Sea World!!!

Last week we took a family trip to Sea World! It was so much fun!

Everyone ready to go!






Feeding dolphins!




The dolphin show!




Before the sea lion and otter show one of the performers put on a preshow that had all of us laughing. This guy sprayed unsuspecting members of the crowd, heckled people, and basically annoyed people--boy was it funny!


It was a Halloween themed show.




Admiral Higginbottom blowing everyone a kiss.


Thriller!






After riding the Wild Arctic, we saw beluga whales and a polar bear. Isabelle wouldn't follow dad into the polar bears cave!


Penguins


Isabelle, Ava, and Elmo!


Journey to Atlantis!


Sharks!!








A headless penguin! Boy, they get into Halloween at SeaWorld! (If you look to the left you'll see his sleeping head!)


Just what animal do you think this is? At first glance, perhaps a manitee. But, upon closer inspection you will see that it is really the hind end of a walrus. The stubborn guy refused to turn around for us to get a better shot! I guess he thought this was his better side!

Daddy and his girls!




San Diego is a cool looking city!


After the first day at Sea World, we went exploring along the harbor.


The girls skipping along!


What started as sisterly love turned into sibling rivalry! The race is on!


Belle took this one of Beau and I. After a day of getting soaked, it shows! This was only one of two shots I have with me in it though!


Shot number two with me. Belle photographing again!


Saturday morning we went to the USS Midway. It was a neat experience and a good opportunity to teach the girls a little about our history.






The Shamu show!! We believe!!!




























The Shamu Wave!




Bye Shamu!




After the show, one of the trainers posed for pics. Isabelle now wants to become a dolphin trainer!


We met up with my sister, Mandy, and her family the second day we were there. It made SeaWorld even better! Seth and Ava.


Isabelle and Ally




My nephew, Seth, scolding his shadow. He spent about five minutes talking to his shadow. It was hysterical. Someone is going to have to explain that whatever his shadow did, he had something to do with it!

Conference Scenes

For those of you who are not members of our church, every six months we as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have a general conference. We have the chance to hear and receive guidance from the leaders of our church. We are lucky enough to watch this conference on television. My family gathered together to hear and watch conference while I was visiting. Following are scenes from this experience. For those of you who do belong to our church, these scenes will probably ring true for many of you too!!


The gathering begins!


My brother, Ladd, married his beautiful wife, Emily, a year ago. They actually celebrated their 1 year anniversary over the weekend as well. And, as you can probably tell, they are expecting their first baby (a boy!) in November. I loved being able to sneak this shot of them. Those moments between a husband and wife when they are so in love and anticipating their first child! Young love!


Emily, is beautiful. She is pregnant and understandably bigger than normal and thinks she is HUGE! I, however think she has the 'glow.'


Had to sneak another shot in of the lovebirds!


Ava at the start of conference.


A little way in.


A little further in.


Toward the end.


Dad, listening intently.


Mom, also paying close attention.


Ladd--isn't he handsome!


During the break.


Ava at the end of conference.


Don't worry, you weren't the only one who had a hard time staying awake!


Grandpa White. Anyone who knows my dad knows this look well!

Paper

A week a ago Sunday, Tom gave a talk in sacrament meeting at church. He spoke on the process of how paper is made, the various steps that need to be taken to get a single piece of paper, and what we can then do with a piece of paper, and how we, too, go through a similar process. Isabelle was paying attention. At the end of hearing his talk, she gave him this piece of paper! Too cute! She was excited to show him her used piece of paper. (It reads, (At the very top) Used Paper I loved your talk. I think you were fantastic. Love, Isabelle I knew you could do it.)

Kidfsfaire!!

After our little adventure to the ER, we did make it to the Kidsfaire. (Anyone who goes next year, I suggest buying tickets before you go--I did, and boy am I glad. The line for tickets was outrageous!) The girls had a blast!

Waiting for the Strawberry Shortcake show to begin.


And there she is!


They were totally into it!

The girls milking a 'cow.' I think we need to get them to a real cow, now that they've got the hang of it!

Check out that form!

The main event---Meeting Dora! Ava loves, loves Dora the Explorer. She was pretty much the main attraction for Ava, so I braved standing in line for 30 minutes to get up to meet her, during which time Ava falls asleep!! (Stinker!) I tried desperately to wake her up when it was our turn, but she was OUT! She stirred for a moment and I told her that we made it to Dora, she cracked a little smile, but notice her eyes are still closed! I have the proof though!!! She did meet Dora!


We kept seeing people with big bags of cotton candy and that is the treat my girls wanted! Every vendor we talked to seemed to be out. Finally, we found someone who pulled us to the side, and very low-key gave us the scoop of where we could 'find some.' We had to go to the back of the food court and look for a cart marked with big red stripes. Well, after our exhausting search, and what felt like an illegal transaction, we too had a big bag of pink and purple cotton candy!!