Picking the first weekend in August might not have been our brightest idea, it was mearly 101 degrees plus the humidity and several thousand people to share it with (Howard and Brenda are troopers... my parents wouldn't have made it through the ticket gate - crowds aren't really their thing).
One of the first stops in the park (and one of my favorite) is the famous Budweiser Clydesdale Stables. They are magnificent looking horses - smell is not so magnifico though:-).
While Howard and Brenda were certainly troopers with the heat and the crowds, the mobility carts were probably the selling point. When Roy and I realized how easily we got to the front of the ride lines using the "handicap accessible" entrance we began planning for our next trip to Sea World... who is renting the scooter?
Another favorite stop for everyone in our family is at Dolphin Cove. Roy always jumps in line to buy all of us a tray of fish and we get to drop them into the Dolphins mouths and then rub their nose if they let us.
Austin feeding the Dolphin...
Bryce and Roy anxiously awaiting the Shamu show "Believe"...
Shamu showing off! 
Bryce following the Shamu show... I guess a ginormous fish doing tricks isn't all that exciting to everyone.
I love to see my hubby and boys walking together hand in hand. Hard to tell here, but Bryce would attempt to tackle Roy and Roy was tackling/tickling right back. This was at the end of day one and we were fighting the mob to get to the car.
The second day in San Antonio Grandpa and Brenda (Nanna - as our boys are starting to call her) needed a day of rest, so they hung out at the hotel and the rest of us went to the River Walk, Alamo, etc. Austin is a history buff just like his Mimi (my mom) so he loves the Alamo.
On the third day, we checked out of the hotel and went for another round at Sea World (gotta fit it all in you know!). This photo is of us waiting in line for the Journey to Atlantis water ride - in this kind of heat... we're all about the water rides!
Here we are on the last two rows. Woo Hoo!!
(Photo is a scan of the souvenier photo we purchased* at Sea World.)
Here is Grandpa and the boys on the "log ride" as I call it... can't recall its rightful name, sorry.
Here is Grandpa and the boys on the "log ride" as I call it... can't recall its rightful name, sorry.
(Also, a scan of the souvenier photo we purchased at Sea World.)
The boys and I also rode "The Great White" which is a wild rollercoaster! Bryce barely meets the height requirements but really wanted to ride it, so like any good mother would do... I disagreed with the guy at the entrance about him being too short (he really wasn't too bright, he was measuring from where the back of Bryce's head touched instead of the top of his head) and I instructed him that the guys at the top could measure him with the stick. So, when it was our turn to ride, he was measured and I was right, he was the exact right height! However, once it took off, I grabbed his hand to make sure he wasn't falling out... the restraints go over your shoulders to where you can't see the person next to you. When the ride stopped and I lifted my restraint I looked over to see a very distraught face... he didn't think he wanted to do that again this trip. Austin however, ran right back to the entrance and road again! That's my boy!
Following a couple of hours in the water park, we headed to the car to get on the road back to Grandpa and Brenda's house in Christoval.
While Roy was helping Grandpa do some work, the boys and I got to hang out for a little bit. The boys found a dead Armadillo in the backyard (I have pictures, but am going to spare our readers) so we had a funeral for it after we found the other half of it :-). Then the boys found this fun tree swing...
I'm not sure who thought it was more fun, the boys or me with my camera. It was hard going through all of them to find one of each of them. Because Grandpa and Brenda have sold this house and are moving, they gave the swing to the boys to hang on our tree in our yard (due to the tree in their yard in Ruidoso would take the fire department ladder to hang it and lots more rope). However, since we just got home yesterday it has not been hung yet, but the boys have already been using it (boys - sheesh). Click the Play button to watch.
Following shooting this footage, I thought I better clarify with Roy that he had in fact gotten them started on their new health insurance policy since my job change caused their insurance to expire last week. Don't worry, Bryce was fine - got up laughing... again.
This is what I found fun. However, it was difficult to snap a good shot when the boys were running in and out the door!
All in all, it was a great weekend and one that Austin and Bryce will never forget.
The boys and I also rode "The Great White" which is a wild rollercoaster! Bryce barely meets the height requirements but really wanted to ride it, so like any good mother would do... I disagreed with the guy at the entrance about him being too short (he really wasn't too bright, he was measuring from where the back of Bryce's head touched instead of the top of his head) and I instructed him that the guys at the top could measure him with the stick. So, when it was our turn to ride, he was measured and I was right, he was the exact right height! However, once it took off, I grabbed his hand to make sure he wasn't falling out... the restraints go over your shoulders to where you can't see the person next to you. When the ride stopped and I lifted my restraint I looked over to see a very distraught face... he didn't think he wanted to do that again this trip. Austin however, ran right back to the entrance and road again! That's my boy!Following a couple of hours in the water park, we headed to the car to get on the road back to Grandpa and Brenda's house in Christoval.
While Roy was helping Grandpa do some work, the boys and I got to hang out for a little bit. The boys found a dead Armadillo in the backyard (I have pictures, but am going to spare our readers) so we had a funeral for it after we found the other half of it :-). Then the boys found this fun tree swing...
I'm not sure who thought it was more fun, the boys or me with my camera. It was hard going through all of them to find one of each of them. Because Grandpa and Brenda have sold this house and are moving, they gave the swing to the boys to hang on our tree in our yard (due to the tree in their yard in Ruidoso would take the fire department ladder to hang it and lots more rope). However, since we just got home yesterday it has not been hung yet, but the boys have already been using it (boys - sheesh). Click the Play button to watch.Following shooting this footage, I thought I better clarify with Roy that he had in fact gotten them started on their new health insurance policy since my job change caused their insurance to expire last week. Don't worry, Bryce was fine - got up laughing... again.
This is what I found fun. However, it was difficult to snap a good shot when the boys were running in and out the door!All in all, it was a great weekend and one that Austin and Bryce will never forget.
*This is a side not about the souvenier photo. When we were at Disney World in March we were at a restaurant that had a photographer take your picture when you enter and they come around later to sell you the package already printed up (almost all restaurants did this). These packages were not cheap... usually $20 to $30. At one dinner this happened and we looked at it as always just in case it was a spectacular photo of the whole family and we politefully declined. A couple of moments later, a lady leaned over from the table next to us and she asked "how did you know that you didn't have to buy the package?" We simply said, we just know. You don't have to buy anything once you are in the park (trying not to say, duh!?) Turns out, she has been buying every package like that (had just bought the one at that restaurant actually) for several days. No telling how much money she spent on photos. She was with her sister or some other woman and their combined 4 children... I'm sure she wasn't prepared for that kind of expense! Anyway, just a crazy story that I had to share. Remember, you don't have to buy them just because they print them and make it look like you should! Say NO!! Okay, I feel better.
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