SeaWorld

We decided to run down to SeaWorld last week since we are moving so soon.  We really didn't do as much as we were hoping to while we were in California.  But SeaWorld was on our must-see list.  We stopped in Irvine to hang out with Peter's family.  We are really going to miss living so close to them.  We didn't get together as much as we should have, but it was enough that our kids were able to get to know each other pretty well.  We are really excited for them.  Peter got a job as an English professor at BYU and they will be moving north this summer as we move east.  We had a really fun visit.  The kids were all crazy together and we got homemade Ethiopian food.  Mmmmm.  I can't believe I didn't take any pictures while we were there though.  I always get too caught up in catching up I guess.  :)  We love you, Scrivner-Lemans!

 We actually got to go to SeaWorld for free.  As a thank-you to the military, they give Active Duty members and three dependents free tickets for one day.  Nice, huh?  We passed on all the rides since we could do those anywhere and managed to get to all of the animal shows.   As soon as the gates opened, we headed straight to the dolphin tank so that we could feed dolphins.  That was so fun.  The girls all adore dolphins and I think we could have just done that part and left, and they still would have been happy.  Strawberry and Apple thought it was so cool that the dolphins were so excited to see us and that they would let us pet them.  Luke tried to get Mango to pet his dolphin, but she was a little too freaked out.  We did get her to pet some starfish later though.  I think that if she could have stood on her own feet with the dolphins, she would have been okay.  She just likes to be more in control. 

We started out the shows with the Sea Lion show.  The kids loved it and were laughing their heads off.  Mango was getting kind of annoyed at us because we had to just sit in the seats for so long, but once it started, she was really into it and was clapping and saying "Yay!" and "Woo!"  I haven't been to SeaWorld since I was 13 or 14 and I don't know if it is that I am not young anymore or if things have changed, but it didn't seem as good to me as it was then.  But the kids loved it.

Next up was the pet show with dogs and cats and pigs and birds and emus.  Mango was thrilled.  It was pretty cool to see how well they can train animals.  It made everyone want a dog though.  Boo.  I am such a party pooper.  But I really really don't want any pets.  I just don't like them that much and since I would be the primary caregiver, it is probably important to actually like them.  Besides, we've had pets.  They are stinky and expensive and make traveling complicated.  So there.  But these dogs did make me just a tiny bit pet-hungry.  :)  Maybe when I am done dealing with baby poop, I can handle dealing with dog poop.  But probably not.

We loved the beginning of the Shamu show, before it actually started.  All the killer whales kept beaching themselves on this little shelf in front of the audience. It was very calming and soothing to watch them swim.  They are so huge and graceful.  The show was okay.  But I think I could just watch them swimming on their own all day. This was one that was definitely more exciting when I was a kid, but that is understandable with the accident last year.

We saved the dolphin show for last and it was definitely the best.  Dolphins are amazing!  I would totally get a pet dolphin.  They also had divers and acrobats and we were all wowed.  Strawberry and Apple both want to be dolphin trainers when they grow up.  Me too!  (I had someone ask me the other day what I wanted to be when I grow up.  Umm, I'm 30.  It was funny though.  I guess I was 25 when I did decide I wanted to be a nurse.  And I still haven't decided what's next.  PA?  NP?  MD?  NA?  So it was a legitimate question).  I told the girls if they were good, they could pick something to spend some of their allowance on.  Strawberry picked a glass dolphin pendant, Apple picked a Barbie SeaWorld dolphin trainer, and Mango got a stuffed dolphin in a purse.  We love dolphins!  I've been trying to figure out what kind of tattoo to get.  Maybe I'll get a dolphin.  :)

We also go to see Beluga whales, penguins, puffins, sharks, turtles, and some rays.  They loved the whales, but were a little freaked out by the sharks, maybe because it was a tunnel and they were nervous the tunnel would break and the sharks would get us.  They thought the big shark jaw was pretty cool.  Right after we took a picture, Apple climbed through the fence and got too close and set off an alarm.  It was funny because Strawberry was way more upset about it than Apple was.  She has a very powerful conscience.  :)

Anyway, it was fun.  The drive home was pretty horrible, even though we were lucky and didn't hit a bit of traffic.  But Mango only fell asleep for about 10 minutes in her stroller and she was very tired and cried for a long time.  I'm so excited to drive with her across the country.  I'm very seriously considering sending Luke to Maryland with her on a plane and driving the car with just the two older girls.

Anyway, it was an awesome trip.  Luke is heading to Maryland this weekend and so it was fun to have one last family trip before we have to be apart for two months.  :(  Why are we in the Navy again?  Sigh.  Oh, yeah.  Free SeaWorld tickets.