We were lucky enough to take a vacation last month! Steve and Henny left in the truck to drive to San Diego (picking up Papa Mike in San Francisco on the way), and Jill and I flew down to join them four days later. We had a GREAT time. Papa Mike flew home from San Diego after a week, while the rest of us took our time driving home up Highway 101. Aside from a few less than desirable hotel options (101 is limiting, even more so with a pet) and the time I watched the restaurant staff removing the cheese from my salad with their FINGERS, it was a wonderful trip. We now know we can handle long road trips with ease, and it was very relaxing and enjoyable, not to mention beautiful. It was a little sad to arrive home, but we are glad to be back all the same.
Because we didn't want to have Memorial Day crowds ruin our park experiences, we headed out to Legoland the day after Jill and I arrived. It was...a bit of a letdown, but fun nevertheless. After Disney World, I suppose most things will be a letdown. The only thing I didn't get a photo of and wish I would have was the roller coaster in Dinoland. Jill LOVED it. It was her first roller coaster and we rode it twice. If we hadn't had to leave to get dinner, she would have ridden it all night. It was the only coaster there that she could ride. Our little shorty is still only 39 inches tall. Grow little legs, grow! Forty inches will open up new worlds!
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| Ready to get her driver's license |
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| steering can be a little tricky |
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| creation she made while we waited in line for the world's lamest ride |
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| Legoland Fire Department |
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| flying |
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| pirate ship ride--it swung and spun and Jill LOVED it |
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| this guy rode too many times and told us he was getting sick |
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| our favorites |
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| Jill loves R2-D2 |
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| but not as much as she loves Princess Leia |
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| little Boba Fett |
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| Force push |
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| jousting |
We were fortunate enough to rent a house just a block and a half from the beach and had a lovely time. We had only one day of sunshine, and we made the most of it. The other days were cool and overcast, but amazingly, the only rain we saw was on the day we drove back home. We were very lucky.
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| The BEACH!!! |
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| these two could play all day long at the beach |
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| family portrait before we walked to the beach |
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| coloring Captain America at dinner |
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| outside the restaurant |
The day after the beach we went to Sea World. Right inside the entrance is the Sesame Street area, which had 3 rides that were perfect for Jill. Then we just enjoyed a leisurely pace the rest of the day. We saw the Shamu show, and also a show with two performing sea lions, Clyde and Seamore. Those two were adorable!
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| Elmo ride at Sea World |
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| Oscar ride at Sea World |
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| rescuer |
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| Megalodon teeth...we had to research him later and Jill is unsatisfied with the "unknown reason for extinction." She says she will find out when she becomes a paleontologist. |
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| these egrets were stealing the fish people bought to feed the sea lions |
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| ready to watch the Shamu show |
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| Little Baer and Green Sea Turtle |
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| touch pools |
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| my 2 favorite penguins |
