Trip Report Thank Heaven for Little Girls.

A few years back my son and I took a trip out West and along the way spent a few estrogen free days in Disneyland. This year was the girl's turn, even if that wasn't part of our original plans.

Planning vacations as your children get older can be a difficult task. Demands from college, high-school, camps, activities, and even part time jobs end up leaving very few open spaces on the calendar. Lately it seems that mid July to mid August is our sweet spot for getting away and so it was again this year. Based on a great deal on a condo found by my wife Val, we came up with a somewhat last minute plan to visit Clearwater Beach Florida...and oh yeah, we decided to drive down from Pennsylvania. I also had an eye to sneak away to WDW for at least a day during our week stay.

My son Sterg had to bow out of the trip. He's starting college at Penn State this year and since he's on their swim team he needed to stay behind and train. See what I mean about other demand? Don't feel too bad for him however, he has had a few nice trips of his own over the last six months. It may have also saved his life as I'm sure having to deal with him for 18 hours in a car would have stirred some primal blood anger in me.

Without Sterg it would leave myself, my wife Val, my 21 year old daughter Alex (about to become a college senior) and my 13 year old daughter Toni. Not quite "little girls" anymore but as most Dads will attest to; they are always little girls. Anyone who has read my previous reports knows that Val is not the biggest Disney fan - but how could we be so close to WDW and not go? After much deliberations on the scale of the Yalta conference we hammered out an arrangement to make one day on our trip "Chris, Alex and Toni get to go to Walt Disney World" Day. Where there is a will...

The big day came - we departed on a Saturday at 3pm in the afternoon after loading up our trusty stead/Ford Explorer. Leaving Sterg home by himself for a week brought it's own set of issues but he was all smiles and willing to play photographer as we said our goodbyes...

At this point we had no idea what we were getting into...

Sterg's long arms came in handy here...

Alex and Toni settling in for a long voyage and adventure while Sterg makes sure we say our goodbyes to Prince our dog.

We were on our way to Florida!

 

[LieutLaww]

Awesome looking pics !

 

[KathyJetson]

Oh goody a new trip report, I'm in!

 

[Disney-leaf]

Beautiful pictures, wow!! You seem like such a lovely family

 

[fractal]

A weird moment for parents is when your children get to legal drinking age. Alex is now 21, so Yia-Yia no longer has to risk going to jail for trying to sneak her some booze when we are out dining. It's a bit odd however to see the little girl you raised ordering drinks at a restaurant as Alex did the first evening at Jimmy's Fish House and Iguana Bar (which was directly across the street from us in the Holiday Inn).

She properly asked me if she could order the Blue Margarita special and I said yes. When the waiter asked if she wanted the big version I interjected with a "sure, why not" trying to be a "cool Dad". I didn't realize how big the big Blue Margarita was.

The thing came with it's own fruit salad! At this point Alex and Toni began to discuss how I am a "cool" Dad. Val begged to differ as she tended to view things from a stylistic standpoint.

"Dad's not really cool" Val said. "but he thinks he's a cool cat".

So that garnered some laughs and for the rest of the week, anytime I would spill a drink or drop some food on my shirt or trip in my flip flops, Val was ready with "There's your Dad, the cool cat". The worst offense however is wearing the dreaded cargo shorts. From my practical and rational perspective cargo shorts are invaluable, especially when carrying a wallet, a cell phone, glasses, cash and maybe an extra camera lens or two. Those extra dozen pockets or so are ingeniously placed.

"Dad, please with the cargo shorts!" Alex would say. "Def not cool!"

That's the other thing with my girls - they seem to want to shorten every word. I have to learn what def,ish,sandy (which is sandwich),pannies (pancakes), etc. mean. They also like using the word "hype", especially when I'm trying to argue a point, as in:

"Pops, why are you getting so hype?"

I never knew I was getting hype. Val however is the primary target for the use of "hype" and I've stupidly adopted the lingo and have been know to tell her to turn down her "hype-ometer". It usually doesn't work out well after that.

After the drinks arrived Toni was getting impatient.

"When can I order?" she said. "I'm banished!"

"What?" Alex asked "You're what?"

"I'm banished!" she replied confidently, almost proud of her vocabulary.

"That doesn't even make any sense" Alex said in a stinging voice.

"Yes it does! It means I'm really hungry! Dad said it at Cracker Barrel" Toni snapped back.

We all (except for Toni) started laughing. "Honey, it's famished. Famished means I'm hungry not banished. Banished means like you are kicked out of somewhere." I said.

Toni, ever the one to never admit she is wrong just looked straight at me and said "well, you must have said it wrong then".

Val chuckled "that's your cool cat Dad, using cool cat words".

After our meal and drinks on the deck of Jimmy's we went back and played some cards. Toni introduced us to a rummy type game called "Presidents and Scum" which she learned from a friend. It got heated from time to time but overall I enjoyed the card game with my girls.

I ended the evening by getting out my camera and tripod again and taking some long exposure night shots of our back inlet view. I even broke out my new infrared remote shutter for this. After I explained what the device was and how it worked Val just said " Right, because having a remote infrared shutter release is just so cool!"

They were impressed with the pictures however and somewhat frustrated that they couldn't replicate them with there beloved I-phones.

 

[Bob]

A weird moment for parents is when you children get to legal drinking age. Alex is now 21, so Yia-Yia no longer has to risk going to jail for trying to sneak her some booze when we are out dining. It's a bit odd however to see the little girl you raised ordering drinks at a restaurant as Alex did the first evening at Jimmy's Fish House and Iguana Bar (which was directly across the street from us in the Holiday Inn).

She properly asked me if she could order the Blue Margarita special and I said yes. When the waiter asked if she wanted the big version I interjected with a "sure, why not" trying to be a "cool Dad". I didn't realize how big the big Blue Margarita was.

The thing came with it's own fruit salad! At this point Alex and Toni began to discuss how I am a "cool" Dad. Val begged to differ as she tended to view things from a stylistic standpoint.

"Dad's not really cool" Val said. "but he thinks he's a cool cat".

So that garnered some laughs and for the rest of the week, anytime I would spill a drink or drop some food on my shirt or trip in my flip flops, Val was ready with "There's you Dad, the cool cat". The worst offense however is wearing the dreaded cargo shorts. From my practical and rational perspective cargo shorts are invaluable, especially when carrying a wallet, a cell phone, glasses, cash and maybe an extra camera lens or two. Those extra dozen pockets or so are ingeniously placed.

"Dad, please with the cargo shorts!" Alex would say. "Def not cool!"

That's the other thing with my girls - they seem to want to shorten every word. I have to learn what def,ish,sandy (which is sandwich),pannies (pancakes), etc. mean. They also like using the word "hype", especially when I'm trying to argue a point, as in:

"Pops, why are you getting so hype?"

I never knew I was getting hype. Val however is the primary target for the use of "hype" and I've stupidly adopted the lingo and have been know to tell her to turn down her "hype-ometer". It usually doesn't work out well after that.

After the drinks arrived Toni was getting impatient.

"When can I order?" she said. "I'm banished!"

"What?" Alex asked "You're what?"

"I'm banished!" she replied confidently, almost proud of her vocabulary.

"That doesn't even make any sense" Alex said in a stinging voice.

"Yes it does! It means I'm really hungry! Dad said it at Cracker Barrel" Toni snapped back.

We all (except for Toni) started laughing. "Honey, it's famished. Famished means I'm hungry not banished. Banished means like you are kicked out of somewhere." I said.

Toni, ever the one to never admit she is wrong just looked straight at me and said "well, you must have said it wrong then".

Val chuckled "that's your cool cat Dad, using cool cat words".

After our meal and drinks on the deck of Jimmy's we went back and played some cards. Toni introduced us to a rummy type game called "Presidents and Scum" which she learned from a friend. It got heated from time to time but overall I enjoyed the card game with my girls.

I ended the evening by getting out my tripod again and taking some long exposure night shots of our back inlet view. I even broke out my new infrared remote shutter for this. After I explained what the device was and how it worked Val just said " Right, because having an remote infrared shutter release is just so cool!"

They were impressed with the pictures however and somewhat frustrated that they couldn't replicate them with there beloved I-phones.

Absolutely amazing night photos!!

 

[fractal]

So excited to see another TR from you! Following along.

Thanks for following!

Yea! Another fractal family vacation TR!! (Too bad Sterg couldn't join you on this vacation trip, and also your mom. She was a riot in your last WDW TR!)


I'm really looking forward to more pictures, as you have one of the best cameras that takes incredibly sharp pictures; you also have a real talent for composition.

My Mom was invited but declined the long car ride. Sterg actually enjoyed the week by himself ( not to mention the times his buddies stopped by the house).

Thanks - I really had a great time with the camera and had 2 lenses with me I didn't have on the last trip.

The clouds in that HDR photo makes it easily frame worthy.

Thanks!

Ahhhhhhh... your photos are what I imagine heaven to look like.

This may be the best photo compliment I've ever received!

You're pictures are amazing, as usual!
We just did a similar trip last week. We drove from northern Virginia to Jacksonville beach(which was far enough with a 2yo and 7yo) Talked our selves into a couple days in Disney.

Can't wait to read more!

It's so hard to resist! We did 2 trips to Hilton Head when Alex, then Sterg were babies. Always interesting!

Amazing pics!

Thanks!

YAY!!!! A Fractal trip report!!!!

I can't get over how much the kids are growing up. That's awesome that Sterg is starting at Penn State and on their swim team. Penn State is such a nice school...had a tough choice between Penn State and Syracuse back in the day.

The condo looks fabulous (great price point as well) and all of the beach pics make me miss my parents' time residing on the FL gulf coast. Also glad you had Alex take over at the wheel. That's the worst when you start to get road weary and you're fighting to push on.

Can't wait to read more!

Thanks! Your last TR reminded me a bit or our trip. Yes, having 3 drivers was a blessing - thanks for following!

 

[fractal]

Awesome looking pics !

Thanks!

Oh goody a new trip report, I'm in!

Glad you are following!

Beautiful pictures, wow!! You seem like such a lovely family

Thank you! Looks can be deceiving! Enjoying your report as well.

Absolutely amazing night photos!!

Thanks Bob!

 

[Lyear]

Looking forward to reading your new report. You must be the model family (or should I say fam?) for compromise. I'm glad you could find a vaca (that will be the last one I promise) that everyone could sign off on, well except for Sterg. BTW, here's wishing him the best at swimming. It makes me so happy that someone else has appreciated the contrast between the brand new hotels and the decades old ones at the shore. It seems like every time I go I comment on this and just get blank stares back at me. I at least think it's interesting. We're currently prepping ourselves for a PA to WDW drive this November, only ours will be with a 4 year old and 1 year old, so a different set of challenges. Can't wait to see what you did on your Disney day.

 

[cfry06]

Hooray! Always love a Fractal report! So great to "check in" with your beautiful family again. They've grown so!

Pictures are beautiful! I will daydream of that beach and water tomorrow at work .
I look forward to your WDW day, but am also looking forward to more beach adventures. Great deal on the condo.
As a fellow Penn Stater, happy to hear Sterg is headed to Happy Valley! And the swim team! How awesome - congrats to him. A football game for the fam is a must, if you've never been! Or even if you have!
I think you're a cool cat Dad!

Following along!

 

[imagination30]

always have loved your trip reports @fractal .. your kids are really growing up .. cant wait to read the rest..

 

[disneypearl]

Looks like a great time! Clearwater Beach looks so beautiful. I think you should frame a few of those pictures!

 

[insaneshadow]

I wish I had more people to take trips with to Disney World; I'd end up going more often if I did. One day I'll have people that love Disney World as much as I do. Turns out if a 30 year old man wants little girls to go on a trip with him he's automatically put on a "Watch List". They're the ones that made it dirty!

 

[Disney_crazy]

Really enjoying your trip report.
We are going to Clearwater and disneyworld for our honeymoon in November. It's great to see some photos of Clearwater. Not sure what temperatures will be like in November at Clearwater but hope to be able to stroll on beach.
Looking forward to next instalment!

 

[fractal]

Day 2 - otherwise know as "the Day before Disney" was another beach day because that's what you do when you're at a beach.

I was taking a risk bringing my camera along, salt and sand don't mix too well with electronic gear. I mitigated the risks by keeping the camera and lens in a large ziplock bag and in another camera bag when not in use. After making everybody "pannies" for breakfast, I packed a cooler, Val the beach bag and the girls grabbed a couple beach chairs from the condo and off we went.

The ocean on the Gulf of Mexico is different than what I'm used to from the "Atlantic" side. Gulf water is usually calmer and warmer but also clearer and so it was on this day. One nice feature similar to the Jersey shore was how you would walk out into chest high water, then eventually back up onto a knee high sand bar area. Before the trip, Toni was upset the most that Sterg wasn't coming as he was always willing to go in the water with her. With Alex, being the family's "fraidy-cat" ( afraid of crabs pinching her toes, jelly fish stings, or shark bites ) it was up to me to play the role of Sterg; which I gladly did. We wadded in the warm water, floated on "noodles" and attempted to ride in the weak gulf waves. Every trip from shore to "gully" to sand bar was it's own little adventure.

Val for her part enjoyed sunning and saw the ocean strictly as a means of cooling off, but on this trip she also spent more time in the water for Toni's sake.

Some photos of the Gulf of Mexico and the beach...

The bathing beauties...

At one point I realized I was getting a lot of sun which combined with the ocean washing off most of my sunscreen started to turn my upper body a nice bright shade of red. I put on a t-shirt and decided to go for a walk down the beach ( one of my favorite things to do ). I also wanted to investigate the building that looked like it could be serving food and libations. The girls decided to go with me.

Turned out the building was serving food but not "adult" drinks. Alex and Toni pleaded for $4 frozen slushies - they won the argument.
But first before handing off the drinks, - I had to do what every good Dad does when buying their children slushies ( or ice-cream for that matter ); TEST FOR POISON!

The girls enjoying their refreshing (poison free) drinks.

After some more time on the beach and on the way back to the condo we grabbed lunch (and a few adult drinks) at Frenchy's.

Preston was our waiter and the bartender (and good at both).

Val and I - it was nice not having to shave everyday. Val and Alex liked the scruff but Toni didn't.

My attempt at a "selfie" with the wide angle lens.

After lunch we finished our trek back to the condo to try out the pool. I was looking forward to the evening and our plans to be on the beach during sunset!

 

[Tink28]

Great report, loving the pics, look forward to more

 

[DisneyChild1968]

Awesome trip report. You have two very lovely daughters and really handsome son! I'm looking forward to the rest of your report!

 

[senor_jorge]

I keep waiting for your awesome Disney shirt to appear.

 

[disneypearl]

You are very brave to take the job of poison tester. I'm sure that your family feels safer. The beach looks so beautiful! What a nice and relaxing day!

 

[jjbuster2]

I ended the evening by getting out my camera and tripod again and taking some long exposure night shots of our back inlet view. I even broke out my new infrared remote shutter for this. After I explained what the device was and how it worked Val just said " Right, because having an remote infrared shutter release is just so cool!"

Having a remote infrared shutter release must be cool because your pictures are awesome! Actually, I don't know much about photography besides just keep taking tons of pictures and some of them might turn out good

Can't wait to see the pictures from Disney!!!

 

[TheMouseFan]

Glad to hear that my husband isn't the only one willing to "take one for the family" and make sure the sweet treats are "okay" to be consumed!! Can't wait to read about your Disney day!