San Antonio Vacation

 We had a good time in San Antonio. It started with a weekend stay with our friends, the Rex family. They lived in Lake Jackson with us for many years. We were sad to move away from them but then two years later, they ended up moving too. The kids loved playing with friends, swimming in their new pool, and enjoying s'mores by their campfire.

While we were visiting friends, we checked out the Natural Bridge Caverns. We've known about these for years but haven't made it there. It was just down the road from our friends so we took the kids. Lydia enjoyed licking the cave floor. Tanner was very worried every time we went deeper/lower into the cave. Gemma and Ashton thought it was cool. It was still a little roasty/humid for us Texans. But it was neat to hear the story of how the caverns were discovered and how big the initial tunnels were.

After a weekend stay with our friends, we went to our rental house and got ready for Sea World and Aquatica. We visited the parks Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Monday morning was rainy so we thought about not going. But I'm glad we did. The weather cleared up and the park wasn't busy at all. We walked on to rides all the time.

Feeding the sea lions. It was pretty cool to see how social they are.

Worn out at the water park. She was sitting there eating a snack one moment and the asleep the next.

Lydia did great napping on the go! She took naps every day in her stroller.

The one ride at the water park that Gemma could ride. The kids love it.

Gemma surprised me and loved the roller coasters. She went on this one several times the first day.

Lydia and I hanging out while the big kids and dad rode the roller coaster.

SeaWorld has a little kids area with rides that littles can ride too. Lydia, Gemma, and I went on one. I wasn't sure how Lydia would do with being scared of new things. She fussed a little but then did fine.

We were there open to close just about each day. Some of my favorite experiences with the kids:

- Seeing Gemma's face when the first orca whale flipped out of the water. We didn't tell her what we were going to see when we went to the orca show. I knew it was coming so just watched her face. She couldn't believe it.

- On that same note, we also didn't prepare the kids that the whales may splash us. And they did... and Gemma and Lydia screamed. Ha!

- Ashton rode all the rides she could. She convinced me to ride one roller coaster with her. I did and it was one of the most terrifying minutes of my life. I closed my eyes and sang hymns until the ride was done.

- Tanner liked everything- the animals, the rides, etc. He wishes he was another inch taller as he could have rode more rides.