It is always so fun to have Kent and Natalie and their
family come to visit. This time, they stayed with Kyle and Kim who were
such great hosts, and George and I traveled to Orlando to enjoy some
time with them.
The kids were all excited to go to Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios, so off we went. Kyle and Kim's family have season passes, so they are very familiar with everything there. It really helped us get around!
Right off, they show you how tall you have to be for certain rides. Brady and Ethan were happy that they met the requirement for all the rides. Ella, not so much.
The first ride chosen was The Hulk. Kim talked Natalie into going. Natalie is like me and doesn't like those wind around and almost up-side down rides, but she did it!
Ella had to just stand and wait until they were done, but she was a good little sport about it.
I stayed with the little Bubba-boy while they rode.
The kids had a great time, but I'm not so sure about Natalie.
She sat down for a little rest afterward.
The next ride, Ella could ride--you can see that big smile now!
I remember when I was young and my parents took us to Disneyland. My dad was with us on the teacups, and he just kept having it go round faster and faster thinking we were having so much fun. Actually, it got us all pretty dizzy, but the person who ended up the sickest? My dad! He had to sit down for about an hour! I still remember that whenever I see the teacups (which these are just like that).
Even though it was a little cool that day, Ella just couldn't resist going through the water.
Ella saw the requirement for the height for the next ride. Aah! She gave a "thumbs up!"
Too bad I didn't get the picture for how wet the kids were after this ride.
Ella was so funny! She just laid right down on the sidewalk to dry off!
Next up, Jurassic Park.
And on to Harry Potter Land.
I have to admit knowing very little about Harry Potter. I have never read the books and only saw the original movie way back, so I embarrassed to say that none of this made any sense to me, but it would to devout Harry Potter fans.
Butterbeer??? But they loved it.
Even if you didn't know anything about the book or movies, you can't help be impressed with what they have re-created in this theme park.
The village looks so real with its roofs, dormer windows, chimneys, and snow.
What a little sweetheart! I love how Kent and Natalie want Cannon to experience as much as he can. He has gone more places than most kids his age have gone in his short almost-four years! Someday when his mind and body are re-united in a perfect form, he will remember all of these experiences and the great love he felt from all those around him.
This is a display of the real dress that Hermione wore in one of the Harry Potter movies.
Again, not knowing the story, I thought this was the ugliest thing, but evidently it is in the story--a really mean book that had ugly teeth and kept coming at you. That's why it had to be caged!
The conductor with Ella and Jenna at the Hogwarts Express.
Jenna wanted her aunt to see how they are even making more rides at Islands of Adventure!
Seuss Landing was so colorful and fun!
Don't you remember being a kid and looking up to watch how the merry-go-round works?
Hugging a tree!
I would like a nickle for how many times I read that book to seven children over the years.
It was getting dark and the park closed at 7:00 p.m., so we just plain ran out of town. What a really fun and great day! Kim and Grandma Laura with the kids.
Walking out of an amusement park when all the lights turn on is one of my favorite experiences. As we were passing one of the rides near the entrance where the kids fall really fast like a bad elevator, there weren't many people in line, so those kids all went on it 10 times! As fast as they finished, they went back and got on the ride again. I couldn't believe they could handle that many free-falls!
Yes, "And the adventure lives on!" Definitely a day to remember with fond memories!
Our little Cannon is always such a joy and full of so much love. As I say, he will be four years old in March. There isn't a home George and I go into that we don't hear his name in every prayer asking for the Lord to bless him. He has taught all of our family so much. As I heard one parent of a special needs child say, "There is nothing wrong with this child. It is all of us that are imperfect." So true!
Other fun things we did: We loved going to Brady's first basketball game of the season. He played so well. He had three steals, a couple of assists, and made a basket, with two others just rimming out. Way to go, Brady!
Ethan's birthday was coming up, so he got his birthday money and card from Grandpa George and Grandma Laura.
Ethan and Ella watch "Gator Boys" all the time on television, so they wanted to go see them. However, they are in Ft. Lauderdale. Since there wasn't enough time to drive clear down there, Kent took us all to a place called "Wild Florida," a short ways out of Orlando. It was such fun!
The place where you purchased tickets had so many fascinating items about gators and made from gators.
A real gator head . . .
and this was a back scratcher made out of a gator claw.
Then we went outside to get ready for the air boat ride and saw this mighty beast!
Do you love how Ethan and Cannon wore their Gator gear to go see the gators?!
We passed other wildlife on our way down to the dock.
Cannon had to put on a life vest.
These air boats are seriously so loud, they provided ear phones to help keep out the sound. Doesn't Cannon look so cute with them on?
It is so fun just gliding over those swamps which in some places look just like you're going across a dry field! The vegetation is so thick, you can't believe there is even water under it.
The Spanish moss hanging from the trees is so thick there.
Such a beautiful day enjoying the beautiful natural surroundings.
See what I mean about looking like we are just going over land? We are still on the boat!
Our guide stopped to show us a snail shell from a animal that is becoming an invader in the Southeast
U.S. in coastal states from South Carolina to
Florida to Texas.
If you look right in the middle of this picture, you will see a long pink collection of snail eggs along one of the stems. There are hundreds of eggs there!
Here is a closer view--they look like a white thick object here, but they are actually very pink. When ready, they just fall off into the water and become hundreds of those snails which grow as big as what Ethan and Ella were holding.
Another picture of those snails in their pink eggs--near the bottom, just a little right of center.
We got to see a huge bald eagle in a tree just hanging out!
So sweet--Ella just turned to her dad with the biggest smile. She was having such a great time!
Another air boat passing us.
See how the lily pad bulbs look just like a lolly-pop on a stick?
We finally got to see our first gator--resting on the edge of the water. He was only about a four-foot gator.
To the left of Ethan's head is the gator on the bank.
Then the guide took us to a spot where we spotted four or five little baby gators swimming around together. Look closely because they really blend in with their surroundings.
We knew the mother couldn't be far--and there she was just below the surface of the water up ahead. You can just see her eye.
And all too soon, we came back to the dock. It had been so much fun!
Ethan and Ella with our guide.
Those ear phones, plus the wind, made my hair stand straight up!
They, also, had an area to stroll around where we saw more alligators, plus other interesting animals.
This was a great place. You could buy gator food, and as soon as you started throwing it out, here came all the gators!
We were told that all of these gators have been brought into this preserve from animal control people who have collected them from streams or ponds where they became a potential hazard for the people there.
They would splash and fight for the food.
We were fascinated by the very green gator that we saw coming.
We all laughed when the green gator and the other gator bumped right into each other--nose to nose--when trying for the same piece of food.
While walking on the boardwalk paths through the swamps, it was fascinating to see the cypress trees and knees. As the sign states that the knees are root projections that actually look like a knee and are above the water to "snorkel" air to the submerged roots of the trees. Otherwise, the trees would die.
Notice the caterpillar on the sign above on the bottom right.
They were everywhere in the swamp! You had to be careful where you put your hand! Ella thought they were so adorable until we were walking down the path and one fell right down on her head. She absolutely freaked out and went running as fast as she could go! She was traumatized!
More caterpillars! Don't ask what that other stuff on the sign is!
We didn't see any snakes, but we knew they were out there!
Zebras in the swamp?
Long-horn cattle?
Time to go--wow! Great fun and great day! Little did we know our adventures weren't over yet!
About fifteen minutes after we started home, Ella suddenly noticed we had a hitch-hiker with us by way of Ethan.
Yes, one of those caterpillars had caught a ride on Ethan's shirt. We all laughed so hard, but we made a stop and let him go enjoy another part of Florida.
On our way, we dropped Kent back at the airport to fly home. George and I got on our way back to Jacksonville. Natalie and the kids stayed another couple of days before returning. Kim and her kids, and Natalie and hers, went to the Mickey's Christmas Party the next evening at Disney and had a "magical" time they said. Then, they were on their way back the next morning.
Thanks for coming, Kent and Natalie, Ethan, Ella, and Cannon. We loved having you. Can't wait to see you all in San Francisco right after Christmas for the Brigham Young University football game at the Hunger Bowl!
