Sea World

*** DISCLAIMER***
I realized after loading a couple of pictures that these are going to be completely backwards, so if you want to see them in order, start at the bottom.....sorry

So, we were able to go to Sea World this summer and of course, I hadn't put the pictures up yet, so here they are. Bush Gardens is nice enough to offer military members and up to three dependents FREE admission into one of their parks once a year, so we took them up on it this year and ALL of us got in for FREE (Shelby was too little to cost anyway)!!!! We also were able to find a GREAT deal on a hotel that had TWO rooms, TWO bathrooms, AND a kitchen for only $50 a night!!! That was so nice, the girls were in one room and each girl even got their own bed since there were two beds in the room and we took the pack n' play for Shelby. Mommy and Daddy had their own room too!! How nice. We drove down on a Tuesday, went to Sea World on Wednesday, and drove back on Thursday....not a long trip, but we had loads of fun and only used 4 leave days (Tim had Monday off too, but had to be back on Friday or we'd get charged leave for Saturday and Sunday too, and we want to have some left over for when the baby comes!). Anyway, enjoy the pics.....



Poor, tired girl, it was a LOOOOONG drive

Scrunchy Chipmunk cheeks

This is what greets you on Daytona Beach when a storm blows up.

Isn't it a pretty storm?

Ooooh, how dark!!

It was just like Baywatch when the storm popped up, the trucks drove up the beach and the lifeguards blew whistles getting everyone out of the water so that they wouldn't get hit by all the lightening. It was pretty though out over the water.

On comming storm.

Miss Emilia didn't want to get out so soon.

There's Daddy trying to herd the monkeys out of the water.

Abi photo montage..... This is when she fell, skinned her knee and found a sand dollar.

Trying to get up,

Up and running....

She's good, with just a slight boo-boo on her knee.

Daddy holding the littlest water baby, she LOVES water of any and every type!!!

Emilia picking up sea shells.

Daddy took Shelby FAR out!

And he got hit with a wave, Shelby loved it though.

Abi and Emilia picking up shells.

Shelby's first taste of the ocean. She practically ran all the way from the van down here, it kind of reminded me of my first trip back to the ocean right after my high school graduation, I just wanted to get to the water...it gets in your blood.

All four girls (plus a little boy inside Mommy) on the beach.

The "Believe" Shamu show

This was so great to watch...we left with not just one, but TWO girls that are more than ready to become Marine Biologists so they can swim with the big whales too.

Riding on a whale.

FUN!!

Abi's a bird chick, so I took a picture of this one for her, but just as I was snapping it, Tim yelled out, watch out, it's going to get you....

And the bird flew away from the HUGE whale!!

Aren't they sweet?

waving

waving with his tail

whale kisses

Good Job!

Whale surfing

underwater surfing

more whale kisses

Good whales

waiting for treats

Isn't it amazing how high those huge animals can jump?

MORE whale kisses...

Fresh fish, what a treat!!

Aren't the manatees beautiful? I know, they're kind of an acquired taste, but I did so much research on them in high school, back when I wanted to be a marine biologist that I just had to see some up close and personal. For being the closest relative to an elephant, they are so graceful under the water.

Beautiful sea cows, did you know that these animals were the start of the legend of mermaids? I think those sailors had to be out to sea for a LONG time to picture these as beautiful women swimming towards them!!

Abi and Emilia looking at dolphins under water.

Abi is in LOVE with dolphins, so this was her absolute favorite part of the day, everything dealing with the dolphins.

more dolphins

The dolphin tank

Emilia tight rope walking on the curb by the dolphin tank.

All three girls trying to touch a sting ray...yes, Daddy is holding on to Shelby, she's not hanging over the ledge by herself.

Daddy and Emilia checking out the sting rays.

Abi and Shelby with the rays.

Abi and Emilia at the entrance to the park by the pink flamingos. Did you know that they are pink because they eat shrimp?

OK, this one is totally out of place, but the big girls climbed into bed with Shelby one morning to wake her up, and the pictures were just too cute. I personally don't remember being small enough to fit three people in a crib, but it works for the skinny girls!

This one was taken by the Sea World people, but how cool that they got one of Abi feeding a dolphin....she was SOO excited about that!!

This is all of us feeding the dolphins, I was amazed that they were able to get all of us into one shot. We don't know who the chick behind us is, but she kind of reminded me of Courtney.