See My Sweetie at Sea World!

Friday I played hookie.. well actually it was a legal vacation day for me, as I've reached my vacation max at work so "was forced to take a day off"... like they had to twist my arm, right??

So how'd I spend it???? You guessed it... with my sweetie Brayden. We decided to get the Annual Passes for Sea World... pretty good deal right now... and I like the idea that I don't feel I'm losing money if we can't stay from dawn to dusk... we can always come back another day.. or another 364 days actually.. but then I don't have THAT many vacation days stored up!!!

Instead of paying $10 for a burger once we entered the Sea World gates.... we first met the kids at Mimi's for an early lunch... two hours later we finally were on the road ( HINT: don't go to lunch.. 1) on a Friday, 2) at a restaurant near a major movie theater 3) on the day the last Harry Potter movie is released).... maybe we should'a paid for the $10 burger.

Once inside the gates, I was flabbergasted.. I hadn't been to Sea World in several years and didn't realize all the new rides they had now... what happened to "Sea World"?? It's more an amusement park now than ever.. no wonder their prices are sky rocketing...



We avoided the rides and went straight to the Blue  Horizons Dolphin Show... here they are waiting in line...



...and guess what I found again while standing in line... my favorite new flower... except I don't know the name of it.. do any of you?? It's the same ones in Judy's front yard... they are "half flowers".. see petals just on half the flower, but then several of them form a circle that make it look like a complete full flower.. just amazing... look closely (makes me sing Our God is an Awesome God)....



The Dolphin Show was fantastic... except again, it really wasn't just a Dolphin Show... there were birds and acrobats and pilot whales... all packed into one show... and it was really cool... they say it's probably the best show there now... full 25 minutes of constant entertainment... great music and brilliant colors.. Brayden loved it ... pointing at everything!!  I was amazed really at how it held his attention the entire time... I think I watched Brayden more than the show.....

Back into the stroller.....

After that we wondered over to the new Turtle Reef (ok new to me, you guys have probably seen it), anywho, in one section they have it built overhead so you stand underneath and see the turtles swim above you .. pretty cool. It was hard to get pictures inside....



 Back in the stroller again.... and headed to Penguin Encounter...

Tried to get his picture amongst the stuffed animal penguins...

but they got his attention more than I did...

He loves giving hugs... even to the penguins!

 After that we pretty must meandered around..  back into the stroller....



We watched the people on the Journey to Atlantis water ride get soaked, walked through the Arcade games... watched several people try to climb a "simple ladder" extended only about a foot above ground.. but never saw anyone make it.. oh except the guys who worked there... showing us how to do it and telling us how easy it was.. just balance and lean into it.. yeah right.


We strolled through Sesame Street Bay at Play; had Brayden not been buckled into his stroller for about the umpth-teenth time we would have stayed and played.. oh then we saw Elmo and Grover taking pictures with the kids... very cute... next time we'll know where to head first before Brayden gets too tired... (OK truth be told... maybe it was me and grandpa who were getting too tired)... xoxoxoxo

Next time we go I'd like to see the Cirque de la Mer show...

and stay for the Fireworks!!!

I better take a nap before we go.