free chocolates - they had chocolate covered potato chips - SO GOOD!!!) After our lunch we went back to our hotel on the beach and bathed in the sun and sand.

The next day it was off to Orlando - Orrrlannnndoooo! We went straight to our next hotel, checked in then were off to spend a day in Universal Studios Orrrlannnndoooo! It was okay, our tickets were free so it wasn't like we were out any money.

Friday we spent the day at the place "Where Dreams Come True" hmmm....not quite sure about that slogan - I had these thoughts that I might meet a man waiting in line, didn't happen, so my DREAMS DID NOT COME TRUE???

Besides not meeting a man I didn't even get to see Mickey! That's okay I got pretty frisky with "Woody" at Universal Studios... So, our day was spent at Disney World's Magic Kingdom! What a bad time of year for us to go - spring break = lines and lots of people. We only did the one park, but enjoyed it to the fullest and are glad we picked that park. However, I was kind of bummed I didn't get to see that giant silver ball - Epcot. Oh well, that means I must go back to Flo Rida and do this all again.

Saturday was our last day, we got up and tried to go see the Orlando Temple on our way out of town, but didn't have much luck, there was construction on the freeway and we missed the exit. Again, must mean I will have to go back and visit. I was sad that we didn't get to see any gators, but one night in Daytona when we were driving back to our hotel I heard the sounds of what might have been a gator. That was enough for me.

In the end, we made it back to Jacksonville, checked our bags correctly and warned them at the "check in" that they better get our bags to Vegas or they will have hell to pay with us. Sure enough they did - although at baggage claim Holly and I almost got our luggage stolen right in front of us. After a quick checkout we got on the highway and headed for home.

We got in really late so I crashed at Holly's. Got up at 7:00am to get home and get ready for church at 11:00am to have to speak to three combined wards. After church I walked outside to see it snowing - you're kidding me? I guess I thought since it was sunny and warm in Flo Rida I expect it to be the same here. Well later that night to make up for not being able to go to the Flo Rida temple I went to the Draper Temple Dedication, and almost didn't get in. You have to be there at 4:00 when it starts at 4:30...if I could read/understand the instructions then I would have been on time. Luckily the man "manning" the doors saw me and let me in. Woosh that would not have been cool for me to miss the Draper dedication.

You still with me - that's my trip/spring break, and now I need a vacation!

P.S. One of the best moments on this trip was our flight home from Atlanta to Vegas, the "in flight movie" was TWILIGHT!!!! Talk about the fastest flight I have ever been on!