seaworld and tidepools

Dec 30-31, 2009

For Christmas this year, Santa brought everyone a ticket to SeaWorld, so the morning after the wedding, we loaded up (w/ Scott & Rebekah’s family—all in our limitless van!) for SeaWorld!! Since Grandma & Grandpa were there last year w/ TJ&Kristen (Orlando style), they highly recommended making time for the shows.  We got through the gates w/ our maps and schedules, and realized we were just in time for the first Shamoo show of the day, so found seats as quick as we could.  Brian and Scott sat with the kids in the splash zone, while Becka and I kept the babies dry.  Now, we had watched the online pictures of Shamoo plenty of times in preparation for this trip, but WOW!!!—Nothing compares with being there in person!! Those huge springing whales are spectacular! They rival the views at Yellowstone in grandeur!! My breath was just taken away again and again!! And though I was pretty bummed at not being able to ride ANY of the ride in my “delicate” condition, I was glad the next day, to be able to take Anne and Margot to see the show again while everyone above 48” (and w/o any condition) rode Shipwreck Rapids. 

After doing a huge project on sharks last year, Brent was thrilled at the Shark tanks you got to walk through and under.  Anne could’ve waved at the manatees all day, the penguins had an environment that made you feel like you were IN Antarctica, and the seals, and pets shows were hilariously amazing! Though I again missed the helicopter flight simulation ride (which made all of the Duncan boys sick), the Polar exhibits, where we saw 3 huge polar bears very close up, the ENORMOUS walruses being fed, and gorgeous, almost glowing beluga whales were exhilarating.  I had been so concerned about 2 days being too much there—with only a few rides, and not enough detail in the maps to tell me otherwise, I was just hoping everyone would enjoy it.  I now think I could’ve taken a week to enjoy it all! Especially for my motion-sensitive family (Scott and Rebekah had to take Maddie & Em on the real roller coaster), the rides were just right, and the exhibits and aquariums are all premium quality, with the shows being just the right topper! There was still a lot we didn’t even get to—w/ ice skating always available, a 3D movie, and the kids ALL loved the giant Sesame Street playland w/ a few kid-friendly rides (I STILL wasn’t allowed on), and the biggest playground we’d ever seen.  It wore us all out, but we were so glad we took the chance to go! It was really fun to have cousins to go with too!

The second day, we did only spend half at Seaworld, so we could meet up with a lot of the other family at Point Loma to eat lunch, and see all the tide pools, while it was still low tide.  Those tide pools are like an aquarium to themselves.  Brent got out far enough to see lobsters w/ Grandpa, and Anne and I had fun watching all the sea urchins contract when you poked them.  Quite an amazing terrain!—and another beautifully exhausting day!

And since I'm having issues with labeling my photos again, here's the amazing whales, visiting the shark tank, everyone but me and the babes on Shipwreck Rapids (MUCH wetter than the splash zone!)--where my amazing timing allowed me to not only watch Shamu first, but come back and end up where I could grab a quick picture of them on the ride!; Then, more aquariums, and lots of fun shots at the tide pools.

 

Wedding

Dec. 29, 2009

Well, the big day finally arrived, and our WHOLE family got to be in the temple together to see Nick and Laurie sealed (except dear Rebekah, who stayed out at the last minute to help keep the children alive).  The temple, even after seeing pictures, was AMAZING in person, and so beautiful inside, with light pouring in everywhere.  It was so nice to hear the words of the sealer, reminding us all of the importance in every temple ordinance, and SO good to get Laurie really into the family.  It was fun to be around her family that week, and amazing how natural it all seemed to be together! I always wonder at these events, how long ago things were set into motion to get to this point—esp. when it seems like it’s been this way (or should’ve been!) all along.  Family is SOO fun! We got some family pictures outside the temple after, though none that inspired me to send off Christmas cards like I intended! And a favorite moment—just a week before Brian’s 40^th birthday, was his going into the Distribution Center there, and in his tux and flower, being congratulated as being the father of a bride!! Nick was only 10 when we were married, but it sure made Brian feel grown up! The reception that night was back at the Rane home, and Delicious and lovely, and they were SO hospitable to let the children hang out in a bonus room upstairs, before we all sent them off w/ a trail of sparklers!! I LOVE these family weddings, where you DO know and enjoy a lot of the people there, but where (at least, as a child) the personal stress level is blissfully low! It’s just so good to sit back and enjoy it all!

cousin time

After a VERY long drive to California, (THANKS DAD, FOR DRIVING THE WHOOOOLLLE TIME!!!), made even longer by what we thought would be a quick detour down the strip in Vegas!—we got to San Diego that evening, meeting up with all of the other Mildenhall’s at the hotel Gpa graciously provided for us (and which we all thought later we should buy as one big commune to live in!).  Grandpa then for Christmas, took us all to the San Diego zoo the next day, where, besides the animals of course,  the greatest attractions were almost the sky trams and bus! I loved seeing all the bears (that I still missed from Yellowstone this summer!), and they did have a great and huge variety of everything!  It is a HUGE zoo, and even w/ clouds, it was a beautiful place! Super Aunt Kristen rallied all of the children old enough to speak into completing the zoo scavanger hunt, finding answers all over the place, and winning 2 animal postcards at the end (the children thought the prizes might be a bit more grand after all that work!).  We were all EXHAUSTED after that day, and enjoyed an authentic In-N-Out dinner on our way home (even if UT does have a few of its own now!).

        Sunday we all went to Laurie’s ward, and were then invited to their lovely home for lunch.  The kids sure loved having Primary with so many cousins! (and Nick and Laurie were even helping in Nursery w/ Anne and Rosie!)

       

        Monday was Dad’s birthday, so he chose for an activity, a trip over to Torrey Pines Park, which has many hiking trails right along the coast.  The weather was again, perfect—not too hot or cold, and we enjoyed great views of the ocean along our hike, and then watched all the crazy kids play in the freezing waves until they were all soaked and could watch their crazy Grandpa do a headstand for his birthday!  That night was a Wedding Dinner at the Marriott for all of the family, and Gene & Andrea had arrived by then w/ Grandma Priday, so it was fun to be together and stop being nervous about how to “toast” Nick & Laurie.  As Brian said, if nothing else, we were glad that since they chose to be married in December, that San Diego was the place!

All the cousins after a hike through Torrey Pines:
(Rebekah w/) Jack, Sadie, Caden Maddie, Camdyn, Rosie, Spencer, Anne, (Bree w/) Cohen, Emily, Gpa, (Briant w/) Natalina, Margot, Katya, and Brent (w/ TJ in front??)

Cousins enjoying one of many meals in Staybride Suites dining area:  Anne, Sadie, Maddie, Emily, Katya, Rosie, Brent, Caden, Jack, & Spencer

 Shirley Temple, I mean Anne---in our hotel room

At the zoo:  Caden, Katya, Sadie, Anne, Brian, Maddie, Brent, Emily, Spencer

Kristen and the girls in the skytram

There's Grandma in the next skytram!

Part of the view from the sky

standing in line for the sky ride

On the top level of the tour bus:  Anne, Caden, Brent, Sadie, Maddie

Maddie (still atop bus) in front of Rhinos

 Waiting for the seal show to begin (glad we saw this one before SeaWorld!)
Brent, Emily, Maddie, Anne, Spencer, & Sadie; They were so excited to sit in the soak zone, and felt really gypped not to get wet!

Torrey Pines hike--view of the coast:  Anne, Char, Katya, Sadie, Maddie

 Jack watching Grandpa do his "Birthday Headstand" on the beach! (grandchildren were ALL duly impressed!)

Maddie & Anne at the water (while they were still dry!)

Dad and Anne testing the water



Anne, at the hike, petting a goat at the zoo, and playing her new Chutes and Ladders!  (thanks to TJ and Kristen for the great games additions!)

 

and all the Mildenhall children the night before Nick's wedding!

TJ, Scott, Nick, Briant, Robert, & Charlotte

Christmas Eve

Well, we may not have finished A Christmas Carol OR baked cinnamon rolls OR any cookies, but we did have a much more relaxed Christmas season at our home, and we DID get over to Temple Square—even w/ cousins!—the Sunday before Christmas. It was bitterly cold, but nearly all of December was, so we cozied up to the free Sister Missionary concert and others in the Visitor’s Center.

The children had that week off, and we spent most of it getting all ready for our big trip. We did have a simplified Christmas Eve dinner—steak and potatoes w/ our favorite cranberry & tonic water to drink, and mint Oreo pie for dessert. We read the Christmas story, and then opened all of our presents this year, since we had such an early start the next morning. There were pajamas and Grandma Stewart crocheted the WHOLE family slippers (which the children LOVE sliding around the floor on!). We also opened nice silverware and dishes from Duncan’s w/ a beautiful Duncan plaque to hang up. The children decided on drawing names this year, so they could get nicer things for each other, and the boys loved their nerf guns from the girls, and the girls enjoyed books and Polly Pockets from Anne and the boys. We got everyone to bed early, and I only stayed up ‘til midnight finishing up packing and cleaning details, so we could leave @ 5:30 the next morning for San Diego!!! The children’s stockings were all in their seats when they got in, and they spent many of the 12 hours decorating our van windows w/ Bendaroo decorations, and watching some of their new movies. It was SO nice not to have to worry over too much this holiday, and just enjoy the season together—Mom may want to do a Christmas trip every year!