Almost. We were almost Florida bound. Traffic on I-35 reached what I hope was and will remain unprecedented standstills. After an hour, we had traveled approximately twelve miles and found ourselves in downtown Oklahoma City enjoying Disney's new Cinderella. 'Twas a lovely, lovely film. Of course, our little princess was understandably devastated when the magic ended; real tears fell from those baby blues that night. Eventually, we found our way to the Marriott DFW/Irving--a park and fly hotel that's clean, easy, and accommodating if ever you're looking.
Anxiously we awaited the arrival of our Spirit aircraft. Reviews were dicey, and I expected to be surprised with a mite box asking for just a few more coins to cover unexpected fees. We were surprised. Spirit graciously allowed us to check our car seats for free, and we boarded the plane without so much as an additional dime dropped in a tip jar. A word of advice: book everything in advance and come prepared. Prepay your bags, preprint your boarding passes, and prepare snacks for on board dining. If you're prepared, all that's left to do is enjoy the grand player piano as you shuffle to the check-in desk.
The plane was clean, new, and more than pleasant enough to make me glad that we had saved a thousand (yes a thousand!) dollars on tickets by flying this little budget airline.
Vacation Mom likes selfies.
Vacation Kids tolerate Vacation Mom. Vacation Gigi does not tolerate vacation potties: "Can't we just go home where there are no auto flushers?"
He's still a lover, not a fighter. His jam? The Fisher Price Rainforest relaxation album. A nervous flyer, this one.
Once on the ground, we were again surprised, unpleasantly so. Hertz at the Tampa airport had our reservation, but no car. They graciously offered us a convertible at a premium, because you know, they had those in stock. They also had a Cadillac available for just a bit of an extra charge--this, despite the fact that the Toyota Corolla that we had reserved wasn't inbound for another two hours. The Cadillac was probably worth the extra cash, but the sour taste lasted for a few days. Then again, we (and by we, I mean myself and the Cadillac) were the object of much envy from some of Florida's finest seniors: "Hey, I like your car…and your wife!" And in RJ's opinion, "This car smells way better than my dad's." So, we had that going for us, which was nice.
We made it to the Sirata Beach Resort without further incident and quickly found our way to the pool.
There are three pools actually, and a good sized hot tub. (I don't do community hot tubs, because there's no water hot enough to make me want to soak with strangers; so, I can't speak for the tub. Though, the crowds packed into it suggest it was warm enough.). The pools are heated and are entirely pleasant and clean.
Toddler appropriate steps provide the perfect play station for little ones.
Even those little ones who are gymnastically inclined. (It is her father's job to keep her off the pole; Godspeed, dad.)
And, a wide ledge surrounds the pools, giving parents a place to lounge, and little ones a spot to rest without having to endure the horror of exiting the pool (a fit saver, no doubt).
There are plenty of lounge chairs, and towels are dispensed from a room-card operated cabinet nearby--as many towels as you need throughout the day, no limits!
Our room was too messy to photograph, but we did have a mini-balcony with a partial beach view. For a reasonable rate, we had a king-sized master suite, a walk-through vanity area, and a living/dining room complete with a comfortable sleeper sofa, table and four chairs, a stove, full sized refrigerator, dishes, pots and pans, and silverware. I made bacon and eggs in the mornings, and a quick trip to the Publix grocery just a block away made cents as we were able to cook a lot of our food, avoiding restaurant rates.
Speaking of restaurants, the resort has three. We ate a beachside dinner at Rum Runner's one evening, and while I'm not a foodie by any means, I can say the coconut shrimp was as delightful as the service. The server mentioned that the resort is one of two privately owned on the beach. Anytime a server brags that he's well treated, the owners take pride in the resort and their employees, and there's a sense of pride, I listen. And, it shows.
The resort thoughtfully has a beach playground situated within view of parent hammocks.
The hammocks work pretty well for warming up after an evening swim too.
Have I mentioned the beach?
Because it's amazing.
Wide, powdery white sand expanses from shore to poolside.
Shallow wading yards and yards into the ocean.
Thousands of seashells for little fingers to harvest.
Gentle waves perfect for hopping.
And crystal blue water.
Oh, and you can get a decent enough beach umbrella from the Publix up the road for about ten dollars. (There's a nail salon, bakery, Dollar Tree, and CVS in the strip too--a blessing when you've got kids who tend to get vacation hives.).
And of course, there's the real reason we put on the brakes and headed south for spring break: four generations!
We found our way to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, about thirty minutes away. The lines were long but manageable. (I can't believe he'll be 7 next month!)
You'd think Gigi wasn't impressed. She totally was. "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a dolphin feeder," she told me. "And," she piped up, "My name's gonna be Courtney." Two guesses what the blonde dolphin trainer's name was.
We saw a movie star! Winter the dolphin and her friend, Hope. (Gigi wore her hair in a whale spout to celebrate. Not really. It's just the only "do" that works for her right now. We're going with it.)
We found a lovely park.
And even I eased off the accelerator and put on the brakes for a few minutes to swing with my big boy. I hope he never loses that sense of joy.
Oh dear and oh my.
Intense conversations were had.
And Vacation Mom insisted on one more selfie before we headed home by way of DFW.
We rested and restored.
We braked and took a much needed break.
Soon enough, my lead foot will hit the accelerator harder than I have in a few years. I'll hit a few bumps and make a few wrong turns, but I have no doubt, I'm on the right road.
For those interested, this is what I used to take underwater photos:
The Joto Universal Waterproof Casebag: it fits an iPhone 6 in an Otterbox just fine. I wouldn't trust it for hours underwater, but for a few quick snaps or a drop in the ocean, it's perfect and only $10!
