After we crossed over the Georgia/Florida state line, we continued on to the rental house that we were to occupy for the next three vacationy nights. From the exterior, it just appeared to be a big house. It needed to be big. We had 13 people. My parents (Little Debbie & Pops), my sister Nornie & her little boy Cole, my sister’s fiance Boots, my brother Timmy (Hot Tim to some), Brad (el Gorila) & his wife (Legs McCracken) and their two kids (Braden, who we call Bubba, and Clara). Oh and us. You should know our names. If you don’t…well, we have a little Meet the Bowers button over there on the sidebar…and I spent a ridiculous amount of time photoshoping the cellulite off my ankles for the photos…so check it out.
Back to the house, let’s just say that I was mildly unaware of what was inside.
I should have known because the name plate gave me a clue.
We entered through the back and saw that the pool overlooked this retaining pond…so cool. But so far, no weirdness.
It wasn’t until we were fully inside that we understood the theme. Yes. That is a spotted leopard laying in the middle of the dining room table.
I didn’t really take that many photos inside the house…mostly because we felt like the oil paintings were watching us. But here are some I pulled off the website:
That’s our bedroom. The one with the three creepy gals gazing over us as we sleep. Yes…the entire house was decked out with leopards, gals with kimonos, dragons and symbols that we had no idea what they meant. Oh and there was a Soprano’s game room. Random and awesome.
Across the street from the house was another body of water….and when the sun set, the entire place became crazy magical. It made me wish I lived in Florida…just so that I could have trees with that moss growing on them.
Okay – now here is the entire group. Yes, Will and I thought it was Twin Day. Boots looks just plain confused and awkward. And the two little ones are looking at me because I’m gorgeous. Haha. It’s because I was doing the self-timer on the camera and ran back and forth four times to get this shot…but a girl can dream, right?! Anyway – this was taken on the last day but I thought you might need a visual of everyone that we attempted to keep together in a group as we went into the theme park.
Speaking of theme parks, the day after we arrived we all woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and headed over to Sea World.
The first thing we did was hit up the dolphin show.
I was so impressed. As was Will. I didn’t know exactly what to expect with a 13 month old…but he loved it. He watched and clapped appropriately.
I wish I could ride a dolphin…like this….
or like this.
Will also clapped randomly. He loved the splashes and the jumps…but he also loved the random birds that they incorporated into the show. Overall verdict – SUCCESS!
Yup, we could have left the park right then and there and felt like we got our money’s worth.
But apparently Sea World is also kinda known for some other things than dolphins. Like the rides.
I didn’t go on this one because I’m pregnant.
KIDDING!
Gotcha didn’t I mom?!
During the wait (while everyone else was standing in line for coasters) my mom and I tried to find places that we could entertain Will. One of the places (that had AIR CONDITIONING) was this tiny aquarium.
Note to self – learn to take better pictures inside a dark room.
And I stress the air conditioning because it was hot as hades. I had read online that you should bring one of the fan/mist bottles…we didn’t have one so we sprang for one at the park…Will wasn’t a fan (haha…pun!)
Then we headed over to the Shamu show.
This really was the highlight of the park.
Will was taking a nap in the stroller so we ended up sitting in a handicapped area (per the direction of the park peeps).
And the rest of the fam sat front and center. That is one big fish.
No comments about the ‘fish’ thing is needed. I know it’s a reptile people. And yes I was homeschooled.
This might be my favorite photo of the park. Can you imagine training these giant animals to jump perfectly?! I don’t think I could do it. Train or jump.
After the show, we had one thing in mind…food and keeping cool. It was so chaotic, I got zero photos of us eating. You can thank me later.
Will had his first merry-go-round experience. It was total crying and lunging and whines until it started. Then he sat there perfectly. I’m now convinced that I need one in my house.
We went into the Shark encounter…which was cool.
But they have a similar type ‘ride’ at the Atlanta Aquarium so I wasn’t oohing and awwing as much as I normally would have.
I was goo-goo over the landscaping in the park. It was gorgeous! I kept saying comments about the sprinkler systems and the number of maintenance men and the time it would take to weed each bed. Then I realized, I’m old.
Penguins are one of my top 5 favorite animals. Along with turtles. I can draw a pretty darn good penguin though. Betcha didn’t know that about me.
They were amazing. I love the way they hop and can burst out of the water.
And that they can swim. I can relate. A bird without normal abilities that can enjoy a bath. Yup. That’s me.
It was right about then that we decided that Will was getting too hot.
So we did what any normal parent would do…held him directly under the mist machine until he nailed the dramatic hair flip seen in shampoo commercials.
The last show we saw was really not as baby friendly. But it was funny.
It had the sea lions…that were very well trained. It makes me doubt my ability to train my child when I see these animals. If only kids were as simple as a bucket of cold fish.
Random photos.
Oh yes, we checked out the sea turtles…love em…
Will had no fear to touch the shell. I credit to my turtle rescues the two days prior.
Oh and since neither of these guys got to ride a coaster (Pops gets majorly motion sick and Will apparently is dealing with official size requirement issues), we did snatch a ‘fake’ coaster picture….just for posterity.
The very last thing we did was hit up the bigger aquarium. Will loved it.
And yes, he is a Houdini at getting his shoes off. After such a long hot day with only one 30 minute nap, we were just happy he wasn’t screaming and clawing at my face.
Tickle monster.
Near the end of the day the sky clouded over and we started seeing some rain here and there. Perfect timing.
So just as we were headed out of the park, we managed to grab a Sea World worker and get him to snap this family photo. Yup…it took that long to get one with all three of us. Better late than never, right?!
So there you have it – our very fun Sea World adventure. Oh and our crazy vacation house. And the random narration that seeps from my brain onto the page. There is more to come…crazy vacation that is…not seepage. Wait….some seepage 🙂
p.s. I announced the winner of the Freschetta giveaway! Is it you?
KATIE BOWER! Dont you try to trick us like that. I totally had a “SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!” moment about you being pregnant again, until I read the just kidding. Ugh. Dont you do that to your cyber family!:)
Looks like you guys had a great vacation (so far)! You took some great photos!
Also, I had no idea they had penguins at Sea World – they’re my favorite animal. I may have to drag my fiancee there.
This looks SO FUN! What a great little vacation. That house is so crazy. You probably get told this all the time but you really are so pretty and your hubs and baby boy are just the cutest!
(PS… I think shamu is an orca, which is a mammal, not a reptile)
So I haven’t stopped by in a few days and wanted to scroll down through the first 2 posts to get to the turtle one, so I could go in order of course…. and while scrolling I seen the word pregnant….. but I was so excited I made myself read every single word on the other 2 posts and wouldn’t let myself skip ahead on this one. Then I read the just kidding. …. ….. ….. …. ….
How dare you do that to us! But if you really are and just needed to say it before you can officially announce it to the world, you are forgiven. I might do the same.
Haha, this post cracked me up! I live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and am 1 week and 4 days away from my due date and I keep complaining about how hot it is!! I don’t think people that aren’t from Florida, or haven’t visited here when it’s hot, understand the Florida heat and humidity. I grew up on the East Coast of Florida, about an hour away from Sea World, and used to love going there as a little kid. I’m sure Will loved every second of it! Glad you enjoyed the sunshine state, even if it was hot, and the house you stayed at was kind of creepy. If you live in Florida, you’ve got to live near one coast or the other…the people in the middle get sort of odd sometimes :-). Just Kidding anyone else reading this that’s from the middle of the state!
i never knew sea world had rides!
Please watch the movie The Cove. Pretty please!
Katie, love the pics! We visited Disney in March, but didn’t have the time to do Sea World. I need to make it a priority next time we visit the Orlando area (we’re in very south GA, so it’s not too far away).
Also, from a homeschooling mom – whales are mammals. My boys just studied them in science. 🙂
Wow…awesome pictures and beautiful house.
Btw, your bro’s son looks a lot like your mom.
From a homeschooler to a homeschoolee – you should know a homeschool joke when you see it 🙂
From a fellow reptile, xo – kb
Duh Kel! I knew that already…I mean, about the mammal thing not the pretty thing 🙂 Seriously though – it was just a jab about being homeschooled.
xo – kb
Wow that is one crazy house! The pictures of Will at Sea World are adorable, though – it looks like he had a blast!
KB,
I knew you were joking about the reptile thing (and I’m wasn’t even homeschooled!), just so you know 🙂
wonderful trip! handsome little man you have there!
Glad y’all ha a good time at Sea World, even if the house you stayed in was creepy! Such cute pictures of Will 🙂
I read those comments outloud to Jeremy and asked if it was easy to miss the joke boat. His reply?
“Sometimes Honey you are so funny that other people just won’t get the humor.”
And that is why I love him 🙂 and kinda hate him sometimes 🙂
xo – kb
OMG Sea World!! I want to go SOOOO badly!! My son enjoyed the penguin pictures, had to keep going through them over and over…
Looks like a fun and HOT time!
Formosa is another name for Taiwan, I lived there for a year–the entire country looks like the inside of that house.
Looks like you guys had a great time, family vacations are the best:)
I second Joanne’s comment. Please watch the Cove.
Katie, right after I posted, I realized you were joking. Totally a “duh” moment. Sorry. 😉
Too funny about that house! Whenever we get a beach house, I do an extensive search online of homes and look at the pics. Whatever house we rent has to be of great style inside, so I really feel pampered- like granite countertops, a Pottery Barn look, etc. That house would have made my “Yikes” list,lol! Atleast you all had a fun time. Now I wanna go so bad! My boys would love it. And I could just feel sweat dripping down my face looking at those pics,lol! I remember the hot and humid south!
Thanks for sharing your vacation with us…I could totally use one of those 🙂 You got some great action shots!
PS…You look great by the way!! I am 36 weeks preggo with my first and hopefully one day I’ll get to see my ankles again 😉
Some of my jokes are hit or miss. Even for me 🙂
xo – kb
I wonder if the entire subdivision had a similar theme….since the name of the neighborhood was Formosa Gardens 🙂
xo – kb
Whoa. That house was epic ugly. But, the pool looks like it was beee-utiful!
Oh, and for the record, I’m not buying the “just kidding” stuff. I think you were telling the honest-to-goodness truth. There was nothing random about that “seepage.”
I’m on to you, Katie Bower.
Do I detect a hint of sideburn on your offspring? 🙂
Looks like you guys had the perfect day! This is off topic but I love love love your turquoise ring! Where did you get it?
I’m happy you had fun on your trip, and I might be smitten with your green shorts….are they by any chance from Banana Republic…because I might have them in coral…which only means that we both have fantastic style. : ) Brandi
Katie,
Thanks so much for taking us on your vacation!!! I needed it!
1.) I am craving the HEAT so bad. Here in the bay area, CA we’ve been lucky if it hits 70. I’m still using the heater at night, ugh!
2.) With twin 2 1/2 yr old boys and one being Autistic, Sea World would be an adventure to say the least!! 😉 I would be sweating buckets and not from the heat…one day we’ll venture down south to Disneyland for sure. (much later)
Fav shot-Will in the mist, priceless! Oh and his look while sitting in the roller coaster seat, so adorable. Can’t wait to see the rest of the vaca!
What a fun time! We just took our four kids to Sea World in San Antonio, TX (we live in Gallup, NM). They had a blast. At first I thought, yea it might be fun, but it looks like each Sea World is a little different. We watched the shows, did the dolphin cove, and aquariums. They also had rides too, but they had an entire water park. There was so much to do we just could not do it all in one day. We definatly will go back next year. Oh and because our dog is our baby and goes on long car ride vacations too we took her. Sea World had a really cool place for her to stay while we were there!
PS- We got snow last night and it is freezing cold here! We would love some of your heat!!!!!
Hot Tim needs to get a girlfriend already so I can quit drooling over him
Off topic, but can you tell us about the turquoise/blue ring you’re wearing on your right hand in the photos? GORG!
That totally reminds me of the Seinfeld where George saves a whale and calls him a great fish or something.
Thanks for sharing the photos Katie! Looks like a wonderful family vaca! I love your SeaWorld outfit too!
You’ve got me jonesing for a trip to Sea World! Lucky for me I live in Orlando 🙂
You must tell me where you got your turquoise ring. I need to go out and buy it immediately!!! 🙂
I got it during our babymoon to Dominican Republic. They told me it is a stone called Larimar (I think) that is only found on that island. That could be false…but either way, it is my little $18 trinket that reminds me of when it was just Jer & I.
xo – kb
Just an idea: You should print those two photos of your dad and your little man as a gift for him for Father’s Day- he’d probably love it! I know my dad would!
Great vaca!
Hi Brandi! You are right! I got them last summer (when nothing fit) and now they are just a smidge too big….I guess that makes them perfect for post-pregnancy wearing, right?
xo – kb
You do! We literally inspect it every morning and after every nap…like that will make a difference 🙂
xo – kb
Hi Laura,
It’s a memento from our trip to the Dominican Republic. I imagine you could find something similar though on ebay – the name of the stone is Larimar 🙂
xo – kb
It’s actually a stone native only to the Dominican Republic. I picked it up as a reminder of our babymoon a couple years back. The stone is a Larimar…I think you could find something similar on ebay 🙂 Happy shopping!
xo – kb
Great pics! I saw that one in the beginning of Will clapping & thought “Wow his poor little head must be hot!” I used to go to Florida every April for a week, for a swim meet growing up & I don’t remember the humidity but I guess it’s cause I was at the pool all day. Btw, your hair looks long & thick, so pretty! What does Tim think of his Hot Tim nickname?
ahaha! What a dummy I am!! Cut me a break, I’m kinda new here… guess I should go back and read your old posts! 🙂
I went to seaworld when I was like 6 zoom forward to twenty years later and I am looking at your pictures and everything looks exactly the same as I remembered it. Ahh the memories! Thanks for sharing!
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Please watch “The Cove”. It’s life changing.