we made it...barely!

August 25, 2007: Snapshot of Day 1

Up at 4am
Check in with school
Post on blog
head to the airport - quick (read desperate) stop at walmart for dramamine in case of sea sickness...
pick up heather at 6:45am
check in - chaotic...
through security - no problems!
breakfast at quiznos - highly NOT recommended!
plane slightly delayed
board smallest plane on earth
sleep entire flight with annoying women behind laughing and drinking the whole way!

arrive in Miami
wait 20 minutes on plane
board bus to airport
head to baggage check #25
mike, nikki, eli bags first and only bags off plane...
wait 30 minutes - still no bag for Heather!
wait another 15 than decide to ask at baggage counter - where is her bag?
No bag in sight - no bag in computer - basically no bag!!!

No luggage for Heather - tears everywhere!
Call mom and dad - find out their flight has been canceled - YIKES!
Call Barbara and Steven and they head over to airport to pick us up
In Dodge Avenger (read small car) already 5 pieces of luggage and 3 adults - how the hell are we getting in the car???
Pile as much more luggage as we can in car - pile in nikki, heather, and eli
mike and stephen ride shuttle with rest of luggage to hotel
great hotel (embassy suites - shady ass neightborhood)
can't check in yet - so dump luggage and head to lunch at Bennigans
From lunch head to flea market - read called that because I think there literally where fleas on the people there!

Nasty ass flea market
realize hotel is in red light district and see blaring signs for huge stip club named pink pussy cat
head back to hotel - partial check in (to some of the rooms)
await rest of group and free cocktail hour from 5:30-7:30pm
Uncle Kenny, Nanny, Tasha, and Amber arrive
run to pick up Emma and Eric from airport
find out mom, dad, and ryan had to be shuttled from Kennedy to LaGuardia airport to catch a flight here
last people on plane - but they got on!

Hang out - at cocktail hour
still no luggage for heather
decide we should throw popcorn from balconey and catch in our mouths
amber heads up to floor one to throw down popcorn for us to catch
stephen catches first floor popcorn - amber heads to floor 6
stephen catches popcorn from 6th floor in his mouth - amber heads to 10th floor
stephen catches popcorn from 10th floor in his mouth - having such a blast that it starts raining popcorn
mom and dad call - there here!

Pick up mom, dad and ryan from airport
now 8pm at night
nanny bribes embassay suites shuttle driver to drive all 16 of us to bennigans so we don't have to walk! go nanny!
dinner at bennigan
embaress barbara by having them bring out cake for her birthday
head back to hotel at 9:30pm
running around hotel into each others rooms - just hanging out!
find out that FINALLY heathers luggage is on it's way and will arrive at the hotel between 11pm and 6am
all hit the hay around 10:30pm

awake to luggage at the door!