Last Trip of Summer

This summer has flown by.  I still can't believe we are in August.  I also can't believe we are moving at the end of August and all the packing I still have to do.  However, that is for another post.

This is all about West Palm Beach, Florida.  Poor Derek was picked to attend a week long conference at the Four Seasons Resort in West Palm Beach last week.  He has such a rough life.   Since his hotel and airfare were paid for, Payton and I decided to join him for a couple of days.  I was super excited to get one last get away for the summer.  BUT............ getting there was a total nightmare.

Apparently, American Airlines only has two direct flights to Palm Beach International.  I have no idea what I was thinking, but when I booked the flight for us to meet him out there, I selected the 8:05 arriving at 11:45.  I thought this was A.M.  Nope, it wasn't until a few days when I looked at the ticket that I realized this was P.M.  Well, that was not going to work.  I called and tried to switch the flight to the 12:45 p.m. flight to arrive at 4:30 p.m.  Because I was so diligent and booked my flight in advance, it was going to cost over a $1,000.00 per ticket to change.  They told me to wait until 24 hours before to call and I could do a same day flight change for only $75.00.

So, on Wednesday at 12:50 p.m., I called American because that was 24 hours (the Thursday 12:45 flight was the one I wanted to move to) almost to the dot.  I called and they couldn't do it because there were no change fare seats available anymore.    In five minutes they were gone.  I was almost in tears and just resigned myself to the fact that Payton and I were not going to get there until midnight.  Then I remembered that Fort Lauderdale was only 45 minutes away from Palm Springs. I begged the lady on the phone and she got us on a 10:10 a.m. to Fort Lauderdale for a same day fee.  Awesome................BUT........ when we arrived at the airport at 7:50 for the flight, I had to go to the ticketing counter.  It was a long line.  When I get to the ticketing counter, it was past nine now, I was freaking out.  We still had to go through security and the flight was leaving at 10:10 a.m.  The lady at the counter was dumbfounded because you can only do a same day change for the same city.  I was biting my tongue and trying not to scream that this wasn't my problem because I paid the money and the lady at reservations did it on the phone.  After waiting another 20 minutes, while she was on the phone with whoever, I finally asked if we were going to make the flight.  She said that she was trying to get me to Fort Lauderdale, but she had to go up through management.  She did mention she could get me on the 12:45 to Palm Springs for the change fee (I already paid).  I almost cried.  I told her that Palm Springs was fine.

So that left Payton and I with a lot of time on our hands.  We had breakfast and explored the airport.  By the time we arrived at the Four Seasons, I was exhausted.

The hotel was really nice, as you would expect, and also extremely overpriced, as you would expect.  To get a coke at the bar it was $7.00.  For a can of coke.

Payton loved it and we had a wonderful time at the beach and exploring.

I usually love the beach, but this beach was just okay.  Not to complain, but the sand was hot.  Because there is a natural dune, the chairs had to be up and then you walked down to the actual beach.  It was painful to walk to and from your chair to the beach. I am not kidding when I say that I literally burned the bottom of my toes.  The waves were also a little rough.  I like a little more calming waves.  Where you can stand in the ocean in one place and feel the sway of the ocean.  Not standing one minute and knocked to your knees the next because a wave came crashing into you.  Payton was also a little uncomfortable in the ocean.  On our past trips, she never wanted a life jacket because the waves were calmer and she could play on the shore line or wade in the ocean and feel fine.  Not this time.  She was a little freaked out by it.

However, she loved the food at the Four Seasons and room service.

Because we haven't won the lottery and we wanted to explore, we would go out to dinner each night.  The first place was a pizza place that was really good.  Payton insisted on taking pictures by the robot outside.

 Payton also loves bags, backpacks, and anything she can pack something into.  So of course when we were at a candy store that also sold stuff, this is what she had to have.

I think this is her third backpack she has gotten for kindergarten.

It really was a nice trip, despite the rough beach experience.  Payton rode on a jet ski for the first time and it was nice to just be together as a family.  I know this sounds crazy, but Derek and I love hanging out with Payton.  We always have to remind ourselves that she is only this little for awhile and will only want to hang out with us on trips for a short period of time.