VACAtion!

Once a year we get to take a mini vacation. We stay in Temecula at a friends guest house. We usually go to the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park but this year we decided to go to Sea World! I haven't been to Sea World since middle school when I went with the marching band. Yes, I was a bando. I played the flute like nobody's business. And by that I mean, I pretended to know how to play the flute for four years but really I barely knew how to play the b flat scale. Kevin hasn't been since he was a wee lad. So we cashed in our coins (roughly $119!) and went to Sea World!

Brody was beyond excited at the thought of going. Every time the commercial comes on he begs me to take him. And Cohen, well, Cohen still poops his pants so he doesn't really care.

 
Here are the boys at the entrance to Sea World. Yes, I dressed them alike the entire trip. Kevin's loves it.... not really.

 

 I was really excited to get a picture of Brody with the star fish. I have a picture of me at Sea World holding a star fish when i was his age. Sadly, for us, but fortunately for the star fish, you aren't allowed to pick them up anymore.

 Took me forever to get a picture of Brody sitting by the glass. He was so scared at first. I think he was afraid that the fish were going to get him. 

Sharks!

Then it was time for SHAMU! Is the whale still called Shamu? Didnt the real Shamu die years ago? This must be Shamu the 13th or something like that.

 

I will be honest and say that I was super excited to see the show. I remember it from when I was little. Makes you feel like a little kid ooooing and aaaahhhing over a whale. But we did NOT sit in the splash zone. No thank you!

Brody was super impressed with the show. Really, he wasn't paying attention half of the time and when the whale would jump out of the water he would miss it and say, "what just happened?"

This is his impressed/I'm not paying attention face. 

 

Turtle's in a half shell, turtle power! 

 I love the colors here

 

Brody wasn't scared to stand in front of this one! 

I also have a really cute picture of my brother Adam and me in front of the flamingos when we were little. I was hoping to reenact that photo. I even brought my red ruby wizard of oz shoes for Brody to wear... not really.  But now there is a lame fence around the flamingos. Apparently, Sea World cares about the safety of their animals.

Some more photos from Sea World. Don't be fooled by Cohen sitting in the stroller. He wanted to be held most of the day. 

Grandpa came with us!

I was surprised Brody actually went on this ride. And who knew that Sea World had rides now!?

My boys and me waiting for the sea lion show to start. You can kind of tell here that I am really burned. 

Kevin and the boys

The Beluga Whale is probably my most favorite thing in the ocean. They are so beautiful. Sadly, my pictures of them are horrible. They were swimming by me way too fast. 

 

It was a long day at Sea World but very fun, with the exception of the HORRIBLE UV sunburn I got. I wont post a picture of that... its too disturbing. 

Sea World was just day 1 of our super fun vacation. Day two was a trip to Professor PennyPickles Workshop and Kid Museum in Temecula. Our friend told us that this place was a must. The museum is a house, Mr. Pennypickels, full of science and discovery. Lots of fun for the kids!

Exploring!

Discovering!

Cohen in the music room

The random toilet paper display

Mommy and Cohen

PennyPickles was super fun! 

On our third day of vacation we went to Old Town San Diego. We visited the Sheriff Museum.... because it was free! 

Baby Helicopter. So silly, babies dont fly helicopters. 

 

Brody Picking out his first gun

What's this guys name? Scruff Mcgruff? Something like that. Cant remember the name but he's the reason why I never did drugs.

Uh Oh. Daddy got in trouble! Brody had too much fun putting Kevin in handcuffs but refused to let us put him in handcuffs.

C.H.I.P.S.!

Brody locked us in jail. We let Brody take a few pics of us in the cell but knew they wouldn't come out very good so we had the lady at the museum take one for us.... She is just as good at taking pictures as Brody is. So here is our blurry picture.

After maybe 20 minutes Brody was finally brave enough to go in the cell

 He even let us lock him in! He was smiling so I told him that jail isn't fun and he isn't allowed to smile. This is his attempt at not smiling.

Brody in the back of the cop car. I told him this better be the only time he is ever in the back of one. Again, he was smiling so I told him to make a sad face. He really does look sad! I sat in the back of it. Talk about no leg space! And its not like I need a lot of leg space at 5 feet tall. Guess they didn't design those things to be comfortable. 

We walked around Old Town some more and went into the Wells Fargo Museum... I could help but sing the song when I walked in... "Oh the Wells Fargo wagon is a comin down the street. Oh please let it be for me!" Wow, that takes me back to the my 4th grade music show. Here is Cohen next to a HUGE horse... don't worry, its fake. I know it looks so real.

I tried to explain to Brody that before cars, this is how people got around. He wasn't interested. 

Then we went to lunch and this happened... and it was A-MA-ZING! 

Mommy and Brody being silly

Wish I had taken more pictures but its a lot of work when you are yelling at a 5 year old to stop touching everything and trying to entertain a baby. But our trip was super fun and we are definitely going back next year for another mini vacation.