Wow, how did the time creep up so quickly. I have pretty much packed all our clothing, and all that is left is our toiletries and stuff to bring in our carry on luggage. I have arranged substitutes for all my classes, a cat sitter, house sitter, and a bird sitter. I have someone covering my volunteer duty at school. I have left out the shovels for my house sitter. Hopefully while we are away Ottawa sees no snow. I have set one light on a timer, and will set the rest on timers 2 days before our departure, just so I know they are working.
I am in the process of cleaning out the fridge which is getting emptier and emptier, charging all of our electronics (camera battery, Nintendo DS's, MP3 players, organizing what games and movies to bring. Still lots to do. I will have a busy day before we leave day, to make sure all things at home will be good.
I am hoping for nice weather while we are there, but right now, they are seeing alot of up and down temperatures. I hope they remain on the up side during our stay. Long range forcast is showing highs in the low-mid 70's for our arrival. I will take that over anything below 0.
3 days and counting..
Friday, February 20, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
Things to do in Panama City Florida
The countdown is on. 25 days to go.
This trip will be more laid back than our Disney trip was. I would like to just have some down days and swim and hang out on the beach but also would like to check out some fun places for families.
Here is what I have found on the internet on some fun family friendly activities in Panama City. As you can see there is no shortage of fun things to do.
*sorry for the font changes, I did a lot of copy/pasting from online*
2. Shell Island3. Coconut Creek Family Fun park
With two eighteen hole miniature golf courses and one gigantic labyrinth, the Coconut Creek Family Fun Park lives up to its name. Bring your pint-sized putting champs or seasoned swinger to play through the beautifully landscaped mini golf courses with an African Safari theme, complete with cascading waterfalls and a lake with native fish. What's most unique about the park is not its scenery, however, but the Gran Maze, a human-sized labyrinth the size of a football field; the first of its kind in the United States. Compete one-on-one or move in teams through this challenging, exciting game that is safe for kids and adults of all ages. Admission fees run around USD9 for an individual golf course, or just the maze, or you can pay one USD16 fee for two days to experience all three attractions.
4. Sea Dragon
This pirate-theme tour is a popular excursion in Panama City Beach. The 80' authentic pirate ship sails just off the shore of Shell Island. Bring your little lads and join the celebration of music, song, and dance and discover the hidden treasures of the sea when you haul up at Sea Dragon Pirate Cruises. The tour includes soft drinks, beer, wine and hot dogs. Dolphin sightings are also common on the tour.
This trip will be more laid back than our Disney trip was. I would like to just have some down days and swim and hang out on the beach but also would like to check out some fun places for families.
Here is what I have found on the internet on some fun family friendly activities in Panama City. As you can see there is no shortage of fun things to do.
*sorry for the font changes, I did a lot of copy/pasting from online*
1. Gulf World Marine Park
This attraction offers great opportunities for learning about the animals. Fun and educational for every member of the family. Gulf World gives dolphins, sea lions, stingrays, reptiles and tropical birds, some well deserved time in the spotlight. In addition, special programs let park visitors "swim with a dolphin," become a "trainer for a day," enjoy "Dolphin day camp"(reservations required). They also host special concert performances in the tropical garden theater.2. Shell Island
This uninhabited island off the coast is a popular destination for sightseeing and enjoying natural beauty. Bottlenoses play in the water surrounding the island, which itself is home to a fascinating cast of creatures and critters. Spend your day swimming with the dolphins and relaxing on the sand, far removed from the mainland's tourist
3. Coconut Creek Family Fun park
With two eighteen hole miniature golf courses and one gigantic labyrinth, the Coconut Creek Family Fun Park lives up to its name. Bring your pint-sized putting champs or seasoned swinger to play through the beautifully landscaped mini golf courses with an African Safari theme, complete with cascading waterfalls and a lake with native fish. What's most unique about the park is not its scenery, however, but the Gran Maze, a human-sized labyrinth the size of a football field; the first of its kind in the United States. Compete one-on-one or move in teams through this challenging, exciting game that is safe for kids and adults of all ages. Admission fees run around USD9 for an individual golf course, or just the maze, or you can pay one USD16 fee for two days to experience all three attractions.4. Sea Dragon
This pirate-theme tour is a popular excursion in Panama City Beach. The 80' authentic pirate ship sails just off the shore of Shell Island. Bring your little lads and join the celebration of music, song, and dance and discover the hidden treasures of the sea when you haul up at Sea Dragon Pirate Cruises. The tour includes soft drinks, beer, wine and hot dogs. Dolphin sightings are also common on the tour.5. Miracle Strip Amusement Park
Have fun with the entire family at this exciting amusement park that offers over 30 rides and attractions for all ages. Take a ride in the dungeon, on the roller coaster, or in the haunted castle while at this park where children can take a spin in the tea cups, ride the ponies on the merry-go-round, or test their driving skills in the bumper cars.6. Shipwreck Island
Shipwreck Island, located in the heart of Panama City Beach, is an exciting water park offering more than you can imagine. Rides like "Tree Top Drop," "Pirates Plunge," and "Raging Rapids" will thrill you until closing time. If you want to escape the heat, let the gentle currents of the "Lazy River" sweep you around the park. Admission is $29 for those taller than 50 inches, $24 for those between 35-50 inches, and free for anyone under 35 inches.7. ZooWorld
Zoo World contains seven and a half acres of botanical gardens and 300 wildlife species from Africa, South America, Australia, and Asia. From the great White Bengal Tiger to Australia's tiny Kookaburra, ZooWorld offers kids and adults a glimpse at worlds unknown. Zoo camps are offered for kids aged 6-13 in the summer, and birthday parties can be hosted here on saturday and sunday year round.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
new background
I found this template thanks to my BFF.. What a great site. Check it out at Aqua Poppy designs.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Panama City here we come
We have finally booked our flight to Panama City and look forward to escaping winter.
It will be nice to have some down time, beach days, family fun days and new experiences.
I am counting down the days and we are at 28 days and counting. I am very excited.
I will have some packing to do before hand as we will be staying with my parents while we are there. They are driving down and will be bringing some summer stuff up for us, so we can get away with packing one suitcase for the 4 of us to take on the plane.
Warm weather and sandy beaches here we come!
It will be nice to have some down time, beach days, family fun days and new experiences.
I am counting down the days and we are at 28 days and counting. I am very excited.
I will have some packing to do before hand as we will be staying with my parents while we are there. They are driving down and will be bringing some summer stuff up for us, so we can get away with packing one suitcase for the 4 of us to take on the plane.
Warm weather and sandy beaches here we come!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Our overall experiece
Disney was fantastic. Our overall experience was good, if we were to go there again, we would definitely only drink bottled water though.
We think the illnesses was from the resort hotel water.
The rides and shows at all the parks were great. It is amazing how many rides and shows we ended up seeing over our 7 day adventure. It is amazing though how many people were there, considering we were there at a low season time. I could not imagine how many people there would be there at peak season.
Disney has so many employees(cast members) I would love to know the amount of people Disney employs. At all the parks, hotels, restaurants, there are cast members everywhere. It is amazing to see. I hope Disney pays them well.
The Disney Dining Plan was something we are still iffy about. We did eat enough to make it worth it for us, but I don't think I would do it again. You have to eat so much food. The adults cost $38.99 a day and the kids $9.99 a day. The price for the kids was worth it, because it was so cheap, but for us, because we aren't big eaters, it just seemed like a lot of waste half of the time. To much food.
Jet blue airlines was terrific. We had no problems on both of our flights, they both left on time, and arrived on time or early. They hand out free ear phones, and you have your own individual TV on the back of the seat in front of you, which is nice. They handed out snacks and drinks and our overall flying experience with them was great.
One recommendation I would make for Disney is to have Purell dispensers everywhere. With the amount of people going through Disney, they really need to have this. At the front when you scan in, you have to put your finger on a scanner, which 10000 people before you just did, and let me tell you, they are not clean. All the rides, ropes, railings and turnstiles you touch and the amount of germs you pick up, Disney really should be on top of that, and get the Purell dispensers in. If you go, make sure you bring wipes and your own purell as you are going to need it.
Overall Disney is a great place to visit. It is a lot of fun, and a great adventure for those of all ages. A experience we will never forget.
We think the illnesses was from the resort hotel water.
The rides and shows at all the parks were great. It is amazing how many rides and shows we ended up seeing over our 7 day adventure. It is amazing though how many people were there, considering we were there at a low season time. I could not imagine how many people there would be there at peak season.
Disney has so many employees(cast members) I would love to know the amount of people Disney employs. At all the parks, hotels, restaurants, there are cast members everywhere. It is amazing to see. I hope Disney pays them well.
The Disney Dining Plan was something we are still iffy about. We did eat enough to make it worth it for us, but I don't think I would do it again. You have to eat so much food. The adults cost $38.99 a day and the kids $9.99 a day. The price for the kids was worth it, because it was so cheap, but for us, because we aren't big eaters, it just seemed like a lot of waste half of the time. To much food.
Jet blue airlines was terrific. We had no problems on both of our flights, they both left on time, and arrived on time or early. They hand out free ear phones, and you have your own individual TV on the back of the seat in front of you, which is nice. They handed out snacks and drinks and our overall flying experience with them was great.
One recommendation I would make for Disney is to have Purell dispensers everywhere. With the amount of people going through Disney, they really need to have this. At the front when you scan in, you have to put your finger on a scanner, which 10000 people before you just did, and let me tell you, they are not clean. All the rides, ropes, railings and turnstiles you touch and the amount of germs you pick up, Disney really should be on top of that, and get the Purell dispensers in. If you go, make sure you bring wipes and your own purell as you are going to need it.
Overall Disney is a great place to visit. It is a lot of fun, and a great adventure for those of all ages. A experience we will never forget.
Day 8- Our last day
Girl was still not well this morning. I got her drinking some water sips and she seems to be keeping that down, but she can barely stand, she is so weak. We have to be out of our hotel room by 11am.
I get everything packed and we head down shortly after 10 am, I have packed everything we need in our carry ons for the remainder of the day. We check out and then check our luggage with the resort airline check in. This is a very nice service. They check and tag your luggage, bring your luggage to the airport for you, and print out your boarding passes so when you get to the airport, you just have to get through security.
After we checked in, we go eat some breakfast. I have pancakes, husband has French toast, boy has a cinnamon bun and I manage to get girl to slowly eat a Jello. She manages to keep the Jello down and starts feeling better. Thank goodness.
After breakfast, we digested for a while in the son, boy has to go to the bathroom. So I take him and low and behold he has diarrhea. He ends up going to the bathroom 3 times with diarrhea and then that was it for him. The kids and husband go swimming, and I lay in the sun. We walk around the resort and get some pictures and go and grab another bite to eat at the resort hotel and then it is time to get in line to wait for our Magical Express bus to the airport.
The bus ride back was good. We were at the airport about 400pm. The Orlando airport is huge. The lineup through the security check was massive, it took about 45 minutes to get through. I grab something to eat and a nice hot tea, and we sit for about 20 minutes before being boarded. Great. Not to long of a wait.
The plane left on time and it was a nice smooth ride. Girl had some issues with her ears, but it was a fast flight. We arrived in Syracuse 30 minutes early and were driving home about 830pm.
The drive was good, roads and weather was clear. We arrived home at 1115pm, got the kids into bed, un loaded the car and crashed our selves.
Our trip is over. It was a good one. The thing I will miss most is the weather.
I get everything packed and we head down shortly after 10 am, I have packed everything we need in our carry ons for the remainder of the day. We check out and then check our luggage with the resort airline check in. This is a very nice service. They check and tag your luggage, bring your luggage to the airport for you, and print out your boarding passes so when you get to the airport, you just have to get through security.
After we checked in, we go eat some breakfast. I have pancakes, husband has French toast, boy has a cinnamon bun and I manage to get girl to slowly eat a Jello. She manages to keep the Jello down and starts feeling better. Thank goodness.
After breakfast, we digested for a while in the son, boy has to go to the bathroom. So I take him and low and behold he has diarrhea. He ends up going to the bathroom 3 times with diarrhea and then that was it for him. The kids and husband go swimming, and I lay in the sun. We walk around the resort and get some pictures and go and grab another bite to eat at the resort hotel and then it is time to get in line to wait for our Magical Express bus to the airport.
The bus ride back was good. We were at the airport about 400pm. The Orlando airport is huge. The lineup through the security check was massive, it took about 45 minutes to get through. I grab something to eat and a nice hot tea, and we sit for about 20 minutes before being boarded. Great. Not to long of a wait.
The plane left on time and it was a nice smooth ride. Girl had some issues with her ears, but it was a fast flight. We arrived in Syracuse 30 minutes early and were driving home about 830pm.
The drive was good, roads and weather was clear. We arrived home at 1115pm, got the kids into bed, un loaded the car and crashed our selves.
Our trip is over. It was a good one. The thing I will miss most is the weather.
Day 7- Magic Kingdom
Our last day today at a park. We head again to Magic Kingdom. Girl has a sore tummy this morning, and she probably is constipated.
First stop is Monsters Inc Laugh floor, which we missed the first time. Girl doesn't want to go in, because she has to try to go to the bathroom, so I take her and boy and husband go in. They take a while in there, and we wait in the sun. Girl is really hurting. We wait until they come out, and then head over to see if Boy can ride the Dumbo ride, which he missed the other days we were here. It is just a simple kiddie ride, but for some reason he really wants to ride it. The wait for Dumbo is 30 minutes, so we pass, and go to It's a small world again. After that ride, boy is hungry, so we go to the Village fry shop again, because he likes that.
Husband picks us up something from Cosmic Ray's starlight cafe again, because we liked it there the first time
Girl does not want to eat, and starts freaking out as we are all sitting, I try to rush her to the bathroom as I know she has to throw up, but we don't make it, and she throws up all over the ground in front of where we were eating. The cast members help us by cleaning it up.
She feels better after that, so I figure it was something she ate or drank for breakfast. She drank the hotel water with kool-aid in it, and goldfish for breakfast. I really think this is from the hotel water. After she is better, we sit down and finish our lunches.
After lunch we head over to the Tom Sawyer Ride, where we decided to take it easy for girl. Waiting in line for the boat over, girl starts freaking out again, luckily for me, I have been carrying a barf bag around. I grab her out of the line, to the exit, where she throws up again.
I grab our passes from husband and head back to the resort. Husband and boy stay. They manage to go to Tom Sawyer Island, and they did the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and then met us at the resort. Girl was sleeping for a few hours, and felt better when she woke up, so we thought we would head back for our dinner reservations.
WE made it to the bus stop line, and girl throws up again, and walks away stumbling, and I yell at husband to grab her and sit her down, I think she would have passed out, if we didn'tt get her down. We had a couple people offer to help, but really we just needed to get her to her bed.
Husband carried her back the room, where she slept the rest of the day and night, boy and I had dinner from the resort hotel in our room, as he did not want to go to dinner with husband who I told to go the restaurant in MK for dinner and come back.
He went to Tony's Town square restaurant, which he thought was excellent. To bad we missed it. Oh well, I am sure for the kids it would have been the same stuff.
We missed the campfire with Chip and Dale because Girl was sick. Oh well, I am sure we didn't miss to much. All in all, today wasn't the greatest for our last day, but we did enjoy the vacation.
rides we rode/attractions we saw rated out of 5*
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor -****
It's a small world-**
Pirates of the Caribbean-****
Tom Sawyer Island-*
boys favorite ride in MK that day - pirates of the caribbean
Places we dined rated out of 5*
Village fry shop-**
Cosmic Ray's starlight cafe-***
Tony's Town square-*****
First stop is Monsters Inc Laugh floor, which we missed the first time. Girl doesn't want to go in, because she has to try to go to the bathroom, so I take her and boy and husband go in. They take a while in there, and we wait in the sun. Girl is really hurting. We wait until they come out, and then head over to see if Boy can ride the Dumbo ride, which he missed the other days we were here. It is just a simple kiddie ride, but for some reason he really wants to ride it. The wait for Dumbo is 30 minutes, so we pass, and go to It's a small world again. After that ride, boy is hungry, so we go to the Village fry shop again, because he likes that.
Husband picks us up something from Cosmic Ray's starlight cafe again, because we liked it there the first time
Girl does not want to eat, and starts freaking out as we are all sitting, I try to rush her to the bathroom as I know she has to throw up, but we don't make it, and she throws up all over the ground in front of where we were eating. The cast members help us by cleaning it up.
She feels better after that, so I figure it was something she ate or drank for breakfast. She drank the hotel water with kool-aid in it, and goldfish for breakfast. I really think this is from the hotel water. After she is better, we sit down and finish our lunches.
After lunch we head over to the Tom Sawyer Ride, where we decided to take it easy for girl. Waiting in line for the boat over, girl starts freaking out again, luckily for me, I have been carrying a barf bag around. I grab her out of the line, to the exit, where she throws up again.
I grab our passes from husband and head back to the resort. Husband and boy stay. They manage to go to Tom Sawyer Island, and they did the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and then met us at the resort. Girl was sleeping for a few hours, and felt better when she woke up, so we thought we would head back for our dinner reservations.
WE made it to the bus stop line, and girl throws up again, and walks away stumbling, and I yell at husband to grab her and sit her down, I think she would have passed out, if we didn'tt get her down. We had a couple people offer to help, but really we just needed to get her to her bed.
Husband carried her back the room, where she slept the rest of the day and night, boy and I had dinner from the resort hotel in our room, as he did not want to go to dinner with husband who I told to go the restaurant in MK for dinner and come back.
He went to Tony's Town square restaurant, which he thought was excellent. To bad we missed it. Oh well, I am sure for the kids it would have been the same stuff.
We missed the campfire with Chip and Dale because Girl was sick. Oh well, I am sure we didn't miss to much. All in all, today wasn't the greatest for our last day, but we did enjoy the vacation.
rides we rode/attractions we saw rated out of 5*
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor -****
It's a small world-**
Pirates of the Caribbean-****
Tom Sawyer Island-*
boys favorite ride in MK that day - pirates of the caribbean
Places we dined rated out of 5*
Village fry shop-**
Cosmic Ray's starlight cafe-***
Tony's Town square-*****
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