I was on a Mother’s Day cruise to Cozumel for 4 nights with 12 other women and 3 older men.

Unfortunately, they were all related to me. Or maybe I should say fortunately.

Because all of these things happened:

I went snorkeling at 3 different reefs with a Mayan and got my ass sunburned.

I spotted a pod of dolphins with 4 baby dolphins.

I became just a head as I floated away from Mexico with my aunt.

I had a few Rum Punches to ease the pain of stupidity on my sunburned face.

I wore my “Yay Cleavage” t-shirt in a photo with my Grandma.

I drank wine from a bottle in a very classy way.

I drank a tropical drink with an umbrella before we even left the port of Tampa.

I got a video of the dolphins that’s difficult to watch because OH MY GOT, THE WIND AND THE ROCKING.

© Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] for A Whole Lot of Nothing • Your Favorite Blog, 2012. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: cozumel, cruise, mother's day

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I’m the greatest mom my girls have ever and will ever know.

I took my girls to LEGOLAND Florida yesterday. No, it’s not open yet and doesn’t open until October 15th. I’m a big deal. I get to go to things early. Or maybe it’s because this past weekend was Family Day at LEGOLAND and my sister is a big mucky muck there. We’re going again next Friday the 14th for Media Day. That’s me taking my girls to Florida’s newest theme park TWICE before it officially opens.

Yup. Best mother ever.

I’ve had tons of you people asking 1) what it’s like, 2) what to do, and 3) what ages are appropriate for the park?

1. It’s gorgeous. Flat out, drop dead beautiful. The LEGOLAND Florida attraction was designed around the Cypress Gardens park that was on the property for umpteen thousand years. The park designers left 680-ish original oaks around the park, building around their shade. For the 5 months of hellish heat we have here, you’ll appreciate the respite. Situated right on a massive ski lake, the name which I’m too lazy to research, the park designers were genius to place the diorama LEGO cities in a wide open space overlooking the lake. It makes for crazy-good pictures.
2. Everything, especially the Ford Driving School. The park is open most weeks Thursday through Monday from 10am-5pm, but check the calendar for more accurate times when you’re visiting. You will want to be there at 10am, and you’ll stay the whole day. There is really that much to do for all kids.
3. My girls are 7 and 5 and my nephew turns 3 this week. There was nearly nothing my 5-year-old couldn’t do, but she’s extra wee-sized, so nearly every other 5-year-old could probably ride everything. My personal suggestion is that any kid 12 and under would have a whole day’s worth of entertainment to exhaust themselves.

I wish I could say I was paid for this post, but I wasn’t. Unless you count the last 33-1/2 years of having to deal with my sister in exchange for entry into LEGOLAND Florida, this post was not compensated.

Do you have other questions about visiting the park? I’ll make Jackie answer your questions here. If I have the answer (or pretend I do), I’ll answer them here, too. Or, if you just want to compliment us on the cuteness of our kids, we’ll take those comments, too.

Paige likes hearing how cute she is.

© Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] for A Whole Lot of Nothing • Your Favorite Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: cypress gardens, florida, legoland florida, photos

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The beach, it calls my name. I grew up 5 miles away the way the mythical crow flies from the best beach in the US, yet as a teen I was too self-conscious about my body to go to the beach. Plus, my mom was always, “You’ll get sand in your crack!” and “You don’t want to go ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE, do you?” I’m still not sure if she was referring to my crack or the beach.

So what if it was a 30-minute drive around and through traffic lights to get to the beach before the bridge opened during my 11th grade year? Add in the fact that I was super lazy even way back in my rearing years to pack up myself and stuff and lay out in the stupid heat just to get a sand in my crack, I didn’t go to the beach very often when it was out my figurative back door.

Living in Orlando affords us options when it comes to visiting the beaches. We have Cocoa Beach 25 minutes to our east and Tampa Bay/St Pete Beach 2 hours to our west-ish. We went to Cocoa Beach last summer with the girls, and we vowed we would never go there again. Rather than finding sugar-white sand in our cracks, we had to dig out black sand. Black sand and cracks don’t mix. We’re admitted beach snobs with our affinity for white sandy beaches and turquoise water with actual waves as we look down on the dark sand and murky water and 100s of Euromen banana hammocks.

Since having the children reach the age of consenting to what we mold their minds into thinking, I plan to spend several days of our summer vacation on the beach with my girls. It’s my plan to tweak their wee brains into Beach Bunnies who will want to go to the beach with me, but only to beaches that meet our high expectations.

It won’t be hard brainwashing them to think that this is the best way to beach.

© Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] for A Whole Lot of Nothing • Your Favorite Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beach, destin, florida, kids, Vacation, white sand

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The fabulousness combined of Maria Melee, Caroline Morningside Mom, and Deb on the Rox have put together a link-up of all people who love the Gulf of Mexico. Having lived across the intercoastal from the Gulf until I was 18 and visit several times a year, I can profess my love for the greatest beaches in the world.

Totally award-winning. Like, for serious. Actual awards.

I wrote a post yesterday for one of my other gigs about the oil spill and its affect on tourism and how hotels and beaches are safe and welcoming visitors. Just thinking about the beach being covered in sludge made me tear up and miss it even more.

THIS, is MY beach:

Don’t fruck with my beach. Kids eat that sand.

© Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] for A Whole Lot of Nothing • Your Favorite Blog, 2010. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beach, gulf of mexico, oil spill, photos

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This past weekend, the fabulous, sexy, hot mama, super dooper awesome Shauna Glenn let me and my family stay at her beach house.

Her. Vacation. Beach. House.

damn. i know.

It’s flat out awesome.

I’m buying a TV for the living room (the ONLY thing missing) & I’m moving in. I mean, c’mon. It totally matches my blog design colors. It’s fate.

© Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] for A Whole Lot of Nothing • Your Favorite Blog, 2009. | Permalink | 34 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beach, florida, house, shauna glenn

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