Florida: Part Four

We had one more weekend, so we headed back to the beach.  This time it was just the five of us and Jamie. My mom stayed behind to spend some time with her sister Nancy and help her on a big sewing project she was doing for their church Christmas program.  Jeff stopped off to rent some boogie boards this time. They were fun, but we ultimately liked it better without them.  There were surfers this time, which was fun to watch.  I don't think Lincoln or Harrison ever got in the water, but they had a great time in the sand.  They made friends with some kids right away and worked away at their creations.

Harrison and I had fun collecting seashells.

We had one more day of church and family time and then we were off again.  Jeff had to leave on Sunday for a meeting in Texas, so mom and I took the kiddos back home on our own.  The kids were very good and we traveled without any trouble.  We made a lot of great memories on this trip!

Florida Part Three: More Parks!

We wore everyone out with all of the adventure thus far, so we took a day off!  We stayed close to "home" and went to a little museum that our family had taken us to during our trip in March.  They had a scavenger hunt for the kids and it kept them entertained for a really long time.  They had to search the museum to answer the clues and they worked hard at it.  My mom was patient and worked along with them.  Jeff and I took turns keeping Harrison entertained.  Near there is a lovely walking trail that we had also taken in March.  I thought the kids would enjoy it, but the just complained the whole time!  They did like seeing the old houses along the way and collecting leaves.While we were trying to take this family picture (possibly our only family picture taken this whole year!) they were fighting over a leaf and who had found it first. 

Oh brother!

The next two days we were back in the parks!  We did Universal and then Islands of Adventure again.  Some of the pictures are from the first day - too many cameras mixed into my folder!

 The Jurassic Park area was mom's favorite. There was a really fun play area for the kids where they could explore and run around.  It was properly placed by Harrison's beloved Terranadon ride, made especially for kids about his size.  It can hold adults too, but they aren't allowed on it unless they are accompanying a kiddo. We all went on it with him at least once.  Jackson was too tall to go, but he could go to accompany Lincoln on it, that was a funny one!

Late picture alert!  This is the Manta ride from Sea World.

Lincoln caught a lizard, they are everywhere!

Jeff took Harrison to see a pirate stunt show.  He loved it and wanted to meet the cast afterward.  They brought us back to watch it later too.  Jackson was glad because it was back by the favorite fountain and he got to talk to new fountain keeper... and get soaked again!

Florida Part Two - Sea World

Our day at Sea World was a memorable one!  We loved the amazing coasters and getting an up close view of lots of sea creatures.  They have a coaster called the Manta that holds you with your face to the ground through the whole thing so that you feel what it's like to glide like a Manta Ray.  It was different than anything we've ever been on and we rode it again and again.  So much fun! 

Harrison opted for the simpler rides, but did squeak by in getting a 40" wrist band so that he could ride what became his very favorite of the week "Atlantis."  It is a log ride with several big drops.  He was excited and terrified every single time and required us to hold onto him as tight as we could through the whole thing.

Lincoln fed the Mantas some shrimp.  You have to hold them on the bottom of the pool and then they come along and suck it up like a vacuum. Weird feeling!  Jackson wouldn't do it.  

I made everyone go all the way across the park to see Shamu.  You can't go to Sea World and not see Shamu, right?  My kids just don't love to sit through shows.  Jackson did enjoy getting sprayed with water in the little fountains and was determined to sit in the splash zone.  I thought we might get a little wet, but it was more like a huge soaking.

Harrison was NOT amused.  I had to take him out of the splash zone.

After the show we headed over to the kiddie rides and it started to rain.  We were already soaked from the whale splashes, so we decided to just keep going on the rides (except for mom - she was freezing).  Jeff and I took Harrison on a ride that barely got started and then it got stuck.  While we were there is started absolutely pouring.  We were a mess!  We trekked our way through the park sopping wet to try to find some shelter and a place for lunch.  

Harrison on his favorite ride.Can't you tell by his face?

Florida! Part One

The morning we left was fairly stressful. I had the kids pack themselves, with every intention of double checking everything, but we simply ran out of time.  There was so much to do!  We misplaced our theme park tickets and spent a long time looking for those (never did fnd them).  I even had work calls!

Once we made it out the door we had an amazing trip.  We flew out of Dallas to save money and the drive wasn't bad at all.  Jeff found a way to park at a hotel and get a shuttle to the airport and that worked out wonderfully as well.  Harrison was so cute watching our luggage go down the conveyor belt.  He watched it through each opening and ran down to see it in the next one. He loved all of the transportation that we took that day - van, shuttle bus, moving sidewalks, escalators, tram, rental car (that one blew his mind - whose car is this?) 

We stayed in a small condo with three bedrooms.  This is the lake by the clubhouse.  Lincoln and Harrison called these "tickle trees" becaue they tickled you when you walk under them.

The first few days we were there were the weekend, so we spent them with family.  We chose the beach because we thought everyone would want to go there with us, but we were wrong! Floridians don't go to the beach in December.  :)  The youngest of the group was up for it though, so we brought them along and had a great time.  Jackson could stay in the ocean fighting the waves every day all day and Lincoln feels the same way about the sand.  Harrison enjoys the sand, but does not like to be dirty... I'm right there with him.  I enjoyed a little bit of both and of course, taking pictures!  There was an unusual drop off of sand right before the shore, which made a great sand slide.

My cousin's son Croix

This would be such a cute picture without that weird sunburst!

Aaron and Nicole's daughter, Lyla

Aunt Nancy

Mom, hoping for a new profile pic.  :)

On Sunday we enjoyed church and more time with family chatting and playing games.

Monday morning we headed off to Universal Islands of Adventure.  We all loved Suess land.

And of course the Harry Potter theming was amazing!

Jackson's very favorite thing was this talking fountain.  It would sit quietly until someone came up to it and then it had all these different ways to squirt you.  It chatted with the kids, told jokes and sprayed them like crazy.  Most of the other parents were telling their kids not to get wet, but I just let them have at it.  They were having so much fun.