The "I'm Stuck on Figuring Out a Title for my Trip Report" Trip Report - UPDATED 7/5 About This Page:

[Wendyismyname]

I'm gonna hold you to that Cam!! One of these days! Heck, Owensboro is not that far away!

[Cam22]

Originally Posted by Wendyismyname

Very cool!! I get nervous about meets, but spur of the moment meets are a different story! I can walk up to a stranger and strike up a conversation, but when it's a planned, unless I know the person well, my tongue gets tied and i feel stupid! LOL! Silly, isn't it?!

Originally Posted by Wendyismyname

I'm gonna hold you to that Cam!! One of these days! Heck, Owensboro is not that far away!

Great minds think alike I've been told because I was thinking we really don't live that far apart.

[chezp]

I hope that laptop soon sorts itself out.

[Colexis Mom]

Gosh Wendy, how awful that you're having laptop problems!!

[lindawdw]

that your laptop gets fixed soon!!! I can't wait for you to be able to start your TR!

[Wendyismyname]

Thursday June 11, 2009

Ben gets home at exactly 2:49pm. I am wanting out that door by 3:00, 3:15 at the latest. We had loaded the Excursion earlier so he quickly changed his clothes and can you believe we were out of the driveway by 2:56pm? He told me I missed my calling, that I should have been a drill instructor!

The drive to the airport was uneventful, but even with just an hour, Gabby has a hard time staying awake. No way am I going to let her sleep now, because she won't sleep later, so I tell them to open up their portable DVD players. That did the trick. It also made the car quiet. I should have done that immediately!

We are staying at the Country Inns and Suites on Kentucky Ave/IN 67. We really like this place. They make us feel at home. So much so that they gave us the exact room as last year. I'm happy to report that it looks exactly the same--clean!








Ben caught me in mid-bounce there!


My ham



We were waiting for Yvonne(TinkerBelz) and her daughter to join us for supper. Like us, they have about an hour and half drive and we didn't wait long for them to arrive! Our timing couldn't have been more perfect!
It was so good to see her and her daughter, I just love them both. Much laughter was exchanged between us girls and alot of eye rolling from the guys

We strolled over to Damons for supper. That was nice. We shared sampler platter on the girls end, which included wings, mozzarella sticks(thought of you Bine), potato skins and best of all Fried ZUCCHINI!! Love, love, love zucchini!
Ben had nachos and I believe Josh had the mozzarella sticks. We all shared and passed things around.
I had the Steamboat sandwich I think it was called. Pulled pork BBQ with jalapenos and melted cheese. Could not pick it up, I tried and it was too messy so it because a knife and fork meal! I ate just half of it. It was very good and very filling. I dont remember what everyone else ate, but I do remember that both Gabrielle and Michael can order for themselves and tell the servants(as Princess Gabby called them!)exactly how they want their food, including the ice and straw in their drinks!

After dinner, we ran like crazy trying not to get wet. Okay, the guys picked up the young'uns and ran like heck while Yvonne, her daughter and I braved the hurricane like the strong women we are. Yes, we got drenched.
I lent out some shirts so they could throw theirs in the dryers and us gals and Josh headed to the pool for some conversation, and a bottle of water.

All too soon we were saying goodbye to the girls. Sad but knowing we'd see them again soon. It was time to get everyone cleaned up and into bed as it was pushing 8pm!

Nine o'clock is bedtime in my house for anyone under the age of 12, and for people over the age of 34. Yep. We go to bed early. But did we sleep? Nope. Michael and Gabrielle were giggling so much that we had to split up with the boys sharing their bed and us princesses sharing ours. Gabby soon learned that Mama meant business too(I had been up since 4am and I was TIRED). Josh was content with the pull out couch in the living room, which i learned he pushed back in and slept on it like that. Said it was not so comfy for him.

Coming soon: My goodness that's before the rooster crows!

[disneydreamer33]

More, more, more....please!?

[lauren-roxy]

Great start!! Sounds like a wonderful meal!!

[lauriep]

Great start! I love Gabby's "servants" comment.

[krisk11]

More please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Desurae]

"servants" That's great! To cute! Can't wait to read more!

[Wendyismyname]

Friday June 12, 2009

The alarm rings at 3:30am. That's long before the rooster crows!

The plan was for ME to get up and start getting woke up, have some coffee and THEN wake up the kids. Well it didn't work out that way, they were too excited! We had to be ready for the shuttle at 4:30am anyway. Previously when we stayed there, if you had an early flight, they put breakfast out for you. Now it's 6am. I don't know when that changed and not that I myself would have eaten, but everyone else would have.

It was a quiet ride to the airport, about 15 minutes, most of that time you are driving past the airport, then curving back around to it. I love the new terminal, I love everything about it. But I don't have pictures of it. Sorry, just google the Indianapolis Airport if you want to see it. It looks like something out of the Jetsons.

We were dropped off and had to take the skybridge, which is a personal favorite of mine, especially when they start playing disco music and the lights start to dance. Very cool.
No one from SWA was at curbside or inside check in yet, but not to fear, within seconds, I saw the guys heading outside with his fan and I knew what to do! Even though there were people waiting inside to check in, we were first to do curbside! It's a little trick I learned about for the DoD trip.
After we checked in, we headed to.........the bathrooms of course. Like Cheryl's TR for DoD, this one should also be titled "we couldn't pass up a bathroom". Business taken care of we headed through security. It was busier today than my time in April and we had to wait all of 5 minutes before we got to the other side. Nothing set it off and nobody was wanded, so it was straight to Champs for breakfast.

Ben and I split the sausage, egg and cheese croisant, Josh had the entire thing, and Michael and Gabby split an order of pancakes with sausage and bacon. I didn't even eat all of my half of the sandwich let alone the potatoes that come with it! Josh and Ben on the other hand, had no problems. Oink Oink my little swines!

Joshua told us that all of his pictures would consist of food. I think that lasted two meals. (Sadly those photos can't be added at this time because they are on my laptop that keeps shutting down and I need to try a chill mat!)

We had killed enough time eating that we didn't have long until we were boarding our plane. The wait went by really quickly and it surprised me because I was keeping the young'uns entertained. We stood and watched the action below for quite a while.

Soon we boarded the very full plane. We had early A group and the boys scored the bulkhead seats. I was happy for Josh that he got some extra legroom!! A woman stopped on her way to find a seat to see if I'd mind if I'd take the window seat so her mother could have mine. Sure, I didn't mind at all. Except we had to climb over her to go to the bathroom and once I stepped on her foot. Sorry!! I'm glad we did though because she was a Nurse in WWII. The things she saw, I can only imagine and don't want to. She is 86 and self sufficient too. We had a great time conversing, or rather I was listening intently. They were going down for a Volleyball tournament of sorts. I hope her great-granddaughter's team won!

We landed a bit ahead of time and while I waited for the gate checked stroller, Ben took the kids to the bathoom. Finally after a good wait, I had the stroller. That's the downside about being in the very front of the plane, it takes a while to get your gate-checked gear.


I was chomping at the bit to get down to baggage claim and to see our driver from Happy Limo. This was going to be a surprise to the guys, but a few days before leaving, I let Ben read the spreadsheet and I forgot I had that info on there! Anyway, there he was and he helped us get our bags.
Then he led us down to the ground level and out a different door!! I was expecting to turn and head out to where the DME buses are, instead we turned right and that must be there the VIPs go, because I sure felt like one!

I saw the gold color Yukon and thought we were heading for that. Nope, he tricked us and turned toward the black stretch!! Sadly all my good shots are on my laptop and hopefully will be on here later.





Coming up next: Our arrival at the GF and feeling "special"

[PrincessSharon]

Great start! Sounds like everyone is having fun so far!

[Luvsun]

So sorry about the laptop! I hope you are able to figure out what is wrong and get it fixed!
Great start to the "Trip of Upgrades"!!!!
I can't wait for more!

[krisk11]

Can't wait for more TR and to see the GF.