Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Vacation Part 4: Sea World

O.K., so I've gotten a little behind on my daily vacation postings due to sickness. Hopefully I can get back on track. The girls were very excited about today. Finally, it was time to go to Sea World.
YAY!!!! Sea World.....HERE WE COME!!

As soon as we walked in the gate, we see a lady taking a reindeer to the Christmas display area. Kendal sees it and says, "Look! a reindeer...so they do exist!!!" Very cute!
Jeff and the girls fighting the sun for one of the many pics that I insist on taking. :) Thank goodness for stroller rental!! We wouldn't have survived the day without it!
They were trying to get a dolphin to swim to them to pet, unfortunately so was everyone else.
A dolphin started their way, but then veered off in another direction so they never ended up getting to touch one. :(

They did however, get to touch the sting rays. Not quite the same as getting to touch a dolphin, but they thought it was neat, just the same.

A sting ray trying to escape. Those things can really splash the water!
My awesome, cute family! I LOVE THEM!!!!

The girls looking for Shamu in his tank.
The girls waiting to get into the Shamu show. We got there early so we could get good seats. Jeff wanted to sit it the soak zone. I told him he was crazy, that I was not taking a chance at getting wet and being cold and miserable the rest of the day as well as having the girls whine and complain about being wet and cold. We somewhat compromised and sat in the last row in the middle part of the soak zone so we only ended up getting splashed a little bit. It was a good choice!

Finally!! The show has begun.
What an awesome creature God made!!

The dolphin show, a very close second to the Shamu show.

I quite frequently have three little faces peering at me like this wanting food.

A sea lion screaming up at Kendal because...
...she was holding a sardine up for him and was taking forever to drop it.
Jeff and Kendal going on the gondola ride.
Me, Payton and Bransyn going on the gondola. They wouldn't let all of us go together because they said maximum capacity was four people, but the five of us together would have still been well under the weight limit. Don't get it...
Payton, not the least bit concerned that we were in a big bucket, basically being held up by a thick wire over the water.

Bransyn wasn't scared either. She kept getting up and going by the door and looking over the side. I told her that she just had to stop doing that because she was really freakin' me out. Payton responded with, "Mommy, we're not freakin' out!" My 3 and 4 year olds were braver than me. :)
Jeff and Kendal when we passed each other.
The view from the gondola. GORGEOUS!!!
The girls had fun rolling down the hill. Jeff kept trying to tell them how to hold their arms to help them go down better, but they couldn't quite get it. So...
...Mommy showed them how. Yes, I did roll down the hill. Very quickly, I might add. I landed smack on the concrete. I'm sure I was quite a sight for those passing by, but I don't care! My girls thought that they had the coolest Mommy, EVER!!!
My girls in pink by the pink flamingos. :)
Me and my man!
The Clyde and Seamore show. Another fave!

The girls sitting on a big manatee. Just cuz, why not!?!?
Kendal was having a little meltdown because she didn't want to walk anymore and she didn't think it was fair that her sisters got to ride in a stroller and she didn't. Just another lesson...life ain't fair!! She still had to walk. :)
Bransyn finally crashed and ended up sleeping through the whole dog and cat show. They have a new domestic pet show since we were there 5 years ago with dogs and cats. It was alright!
We let the girls pick out something before leaving and they all chose a baby and mommy Shamu. That's what they called them anyway. While I was taking Bransyn potty however, Kendal changed her mind...
...she saw this seal and had to have it instead. Luckily, you can make exchanges at Sea World. :)
to be continued...

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Vacation Part 3: Maritime Museum-San Diego

After we were done at Seaport Village, we decided to take the girls to Maritime Museum since we still had some daylight left and we weren't ready to go to the hotel. Maritime Museum is "ONE OF THE WORLD'S FINEST COLLECTIONS OF HISTORIC SHIPS" according to the brochure. :) There is the Star of India; an 1863 Merchant Sailing Ship, the Californian; a 19th Century Revenue Cutter (replica), the Berkeley; an 1898 Steam Ferry, the B-39; a Soviet Attack Submarine, the Medea; a 1904 Steam Yacht, the Pilot; a 1914 Harbor Pilot Boat and the H.M.S. Surprise; an 18th Century Royal Navy Frigat (replica) which was used in the movie "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" with Russell Crowe. Because it was getting dark and a little cold we only went on three of them. The girls had a blast! The only thing that would have made it better for them is if we would have actually been able to sail out in the ocean.
walking around checking out all of the boats
getting on the Star of India
I had to get a pic of Payton with this because when she saw it she went running up to it and said, "Look guys, it's a baby pirate ship!" How cute! Well, of course....

...Bransyn had to get a picture with one...

...and so did Kendal.
the girls hanging out with one of the sailors
the girls playing on a little boat inside the big boat
on top of the B-39

Jeff got all dorked out about the torpedos...total guy!!

Jeff having a hard time getting through the little circle "doorway" that you had to get through SEVERAL times on that thing. Thankfully, I had the camera so he wasn't able to get one of me when I kinda got stuck. I don't know how people can spend months at a time on one of these. Very clausterphobic!!
Me and the girls on the H.M.S. Surprise
They had decorated the H.M.S. Surprise with lights like Christmas trees...very neat!
to be continued...