Sea World! (yes, this is from 3 weeks ago)

3 weeks ago, when I still had a job, blah, blah, blah. We piled into the minivan "which has more room so the kids won't be two feet from our ears as they talk nonstop all the way up there". Also, the van which apparently could have used a little autobody shop check up because the water pump blew. On I-4, approximately 15 minutes from downtown Orlando. Oh, and we'd passed an fresh accident with a flipped car and a woman being extricated, prior to emergency services' arrival, about 5 minutes before the pump blew. So we waited a little extry time on the interstate waiting for the tow. Like an hour. Have I mentioned it was hot? It was.

Although I can say: Thank God for AAA. And for the tow truck driver who drove us almost all the way to the gates of Sea World, to the closest possible AAA-approved body shop, from which it was possible (although not pleasant) to WALK to Sea World. (See below, because I can't seem to remember to load my pictures backward, darn linear/chronological mind.) The tow truck ride MIGHT have been the highlight of the trip for Emily. And as I said, not believing it even a little bit, at the time, It is actually kind of funny now.

And we had fun. This is day two.



And here was Sea World Day One, the day we'd WALKED at least a couple of miles from the car shop, no stroller, 88 degrees, no shade, into the park. The parking lot itself, the final leg of the epic journey, seemed like the Sahara, except with a lot more people and, um, cars. But endless, hot, with no water fountains.




In case anyone can tell that's me next to Emily on the carousel. I wish you hadn't, but let me explain my deranged expression. I was turning around to look at Penny, on a horse (or equivalent sea-creature) behind us, terrified that she was going to let go and slide, the-stuff-of-nightmares-fashion, off the horse while we were moving, if I didn't take my eyes off her. But I didn't want to spend the entire ride looking worried so I faked enthusiasm: Isn't this FUN, Penny? Aren't we having the best time of our lives? She was, and she held on very tight, and everything was fine. Of course. (Because I never took my eyes off her, that's why.)

I will post more tomorrow. Maybe I'll get us to Gymnastics Jamboree! Or maybe all the way to Cousin's Birthday in the Park! But probably not to Penny's Birthday! Or Emily's Kindergarten Graduation! (Come on, people, that was only yesterday!)