The Desparrois Fambam Takes a Bite Out the Big Apple Day 1

The Desparrois Fambam Takes a Bite Out the Big Apple Day One

Day one started out with the Apple watch buzzing my wrist with the gentle but effective reminder that it was time to get up and get going for the adventures ahead. It's been a year and a half since the entire fambam went on a tour of duty together, and Pam declared that it was way too much time to keep our team from seeing the world. So she loaded us up on the plane and set out sights on New York, New York. After all, we did figure if we "could make it there, we could make it anywhere!"

Since the plane only has three seats in one row and there are four official fambam members, Pam and I had to decide who was going to be the odd man out. I strategically offered to let Pam be with girls for several reasons.
1. I have sat between the girls before after an early morning wake-up call, and I am fully aware of the consequences that follow.         
2. Close quarters are nice for short periods of time, but a three-hour flight can have adverse side effects for the adult in charge.
3. I had my headphones, in-flight movie of Captain Marvel and my very own bag of Gardettos all to myself.

We safely arrived into the Big Apple, grabbed our bags, checked into the Hotel Eddison, and headed out the door. Although the hotel is right in front of Time Square, Pam opted to head down 7th Ave, to take us to Central Park. Maybe she needed some space from the long cramped flight, or perhaps she knew her brood are park people, and she wanted to offer us one of the very best the world has to offer.

The girls were not disappointed as they immediately set their sights on climbing a massive rock for a better view of the city.

Central Park is impressive with all the people, culture, beauty, and street buskers trying to cash in on a buck. I personally like a good cheap act when I see one and AK isn't much different. While D and Pam were playing the Count as Many Dogs as You Can game, AK spied out some street dancers getting ready for a performance. She made her way towards them.  Although they were okay at their craft, they tended to talk too much about what they could do, rather than just do it. In other words, it did little to keep my short attention span, and I was off to explore more of the park while I left. Pam, AK, and D to the show. Sure the guy may have jumper over three people and did a flip in the process. But, I still think it would have been much cooler if the three people didn't have to bend down while he jumped.

Pam's motherly instincts had kicked in, and she knew the girls and I were running on low fuel lights. She navigated us back through the park and up the city to land us at Famous Ray's Pizza. Personally, I have never heard of Ray, but evidently, he is well known for his pizza. Being a fine connoisseur of pizza, you think I would have heard of him by now? 

We ordered up some slices, said our blessings, and dug in. After a few quick bites, I realized why Ray was famous for his pizza! I gave Ray a nearly perfect score of 4.7 pepperonis out of 5. Pam gave Ray a respectable 4.2 pepperonis. D being the most stringent food critic on the team, came in with a 3.2  with her reason being that Ray still had some work to do with his crust before he was really famous. AK most likely won't be invited back to Ray's dining table anytime soon, and she felt Dominos in Midland was better!

Although it was still early in the day, We decided to head back to the hotel, get some water, and set up camp for our trip. It didn't take long for everyone to pass out on the beds from the early morning departure for a quick nap. AK and D awoke to find out it better to find it is better to finish eating your Milk Duds before you fall asleep!

We headed back out and explored more of the City and found us at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Sure it's home to the Late Show with Steven Colbert, but once upon a time David Letterman was the host, and it brought back flashbacks of my 8th grade PE class when Brett and I would discuss the Top 10 list from the night before.

Since Pam is the Supreme Leader of the fambam and knowing the type of food her crew likes, she took some quality advice from Cheree, and we found ourselves eating at Brooklyn's Diner. I opted for the best chicken noodle soup of my life, while AK and Pam split a cheeseburger and D went for the pastrami and mac-n-cheese. All were pleased with their meal, and we headed to Time Square to find it's not much different that Freemont Street in Vegas. Lot's of people, lots of activity, lots of street buskers, and lots of shenanigans. Time Square is both fast-paced and odd at the same time. There are thousands of people gathered, and apparently, the only reason they are collected there is that it is Time Square. 

After a few shops, bumping into lots of people and having to explain to our teenage girls why there was a naked cowboy with a guitar on the street. Pam declared that we had all been up for almost 20 hours and it was time to get some much-needed rest so day two could be as much fun if not more than day one!

Colorado Gram and the Texas Fambam to San Antonio Day 2

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The day started out early as I knew my mom was an early riser and we made plans to meet for breakfast the night before. The hotel was jammed packed and it was nice to beat all the others in line for the free made to order Embassy Suites breakfast that I have become accustomed to enjoying. Although the "made to order" on this particular day would have a new meaning as the omelet cook messed up my order twice thinking that I really needed to up my dairy intake as she insisted on putting cheese on both attempts. I gave up and went for the healthier version of breakfast with a bowl of fruit.

With Pam and the girls still asleep, my mom and I decided to run to HEB and pick up some discount tickets to Seaworld. The goal was to beat the lines that we knew would be waiting to get in with the Texas Spring Break in full swing!

We returned to the hotel to find Pam and the girls finishing up their breakfast in eager anticipation of the day ahead. We soon arrived at our destination and unloaded the Tahoe to head in for the days' festivities. It had been several years since I had been to Seaworld and I was excited to see the Shamu show.

Every family member of the Fambam has their roles while on vacation. The roles are defined by their unique contributions to make our vacations better. For instance, my role is being the heavy, in other words, I am kept around in the case of a raucous breaking out and I need to flex-up to fist-to-cuffs and maintain law and order. Luckily, I have not had to reestablish the peace.

Little D has the role of figuring out cool and interesting places to visit prior to our departure which has led us to some unique adventures that normally would not have been sought out. AK is the family chauffeur delivering us safely from one location to another which is easier to do when I am riding in the far back.

Not only is Pam the Supreme Ruler of the Fambam, but she also is in charge of our daily schedule to keep us on time, well fed and make sure that the grumpies be kept at bay. Pam has a proven successful record with her role as she recently successfully navigated the Fambam through Disney World during the busiest time of the year. No one starved, no major inter family fights broke out and Pam took complete control of the Disney App to ensure the Fambam would be able to maximize the visit to the most magical place on earth.

With this in mind, I happily handed over the Seaworld map to Pam so she could assume her responsibilities! Pam quickly determined that our first stop would be the beluga whale and dolphin show. We arrived early to make sure we got seats.

While we were waiting, Little D noticed that the Steele Eel roller coaster weas close by and wondered out loud if the line would be short. AK acted like she was having a deep texting conversation with a friend, Pam quickly pointed out she was going to get in line for a cup of coffee and Grandma looked at Little D like she was crazy for even considering her to go on the ride. I was too slow to realize what D was actually saying. My slow wit got me a frontrow seat next to Little D to experience to the terror that lurked before me.

Little D figured out that we still had plenty of time before the show started to make another go for the ride. She batted her baby blue eyes at me and I soon realized after three trips on the coaster that I was actually lucky the Embassy Suites " made to order" breakfast mess up worked in my favor as it would have ended up spread out across Seaworld!

Dazed and confused we stumbled back to our seats to catch the first show of the day with the rest of the Fambam. Everyone enjoyed the show and were ready for more fun. We soon found ourselves in Little D's favorite spot when she was younger, the Penguin House.  She wanted to go on the moving walkway that moves you past the penguin exhibit over-and-over again. One of Pam and my all-time favorite photos of Little D came from this very spot when she was a small tike.

The next stop was the Shamu Killer Whale show. I honestly felt disappointed with the show. The trainers no longer get in the water and interact with the whales. I used to enjoy watching the trainers swim with them. The show was still okay, just not nearly as cool as it used be in my opinion.

AK wanted to visit the aquarium, and Little D had her sights set on the Great White roller coaster. Pam deemed that I go with Little D and she and Grandma accompany AK since my equilibrium was already jacked up. It was tough to argue with Pam's logic, so off we went.

What I didn't realize was the Great White roller coaster is one where you are sitting in a chair, and your feet are dangling.

Dangling feet meant bad news for me as loopy-loops, and twisty turns were in my immediate future. Litte D couldn't have been more pleased with the fact that once again, there was almost no line. We boarded the dreaded ride and off we went. I closed my eyes and screamed the entire way in hopes that Little D would be embarrassed by my tactics and not want to go again.

My plan was foiled as the coaster stopped and Little D smiled at me and quietly said "Again?" It was hard to say no to my youngest who doesn't ask for much and off we went for more terror. The popcorn Grandma provided at the Shamu show was not sitting well, and I knew I had all that I could take for the day.

Little D understood by the green color on my face that she was pressing her luck on the Great White. Being the thinker Little D is, she counter-offered with one more ride on the Steel Eel. I agreed as long as I didn't have to ride any more loopy-loops. Plus, my hope was the Steele Eel line would be too long, and we would forgo it all together. The roller coaster gods were not on my side as we walked right up to the ride. Little D suggested we go on the back of the coaster and I knew we were in for trouble.

Locked-and-loaded in the Steel Eel, Little D was smiling from ear-to-ear knowing we were on the scariest part of the coaster. What Little D wasn't expecting was the fast reaction and the feeling of the coaster jumping the track the back of the coaster provides. For once I was not screaming the loudest, and Little D understands what the color of green face feels like in your belly. Interestingly enough she didn't bat her baby blues at me and ask to go again. Instead, she suggested we meet up with the rest of the Fambam for the last show of the day with the seals. I merely smiled and told her that I felt that was a fantastic suggestion!

We met up with the nonriders at the show. The Seal show was a Fambam favorite as it is funny and unreal what they get the animals to do. Besides, it's hard not to like a show where they ask all the educators to stand up and take a hand for all our hard work. I honestly have never had the happen in my life!  Accolades for being a teacher are few and far between.

After the show, it was apparent the Fambam was tired and ready for some real food and not the carnival food we had been putting down all day. Pam had been planning for some time to take the Fambam to a place called Big Lou's Pizza. She had been there before for work and knew it was a place she could feed her hungry brood!

The line at Big Lou's was long and the longer we waited, the more prominent our order became. We finally got our table and ordered a 16' sausage and black olives and a 14' pepperoni with 25 hot wings and sodas all the way around.

While we were waiting to eat our fill, I introduced AK to a drink I coined as the "Double Chugger". It consists of one root beer and one orange soda that is consumed at the same time. AK enjoyed her Double Chugger as much as we all enjoyed our Big Lou's!

Little D's appetite did not disappoint as she tore up the hot wings and dove right into her pizza. Grandma thought we might have over ordered and the girls would have leftovers for breakfast. She must have forgotten that everything is bigger in Texas. That includes the pizza at Big Lou's and the Texas Fambam appetite that goes with it.

When all was said and done, we only had a slice of pizza left and a few chicken wings. Besides the ranch dressing on my shirt, the rest of the table had nothing other than some empty styrofoam soda cups, a few pizza crusts and bare chicken bones stacked as high as the ceiling.

With Grandma being impressed with our Texas-sized appetite and ability to eat it was soon time to retire back to the hotel as we would be returning to Midland for the rest of Grandma's stay in Texas.

Our hope is Grandma will return to Colorado and tell the family of her adventures and fun with the Texas Fambam. Perhaps they may desire to come for a visit to see the pure beauty of Texas and discover for themselves that everything really is bigger in Texas. Plus, AK and Little D would love to have them come to their turf for a change.

After many miles in the Tahoe driven by AK with me not navigating from the third row seat, two out of five mission visited, one trip to the grotto, AK eating king crab, Little D taking me on seven high-speed roller coasters, several great shows at Seaworld and exposing Grandma to the "Run-and-Gun Offense" Texas Fambam style, Pam declared the Spring Break trip to San Antonio officially over.

With all the votes tallied, AK won the award for the Road Warrior with getting us to and from San Antonio safely. Although, the same cannot be said for the Tahoe. But, that is a tale for another day. Little D gets the award for Healthiest Appetite as she took down two consecutive kids meals at Joe's in one sitting and looking Big Lou in the eyes and telling him to "Bring it on!" I continued my streak for winning the Grumpiest Member of the Fambam for being banished to the third-row seat of the Tahoe. Pam continues her reign as the Supreme Ruler of the Fambam for her stellar planning and making sure no one went hungry, got lost or made any dumb decisions. As for Grandma, she was the ultimate trooper with our fast-paced vacation style and officially became a full-fledged member of the Texas Fambam and is welcome back at any time!

Colorado Gram and the Texas Fambam to San Antonio Day 1

Colorado Gram and the Texas Fambam to San Antonio
Day 1:

The day started out extra early as Pam, and I have learned it is much better to give Gus and Maddox a nice long run prior to ditching them so the Fambam could take off for a few days to enjoy some Spring Break leisure in San Antonio. This Spring Break was going to be extra exciting as Grandma from Colorado was going to be accompanying us for a trip across the great state of Texas!

It's been a while since my Mom has been able to come down for a visit and we were going to make sure she had a great time. After a long cold Texas winter with the temperature occasionally touching the freezing mark, we were ready for some warm weather and adventure! We loaded up the Tahoe and headed that bad boy southwest!

Pam declared earlier that AK would be leading most of the voyage as she has her permit and time is ticking down toward the final key dropoff date when we will no longer have to accompany her as a passenger is a motorized vehicle. I was the first co-captain of the trip but was soon replaced by Pam, per AK's request for my nagging on how to negotiate the road. 

Not only was I not allowed to ride up front, but I was also sentenced to the very back of the Tahoe in the dreaded third-row seat that provides for my knees to touch my chin since there is very little-to-no leg room. With D's suitcase sitting next to me as my only companion, I decided to put my headphones in and enjoy the sights as AK took us to the land of missions!

Our first stop in San Antone was to put some nourishment in our bodies and prepare Grandma for a Desparrois Fambam vacation Texas style! Resting and relaxation is not our thing. It's no mystery that we vacation hard! We like to take in as much as we can as fast as we can. It's a little strategy I borrowed from the old USFL called the "Run-and-Gun Offense."

We hit up Cheddars where Little D feasted on her usual choice of pasta, AK decided to go the protein route with a steak, Grandma went for a salad and potato while Pam got all crazy on us and ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich. All were pleased with their meal, and we were soon off to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto.

Grandma had wanted to see the grotto for some time as her an Papa sent prayers requests to them in the past. It holds a special place for them. The grotto really is a pretty place to visit and see. We spent some time walking around and seeing the fantastic grotto and artwork around all the grounds. Grandma also picked up some information to have a brick made in Papa's memory! 

The grotto got us in the mood to visit some of the Missions. Many people do not realize that San Antonio has some incredible missions still intact from years long ago. In fact, the Alamo belongs to this group of missions. Being a history buff, I have no problem setting out on the Mision Trail to take in some of the history and the beautiful architecture they have to offer.

Our first stop was at Mission Concepcion. I recently had visited when AK was playing volleyball close by a few weeks earlier. I sent Grandma some pictures, and she wanted to see it for herself! The girls eagerly agreed and we were off to the south side of San Antonio. The neighborhood the missions are in, leave something to be desired but I told Little D that it was all part of the cultural experience and education she was receiving.

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Mission Concepcion did not disappoint as Grandma walked the grounds with Little D and AK. Pam and I were a tad behind them as she was looking at the magnificent architecture that was still intact after several hundred years. What makes Mission Concepcion so incredible is that they hold Mass in the sanctuary to this day. 

Since school had been out, Pam was concerned the girls would lack in retaining their knowledge and declared we would continue on the Mission Trail for more education and cultural understanding. The next stop was the Mission San Jose. It's only a few miles drive down a winding road where you want to make sure you have enough gas so not to have to stop.

The mission was packed, and we headed in only to find out that it had just closed. We were able to look around a little, but didn't get the whole "mission experience" Pam was hoping to provide the girls on their break! 

It was starting to get later in the afternoon and Pam headed us to downtown. The girls love going to the River Walk and wanted Grandma to experience the culture and beauty it delivers. Grandma was an absolute trooper putting in many steps and happily agreed to walk some more. 

Pam's suggestion of the River Walk was vital and the number one reason why she retains the title Supreme Ruler of the Fambam. Pam is always reading and taking notes of the girls and myself while on vacation to see what each person needs before we get too grumpy. My Fitbit was causing me fits, and the band would not stay on. Little D was growing quiet, which means hunger is starting to set in. Grandma was slowing down a touch from the walking and stairs, and AK saw Joe's Crab Shack in her sights and had flashbacks of eating crab on the beach in Clearwater, Florida a few months before. 

Pam knew she had few precious minutes to spare before complete and total chaos and possibly anarchy broke out with her crew she was charged with. With Grandma wanting to see San Fernando Cathedral, the mother of my children quickly mapped out the quickest route to get us there before it closed and to Joe's to take care of Little D's need for sustenance, and AK's craving for the spider of the sea!

Grandma was pleased with the quick stop to San Fernando before it closed. It is the oldest cathedral in the US and claims to have the remains of Crockett, Travis, and Bowie and is also the oldest church in Texas.

Pam pushed the Fambam onward knowing we still had to eat and the lines would soon be forming on the River Walk. We reached Joe's Crab Shack and luckily only had to wait a few minutes for a table as Little D was starting to fade from the need of nourishment!

The dinner was excellent as AK went with the kid's pasta with a side of king crabs legs. Pam and I split the grilled shrimp so I could embark on my favorite of a beautiful big bowl of clam chowda with hot sauce and crackers. Grandma followed suit with the grilled shrimp, and Little D went with her go-to kid's mac-n-cheese meal. The food came out quick enough to keep Little D going, and she went to work on her dish and was through it before AK could figure out the puzzle of cracking into her first crab leg. Grandma knew Little D was still hungry and made her order another meal to fulfill her bodies requirements as it gets prepared for the teenage years a few short months away.

We had a great time hanging out, laughing and enjoying the meal as we talked about how busy the day was. Grandma was happy to be given membership into the Texas Fambam and was looking for a great night sleep as AK polished off the last of her king crab legs and I gave up on my Fitbit band!

We loaded up the Tahoe and checked into the Embassy Suites for a long night of slumber and relaxation. Grandma knew the "Run-and-Gun Offense" would be put into full effect the next day as Pam would lead her team to Seaworld for more walking, memories, and more fun than the rest of the  Colorado Desparrois' could handle!

The Fambam Takes on Florida Day 6 & 7

The Fambam Takes on Florida Day 6 & 7

Day 6 started out with me getting up and trying to catch up on my blog posts and Pam going for a run along the beach. We decided there would be no official plans for the day and we would let the girls sleep in as long as their teenage bodies needed to rejuvenate.

I went out to the terrace that overlooked the ocean to enjoy my cup of joe and seek inspiration from the waves hitting the beach. Pam soon joined me, and I tried to convince her that I need to take a six-month sabbatical to Clear Water Beach to complete my book that I have been working on. She disagreed stating the Gus, our dog, would miss out on me being the only male in the household, and offered up our backyard porch as an alternative.

The girls soon woke up and joined us for the typical Hampton Inn breakfast with the exception that today was Pam's favorite breakfast pairing. The Bagel Topper was put out for Pam's eating pleasure. It's not often that Pam loses her composer, but the Bagel Topper has made her skip the line in front of small kids and the elderly to get her favorite breakfast snack before they run out.

With the Bagel Toppers consumed the girls decided to play a friendly game of Corn Hole. The girls love playing Corn Hole since their Uncle Jeffy taught them the craft of the game a few years ago in his backyard. They quickly fell in love and will play it any chance they get!

With the weather being a little chilly in the morning we decided to walk the island and do some exploring. The exploring allowed us to enjoy all the island has to offer. We enjoyed a plan-free day of nothing.

Little D soon decided colder weather or not; it would be a shame to not go to the private beach. She reasoned that we were in paradise, and it was not nearly as cold as the flat, dusty lands of West Texas as reports back home had freezing weather with the possibility of rare snow in the forecast. We all agreed with Little D's thought process and followed her. Pam and I opted for the much warmer hot tub, and the girls decided the pool would suffice.

Little D's idea proved to be a good one as we were spectators to one of the most incredible sunsets we have witnessed anywhere. Clear Water Beach stood still to watch the fantastic display of lights and reflections taking place off the Gulf of Mexico.

After the sunset, Pam declared we would be staying in and ordering a pizza and eating on the terrace of the hotel under the nice warm space heaters. Nobody argued as everyone was still in chill mode from Disney magic overload and enjoying the relaxation that the "salt life" provides.

We chowed down on the local pizza as AK and Pam got caught up in their bible study, and Little D made sure to get some reading done. Bedtime came early for the entire Fambam as we would be partaking on the Christmas present Grandma from Colorado provided on the trip for the next day. Some of us were excited about the adventure, and some of us would have to prepare to overtake our fear of heights to enjoy the gracious gift.

Day 7 started out early with me lacking sleep from my absolute fear of high things. We would be heading to a zip lining park in Tampa. It is a well know and understood fact that I do not do well with heights. My fear entirely takes over my inner soul and leaves me unable to move. I am frequently reminded of our trip to the Grand Canyon a few years back when Pam told me the girls would enjoy the canyon a lot more if I walked ahead of the rest of them so they couldn't see me freak out!
Once we got the girls up, we went and had a quick breakfast and drove over to the mainland. I wanted to spend a few minutes finding where my Aunt Patsy lived when she was in Clearwater. She passed away several years ago, and I never had the chance to see her place. My dad always told me how pretty it was and how white the sand on the beach was the best he had seen. With a little help from my Auntie Cookie, we were able to get the address and do some exploring.


















It was soon time to drive to Tampa. We got there early enough to walk around and explore the zip lines. They had a lot of people on the platforms, and it didn't look too scary from the ground. The girls were excited and ready to roll. It was our turn as we got suited up in the harnesses. We had to take a winding spiral staircase to the top of the highest platform. The entire time you are on a platform, zip line or obstacle you are clipped on a line so there is no way you can fall. This did very little to help calm my nerves.

The girls and Pam had no problems on the first zip line. I was a little slower letting go and jumping off. Little D showed absolutely no fear as she would pose for the pictures and liked the idea of not using her hands!

The second tower had four obstacles to complete. Each obstacle was more difficult than the first, and if that wasn't bad enough, the last two required you to go 25 feet higher in the air to compete. My heart was pounding as I was pretty sure I was going to pass on the whole obstacle thing. I lucked out and was able to watch several others in our group go before me. Several were even giving the high five as they passed each other. Little D and AK sprinted across the cross bridge and log. Pam was a little more cautious as she crossed. I was just happy to be able to pass with the guide giving me step-by-step directions to help me over.

The first two obstacles were horrible, but I knew the terrifying stuff was still ahead as we had to climb twenty-five more feet up and cross two more with just some ropes to walk on. Little D and AK couldn't be more thrilled as we went up. I was about to puke, and Pam was still hanging tough. I knew I had to find just enough nerve to cross so the girls had a little pride left when it comes to their daddy. When I got to the top of the platform, I completely froze! To make matters worse, Pam went before me, and she misstepped which caught her off balance.

Pam was able to regain her balance, and I must have looked green because our guide told me right before it was my turn that everything would be okay. He said that all I needed to do was push outward on the rope as hard as I could while I shuffled my feet. This seemed a little counterintuitive when it comes to gravity. With having no choice, I did precisely what he sad, and it worked like a charm. In fact, I don't like to brag, but the guide on the other side said that I had incredible balance. In reality, he was just trying to boost my ego so I could make it through the last and final obstacle. He knew it would be a downer for the group to have to call the fire department out to save me from the high platform and it would probably not favor him with tips either!

I was able to cross the last obstacle without ever looking down or even opening my eyes for that matter. I knew there was no way I could make it across if I looked. I survived the toughest part of the zip line tour and knew the worst was behind me. The girls finished their final two obstacles, and we went through the last zip lines with ease.

We finally arrived at the end of the tour, and I had a massive sense of relief. It was nice to be off the platform and onto solid ground finally. If you find yourself looking for an excellent zip line tour, I recommend you checkout Zip on Tampa and ask for Steven and Cole to be your guides. Not only are they highly entertaining, but they also helped me survive and maintain a little bit of my dignity in the process!

We all enjoyed Grandma's present and were ready to eat some food. We drove around looking for somewhere to dine and settled on a chain restaurant called Bob Evans. There was no doubt that it was a blue-hair hangout as AK pointed out that we were the only ones under eighty in the joint. We celebrated with an average meal but enjoyed the time together as I enjoyed the fact that I did not suffer a heart attack from the heights.

We headed to the hotel and went to bed early so we could get up at 2:00 am Texas time to catch the redeye home. We arrived in Midland on New Year's Eve to find the temperature below freezing with winds over twenty miles an hour.


As we pulled up to our house, the Fitbit said we officially logged 148,168 total steps for 68.77 miles walked during our vacation. We consumed four pizzas and countless goldfish crackers from my trusty backpack. AK tried and fell in love with crab legs while Little D found that jarred alfredo sauce is the best. Pam put her physically fit thumbs from years of playing Candy Crush to good work as she was able to swiftly and efficiently find us Fast Passes on the Disney App and I faced my fear of heights and still enjoyed the zip line tour.

When the final votes were tallied, AK won the award for the Biggest Trooper on the Trip as she spent the majority of the time not feeling well and never complaining once! Little D won the prize for the Most Adventurous as she loved all the exploring she was able to do on Tom Sawyer's Island, on the Beach in Clearwater and not to mention being utterly fearless on the zip line tour. I claimed the top spot for the Grumpiest Kid Award as it has been pointed out to me that my fit at "It's Tough to be a Bug" attraction was legendary and one that will go down in Disney folklore. And Pam, well...it's no surprise that once again she was voted Coolest Parent of the Year for being just that, and It didn't hurt that she also dropped off us off at the gates of the Magic Kingdon so we could make our Fast Pass while she parked the car.

The Fambam will be taking a long break from vacations until this summer. We haven't decided where we will be going, but, we do know that we will have fun when we do!

The Fambam Travel Tips of the Day:

-Do plan a day of nothing on your vacation (it will allow your fambam some much-needed rest and make the remainder of your trip more enjoyable).
-Do go ziplining even if you are scared (it was worth the time and money to see how much the girls enjoyed themselves).
-Don't take the redeye when you head home (it doesn't make a nice ending to your vacation (it only leaves everyone tired and fighting for the grumpy award).