Oh......where to begin. I'm only buckling down and do this because Daddy told me I had to. Just kidding! Well, sorta. He did call and tell me to update my blog, and I have wanted to, I just wanted to do the wedding first, but I almost don't know what to say about that either. I'll sit down another day and write it I think. Simply - it was wonderful...everything I could have hoped for...and I was and am so happy to be married to Bryan. THIS, however, is not about the wedding, it's about the Honeymoon.
We went to Florida for our Honeymoon. We started in Ft. Lauderdale and worked our way up. We did miss our flight from DFW (we mixed up the return time with the departing time) but luckily US Airways was really nice and got us out on the next flight. Thank goodness! For the first 3 days we just lounged around in the resort, eating lots of food and enjoying our time together. It was nice to not have to worry about any plans.
I guess the exciting stuff didn't start happening until our cruise to the Bahamas. I have never been out of the country, let alone on the East coast, so this was all a new experience for me. Bryan had gotten us a berth on the top floor with a big window and comparatively a lot of space. It was interesting to see what people can fit into if they try. We had a queen bed and there was only the 2 of us sharing everything. Some berths had 4 people and one bathroom. I don't know how they did it.
The first picture we took. We finally remembered that we needed to document this!
This was the view from one of the decks. That island is called Peanut Island and apparently the Kennedy's had a vacation home there. I don't even think you can stay there. It's now used for the Coast Guard.
This cruise ship was smaller, but it still had all the fun stuff with it. It had the casino and pub, the nicer restaurants, the night club, the lounge, the pool and bar area. It was so much fun. Bryan took me dancing one night. It was 50s and 60s hour and we were the only ones up there dancing! I'm so glad that Bryan was willing to dance with me although we were all alone. Everyone else seemed to enjoy watching us though. We had dinner at the nicer restaurant where there were 5 courses and the presentation was beautiful! I almost felt like I was on the Titanic. Then we laid on lounge chairs outside, listened to our audiobook, and watched the ocean.
When we actually got to the Bahamas, Bryan had us signed up to go snorkeling. I have never done it and I've always wanted to! I got to swim with the fishies!! There was corral all over the place and Bryan dived down and got us some shells.
We totally found this starfish!! Just kidding. It was the boat's owners.
After snorkeling we had lunch at the resort and decided to be lazy. We went into the water for a little while, but it was rainy and kinda cold (at least for me who is perpetually cold). Luckily they had a hot tub so I could warm up.
Yes that was the color of the sky.
We decided to listen to more of our audiobook and rest. It was tiring swimming around for over an hour.
After that we went shopping of their little boardwalk where Bryan bought me a manu, or lava-lava. I wore it to dinner. That night we got fun little non-alcoholic drinks and listened to a jazz singer. We listened to more of our book and had a marvelous time!!
After we returned the next day we had to drive back down to Ft. Lauderdale (the port was in Palm Beach--about an hour away) to pick up a shirt that Bryan forgot in the resort. We then drove up to Orlando to begin the next stage of our journey......Universal Studios!!!!!!!
I think this was the funnest part for both of us. Don't get me wrong, we loved everything, but seriously, who don't love a great theme park?
Oh where to start? This is on the Universal side. There is Universal and Islands of Adventure. Everything is so clean and well done. They REALLY know the meaning of THEME park. This is the New York area where they played Frank Sinatra and had the Blues Brothers.
It also had The Mummy ride! Seriously, at Universal (every part of it) it was almost FUN to stand in line just so you could look at everything. This was such a cool ride, it was one of those that's in the dark so you don't know what's coming. They really like their pyrotechnics too!!! Every ride had some sort of bursting flame in it. I'm almost surprised that I still have my eyebrows! This ride had a napalm ceiling at one point.
This goes into the San Fransisco district. Bryan danced me down the alley. I love him!
Then there is the Jaws area. This ride was pretty fun. Lots of explosions and again, more fire. These poor little kids got scared on the ride and had to hide behind their mom. I really can't complain. I've never even seem Jaws--I've been too scared.
Men In Black - a shooter ride. I still don't know how you know when you shot the aliens, but Bryan kicked my trash like 150,000 to 65,000. Oh well, I know I'll always be safe with him.
The Simpson's Ride - It's one of those virtual rides with the smells and stuff. Not too gross, but after awhile all the virtual things were make us a little queasy.
We have no idea what this used to be. It doesn't look like it's been open in awhile, but yes, that is my name on the sign......I'm so cool!
Then the adventure REALLY begins!! The Universal side is really fun, but the Islands of Adventure is ten times better!! Probably because it's newer too.
Everything here makes you feel like you stepped into a different world. And it's all so well done!
This is the best ride in the entire park. I find it funny that the movies haven't done as well as the ride - or why they named a ride after the Hulk anyway, it's not like he is that well known.
This ride is the bomb. You slowly start to tick up as it counts down, then you realize that the counting will be over before you make it to the top. Suddenly...........WHOOSH!!! You are shot out the top and start spinning and dropping. It's such as interesting combination. And the best part is that you actually feel like the ride is worth your time. Yes we had to stand in line for an hour the first time, but the ride actually felt long. I kept expecting it to end, but like I said, it's so worth it.
The Hulk is part of the Superhero Comic area. They had a 3-D Spiderman virtual/moving ride. You almost couldn't tell what was screen and what was a set in front of you.
Then you move to the Comicstrip area. And yes, I hadn't had that much fun in a long time.
This is the best log ride ever!! It has such a big drop! Islands has every ride that other parks have, but they are done bigger and better.
This was Bryan's favorite part! He really liked dinosaurs as a kid. They had John Williams' music playing all over the place.
This is the fossilized sidewalks that were over the entire Jurassic Park area.
These dinos looked legit! I told Bryan to look scared and all he said was that he's too amazing to be scared of a dinosaur. And it's sadly true.
This is almost like a log ride again, but you're in a large boat. The ride takes you through the building and has the biggest drop ever!!! And the biggest splash too! I almost am scared of this drop.
This is the Jurassic Park Island.
This is the ride. They have life size animatronic dinosaurs.
I don't know the names of the dinosaurs, but just call Bryan, he can tell you them all.
The end of the ride has a HUGE T-Rex coming at you like he is going to bite your head off and then you fall the big drop I was telling you about. It looked so real!
Then you move on to MY favorite part. HARRY POTTER WORLD!!!!! I don't even know how much I need to explain. It's like walking into the movie, expect with a lot more people. Actually it's just like Diagon Alley in the first movie when Harry sees it for the first time. It is cram packed!
That's so right. It's Hogsmeade!
Everything around here moves. The reflection is bad, but Sirius Black moves just like in the movies. I understand that it's just a screen, but it soooo doesn't look like it.
The Three Broomsticks. We had lunch here. It is so cool.
Like I said, just like the movie. And yes you can buy chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, chocolate wands, lemon drops. You name it from the books, it's there.
These are the cards from the Chocolate Frogs, and yes, their pictures move too.
The Hogwart's Express. They had a conductor and everything!
This was the most interesting ride. I don't even know how to explain it. It was similar to other ones where it was virtual and motion, but the motion wasn't just from the bottom of your seat. It turned you almost upside down and spun and ups and downs, some in front of a screen (when flying through Quidditch) or with big sets when Dementors or gigantic spiders were after you. It throws you for a loop. Literally.
Standing in line. Yes--that is Butterbeer. Delicious!!!
Since Harry Potter World is so new and everyone wants to go, they have pretty long lines, but this was the coolest line to wait in. You walk through the castle dungeons a little bit, then through the greenhouses.
You zigzag through that and then make it to the front doors!!
First thing you see. Big statue.
The House Cup counters.
Dumbledore's eagle in front of his office.
The hallway with the moving stairs. It was so tall, they have lots of pictures and yes, some of them move too!
Dumbledore's office where they have all his little contraptions. There is a screen in the back with him talking to you. You know it's a screen, but it's still pretty cool.
Defense Against the Dark Arts class room.
Here you meet Harry, Ron and Hermione. There is a screen of them too.
The Fat Lady. I know you can't see her, but you can see that they even texture the screens to look like oil paintings, but yes, she moved too.
Lastly, the Great Hall where you actually get onto the ride.
Everything about Harry Potter was cool. You could go to Ollivanders and get a wand (too bad that line was longer then any ride in the entire Universal Resort park). They also had a Dragon Challenge ride with the Triwizard Cup and they send two coasters out at the same time. Really cool if you're in the front seat.
Lastly we come to The Lost Continent. It's like Persia and Greece combined. This is called Poseidon's Fury. It's more of a show than a ride.
They have a little actor and this is another one of those fire-burst shows with water explosions. Bryan's favorite part was walking through this tunnel of water. The water is rushed up so fast on one side that it makes it clear across the top and other side without getting you wet. Pretty amazing!
There was also Dr. Seuss land. It was really kiddie though. Still, we had 2 day, park-to-park access tickets, so we made sure to get into everything we wanted. It was so fun!!!
That night we made it to the Hyatt (in the airport--which was so cool), luckily made it to our flight. (There was hundred of people and we were running a little late.) And flew back to Texas for our 2 day drive home. It was amazing!!! We had a blast with everything and now all of you want to go to Universal too. Don't worry, it's okay, you can admit it!!
Bryan and I spent Thanksgiving at his brother's house (Craig and Sarah) in Layton. His two younger brothers were there with us too. Sarah made almost the entire dinner herself (props to her) and it was delicious. We had so much fun. We even played Balderdash and your's truly won. Apparently I'm really good at making up things that sound real (which I believe is a useful tool) or, as Bryan pointed out, I've been watching too much Lie To Me and have been using my lying detection skills to figure out who was lying. Maybe it was a little of both. Or I'm just a genius. I'll take either. 
And even though these pictures are fuzzy I wanted to get the feel of the room with the lights softly glowing. YAY!!
Plus we have that huge window so this year everyone else can really appreciate my beautiful tree like they haven't been able to the last couple of years. I think that Bryan is figuring out that I am the Jones' that everyone else is trying to keep up with. I can't help that I like showing off. I'm just too good at what I do!!
Later that night we rented Toy Story 3, I know, I know, we're a little slow when it comes to watching the must-sees. Bryan built us a fort because our living room is huge with no furniture in it other than a tree and piano. It was so simply perfect. I commented how it is nice to know that if we are ever stuck out somewhere my husband can build me a fort with some safety pins. We had so much fun. I would suggest that everyone should make a fort now and again. It brings back so many memories and can be the beginning of a great adventure!
I even looked up how to fold napkins. This one is called "Lily."
We needed two cups so that we could have a drink with our meal and for our toast. Yep, I got Martinelli's. It's tradition. We couldn't celebrate without it.
So even though it was simple, I'm proud. And I think Bryan liked it too. 
