Who doesn't love a last minute trip to Florida? Well we had the thought given to us by Cain's family about two weeks before the actual trip. But we didn't know for sure if Cain would be off work for the trip. But a week before we left we got the clear from his work and then the planning started! Mostly I planned the trip... while Cains worked, I thought through the meals we would have to pack and where we would stop along the way to make sure we could really enjoy our trip and not be starved to death due to the lack of healthy options we have a long side the highways.
(I will be posting a guide to packing healthy food for road trips soon)
Of course Cain had his first three day in a row 12 hour shifts before leaving on our trip to Florida. While he worked, it gave me time to pack and meal prep. But... I got sick the day before we left so that made everything 10 times harder for me!
Last Tuesday was spent running around getting things together with a massive headache. And knowing Cain would be wiped from working three days straight I would need to do most of the driving. This was my "Put your big pants on moment" and I did!
Cain made it home around 7:00pm Tuesday night and our trip started!
We made the long trip that night and was in around 12:30am Nashville time. We got some sleep and both woke up tired, but so excited about our day! While Cain went to the hospital... I went out on a little adventure!
My first stop of the day was the "Urban Juicer"
I wasn't feeling the greatest so I stuck with something I knew I would love...
I was happy :)
My smoothie was gone to fast...
My second stop wasn't at all planned out. You see, having your name changed comes with a lot of challenges... you have to get everything changed, emails, back accounts, license and debit cards. Well I had just gotten my new debit card with my new name on it and I had activated it before leaving but for some reason it just didn't work. I went to go get gas in the car Wednesday morning before heading out on my little advantage and didn't have any money on hand! Luckily I did have my Biolife card on me and was able to get gas!
This man from Wellsfargo was a big help and was able to get me on my way, with money in no time!
So the third stop was The Bluebird Cafe. I have never heard of this place until I started watching the show Nashville. I honestly didn't know it was a real place until I realized that there were actual real stars that started singing here before getting big!
Next stop, Grand Ole Opry! I really wanted to go inside with the tour that was about the head in but I knew it wouldn't of been much fun without Cain was I just sat outside and took in the cool view.
Before leaving to my next stop I had to take a minute and breath. My nose was running and I had a headache like no other. I look down and see the mess I had made...
Even though I was not feeling at all like myself I put on a happy face and sent a picture to my mom. She knew I was alone that day running around Nashville, and like all moms she was a bit nervous I was going to get kidnapped lol
So Nashville was amazing. But to a girl who only eats organic foods... it was just the best place on earth to be at. Everywhere I went there was a place I could eat at. There was even a store that just sold local organic meat. I was just in awh of it all..
I have followed this blog Nutriton Stripped for quite some time now and I knew she was from Nashville. So I emailed her the day before leaving and asked her where I should go in Nashville to get the best organic foods around. She gave me a whole list of places and I wanted to hit as many as I could!
I had my first Iced Coffee, with almond milk!
*Jug jug jug
Almost gone, to fast.
Is it just me or does everyone else love to shop at Goodwill in other cities? It's like a whole new store every place you go. I also feel like other Goodwills have better deals then the ones around here.
I found this cute Onions box for only $5.00! And come to find out, my parents had one just like it when they first got married!
So on to my next stop! The Wild Cow is a Vegetarian Restaurant that is also dairy free. Which is great for me! Only problem is I don't eat Soy and they did have a lot on the Menu with Soy. But it was all organic so I will give them that.
For Cain...
Sadly with my noses the way it was I didn't have much of a appetite. I did get their cashew dip with veggies that was amazing!
Come 3:00pm I went to the hospital to pick up Cain! It's amazing how much better I felt just being around Cain. As much as I enjoyed my morning going places I loved, nothing is quite the same without my husband.
I told him about my iced coffee and he got just a little jealous... so we went back to the barista parlor!
Because we were only in Nashville one day I wanted to hit all the places Mckel from Nutriton Stripped recommend. We went to this ice cream shop that had a dairy free option for me!
I was pretty wiped after that. It had been a long day of driving around and my head still hurt, so we went back to Aunt Rhoda for a little break.
But there was one last place I wanted to try before calling it a day so once dinner time came we met Aunt Rhoda at "Buger Up" They had all grass fed beef and organic options for us!
And let me tell you... it... was... amazing!!! I had this Kale salad with a burger patty with a side of potato fries!
Cain had a burger with his house fries.
Just one more shot of that supper.... wish I could go back... would love that again!
With our bellies full we went back to get a good nights sleep before heading back on the road. We left Nashville around 8:00am with all smiles :)
The smile on my face didn't last so long. I felt like I was just getting more sick and my throat was giving me a hard time. I was dying for something that would help my throat. We made a detour stop to Starbucks. A place I would never go because of their GMO protects. But I knew a cup of some hot green tea wouldn't kill me. I even gave into the honey they gave me. It wasn't organic but... it would help my throat so I drank it down.
And yes it did help. On our way out of the town we stopped in we saw an Army store. Both of us just nodded in agreement that this was a "must" stop. We are killers for a good Army store.
We spent a little to much time in there and about that time was lunch so I did a little google search and found a Earth Fare close by. They do serve organic lunches and with the Military discount they offer it gets us a nice priced meal! All this for $9.00
On the road again.. And Cain passed out! I don't blame him lol
We finally made it to Florida Thursday night around 9:00pm. Betsy was just about to get off work so we surprised her at the restaurant she works at. We were happy to see her, and her us! That next morning Betsy and I woke before Matt and Cain and took a little walk.
We love to walk together. It's something we have done for years and it's a true enjoyment for us. We walk... and talk. Mostly talk but there is walking going on too! This was just about 1 mile from her apartment!
Before heading to the beach we made a stop at a grocery store. I was just tickled to death by their avocados... or should I say "Gator Eggs"
The beach was next!!!
Friday night we went into Orlando to visit Cain's family. I love how supportive they are about our food choices. They know we don't eat out at the regular restaurants so when we told them we found a place that you could get grass fed burgers they jumped on it and said no problem! It's so much of a encouragement to have support!
The place we went was called "Burgerfi" and the cool thing they did for the bun lovers was to brand the bun with "Burger" so cool! And for the non bun lover they offered a lettus wrap! Also, so cool ;)
Betsy and Matt added a new member to their family just a day before we got their. Rosy was found outside their apartment building needing some food and a loving home. I think she found it there. Yes, she looks like a bat. She is a size of a small cat. With long, very long legs.
Once we left Betsy and Matt's to head back to Orlando to spend the rest of the evening with Cain's family we stopped at Chipotle. Why did I take a picture? I don't know... Maybe because I wished restaurants in Fort Wayne had palm trees in front of it too!!! I love palm trees.
That evening in Orlando we stopped at Downtown Disney to get their disney tickets activated. Lexi was just chatting up a storm on her phone (it's fake) so Grandma and aunt Rhoda joined in.
We left that Saturday night around 10:00pm after a game of Yuker (My new favorite game) we drove for about 4 hours then called it quits for a while. I slept until 4:00am and then started back on the road. Once I leave a vacation I'm so ready to be home. But we had about 12 hours to go and we weren't getting there by sleeping!
We made a stop around 8:00am that morning to eat. The night before while at the hotel we were at with my in-laws we fried some bacon and scarbled eggs for that morning. I didn't want to spend any more money on eating out and I also didn't want to go through the trouble of finding a breakfast joint that had organic options wherever we might be at that hour in the morning. So I made a paleo wife move and packed our breakfast! And I tell you what, it was really good. We ate outside a Krogers (We had to pee first) and ate the breakfast just like you see it. I normally don't eat bacon but that morning I sure did!
We drove and we drove for hours ... Cain was wiped, along with me. We each took our times at a nap.
We made it safely home Sunday evening. My parents (Love them) made us our favorite supper when we picked up Nova. What's our favorite supper my mom makes? Tacos :)
Now that we are home and rested up we look back and are happy we made the trip and couldn't of asked for a better time with family... and with each other. I've realized how important it is to marry your best friend. I enjoy the hours spent with him driving. I couldn't think of doing it with someone I just loved.... You have to REALLY love the person when it comes to those long hours haha.
Until tomorrow,
Mrs. Grogg
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