Weird and Ninja’s Pre-Disneymoon [Completed!]

[wdwgirl03]

Looks like a fun time! I have never eaten at Cracker Barrel. But those steak fries reminded me of Five Guys because those are the kind they serve.

 

[Cinderella16]

Okay you have made me a Cracker Barrel believer! I always try and count how many billboards I see for them on the way down, and I always lose count by Kentucky

We always say we will stop there for a bite, but never do, however, that old fashioned cooking looks very delicious, I just told DH we must stop there on our way down to Florida next week. The best part about all this is, we live about 10 minutes from a Cracker Barrel and have never once step foot into it.

 

[klacey1]

Hi, Rachel! I'm joining in now, but I have to go back and read/catch up

 

[klacey1]

Just read your last post: We LOVEE Cracker Barrell! The closest one is about 45 minutes away from us, so we've only been a few times. I love the corn bread!!

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Glad you're feeling better! Gotta love weekends. I've only ever had breakfast at Cracker Barrel... but there's one close by and your pictures look so yummy... maybe I'll have to convince DH to go there for dinner

 

[floridascgirl]

I don't know how, but I've never eaten at a CB. I live in SC and my folks are in Fla., so I'm surrounded by them but yet I've never been. It's definitely been on my list because I've always wanted one of those little golf tee games. However, now that I know they have dumplings, it's a must-do.

 

[RachelNinja]

I love CB!~~!!! Geez your mom hasn't aged a day from the pictures you posted of her from you PTR! Haha! She looks the same! I never get dinner or lunch there. I only get breakfast. I think it's something about having breakfast anytime of the day there is what attracts me to eating there!

Haha, I agree. My mom doesn't look her age at all! I guess it's a good thing considering she has a young son. Any time people ask her if Matt's her only child, she explains that she has two older ones and then adds, "Same husband!" People get really confused by her age because of how she looks!

So glad you love cracker barrel
Since we don't have one near us the only time we eat at once is on the road
though i doubt we will stop at one this upcoming trip--DH ate breakfast at one near Durham nc and felt bad the rest of our trip--so he can sympathize with your dad
but i do love the rocking chairs on the porch
by the way what state are we in now--NC or SC

I'd love to have a nice rocking chair outside of my home down in the South! Hehe. We're in NC right now! Or should I say we're still ONLY in NC, haha.

The CB pics are hilarious. I love CB because it reminds me of food from home but my husband only tolerates it. Breakfast there is yummy!!
If you like the dumplings from CB you should try some real southern homemade chicken and dumplings!! Yum! Yum!

Mmm, I'm really interested in trying breakfast now. I saw on their website that they sell the mixes. If they sell it, it has to be good because people must be buying it!

Ooo, I'd like to try homemade chicken and dumplings! I'm sure everyone makes them a little bit differently.

Looks like a fun time! I have never eaten at Cracker Barrel. But those steak fries reminded me of Five Guys because those are the kind they serve.

Haha, if I didn't just eat beforehand, I'd be starving with all of this food talk. I used to hate steak fries when I was a kid probably because I didn't love ketchup the way I do now. Nowadays, I think it's the perfect transport for ketchup!

Okay you have made me a Cracker Barrel believer! I always try and count how many billboards I see for them on the way down, and I always lose count by Kentucky

We always say we will stop there for a bite, but never do, however, that old fashioned cooking looks very delicious, I just told DH we must stop there on our way down to Florida next week. The best part about all this is, we live about 10 minutes from a Cracker Barrel and have never once step foot into it.

I thinks it's a rite of passage to go to CB! Hehe. I've seen it on so many trip reports here on DIS. I knew there had to be something good about it! I do like that it's old-fashioned cooking. I'm not that into the frills and fancy foods because it just doesn't suit me. When I look at food blogs or food porn, the fancy dishes get boring after a while. You'd think it'd be the other way around because they're plated so artistically, but I just know those are things I most likely won't be eating. Plate of country food though? I'll take seconds!

Hi, Rachel! I'm joining in now, but I have to go back and read/catch up

Just read your last post: We LOVEE Cracker Barrell! The closest one is about 45 minutes away from us, so we've only been a few times. I love the corn bread!!

Thanks for joining!!! Ooo, I didn't get a chance to try the cornbread! I wanted to make sure that I had enough room for my dinner. Weird had the biscuits though, and he said they were so good because they must have just come out of the oven. They were moist and warm and just perfect.

Glad you're feeling better! Gotta love weekends. I've only ever had breakfast at Cracker Barrel... but there's one close by and your pictures look so yummy... maybe I'll have to convince DH to go there for dinner

Yes! Take advantage of the CB in close proximity! Mom actually asked me how far the one closest to us is located. I wonder if she's thinking about driving out there for a dinner!

I don't know how, but I've never eaten at a CB. I live in SC and my folks are in Fla., so I'm surrounded by them but yet I've never been. It's definitely been on my list because I've always wanted one of those little golf tee games. However, now that I know they have dumplings, it's a must-do.

The even better thing for us NYers is that the people who work there were just so nice! I love that welcoming hospitality. It puts us in a better mood, which then makes the meal taste that much better as well!

 

[RachelNinja]

Saturday, April 3: Day One Is Finally Done!

After eating our dinner, we stopped by the bathrooms before jumping into the car for about an hour drive. We were in North Carolina at that point, but it was comforting to know that we were staying North Carolina that night, Lumberton to be exact.

Before we left, I took a picture of a few of the Webkinz. I do like that they make plushies out of usually obscure animals. For example, they had a llama! I just had to get a picture of it because one of my 8th grade girls talks about llamas all the time. Starting in 6th grade, she used to joke around that she was raised by a pack of llamas. Then on one vocabulary test, she made every single one of her sentences about llamas; they were all well-written and hysterical!

An opossum. That was weird to see also considering I’m sure we saw some as roadkill during the drive. Wouldn’t it be upsetting to a little kid who loves possums just because he/she chose it as a Webkinz doll, and then there’s roadkill in sight?

Okay, so these puppies aren’t really that unique, but those faces were all squished up and cute!

Well, that was all I got to see at the General Store at that Cracker Barrel. My dad was ready to go, so off we went!

After a bit more time in the car, we arrived at our hotel called Country Inn & Suites. We were cautious about choosing hotels because our last trip held terrible memories at the Ramada Inn in Florence, South Carolina. That’s why we decided not to stay in that town this time.

Well, let me tell you that we absolutely LOVED this hotel! It was clean and the breakfast was so good! Oh wait, that’s the next day, so I can’t really get into that just yet, haha. Here are pictures of the rooms:

I stayed in one room with my parents. Matt and Weird stayed in the room next door.

I always love it when hotels have a nice table with seats. I think that I’m going to pen the next great American novel or something.

I also appreciate it when hotels have the mini refrigerators. I don’t typically finish my food since I can’t eat that much in one sitting. Therefore, mini fridges are my friends! My chicken n dumplins went in there, but unfortunately, I never did eat them. Normally, I’d eat my leftovers for breakfast the next day before heading out since I love food-food in the morning. But like I said, the breakfast they offered was delicious, so it wasn’t necessary.

Here’s a random shot of the “closet” area with my dad’s warmup jacket hanging there.

This is the final picture for day one. Haha, I know it’s not that wonderful because it’s a bathroom, but it should be one of the better pictures of the trip report only because that means we’re moving on to DAY TWO!!!

 

[klacey1]

I love the way you break up your installments!! I love super-long TR's! I live in Westchester Co, NY, and absolutely cannot imagine driving! You guys make it into a fun road trip though-- I want to road trip to New Orleans this summer with DBF, but he is NOT a fan of long car rides!!

 

[TokyoDina]

Even though during this trip I will not be driving to the world I think I'll take pictures of the Airports we stop in. Your inspiring me to do that Rachel!


I'd never stay in a Ramada! Yuck! It's always gross! I don't like to stay in anything belove a Holiday Inn. It's gotta be 3 star and above.

I think the Ramada Inn near DL is suppose to be good but I still opted to stay at a bigger place that is even closer.

I think next year we are heading in your general direction. We are going to go to Niagara Falls when DH gets back from school for the AF. It should be cool! Never been in the State of NY so I hope it's not too bad! Haha

 

[Cat0727]

I think the craziest thing is that I "knew" Deb from the movie Corrina, Corrina with Ray Liotta and Whoopi Goldberg. It slightly bothered me to see her as Deb; I couldn't accept it! But then she was also on Veronica Mars, so then I got used to seeing her elsewhere!

Same here! I loved Corrina Corrina. I associate her with that movie first and then Andre, the seal movie.

Saturday, April 3: The Much Awaited and Anticipated CB Meal!
This was my thirst-quenching beverage. That’s the point of a glass of water. Of course, I don’t drink much, so it wasn’t really quenching my thirst because I didn’t have any thirst. The straw had the little paper on the tip because Weird did it for me! I like it when the straws have that there or they give the straws with the wrapper still on. I mean, have you ever put a straw in your mouth that tasted salty because someone touched it? I have! It was so gross!

Eww! That's so gross! That hasn't happened to me yet, probably because the places I go to never give straws with water, the cups are not large enough for them I guess.

This picture is to show the difference between how much Weird drinks and how much I drink. This is only a minute or so after we got our water. My boyfriend is strange. I don’t know why he has this thing for staying hydrated.

I am the same way as Weird As soon as I get water I always gulp it down. I don't know why I feel the need to quench my thirst so quick when I'm at restaurants, I think the icy cold water entices me, I just love it My boyfriend doesn't even touch his until towards the end of his meal.

 

[dellasgirl]

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[Cinderella16]

Don't you just love the feeling of a real bed after a long day of driving? Not to mention a shower.

We love Country Inn & Suites. We stayed at one in Valdosta, GA last year and it was very clean, had a great pool, and you are right, the breakfast is very good (even though you cannot tell us about it yet ).

Cannot wait for day two, and I too, love how long your TR is going to be!!

 

[irky416]

I've never been to a Cracker Barrel. You made me want to try it, though! I like when they just give you the straw and you can unwrap it yourself.

The hotel looked nice. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

[RachelNinja]

I love the way you break up your installments!! I love super-long TR's! I live in Westchester Co, NY, and absolutely cannot imagine driving! You guys make it into a fun road trip though-- I want to road trip to New Orleans this summer with DBF, but he is NOT a fan of long car rides!!

Shorter installments make it a lot easier to write! Otherwise I'd probably only have an installment out once a week considering my hectic schedule. I also do it this way because there are only 3 park days and 1 DTD day. It's not a super long vacation where I could do a park a day in a recap. It'd be a short trip report!

I don't know that we'll ever do such a long road trip again! Haha, it drove us NUTS even though we had fun.

Even though during this trip I will not be driving to the world I think I'll take pictures of the Airports we stop in. Your inspiring me to do that Rachel!

I'd never stay in a Ramada! Yuck! It's always gross! I don't like to stay in anything belove a Holiday Inn. It's gotta be 3 star and above.

I think the Ramada Inn near DL is suppose to be good but I still opted to stay at a bigger place that is even closer.

I think next year we are heading in your general direction. We are going to go to Niagara Falls when DH gets back from school for the AF. It should be cool! Never been in the State of NY so I hope it's not too bad! Haha

Yes! Airport shots are fun too! Often times people forget to take pictures of the "going there" part, but think of it this way ... you are already on vacation! You should document it!

Yeah, I don't know what was with that Ramada. I remember staying there all the time a long time ago as a kid, and we didn't mind it. We only stay at the hotel for a short amount of time, so all we really need is a clean bed and bathroom. That Ramada was just terrible.

If you ever stop in NYC or one of the boroughs, let me know

Same here! I loved Corrina Corrina. I associate her with that movie first and then Andre, the seal movie.

Eww! That's so gross! That hasn't happened to me yet, probably because the places I go to never give straws with water, the cups are not large enough for them I guess.

I am the same way as Weird As soon as I get water I always gulp it down. I don't know why I feel the need to quench my thirst so quick when I'm at restaurants, I think the icy cold water entices me, I just love it My boyfriend doesn't even touch his until towards the end of his meal.

Oh cool! No one usually knows what I'm talking about when I mention Corrina, Corrina! Mom and I always say to each other, "I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye" (from "I'm mad because she didn't even say goodbye.") and the "goodbye" part has to be said just like she said it in the movie!

Weird's always reminding me to drink more when we're at restaurants. Growing up, my mom didn't allow my older brother and me to drink during dinner. We used to drink and not be hungry enough to actually eat our food, so she said drinks were for after dinner (minus a few occasional necessary sips). I guess I got so used to that!

That possum is cute...they puppies are a breed that looks like a sharp pei--
they have the squished faces
I am glad you had a great hotel/room
and yea for upcoming day two
Your trip is really GREAT--love the installments
keep it comming

I just googled sharp pei to see what they looked like ... oh dear, they're so cute! Haha, those squished faces are adorable!

Don't you just love the feeling of a real bed after a long day of driving? Not to mention a shower.

We love Country Inn & Suites. We stayed at one in Valdosta, GA last year and it was very clean, had a great pool, and you are right, the breakfast is very good (even though you cannot tell us about it yet ).

Cannot wait for day two, and I too, love how long your TR is going to be!!

I'm so glad it was quiet too! Stopping in SC during the last trip was terrible because our hotel neighbors talked the ENTIRE night. And LOUDLY. My parents called the front desk and our neighbors got a call. They quieted down for about 3 minutes and then started up again! There weren't many people in the hotel so I don't know why they put us right next to someone else. I understand wanting to keep it easier to clean since they'd all be lined up, but wouldn't it make more sense to at least do every other room? And then when my parents called AGAIN, shouldn't you offer another room? The point of stopping was to sleep otherwise we would've kept on driving!

This was the first time we stayed at Country Inn & Suites; we'll definitely be doing it again! Breakfast will be posted shortly! Well, maybe longer than shortly ... it's not written yet!

I've never been to a Cracker Barrel. You made me want to try it, though! I like when they just give you the straw and you can unwrap it yourself.

The hotel looked nice. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Weird and I keep talking about CB. We don't know what to do with ourselves, haha. We're at a loss! We did talk about how we'd have CB all the time if we lived in Georgia (Georgia to be in the South but not near too many tourists but still close enough to have APs to WDW!), but then we don't know if we'd be able to find good sushi places!

I have to open my straws along the seam of the wrapper. Just thought I'd say that. Haha.

 

[RachelNinja]

A "Being a Teacher Comes First" Non-Update

Alas, the first installment for Day #2 will not be posted tonight since progress report grades are due on Tuesday. It upsets me that the New York State tests were pushed back this year. That means I have 4 extra classes to do for the last trimester! For the past two years, the students would have taken the tests at this point, which would mean no need to do those grades since the class would be non-existent. I would've been done at this point, blah. Out of my 9 classes, I was able to do 6. The remaining 3 will have to wait until tomorrow since my lessons need to be finished, and I also need to review the directions for proctoring the test.

I, of course, will not leave this post picture-less!

Weird and me at Liberty Science Center. The picture was decorated on Photobucket a while ago. You can tell this was a while ago since my hair was so short! This was in 2008, I believe.

Here's a more recent picture of Matt and me from last summer. Weird was over and helped put the cargo cover over our trunk since we just got the new car. I thought it would be interesting to hide in there, so Matt and I both got in! Haha, I wonder if our neighbors thought we were odd.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Now I must return to my teacher duties as I listen to some David Archuleta.

 

[irky416]

Good luck with all the work! I have been swamped recently, also.

 

[wdwgirl03]

David Archuleta, I loved him on American Idol. Glad I am not the only one who listens to him...

Good luck with all your work.

 

[Jennifer48]

There is a CB near me and although I don't frequent it often, I love going there. I love having breakfast food any time of the day!

Good luck with your teaching duties! Schools almost over right?

 

[dellasgirl]

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