Florida, Again

The last of the Florida pictures. It already seems like so long ago.

Grandpa was a sport and took Annie on the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom a couple of times. Daddy was with Cole on the Mt. Everest ride and Mommy was still feeling a little queasy after her the first go-round on the Mt. Everest ride. Note to unsuspecting riders - don't be fooled into thinking this ride is just like Disneyland's Matterhorn. It will make you feel much pukey-er (official spelling). Stick to the Safari.

"It's A Bug's Life" glasses. The maggots leaving at the end of the show get me every time. Cole was highly impressed with the bug spit.

Ben made a little home for himself climbing on this Corythosaurus. And thanks to Cole, I needed no help in identifying this creature as a Corythosaurus.

Annie and Cole liked climbing too.

Universal Islands of Adventure - everyone told us the lines here were terrible because of the new Harry Potter land. We lucked out and went on a day when the weather was a little dicey and walked right on to rides that we were told we would have to wait three hours for. I say "we", but really I mean Floyd and Cole and his cousins. I chose to keep my lunch and stick to the Dr. Seuss carousel.

Hogwarts castle, above, and Ben gets a taste of Butter Beer, below. He liked it.

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Don't try the ear wax.

Next up, Sea World. Always my favorite. Although the Killer Whale show is not as cool when the trainers can't get in the water.

And finally, a little peek at how Cole and Annie looked pretty much every night after they finally wiggled their way into sleeping position. They are not used to sharing beds and it was a battle for the best spot every night.

Trip moments I want to remember:

-Hearing the Space Shuttle land. We didn't make it out to watch the landing, but just as we were walking into Sea World, we heard the two quick booms meaning it was there and landing. I got chills.

-That my kids did not cause any problems on the plane, even on the flight home when we were missing Floyd. They were champion fliers. Thankfully.

-Watching Annie giggle when the plane hit turbulence and explain to the man sitting next to her that it tickled her tummy on the up and downs.

-The three babies battling for Grandma Rose. Whenever she held one of them, the other two would start howling for her attention.

-Cole's excitement when we finally made it to Harry Potter land. He could hardly hold it together, he was so happy to be there.

-Ben and his cousin Kaden clapping and clapping and clapping at Ben's birthday party. They are a handsome little duo.

-Annie holding her little arms up throughout the entire ride on almost every ride. If ever they would drop on a hill or something, she would immediately pop them right back up.

-Landon (my nephew) standing on his tippy-toes to try and be tall enough for all the rides and how excited he was when he was tall enough. Also how sad he was when he was too short.

-Watching Ben at the beach. He was in heaven and it was so fun to watch.

-Annie "handling" the cold and refusing to put a jacket on when it got cold.

-Cole pretending he was all grown up and going on all the big kid rights. How did that happen? Let's just stick to Small World.

-And last but not least, that I nearly missed the trip. I left my wallet home and didn't realize it until we were in Salt Lake, so I sent Floyd and the kids to the airport and booked it in record time back to North Ogden where I met some person I do not know that my dad had sent to break into my house and get my wallet and then zipped back to Salt Lake. Whew! For the record - don't read this part, Mom - it took me thirty-two minutes to get from 5th south in Salt Lake to the 2700 North exit. Not too shabby.