SEA WORLD!!!

So it's been over 2 months since our Sea World trip and I just realized I never wrote about it. I took only three pictures, and two of them stink, so I don't have much photo evidence of our trip. But we have the memories!

John and I had been talking about making a trip to Sea World for a few months, but had decided that there just wasn't room in the budget for the trip. Then at the beginning of June, John recieved a recognition bonus award thingie because the client he's working with right now really, really likes him. That little award was enough to cover tickets, gas, and food with a little left over. Because John travels so much and stays at the Hilton as much as possible, he had enough Hilton points saved up to pay for a hotel room for 4 nights (we only needed 3). We decided to hurry up and go before Libby's birthday so that she would still qualify for free admission, so we had about 2 weeks to get it all planned out. More than enough time.

I spent the few days before the trip making a roast for sandwiches and a big batch of chicken salad so we could save on food on our trip. With those in the cooler and a great omlete bar each morning for breakfast, we'd only have to eat out once a day. Then I packed up a slew of snacks, figured out that we could indeed jam the double jogging stroller plus all of our clothes and pillows and diapers and wipes and bottles, etc. into the piddly trunk of our car. (Can I get a woo-hoo! for that being the last time we took a trip without our van?) Then we hooked up the dvd player, slapped the kids in the car, and took off for San Antonio.

We had decided to take it easy, one day to drive down, two days at the park, one day to drive back. I know people in my ward who drive down, go to the park, and come home all in one day. More power to them, I say, but that's not for me. The drive down began with lots of rain and lightning, but eventually we made it past the storm and enjoyed the hours of farmland situated between Dallas and San Antonio. It really was a pretty drive. We arrived at the hotel in a timely manner and got all checked in. Jaina had started a fever the night before and was really not a happy baby when we got to the hotel, so John took Libby down to the pool while Jaina and I snuggled in bed and watched "The Dog Whisperer". Jaina got a bit of a nap, then we had dinner and hung out until bedtime. Jaina didn't sleep all that great, but Libby passed out and went right to sleep.