Sea World

...Still playing catch up...the day after Thanksgiving we packed the kids up and went to Sea World for the day. We had a great time -- I LOVE going to Sea World.

Just inside the park was this huge Christmas tree, decorated with various marine life things.

The Dolphin Discovery area is one of my favorite. Last time we were there we were able to feed the dolphins. We didn't make it there during feeding times this visit, but the dolphins were having a lot of fun showing off their tricks and checking us out.

So Cool!

I love the way dolphins always look like they're smiling :)

Wish I could jump so high and so gracefully!

We even took the chance to 'Dine with Shamu'...save your money. It was no cooler that just watching the regular Shamu show, and the food wasn't all that either. It was cool because we were watching whales as we ate, just not worth the money when you can see all the same during the regular show and be just as close if you sit in the splash zone!

We did have a good seat for our lunch though, right next to one of the platforms.

Jonathan ate standing up in his chair the whole time so he could watch the whales. Clara would sit for short periods of time then go back to standing.

How can something so massive, jump so effortlessly?

One more pose on our platform

Cheese!

Clara feeding the sea lions

Jonathan feeding the sea lions

Begging for more!

'The Sea Lion and Otter Show'

The sea lion would screech like he was being choked when she touched his neck...

...and stopped when she pulled her hands away.

This sea lion was trying out for American Idol

Laughing at us (the audience)

Posing with a ball on his nose

Competition to swim with a ball on their nose and not drop the ball as they passed it over this pole (This sea lion went over the stick with the ball)

This sea lion took a different approach, just passing the ball over the stick, catching it on his nose on the other side.

There was even a 'So You Think You Can Dance' segment

They danced hip hop.

The kids LOVED the Sea Lion and Otter Show

Posing this the host of the Sea Lion and Otter Show

Dolphin Show

Posing for a Family Pic

Climbing on the nets in the Sesame Street Playhouse

They had an area like the 'Noodle Room' and the Phoenix Children's' Museum. Chris took the Clara and Jonathan in there while Matthew and I went in search for a jacket for me (It got chilly when the sun went down!)

Chris said some older kids were playing a little rough in there and kept knocking Jonathan down...this is when he'd had enough of it!

I got back in time to ride on Oscar's ride with Clara and Jonathan

Ready to go see the Polar Express 4D

5 minutes into the show, Jonathan asked to sit in my lap...2 minutes later, he peed on me! Thankfully it was the end of the night, and we had a change of clothes for him - and I realized what was happening before he got me too good...still had the Shamu show to see :)

All in all though, we can't complain about how well he did on the trip, having only been potty trained for a couple months now!

Chris and Matthew ready for the Polar Express show!

Hard to get good pics at the night time Shamu show -- but it was pretty. I like the regular day time one better, but we missed it due to the timing of our lunch. When we went to Sea World 2 years ago, I was determined to sit in the splash zone for all the shows, dragging 2 screaming kids and a weary husband with me. This time, the kids wanted to sit in the splash zones (esp. Clara). We did, but never got splashed this time around. Clara was REALLY upset, constantly asking, "Why aren't we getting splashed? When are we going to get splashed? I thought you said we were going to sit in the splash zone?!"...Just can't win around here :)