Ta-da! We survived SeaWorld! We more than survived, we had a great time. Sunday, we drove down to Austin to visit my sister and her family. Monday, we drove to San Antonio and spent a leisurely afternoon at the hotel pool. That was smart, because Tuesday wore us out.

Because school isn’t out yet, SeaWorld is only open til five and some rides aren’t open. But, that also means fewer people and honestly, 10-5 with a 2 and 4 year old is about all we can handle. We saw all the exhibits, the three animal shows and rode a few rides. It was a full day.

Look closely and you’ll see Satchmo is clutching two matchbox cars in his little paws. He never goes anywhere without those accessories.

We did get to see the Sprite’s beloved sharks. They are beautiful to watch as they move through the water, but I can’t say I share her desire to swim with them. She got a shark tooth necklace to commemorate the occassion. Now we’re trying to figure out just what kind of shark contributed his tooth. Not an easy task. (In addition to loving sharks, she’s also a coaster lover. She’s very happy to have reached the magic number: 48″ tall.)

In addition to the shows, we did the “Dine with Shamu” event. The trainers answered questions and we got very, very close to the whales. This picture makes me wonder what the animals think about their trainers.

Fun fact: ice is considered a treat for orcas. Maybe I’ll try that with my kids. “If you clean your room, I’ll give you an ice cube!”

After the event, as we were packing up the boys and gathering our paraphenelia, the girls wanted to ask more questions. So I sent them over to chat up the trainers. Weird, unsocialized homeschoolers. I wish I had gotten a picture of Little Miss confidently shaking the other trainer’s hand. A firm handshake is a vital attribute for any young conquering girl (or boy). I did get this great shot.

Sometimes I wish my girls were more confident, able to converse easily with a wide range of people about a variety of topics, even those topics that are new to them. I wish they were, what’s the word? Oh, yeah, I wish they were socialized. (Homeschool snark off.)

The girls rode a few rides, and the boys spent more than an hour with the magic squirting water. If I could get one of these installed in my backyard, I’d never have to worry about math being interupted again. Of course, I’d never get them out of the background. Satchmo stayed at that one fountain with his foot covering the opening until it went off. Then he’d run away screaming and laughing until it stopped. Then he’d return to his post with his foot on the hole.

I got the boys an Ocean Toob filled with a dozen little sea creatures. Bulldozer’s been classifying the animals. We’re very impressed with his skill. He can sort whales, sharks and dolphins. The rest of the misfits are classed together on their own little island.

Today, we drove back home through the backroads and stopped at a diner that was supposed to be one of the best 40 small town cafes in Texas. The food was good, but the service was sad. They were nice, but neglectful. But I had yummy key-lime pie, so I forgive them.

It was a nice time and a welcome break. Tomorrow we’re back to our regularly scheduled insanity. Woo-hoo!