Sea World...

Our condo was about 2 minutes away from Sea World, it was so close! Sea World had a deal during the month of April...you got a pass that was good for the rest of 2008 for the price of a one-day admission. It was a great deal. We spent one whole day there, a half-day, and an hour or two on other days. It was a relaxing way to see the park...low stress.

Monday was our first day to go to Sea World and we met up with Daxon & Tayson. Nathan was thrilled to see his best friend! The fist thing they did was go to the sting ray pool (they were a different kind of rays though, I can't remember their names, I will ask the kids tomorrow...they will know).

They got to pet them and feed them. I actually succumbed to the pressure to be a good mom and I bought 5 very expensive, little tiny fish for the kids to feed the rays. They stayed there forever!



Then the kids ran over to the sea turtles...they were naming all of them "Crush".

Hands down, our very favorite thing at Sea World was the Sea Lion exhibit. They were so much fun to watch, we kept going back. Harrison especially loved them. They all had such interesting, unique personalities.

We went one eveing when the sun was starting to go down. They would all raise their heads up as high as they could, hoping to bask in that last light. Then they they would lay down, get comfortable and sleep. They would pile on top of each other and whenever one would move, it would wake everyone up and they would yell and bark at each other. It was hilarious to watch!

This was the only smart one in the entire bunch...it was sound asleep on a rock over on the other side of the pool...all by himself.

We went and visited them the next day and it was feeding time. They would all bark and scream at people to give them fish. They were very territorial about their spot and would bite at any sea lion that tried to get inbetween them and the fish.

Again, we were completely convinced by our children that they would just die if they didn't get to feed them...so here is the tray of fish that cost as much as our dinner would! The worst part was that Harrison was the most excited to feed them and somehow he didn't get one of the expensive 5 fish. He was very sad and we had to actually go and buy another tray of them! "Tickets to Sea World...$50. Two trays of Fish to feed the Sea Lions...$10. The look on your son's face...Priceless."

I liked this one who was enjoying the waterfall while everyone was fighting over the food. I wondered if it was the same smart one that was sleeping all by himself.

The flamingos were beautiful. Now I understand why those old ladies like the plastic ones in their yard. I'm going to look for those this summer...I think they would look awesome on our front yard! Why don't I just do it now in the snow? It would at least add some color to the snowy, dreary spring we are having!


Waiting for one of the shows to start...

The kids really enjoyed the Shamu show, as did I. I have seen it a couple of times, but I am always amazed at the beauty and grace of these whales! We also enjoyed the dolphin show.



Nathan & Harrison loved the show, "Pets Rule!" They were the first to run down and pet the animals afterwards.

The Clyde & Seymore show was a favorite of the kids as well. Before the show started, the mime was entertaining the crowd. He chose Harrison from the audience and started telling him what to do. It was funny. He would motion for him to come forward, then go back, then come forward, then go back, and then he would make both actions...

He would motion to wave to all of the sections of the crowd...

Then to the water...

Then he wanted to have Harrison put his foot in his hands and acted like he was going to help him into the pool. It was so cute to watch Harrison laugh so hard!




In the Arctic area, the kids got to see a really funny walrus underground. It was dinner time. The walrus did the funniest thing...he would eat all of these little fish up, and then spit them all out and eat them again! He did it over and over again. The kids thought this was hilarious! We thought it was gross.


Everyone in the family liked the Atlantis ride. It is a fun roller coaster that has a drop into the water (similar to splash mountain). This was Nathan's favorite ride...it was a very good thing that there weren't any lines. Rick took him on one last ride one day before leaving the park. They came back to us completely drenched! They had a new rule "NEVER sit in the back!"

Waiting for the Sesame Street 4-D movie...with the new penguins they all "won" at the arcade...