Guess where we went!
To Sea World!We loaded up the car on a Monday morning, fired up the portable DVD player, and hit the road with breakfast in hand headed to San Antonio!
This picture was taken while we were waiting...and waiting...and waiting (an hour and a half!) in line to get our FREE Fun Cards. Thank you, Sea World, for your appreciation of teachers! With copies of our teaching certificates, both Chris and I qualified for a free Fun Card (basically a season pass). So, we only had to pay for Cooper's Fun Card (now we have the option of going back all year!).
Another reason to support Sea World--they also have a military appreciation program, "Here's to the Heroes" (or something like that), in which military personnel and their families get in free. Awesome! (Another reason why we waited in such a long line. But, glad to do it on that account!)
Armed with cold water and donning our swim suits,
we were ready for a fun day!
This spring, Sea World opened a new area called the Sesame Street Bay of Play. The rides and water areas were just right for little kiddos.
It was super cool--what kid wouldn't have fun when seeing his Sesame Street pals' faces on everything in sight?
One of the first things Cooper saw and wanted to do--the Shamu roller coaster!
This picture was taken while we were waiting...and waiting...and waiting (an hour and a half!) in line to get our FREE Fun Cards. Thank you, Sea World, for your appreciation of teachers! With copies of our teaching certificates, both Chris and I qualified for a free Fun Card (basically a season pass). So, we only had to pay for Cooper's Fun Card (now we have the option of going back all year!).
Another reason to support Sea World--they also have a military appreciation program, "Here's to the Heroes" (or something like that), in which military personnel and their families get in free. Awesome! (Another reason why we waited in such a long line. But, glad to do it on that account!)
Armed with cold water and donning our swim suits,we were ready for a fun day!
This spring, Sea World opened a new area called the Sesame Street Bay of Play. The rides and water areas were just right for little kiddos.
It was super cool--what kid wouldn't have fun when seeing his Sesame Street pals' faces on everything in sight?
One of the first things Cooper saw and wanted to do--the Shamu roller coaster!He loved it, and ended up riding with Daddy on both days.
The obligatory carousel ride.
The obligatory carousel ride. 
Too cute!
BIG fun--This reminded me of the Playscape at our church. Basically a huge climbing area for kids. Coop hit the ropes, started climbing, and never looked back. Well, except when his crocs fell off a time or two!
You can barely see him, but that's Cooper standing up on the pink platform about to enter the tunnel on the right.
Daddy had to climb part of the way up to check it out.
Daddy had to climb part of the way up to check it out. He's such a big kid!
Big Bird ferris wheel ride
We all crammed in, but were still smilin'!
Had to stop and do this a lot.
Can't go to Sea World without seeing Shamu!
Big Bird ferris wheel ride We all crammed in, but were still smilin'! Had to stop and do this a lot.Can't go to Sea World without seeing Shamu!
Coop talked about Shamu for days.
Woo-hoo!
Ta-da!
Love that smile...
Woo-hoo!
Ta-da!
This "splash pad" area was quite a hit. He ran around in circles squealing for awhile before settling in and trying everything out.
Love that smile...
Figuring it out...
I lost count how many times he crawled through that tunnel.
Meeting Rosita (from Sesame Street).
"It's sooo big!"
Sharks!
Coop loved the aquarium!
Later we went to the Penguin Encounter. Kind of hard to take pictures due to the darkness. None of mine turned out very good. It was hard for Coop to see them, too. He was a little disappointed; he'd see them on the Sea World website and was really looking forwars to seeing them in person.
We also went to a Sesame Street "4-D" movie. Coop will tell you that the next time he goes to Sea World he doesn't want to see that movie again. The 3D glasses were uncomfortable and the "4D" experience was a bit too much of a surprise for him. For example, Grover was wielding a fire hose that not only looked like it was coming right at you, but it sprayed you as well (sprayers hidden in the back of the seat in front of you). I think in a different setting he wouldn't have minded, but he did NOT like it at all!
We stuck to the animals after that...
Mother & baby sea lions.
Then we were really hot..so we headed to the waterpark!
After relaxing in the big wave pool, we went to a smaller pool that had a slide...
Coop rode this slide twice--with Daddy and with Mommy, too!
Just finished relaxing at the waterpark area...
About to head to the hotel after a long, hot, FUN day at Sea World. 
Our extra-large, extra-cheap hotel room--complete with 2 queen-sized beds, a sitting area and 2 bathrooms. Yes, you read that right--2 bathrooms!
We made our reservation via priceline.com, named our price, and ended up staying at the St. Anthony Wyndham in downtown San Antonio.
All for $50!
"It's sooo big!" Coop is standing in the dressing area adjacent to one of the two bathrooms.
Ready to go eat dinner...waiting for Mommy to finish taking pictures.
We started out Day 2 at the Dolphin Cove. This was the scene of our first (and really our only) major meltdown! We made it in time to get in line to buy a tray of fish to feed to the dolphins. I insisted that we do this, but Coop was so excited to see the dolphins that he kept trying to rush ahead of the line and didn't want to listen to any kind of explanation. Chris finally got him settled down enough to understand why we were waiting in the longer line, then we were okay.
We started out Day 2 at the Dolphin Cove. This was the scene of our first (and really our only) major meltdown! We made it in time to get in line to buy a tray of fish to feed to the dolphins. I insisted that we do this, but Coop was so excited to see the dolphins that he kept trying to rush ahead of the line and didn't want to listen to any kind of explanation. Chris finally got him settled down enough to understand why we were waiting in the longer line, then we were okay.
Finally feeding the dolphins..with a little help from Daddy.
(Didn't really want to hold the dead fish, and I think he was a little scared of that dolphin's big mouth.) They were so beautiful!
Then we headed to the Coral Reef/Shark area.
Then we headed to the Coral Reef/Shark area.
Coop didn't quite understand the concept of an aquarium, and was full of questions as we walked. He didn't hesitate to go in though.
We heard, "Wow! Look at that!" several times!
(My personal favorite of God's marine creations--the stingray.)Sharks!
Coop loved the aquarium!Later we went to the Penguin Encounter. Kind of hard to take pictures due to the darkness. None of mine turned out very good. It was hard for Coop to see them, too. He was a little disappointed; he'd see them on the Sea World website and was really looking forwars to seeing them in person.
We also went to a Sesame Street "4-D" movie. Coop will tell you that the next time he goes to Sea World he doesn't want to see that movie again. The 3D glasses were uncomfortable and the "4D" experience was a bit too much of a surprise for him. For example, Grover was wielding a fire hose that not only looked like it was coming right at you, but it sprayed you as well (sprayers hidden in the back of the seat in front of you). I think in a different setting he wouldn't have minded, but he did NOT like it at all!
We stuck to the animals after that...
Mother & baby sea lions.All in all, we are very grateful for a fun, successful and
affordable first family vacation!
3 comments:
Wow! what an awesome trip! You captured some of the best, ear to ear smiles in your pictures. Yay Sea World!
Clark was fairly traumatized by a 4D Polar Express movie when he was around Coopers age. Same reaction. I don't recommend those until they're over 5. ;)
What a fun trip for you all. We are so glad you did it and thankful that Coop enjoyed it and stayed well. God is so good to all of us and I think you three are some of His favorites!
Love, Gran and Pop
Great pics! So glad yall had a good time! Looked like fun! :)
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