California Trip: Part IV - Family

The main thing I wanted to do when we went to California is just spend time with my sister and her family.  We haven't seen each other in three years, so all I really wanted to do is hang out and enjoy one another's company.  I think we were able to accomplish that goal.

This had to be one of the most relaxing vacations ever.  Laura and Leo are such great hosts.  They really spoiled us.  Leo loves to cook, and he certainly did not disappoint.  I am pretty sure I gained a few pounds.  The kids got along wonderfully.  Only one time on Sunday, did the girls argue with one another.  That was our last day, so I am sure it was more being tired than anything else.

I could probably go on and on about how much we all enjoyed our visit, but I won't.  I'll wrap it up, by saying I hope it doesn't take three years to visit them again.  Enjoy the rest of our vacation pictures.

Inside the Polar Bear Ice Cave at Sea World

Charlotte trying to pick of Luke.  Both girls tried to do this all week...Luke wasn't a fan

Relaxing at the turtle beach at Sea World

Drea posing with the sea turtle

Char's turn

Finally some pictures of Baby Layla

Other than swimming, this was the most popular thing for the Drea...

...and Charlotte

The whole crew at the beach

Me and Laura

As soon as we arrived the clouds came out and it got cold, Drea had to bundled up.

Cheese! 

Charlotte at the Sheriff's Museum

Drea at the Sheriff's Museum

Locked in Jail

In the cockpit of the Helicopter

Luke and Me

Climbing in a tree at Old Town square

The girls wanted handcuffs at the Museum...I put them to good use

I thought Drea was stuck...

...unfortunately she had the key.

Charlotte is always trying to catch a bird...

...she finally caught one!

California Trip: Part III - Swimming

The one thing the girls did more than anything else was swim.  They swam everyday except for Wednesday.  That only happened because we went to Sea World.  I am sure they would have loved to swim with the dolphins.  I am also convinced they swam more than they ate.  On Thursday and Friday they swam all day.  The girls each took turns falling asleep before dinner was ready.  Drea on Thursday, Charlotte on Friday.  Needless to say, they enjoyed the pool.

Charlotte and Luke swimming in the Hot Tub or as Luke says, "the little pool"

Luke getting to swim by himself

The girls swimming in the little end

Charlotte swimming though the "rain forest"

Jumping In

Drea giving instructions

Drea still giving instructions

California Trip: Part II - Sea World

After landing in San Diego on Tuesday and driving to Imperial, we turned around and headed back to San Diego to go to Sea World.  We debated about going another day, but Leo's daughter Melissa was going with us and she had called off work to go.  In some ways it would have made sense to stay in San Diego that first night, but like I said, Melissa called off to go with us and it just wouldn't have been right for us to do that.

Recently, Sea World has taken some heat because one of the Killer Whale trainers was attacked and killed during a performance.  I am not sure when all that took place, but I remember seeing it on the news.  I also watched the movie Blackfish, which is about keeping Killer Whales in captivity and what it does to them.

I mentioned this because it was quite obvious that this backlash has changed the way Sea World does things.  They were over the top with how much they mentioned all the good things Sea World does for animals.  The other telling thing was; the trainers did not get in the tank with the Orcas.

Here is my thought on the matter.  I can see where the training for the shows might be cruel to the animals, but other than that how is Sea World different from a zoo?  Either way, it is just really amazing to see these animals up close and the girls loved it.

Charlotte getting ready to put her hand it the tank with the cleaner fish

The cleaner fish would clean dead skin from your hands.  It tickled.
Charlotte liked all the tanks where you could touch the animals.

Small sharks that you could pet

Flamingos just walking though the park 

Charlotte petting the sharks

Penguins swimming outside at the Penguin house

Beluga whale outside of the water...

...now under the water

Dolphins performing during a show

Jumping in the air

Waving Good-bye

The crew before the killer whale show.  In order, Melissa, Luke, Drea,
Charlotte, Laura, Layla, and Leo.  We sat in the last row of the splash
zone.  We were lucky...others not so much.  It was hilarious to watch though.

I loved getting to see these animals so close

Jumping high in the air

Flipping

Charlotte getting her picture with a sea turtle

Drea, Luke, and Charlotte

Drea, Charlotte, and Luke

Luke riding a sea turtle

The kids driving a boat

California Trip: Part I - The Flights

Yesterday, we returned from our vacation to visit my sister, Laura and her family in California.  Of course, we had a wonderful time and we hated to leave.  Over the next week, I hope to blog about different aspects of our trip.  I am not sure how many parts there will be, but I think I can cover everything in four posts.  I just don't feel I would give our trip its due in one post.  We had such an amazing time.

Last time we went to California there was an issue with our plane and our connecting flight.  When I booked our flight back in March, I kept this in mind.  I wanted to make sure if there was delay in our first flight we could still make our connecting flight in Atlanta.  Our layover was supposed to be 2 1/2 hrs.  Then in May, the airline changed our layover to 48 minutes.  I started to worry.

Sure enough when we arrived to check-in on Monday we had to see a Delta agent.  Our flight was delayed due to weather in Atlanta.  At this point we had a few choices.  Reschedule for Tuesday or go to Atlanta and hope to still make our connecting flight.  Our layover changed from 48 minutes to 15 minutes.  It wasn't a hard decision since I was traveling with the girls.  We rescheduled for Tuesday.  Drea was very upset because she was really excited to go.  None the less, there was nothing they could do or guarantee.  So we returned to Fairmont.

However, after that little hiccup, everything else went as planned.  We were rerouted to Minnesota, instead of Atlanta and arrived in San Diego at 1:30pm on Tuesday.  The rest of our flights and layovers went off without any problems.

Here's our first plane, on Tuesday in Pittsburgh

Charlotte excited about riding on the plane

During our layover in Minnesota the kids played in the play area

The play area had a plane, baggage cart, and...

...a control tower

Charlotte driving the baggage cart

Back on the plane, staying busy with electronics

Charlotte getting some needed rest

Drea still staying busy

 Once we arrived in San Diego we met up with my sister and her family and headed for lunch.  Then into the car and off to their home in Imperial.  The drive takes about 2 hours, which gave the kids time to talk to one an another and get to know each other.  Their was some shyness from each of them to begin with, but before long they were talking and sharing their technology.  Fast forward to the end of our week and we were back at the airport.  I thought it might be a good idea to take the red eye back to the east coast.  We wound up renting a hotel in San Diego on Saturday and spending the entire day on Sunday in San Diego.  Our flight was at 11pm west coast time.  We enjoyed our day and arrived at the airport at 9pm.  At 930, this was Charlotte...

...passed out in the terminal

The entire time Drea wanted to ride in a plane that had tv.  She finally got her wish.

And Charlotte still slept.

I hope you check back later this week for the best parts of our vacation;  swimming, Sea World, and spending time with family.