The last weekend of the summer before the kids went back to school we took a much needed vacation to California. Heading to California meant we HAD to make plans with Jenessa. She moved to Califonia (LA area) earlier this year and I needed some Nessa time. We got to play with them at the beach Saturday and spend most of the day together Sunday. We hung out at the beach most of our trip and then spent a day at SeaWorld. I LOVE hanging out at the beach but not so much the process of actually getting there. Parking is always a fiasco and I'm sure we must look like a traveling circus with all our equipment and supplies. We must be pretty amusing to watch loading our kids up with toys, towels, food, umbrella and boogie boards. Once we picked a spot we just camped out and stayed for hours, only moving to avoid the incoming tide.
April was not a huge fan of the Ocean, but she loved the beach. The crashing of the waves scared her and she was very aware of the incoming tide getting closer and closer to our towels and she made sure to let us know when we needed to move back. She kept herself occupied shoveling sand, playing with toys, and searching for sea shells... oh, and I can't forget making friends at the beach. At one point I was trying to take pictures of the boys and Callie on Boogie boards so I would take a pic and then glance back at April in her spot by our stuff. She always stayed in the same area so I didn't worry much about her wandering. One moment she was in her usual spot and the next I couldn't find her. I panicked for a second and scanned the crowded beach looking for her. I was relieved when I found her plopped down on a towel next to a 20 year old girl and what appeared to be a coloring book and crayons. The girl apolozied and explained that she had invited April over to color. As surprised as I was that April had accepted the invitation I couldn't help but smile. I think it's cute when people see how sweet April is and want her around.
Callie wasn't a huge fan of the water either. She did get in a few times and even wanted to try to ride the boogie board. She caught a couple waves and actually liked it and admitted to having fun but I think the salt water taste wasn't worth the fun to her. She enjoyed playing in the sand with April, sea shell hunting and just hanging out.
Noah was the biggest surprise of all. That kid was fearless and LOVED the Boogie Boards. He scared me a few times because he would just disappear and take off with the board. I'm so happy that he really enjoyed the ocean this year. This was a complete difference from past years of apprehension around the ocean where we could barely talk him into getting in.
We even found a Sea Slug. Sooooooo gross. I have never heard of one before it felt rubbery and squishy so creepy.
Mason was the same ole crazy Mason. He and Noah spent most of the time together boogie boarding. The lifeguards had to tell him multiple times to not go out so far from shore. That kid has no fear and just lives to experience everything. I LOVE how he takes life on with out a care in the world.
I really enjoyed watching Ron out in the water with the kids. Not only does he look really good with out his shirt on he's so good with the kids and kind of a kid himself.
On Sunday we visited La Jolla Beach to check out all the Sea Lions. Mason and Noah even touched one of them (shhhhh you aren't suppsed to).
Sea World was... I'm not sure how to explain it. I would say Sea World was an experience. A hot, humid, grumpy, tiring, exhilerating, enlightening, rushed, crowded experience all bundled into one day. We arrived at Sea World right when it opened at 10am and didn't leave until it closed at 10pm. In hind sight there are a few things I would have done differently. For example. I wouldn't go in the month of August ever again. LOL Sea World has always been this magical place to me. A place that is entertaining and fun for all ages. Because there is a wide variety of things to do I don't feel like it's ever too crowded. Well... I've never been to Sea World in August before. It was a little more crowded and a million times warmer! Blah. Some of the highlights from Seaworld:
Callie riding Atlantis for the first time and LOVING every second of it. She wanted to ride it over and over.
April LOVED the Shark Tank aka Fish tank
I had April at the Polar Bear exhibit while everyone else was riding a roller coaster. We got to see a walrus up close, feel the ice wall, and look at some beautiful Balooga Whales. As we were leaving the exhibit April turns to me and says "Mom. I want to go see the Unicorns now" She can be so cute sometimes... I just love this little peanut.
Sea World has a new ride called the Electric Eel. This ride can only be described as a bunch of loops with forward and backwards motion going 0 to 60mph in an instant. Noah refused to ride it which is fine, I wasn't going to make him. I have learned with Noah that he just has to think about things for a while, and in this case, he needed more than a day to decide to ride it. Unfotunately we only had one day at SeaWorld so he didn't get to experience it. On the ride home our family was discussing our favorite parts of the trip. Mason's was the Beach, Callie answered "Atlantis" and I laughed when Noah said something along the lines of "riding the new Electric Eel ride." When I pointed out that he didn't actually ride it he responded "I know. But I want to ride it the next time we come. I'm sure that would have been my favorite" Oh Noah.
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