Greetings from Florida

The past two days we were in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island

(the NE corner of Florida)

We swam in the Hampton Inn's swimming pool, ate their free breakfasts, walked around the very cute, very artsy and increasingly touristy downtown Fernandina Beach and for some reason we never made it to the beach.

During our stay we ate at four local restaurants but by far the best and the only one I care to mention was Espana Restaurant & Tapas.

This place was truly authentic (I'm allowed to judge all things Spanish, not because I've been to Spain (I have not) but because I took 8 years of Spanish in school) and delicious.

The "topping on the pastel/cake" was a picture on the wall of FERGIE and Josh Duhamel posing with the chef inside the restaurant.

I swear the girl is stalking me.

After dinner we walked around a bit to let our PAELLAS digest.

We saw some gi-normous fish which Lauren and Tyler loudly claimed were whales.

We dared Tyler to stick his hand in the mouth of a plastic hanging shark.

He wouldn't do it.

On our way back to the hotel we saw a rainbow and palm trees.

Matt told me you ALWAYS take a picture if you see a rainbow and palm trees.

who knew?

This morning after I worked out in the Hampton's gym (3 miles on the treadmill)

we packed up and headed South(West.) Matt gave into my pleading that we drive down the coast for awhile on our way to Orlando. I was thinking we'd take A1A to Daytona Beach and then head West to Orlando. We made it as far as St. Augustine before Matt had had it with my beloved 2 lane 40 mph highway and hopped onto I-95 to drive 80mph to Orlando.

We arrived safe and sound at the Rosen Shingle Creek where Matt is attending the

Farm to Fuel conference and the kids and I are going to act like sophisticated resort-ies and order room service and play in one of the 4 swimming pools to our heart's content.

When we checked in Matt asked (like he always does when we travel with him) if there is an available suite we could have ...for no extra charge.

They had a suite for us and Boy Oh Boy what a suite it is!

(too bad we didn't ask for this last year when Kevin and Mili came with us...which totaled 6 including the kiddos in a standard double queen room)

This time around we have one of the Hospitality Suites.

This room is bigger than my first two, maybe three, apartments...put together!

While I'm writing this post the kids are running in every direction, jumping onto any of 8 different sofas or chairs and with any luck Tiring Themselves Out.

Check out the pics and I apologize for being so excited about something so silly

(I do that a lot don't I?)

the kitchenette and part of the fold down bed

there's only one queen bed so although the room is huge, the kids still get to sleep in their sleeping bags...but they're KIDS and they Don't Care. =)

looking towards the entrance from the far end of the room


I don't know why this pic is sideways...my camera was not when I took the pic.
This is the TV area and bathroom at the bottom/far right

another view of the TV area...I am next to the TV and Matt is near the kitchenette.

another mysterious sideways picture...

and right inside the front door of the room is this sign.

Matt better lookout because I just may throw a party while he's working this week.

Seriously?...83 people can fit in here?!?!

This evening, while Matt has been doing work stuff (aka open-bar reception and expensive & tasty dinner out with co-conference attendees,) the kids and I have explored the inside and outside of the hotel, spent a ton of money on dinner (this place is mega-expensive) and played hide-and-seek, Wipeout (based on the TV show) and tackle football in our room. Finally we are settling down and starting to think about bed. I think.