Good Morning, time to get moving but the kids aren’t much into getting back on the road.  But, we did get off finally again by 11:00.  I can’t explain why we just could never get on the road before 11:00, but we couldn’t.

This day seems to be going along ok.  We started off with a full tank of gas, and it went down to a half pretty fast.  When I went to fill up again, I noticed that I didn’t put the cap back on so I assume that I’m losing gas while bumps and things.  Oops

We grabbed some lunch at Arby’s, and it wasn’t that great.  Our eating experience this trip just stunk.  Any way, poor Melody threw up, and the day went down hill from there.  It was raining again, baby’s sick.  I found a spot that we could have stayed at, but oh now, we must move forward.  Ok everybody buckle up, we are going again.  Almost dark, but we need to keep going.  Fine.

I’m sure you get the picture right now.  We got to where we stopped coming down here and parked in the same area.  The girls where going to go get some towels from Walmart, since we were able to get fresh water and dump out the bad water.  Oh that was a wonderful experience and then have to get back in to the coach and smell the puke from earlier, when we finally stopped that night, I was sick as a dog. I went to bed.  Good night

Barb and Lyric, on the other hand had to finish up the day with the girls.  While walking to Walmart to buy towels and things we needed, got soaked because it started to rain again!  Good bye Day 8

Wow, the show ends today at noon and we need to be out of the wonderful home we rented.  We sent a lot of the extra stuff with the guys, since there wouldn’t be room in the car.

Packed up and off to the hotel to get back in the coach.  Lyric and the girls and I went over to downtown Disney while we waited for everybody to finish.  It was rainy so the vendors we tearing down early.  We were able to get driving towards home earlier than normal.

Back on the road again.  All is well, until looking ahead, it is black.  The rain quickly became a storm and its starting to pour down.   I decided that we shouldn’t drive into it, so I pulled off at the next exit, which just happened to be a rest area.  Thank God!  We put out the sliders and figured we would wait it out.

As I look out the window, what do I see, but the 3 lane highway at a stand still.  I looked on WAZE and saw that there had been an accident, just before the ramp of the rest area to get back on the freeway.  I can tell you, I knew I made the right decision to get off then.

A few minutes later, I checked again and the first accident was still in full action, but now within the next 10 miles, there were 5 more accidents.

By now, I was not going to go anywhere, much to the dismay of others who were pushing us to go forward.  Even if we did go further, the whole area was going to be stormy.  Too bad.  I’m driving, I’m staying.

We made the most of it and enjoyed the rest of the night…

Yesterday started with an emotional roller coaster.  Bryan and Lyric took to girls to Magic Kingdom, and left Barb and I at the house to have a much needed break from the little ones.  Broke my heart, that I couldn’t go with them to Disney, but thinking back, I’ve had so many firsts, in McKenna’s life, that it wouldn’t kill me to miss that.

So a quick swim in the pool, which was wonderful.  Barb and I went to an outlet mall.  We couldn’t find a parking spot and almost left, but then we did.  We found my favorite perfume.   Yay! Walked around a bit, had lunch and by this time, time to head back to buy groceries for making dinner.

Kids all had a good time swimming in the pool.  Bryan and I thought we’d go back to the hotel to see the light show of a truck outfitted with the TowMate lights, and it was totally rained out.  Went back and went to bed.  We did manage to have a little ice cream before going to bed.  It always gives Bryan nightmares, I don’t know anyone else with that problem. The day felt like lots of driving, and going nowhere fast.

This is what I feel like since I’ve been back from New Zealand!  

I really need to get motivated when we get back!  Please

What can be said about day 5?  Well apparently I have upset some people by writing truth of this trip.  So far things like, oh your being so negative.  I asked have you read my blog? Well no, then I suggest you do.

Things like, oh the credit card being denied.  Well duh, unfortunately or fortunately if some one had stolen our card, we’d be darn greatful they shut it down.  Just not too convenient for me at that moment.  It wasn’t because we didn’t have money on it and if I gave anyone that impression, I apologize!

Things like, you shouldn’t mention names.  Well, that’s not the theme of this blog to be written that way, but since I’ve been scolded, I can try to change that!  Since I know who “they” are.

I will try to write more positive things in my blog.  I’m breathing! Check. I’m in one of the most beautiful states in America! Check. I’m with my beautiful granddaughter and her friend, who also calls me Grandma now. Check. I’m with Barb and Lyric and other people I love, check!

Most fun part of the day yesterday was swimming in the pool for 15 minutes or so, until we had to pull everyone out to go to the trade show to let people see McKenna.

So readers, I guess if some of you, think I’m so negative, I’ll bet your real damn glad you weren’t on this trip with us!  Truth sometimes is messy and I’m not going to omit things.  We learn from them and move on.  Don’t worry, if you want to, this is a yearly trip, you’ll get a chance in the future if you’re an adrenaline junkie like me.  I wasn’t in love with the idea of driving the coach after so long, but once in it, it all came back to me.

I almost decided, after yesterday to stop writing my blog altogether, but I thought, you know what, if a reader doesn’t like it? To bad! Don’t waste your time reading it.  I do care, but that’s what happens when you take risks.  Your bound to step on a few toes along the way.  So I apologize in advance and move on!  See you on my rear view mirror!

Remember, you can leave comments below, I’ll gladly accept the good, bad and the ugly. Have a nice day

I write this always a day behind.  Day 4, was stressful not because of the driving to get here, which is over, but it seemed like every turn, something didn’t go right.

When we got to the hotel the night before, I asked if it had free breakfast in the morning.  They, 2 girls in the lobby said they did. (People please, when you take a job someplace, make sure you know what your job is!)

I love love love the blackout blinds at some hotels.  So far, most were not so great, we had to get up early anyway.  Not this morning, we got to sleep in.  Breakfast didn’t stop serving till 10:30 instead of 9:30. Everyone but me and Lyric were still asleep.  I opened the curtains so they could wake up.

We got up early enough to go have the free continental breakfast.

We get down there, which it’s about a mile walk, and they ask for our tickets. Tickets? No, they didn’t give us any.  I go to the front desk to tell them they didn’t give us the tickets for breakfast, and it turned out, we didn’t buy that package.  Selena set it up.  Great, so we paid for their breakfast!  My one credit card said it was declined.  Declined? Omg.  We did use a lot for the gas coming down here, so fine, I used the second one.  Then we were supposed to be able to go swimming in the water park.  I’ll bet you can already tell how much fun the kids had doing that! Right, not in the package.

We went to the gift shop which is always conveniently on the way out.  I found the cutest little Minnie Mouse outfit and flip flops for McKenna.  I couldn’t resist.  The shirt reads, It’s all about me!   So true!  When we got up to the room, McKenna wanted to wear everything I just bought her.  She was adorable.  She was saying the flip flops were kinda stiff, so I thought I’d help her out.  I tried to flex them a bit and the darn thing broke in half.  Great! Crying commenced.  I promised I would exchange them, because surely that shouldn’t have happened.  Note to self, Self, don’t ever do that again! Let them figure out how to break in the shoes.  Time to get out of here!

I told everyone on this trip, you could have one big bag and one small bag that you could change out what you need for that day, in the coach. It worked perfectly.  Except for when we got out of the coach to go to the hotel last night, because Chris Stockton wanted everything out of the coach.  He had to follow us over to the hotel, because we had too much stuff for my car. He helped with everything.

You should have seen us trying to get all this stuff down to the car, now with no help! It was rediculas!  We packed up in the car everything we could and left 3 bags at the hotel to be picked up later.  Along with the bag of flip flops to be returned, because now the gift shop is closed for cleaning the floors. Fine!

We went to Chuck E Cheese, because we needed to let these little girls run off some energy after being in the coach for days.  We were going to go to downtown Disney, but it was so hot and humid, we decided to just go there instead.

We all enjoyed it.  Barb not so much, because she’s more used to a nice quiet house all day, unlike me and Lyric.

While at Chuck E. Cheese, we were ordering lunch.  I went to use the second credit card, which Bryan never told me how much it had on it, and it was declined.  Oh Crap!  Ok, fine, here’s my cash.  He had given me $500.00 in cash just in case.  By this time Bryan, Chris, Selena, and Gunther, are all on our plane coming down here, so no way to ask about the card.  In the future, I’m calling the card companies in advance of the trip so they don’t shut it down because they think there’s fraudulent activities.

When done at Chuck E Cheese, I was making sure we didn’t forget anything there, I found a guy’s credit card under a table.  I called the credit card company, and told the the info on the card, and asked that they reach him to let him know it will be with Natalia, behind the counter.

Next stop, the house we rented with a swimming pool! Yay!  On the way there, we hear what sounds to be a flat tire.  We are in the middle of no where, and I have no clue how to change a tire.  Lyric got out to look.  Nope, thank God.  It apparently is out brakes or something? Ok, keep going! Everyone’s excited!  35 min later, we’re here. The house is beautiful!  4 bedrooms, 3 baths, lots of beds, and a lot bigger than the coach.  What more could you ask for?

We unload the car and I drop the biggest suitcase on my big toe.  Not nice! We get unloaded and thought lets hop in the pool!  Um, guess where everybody’s swim suit is?  In the suitcases left back at the hotel, 30 minutes away.  Really? This is supposed to be our stress free day. Grr

We decide to go back to the hotel, pick up the suitcases we couldn’t get in the car the first trip, exchange flip flops and go to downtown Disney after picking up a couple of things we forgot in the coach. We looked around a little at the big wreckers the girls had never seen before.  They had a good time.  By now, they’re tired.  We just went back towards the house, stopped by the grocery store and went home to eat, bath and bedtime for girls.  Bryan and crew, got in around 11:30 having met some really bad turbulence.  So glad we weren’t up there with them.

Time for bed and no special plans for tomorrow, except relax, swim and do something Disney…-

We woke up late because the night before, poor little Melody was coughing all night long, setting the tone for the whole rest of the day.  Bryan woke me up at 8 and told me I needed to be in Florida by 3 in the afternoon.  Ha ha, sure!  No seriously, they are telling us we have to be there by 3 o’clock.

We traveled about 400 miles each day and the day went from 11:00 to 7 or 7:30.  Now they are asking us to be there by 3:00?  No way! 

It probably would have been better if we got in earlier and you will see why in a bit.  Ok, so after breakfast and our morning, packing, and reloading, we head for the coach.  Everything’s fine with ours, but the coach and car next to us, had their drivers side mirror torn off while driving.  OMG, I’m not kidding.  I didn’t ask which was one was driving, but from the looks on the wife face, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t her.

So, we start hooking up the car.  It went successfully and we were on the road by 11:00.  I forgot to mention about last nights unhook.  We had found a great spot to park.  No stress right?  Well not exactly.  Lyric just reminded me of a little problem we had on day two.  I was unhooking the car like always, and all of a sudden we noticed that the car was moving backwards.  I hadn’t taken it out of neutral and the ground was obviously at a very slight incline.  Lyric ran around the back of the car, rolling very slightly, but towards her as she goes around the back of the car.  Im having a heart attack while she hops into the car and puts on the emergency brake.  Crisis over, except the added adrenaline I didn’t need, that night.

Anyway, back to Day 3

Everything is going good, time for gas and the truck stop I picked is out of order! Really? Yes. No gas.  So we ate lunch, walked Molly, moved on to the next truck stop. We did really good time actually of staying on the road.  Unfortunately, I started getting really sleepy from listening to poor Melody cough all night. It wasn’t a problem till turning in to a rest area to close my eyes for a bit, and Lyric spilled her Strawberry Kiwi beer on herself.  I felt really bad that I spilled it on her and would have shared what we spilled darn it!

Moving on, we Finally arrived to our destination. Of course, now it’s getting dark, and Chris Stockton failed to mention that there was construction everywhere, and No way to get turned at the place I needed to turn.

So I went up two streets where I felt I could safely turn in and hope to be able to turn around and come back out.  This next part is not for the faint of heart!

I got told I can’t come in there.  Really?  I’m already in there.  There was an island in the middle and a hut ahead. It had to be a 5 or 6 directions of cars coming and going, all now tied up and can’t move, because we were stuck.  I wanted to unhook and they said no. The lot attendants told me I have room to turn around and they will help me.  Ah, no they didn’t.  They made it worse.  They said just back up now.  I said I can’t back up with the car behind.  Cars are honking, people yelling at us.  Coach is going no where at this point.  Leave it to me to get myself in the worst possible position.  So I jumped out.  I’m going to unhook, I don’t care what anyone says, I don’t backup the coach with the car on.  Smiling, doing my thing.  A wonderful guy comes up (my travel Angel) and takes over the unhooking process, while I go get Lyric to move my car and follow, after we get out of this mess.  Smiling and apologizing profusely.  Lyric called Chris Stockton and told him where to meet us.  Plan complete, so I thought.  After we got the car unhooked, the coach starts moving forward slowly, so my Angel runs to hop in the coach and stop it before it would have run into a small boulder, which, if that didn’t stop it, it would have gone into a pond.  I hopped into the coach with him and he got it out of there, so I could take it from there.  I love that guy, who ever he is and would love to thank him personally again.

Well, that’s the first part of the story, then I pulled into where Chris Stockton was waiting for us.  Unfortunately not much room to turn around in there either.  I stopped to access and here comes Joe Driscol, the show operator.  Shaking his head, he’s like what are you doing?  I said I’m so sorry!  This has been a nightmare.  How lucky was I to have him there at that exact moment.  My Angel #2.  He knew who’s car was an obsticle to turning around.  She came like lighting.  At least at this point, I no longer have people honking and yelling because we are stuck in a back entrance of the hotel.  Chris is my Angel #3 who successfully got the coach turned around and got it into its final resting place for the show.  I couldn’t have gotten it into the spot anyway because somebody had to open the gate down the road.  Ok now you can breathe.

Whew, typical hassle with the end of day stuff, with bags and kids and hotels, but thank God until Sunday, we are free from the coach.  No dings, dents or scratches.

We can rest easy now! Except for watching two little girls who are so happy to be out of their car seats…

This day was better because the kids were getting used to being cooped up in their car seats.

WAZE App is a great app to get around with.  It’s a network of users that help with alerts of police ahead, objects in the road, cars off on the side. Just all kinds of great information that’s nice to know before your right on top of them.

Barb, my sister was up front keeping me mentally awake.  She said she saw a comic that had a smart car in pieces and the guy was telling his wife they hit a squirrel!  OMG, I thought I was going to die laughing.  Even now, lying in bed, it still gets me.

Since we figured out the bathroom water issue, we only had to stop once. After getting through Atlanta area, we stopped.  We found a great area behind Walmart to park the coach and quit for the night.  I’m getting really good at this, hook and unhook thing with the car.

Bryan had put the shades back up for us before we left.  Wouldn’t you know it, one of them broke again.  One of the screws came out, with the washers and we couldn’t find the nut.  We did however find a cable tie, and put it throught all the pieces to keep it all together.  We felt brilliant and kept on moving.  No MotorCoach should be on the road without a few on board.

All in all, a good day.  I had a coffee mid day which was good at the time, but between Bryan calling me waking me up, and the extra caffeine today, I’m having a little trouble going back to sleep.  So I figure, I might as well document our day right now.  So, I’m going to try to go back to sleep, being ever so greatful for all the prayers from all of you, who are praying for us, for a safe trip.

We were going to try to start at 8:30.  Miscommunication of where to start, ended us up leaving at 10:45.

All were excited to be starting our adventure.  Two kids, 3 adults and 1 dog.  I thought it would be best to use rest areas and truck stops to use for potty breaks.  Especially since I couldn’t reach Bryan to figure out how to get the stinking water pump on.  I forgot about the button in the bathroom, he told me about at 1:30 am when he finally reached Arizona in our plane.  His trip also had some bs to it, pardon my two letter business.

Anyway, kids were as well behaved as could be expected since I made them be buckled in, all trip.

I waited too long to stop.  Couldn’t see in the dark.  Almost couldn’t find hotel rooms.  Tried to eat at Waffle House since they let us park the MotorCoach in their lot, but the kids weren’t having it.  So Lyric, bless her, gave kids baths, and Barb and I went to fetch food from McDonalds (which was aweful and I wouldn’t have feed it to my dog).  Too tired to do anything but go to bed.  Hopefully today will be better.

NOTHING HEALTHY ABOUT THIS DAY Except I did bring my water in jugs! Yeah