Wednesday, December 29, 2010

E: Orlando!!

Hello! I feel SO out of the loop but totally relaxed! How have you been? Tell me what you’ve been up to!! I will be trying to catch up on your fabulous blogs over the next couple days. Josh and I went away with his family to Orlando to celebrate Christmas. We had an INCREDIBLE time. Here is just a taste of what we did:

Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure (the new Harry Potter portion is AMAZING):

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Josh’s brother Jeremy with two little cookies:

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I also got to meet Meghann!!  I have been reading Meghann’s blogs forever and was very excited to meet her. She met us out at Rainforest Cafe and went to Islands of Adventure too. She is SUPER down to earth and so sweet. She told us lots of great Orlando secrets.

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We stayed the first night at the Lowe’s Portofino Hotel:

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Next up was three nights at the Beach Club near the Disney resorts:

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The chocolate and gingerbread carousel inside the hotel:

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We got VERY lucky and got upgraded to the presidential suite. It was ridiculous:

IMG_1081 Our time there included a dinner at one of our favorite spots, Cape May cafe. Josh was being funny:

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Josh’s sister (Jenny), Mom & brother (Jeremy):

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Josh’s Dad enjoying a crab leg:

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We hit up three parks, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom & Hollywood Studios:

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We went to Animal Kingdom at 6:30 AM and it was FREEZINGGGG. Josh & I in front of the tree of life:

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The ginormous Gingerbread House at the Floridian:

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Based on Meghann’s recommendation, I purchased a shingle…delicious :)

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All of us in front of the tree at the Floridian:

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And on the monorail on the way to Magic Kingdom:

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Josh’s parents on the people mover:

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Me & Josh with Pirate Goofy:

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And an AMAZING picture of the castle at night:

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Our last couple days were spent relaxing at a Ritz (I had never been). We had so much fun :)

45 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

What a blast!!!! And I'm so glad you got to meet Meghann - you guys are both awesome :)

Jessica @ How Sweet said...

Your trip looks like so much fun! I have never been there.

Heather said...

I love that you are all wearing matching shirts!! SO.CUTE. I want to join your family! :)
Glad you had a great time - Merry Christmas!

Simply Life said...

oh so fun! Looks like a great time!

CaSaundraLeigh said...

Ooo I am so jealous! I absolutely love Orlando..I've been there three times now, and it always feels like you never see it all which is probably true! Looks like you all had a blast :-)

Julie said...

can i tell you that i friggn LOVE disney!! i've always wanted to spend a christmas there because i feel like it would be the happiest place in the world on the happiest day of the year! looks like you had a seriously amazing time and i love love love the matching disney shirts you all sported!

josh has the cutest family haha and i friggn love that you had xmas dinner at a casual place :) because well i guess when you stay in the prez suite i'd much rather spend time there haha

next year pack me in your suitcase!!!!

Christina said...

i freaking love disney. soooo much fun! i love that you guys all had matching shirts :)

Liz Bridges said...

It looks like you had such a fun trip! I am dying to take my little girl to Disney. And I haven't been in like 20 years! Hopefully I will make it there sometime soon!

Meghann said...

You're back!!

I thought of you guys all week as the weather dipped from freezing to warm weather perfection. I'm glad you guys had a great time and I'm really excited I got to meet you. You have an amazing family - hold on to them girl!! :)

Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg said...

Looks like a great holiday!! I've never been to Orlando, but it's on my list!

Trying To Heal said...

What a great time! Isn't meghann the best! i miss that girl!

Anonymous said...

Looks like you had an awesome time!!!!!

Stephanie @cookinfanatic said...

What an awesome Christmas vacation!!! I bet that warm sunny weather was just lovely too :)

Kim @ Kim and Mikey said...

Based on your photos and comments, I would say that your Christmas was a fun filled one.

Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather said...

Looks like you had an awesome time! I'm so glad for you :)

Lea @ Healthy Coconut said...

I want more. I didn't want the pictures to end :)

As you know, me and fiance love having our Disneylang passes, we haven't gone to Disneyworld together but have spent time there separately with our families growing up. He is looking for deals online, so hopefully we can visit soon.

I stayed at the Floridian hotel a few years ago during Christmas and loved all the festive decorations in the lobby, especially the huge gingerbread house and the afternoon tea place. Your pictures brought back a lot of good memories.

Chocolate carousel? I didn't get to see that but sounds yummy. I'm sure there are plenty of "Do Not Touch" sign around that thing.

Glad you had a wonderful time. Welcome back.

Renee Paj said...

LOVE disney world. Honeymooned there many moons ago...last trip was quite a few years ago with the kids though...I think we are due for another! Nice pics...looks like you had a wonderful time!

Maria said...

How fun!!! Thanks for sharing your vacation! Glad you had a nice time!

Esi said...

Great vacation. Hope you have a wonderful new year!

Paige (Running Around Normal) said...

Omgosh what a wonderful vacation!! Everyone looks SO happy. And I love the matching sweatshirts ;)

Pound said...

what fun!!! i have been wanting to go back to disney - my hubs has NEVER been! sounds like amazing accommodations! did you have tea at the Ritz?

Val said...

Looks like an amazing time!!!

Susan said...

Glad you enjoyed your trip! Orlando seems like so much fun. Kind of like you get to be a kid no matter what your age! And the presidential suite? Now that's some high rollin'!

As for me, I've been preparing to go back to school, yippee!

Averie @ Averie Cooks said...

Welcome back, Erica! I have missed your sweet posts and face, but am sooo happy you had time away and the pics look wonderful!

How fun to meet Meghann and all the other awesome things you and Josh did on your trip!!!

Holly said...

Wow....where to begin?!! What a wonderful Christmas!! I love Disney and Orlando, but it's been eons since I've been. Disney always makes me feel like a kid again. :-) Your family looks like so much fun!

So fun that you got to meet Meghann AND stay in the presidential suite?! I can't even imagine. But what a fun treat!

Michelle @ Find Your Balance said...

Wow, fun! All we did was drive to CT and get stuck in a big snowstorm on the way home. It was kind of cozy though, holed up in a hotel waiting for the snow to clear :-)

RhodeyGirl said...

Sounds like a fabulous time with family!!!!!!

I was wondering where you went!

RunToTheFinish said...

that's what we did last year, but it was just me and david...we so need to get our families to travel more!

vanillasugarblog said...

i love the beach club. that's where we stay! isn't the buffet breakfast to die for there? all fresh squeezed OJ all the time. would love to go there for christmas, what a blast!

BroccoliHut said...

Looks like a blast! I just went to Disney World last March for spring break--seriously one of my favorite trips of all time!

Lauren said...

I am so jealous you are in Orlando!!! What an amazing vacation you must be having. And how cool that you met Meghann!! Hope you had the most wonderful time together. :)

Anonymous said...

There you are!
That looks so fun Erica :)
I'm glad you're back!

teresa said...

oh my goodness, SO FUN! my parents are there right now and my mom told me that their morning was freezing cold too. i can't wait to check out florida, what a blast!

Elina (Healthy and Sane) said...

Looks like you had so much fun.
Meghann is awesome... oh and that presidential suite. Are you serious?!! lol

ashley nicole said...

i've missed youuuuuuu! what a fun trip. i want a shingle from that gingerbread house. that is so cool! it sounds yummy. you and Josh are precious. your blogger meet up with Meghann looked like fun too. welcome home!

Bridget said...

So fun!!!! Sometimes I wish I could go away for Christmas, but with my famiyl I don't see that EVER happening haha, oh well. I really just want to go to Disney for the Harry Potter thing! So cool :) I havent been since I was 7 so i bet a ton is different. THat hotel suite looks ridiculous!!! you guys lucked out big time!

Janetha @ meals + moves said...

josh's bro looks just like him! i love all the vacation photos, so glad you had fun! i have never been to florida.. man, i want to go. thanks for sharing!

Biz said...

Holy shiz that Presidential suite is enormous!

Glad you had such a wonderful Christmas!!

And lucky meeting Meghann! :D

Megan D said...

Orlando looks fabulous! That gingerbread carousel is SO cool.

erica said...

Looks like so much fun! I would absolutely love to go to Disney again someday. I havent been since I was really little.

xo

lynn said...

yay! i love disney SO MUCH

Amanda said...

Orlando seems like such a fun time! I really would love to go back sometime soon.

Animal Kingdom looks way too cool!

Krista said...

What an AMAZING way to spend Christmas!!! So glad ou guys had a blast in Florida!

Tina Marie Frawley said...

Wow! Looks like you had fun! I always thought Disney was for kids... I've never been...maybe this will be something we consider this year!

Kerr said...

I am so so so jealous of your trip to Disney! My most favorite place on earth.