Orlando visit a blast

The family's quick trip to Orlando was fantastic. In just three short days Dave, KC, and Will packed in a little work and a great visit with KC's best friend Amy and her family.

Dave was invited to speak at the 27th Annual International Disaster Management Conference - speaking to a group of approximately 500 attendees, the presentation about lessons learned from the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was very well received.

After a quick change from a suit to casual clothes, Dave introduced KC and Will to Dave's close friend, John Todaro. John mentioned that he's never seen Dave smile so much - he's right!

Dave would have liked to visit with John longer, but we had to hit the road. So, we packed up the rental car and headed to Amy's house in Stuart via the Florida Turnpike.

Visiting with Amy, her husband Mike, and their son Robbie was the highlight of the trip. We swapped tales of parenthood, passed babies from couple to couple, cut up, and had a great dinner. The only downside was our having to return to Orlando - We're all looking forward getting together again soon.

Kathryn and Amy ceremoniously opened the Leaning Tower of Pisa wine bottle - a gift that KC gave to Amy several years ago. At the time, they agreed to wait until a special occasion to open the bottle. Since that time, Amy moved several times - always bringing the bottle with her. I'd say that being reunited and introducing each other's husbands and sons is a special occasion - too bad the wine turned to vinegar (fortunately Amy had bottles of red and a Pinot Grigio in reserve). Long live the Pisa!!

An interesting note - Will is becoming quite the experienced traveler. He calmly sits in our lap, looks at everything (never missing a beat), and generally flirts with the ladies as they pass in the aisle.

On the return trip, he had the flight attendant wrapped around his finger. She was a lot of fun and even helped us get a picture taken in the cockpit. Overall, the trip was too short, but we had a great time!