Family Vacation March 2007

Friday we started out driving to Galveston. Jayden was really excited! We were on our way to "bacation, bacation, bacation!" We arrived at Moody Gardens and started at the aquarium. When we walked in Jayden immediately said, "It stinks in here!" The smell of fish was a little overpowering at first! We went around and looked at all the fish, etc. Jayden's favorite was the penguins. They would play back with him through the glass! It was really cute! The other thing Jayden was really excited about was the "giant straw." We were trying to explain to him before we left about the area where you "walk under water" and the fish swim over you. The best explanation we had, "it's like a giant straw that you walk through." Jayden was not overly impressed with it. Oh well! We finished the aquarium and headed over to the IMAX. It was a 3D show about life under the sea. It was good, and as with all 3D shows things jumped out at you. Jayden decided he didn't want to wear his glasses about half way through. It freaked him out. There were fish eating other fish, you know regular under the sea stuff, but for a three year old it was a little overwhelming! After the show we headed over to the rainforest pyramid. We did not spend a lot of time here because it's just not as interesting to a 3 year old as the fish. It was really fun though. Jayden got up close to a ... iguana? And his favorite thing there was the ducks. Yes, the ordinary! The bats, little monkeys, cool birds, plants didn't interest him as much as the ducks! After the rainforest we went to discover! The discovery pyramid was all about music. It was ok. Not my favorite and I'm a musical person. Lots of the exhibits were broken. The discovery pyramid is all hands on fun. There were things to change you voice, instruments to discover how they worked, drums to play, etc. (Sorry no pictures!) That night we went to Mario's Italian! It was yummy! It took awhile to get our food and Jayden slept through almost the entire meal! He fell asleep in the car and didn't wake up until we were finished! We called it an early night so we would be good and rested for Schlitterbaun the next day! That night I didn't sleep well. Going from a king size bed to a double is always an adjustment, plus we were on the wrong sides of the bed! So, the next day we got up and ate breakfast at the hotel and then walked over to Schlitterbaun. We got a locker and then went to explore! It's an indoor waterpark! They have heaters around and the water is warm! This is my type of place! I hate being cold! We went around the lazy river, which really isn't lazy! It was a wave river! Fun! Then Jayden played in the kiddo area for awhile. Then it was lunch time and nap time Jayden was starting to have major meltdowns! Low blood sugar and tiredness, not a good combination! I neglected to mention that Jayden woke up that morning at 6:45am! He walked up to me and said, "Mom! The sun's up!" During breakfast I noted that on the weather channel it said that sunrise was at 6:25am! Yes, the sun have just gotten up! So we walked back over to the hotel restaurant. Jesse ended up carrying Jayden, which is part of the reason we drove from then on out, and Jayden fell asleep waiting for the food. We ate outside by the pool. The weather was nice! After lunch was nap time! Then we headed back over to the park for a few hours. It was really nice to have a two day pass and a hotel so close. We didn't worry about getting our money's worth. We could go back and forth quickly! That night we asked Jayden what he wanted for dinner and he wanted, "Enchiladas, beans and chips" so mexican it was! We ate at a place called Salsa's. It was also good! Back to bed at a decent time and wake up late Sunday because of Daylight Savings time. Yes, we forgot to change the clock. Oh well! No rush! Back to the waterpark for more fun and a repeat of the day before! (almost exactly, but no nap today! check out instead.) Then we were off to home, but wait a quick stop by the fire station, as usual. Jayden and I slept the entire way home and then went to bed once we got home. Jesse was really sweet and unloaded the car and picked up the house! How nice! Jayden and I got up around 10 or 11pm and then stayed up until probably 4am for him and 7am for me! Monday we go up and played around the house. We played tennis outside and Jayden played on his swingset! We also had a novelty! We cooked dinner at home!!! Then we headed off to the fire station to do this:
Well, kinda. We practiced with the hoses. We played water polo and it was fun. I don't think I've been that hot and sweaty since Honduras last summer! It was my first time to use the hose so I'm pretty sore today! I was wiped out by the end of training! We stayed up late again last night and I slept in until... well, I don't want to make anyone angry...late. Tonight we are meeting Jesse's family and brother and SIL for dinner and I'm starving!

(One day I hope to put the pictures in that go with this post...)