Here are pictures from the trip - click here
Here are pictures of Star Wars Exhibit at Legoland - we took lots of pictures so thought I would separate for those who were interested - all of the Star Wars stuff is made from Legos - now Landon thinks Star Wars is cool - click here
San Diego Vacation - Aug 7 - Aug 12th
8/7 - We got up that morning, had breakfast and got ready. Luckily we were mostly packed already and knew everything would fit in the luggage. We knew we'd have washer and dryer where we were staying so we packed 3 outfits for each of us (with 1 extra for Kasey) and then we'll wash mid week. We took 2 smaller roller bags, 2 kids suitcases with activities mainly, and a backpack. We also had 2 car seats. this worked out pretty well. Each kiddo pulled their suitcase, I had to two roller bags and Greg had both car seats and backpack.
Anyway, we left at 9:30am, took Lady to Grandma and Pops to drop Lady off. Kids got to see Grandma and Pops for a few minutes. Then we drove to the airport. Grammy and Gramps met us there in their car so they could take our car back to the house. We got to say goodbye to all the grandparents before leaving.
We went and got everything checked - I had Kasey on my reservation so we were allowed 4 bags for free - since I'm Gold. We checked 2 roller bags and carseats. Got through security just fine. Then we went to Papasitos to have Mexican food one more time before being in California for 5 days. Yummy! Every time we saw a plane Landon would say our plane just left. We told him it wasn't.
Landon sat with Greg and Kasey slept with me. We had to sit on the plane for a while. Kasey kept asking, when are we going to leave. When we finally did she was excited and wanted to know when she could start her movie. So when they said it was ok, we got Cinderella out, and then 20 minutes later she wanted to watch Kung Fu Panda.
Both kids did really well on the plane. On the way in Landon asked what the mounds of dirt were - they were mountains. We also saw the ocean and several ships
When we got there Kasey kept asking when we were going to get to San Diego. We were already there, not sure what she was expecting. They liked the rental car, and we were on our way. Both of them were asleep by the time we got on the highway which was about 4:45-5pm Dallas time.
We are staying in a rental house about 5 minute walk from the beach in La Jolla which is very nice area. Once we got everything in and the kids ran around some Greg went to whole foods to get some food and the kids and I went to the beach. It was 5 minute easy walk down the street.
The beach was packed, but we still had fun. We took a couple pails, but the kids really wanted to play in the waves. They've never been to the beach before so it was an experience. The beach was nice, but a lot of kelp and such coming in. We were in our normal clothes and the kids got soaked, but had a blast. They also dug in the sand some. When Greg got back we walked back to the house to make some dinner.
Kids stayed up til 8:30pm ish California time, but were pretty tired. Greg and I were asleep by 10pm California time. Kasey woke up at 5:40ish which is about normal if we were on Dallas time, but then she went back to sleep for about an hour
8/8 - We got up that morning, had some breakfast and got ready to head out to Legoland. The doors open at 9am but the park really opens at 10. We got there about 9:30am which was good. Not really any traffic and lines weren't to long.
We started off on a little boat ride where got to see several things made of legos including an elephant that sprayed, Syndney Opera house and Statue of Liberty with New York City. They also had a lego sea band playing music. Next door was Mini land which had Las Vegas Strip, New Orleans Burboun Street, a Farm, city with train, bus, plane etc. Lots of little scenes made out of Legos. Several had things that moved and buttons you could push to make something happen. We also got to see new scenes they had set up from all 6 Star Wars movies. Very cool. Even Landon is into Star Wars now just from seeing those. They were pretty detailed and each one had a button you could press to make something happen. Episode IV had the bar scene music where some of the characters danced and played the music from movie. Episode V had the snow monster making noise with Luke Skywalker hanging by him. Episode IV had Darth Vador on landing pad which Landon really liked. Episode I had the fighter that Anakin Skywalker flew that went up and down and turned around. Episode II had the music and sound from the scene where Anakin, Amidala and Obi One had to fight the monsters. Episode III had the ship that Yoda was on taking off. There were also life size lego versions of Chewy, R2D2, and Darth Vader - very cool.
We also went on a couple rides with the kids - Kasey and I went on helicopter that went up and down and around. Greg and Landon went on a ride that you had to pull yourself up to the top with a rope, and then let yourself down. We all did a race where you got into a fire truck or police truck, raced to the end, put out a fire in a house (all pretend, but you actually had to aim water at window), and then race back. We didn't come in first, but had fun doing it as a family. Later in the day we did a boat ride. Landon and I raced Daddy and Kasey. Landon and I won, but we also started first. Landon could drive, but kept taking us into the sides :)
We had a fun day. We got back into the car heading back and were looking at Restaurants. My bosses dad lives there and recommended a few places. One said great view of ocean with good food so we headed there with kids asleep in the back (we ended up at Jake's restaurant in Del Mar). The kids actually were getting cold sitting by the windows with the breeze. Greg and I were glad that it wasn't 100+ degrees. We used napkins and Kasey's blanket to keep them warm. We had good dinner with some good seafood. The drive from Del Mar where dinner was back to the house was really nice with some of it along the water.
We headed back that night and walked down to the beach hang out a little bit. We had our clothes on, but let the kids get wet and play in the sand some which was fun.
8/9 - Kids woke up early again. They were sleeping about 9-7, and Greg and I weren't going to be much later than them. After kids got in bed I was reading Harry Potter and Greg was on the ipad seeing what was going on with A&M possibly moving to SEC.
We decided to go to Sea World for the day. That's where Landon really wanted to go. As we walked in we got our picture with Shamu - which of course I had to buy and of course Greg loved that. We started out at the Dolphin encounter where you get to feed dolphins. We like the San Antonio has done this better. In San Diego, they have a working holding a dolphin there that you get to pet and feed 3 fish for each one you pay for. You can only get into the area if you buy food, and are taken to a specific trainer. In San Antonio, you buy fish when they are selling and they tell you how to hold it so that dolphins will come up to you and eat it.
Then we went to Shamu show which everyone liked of course, its always an amazing show. After that went to Dolphin show. Greg took the kids to get seats while I got a frozen lemonade. By the time I got there they were saying that the show was full and no one else could get in. They finally made a line of people who had others saving them a seat, but you had to have someone go with you into the stadium to make sure you really had someone saving a seat inside. I was texting Greg to find out where they were. Anyway, it worked out and it was a good show. I love dolphins and they had a bunch of them. They also had several acrobats which I enjoy. I think Kasey really wanted to have the lemonade :)
After that we went to lunch - they had a BBQ place that had brisket, chicken and ribs. For an amusement park, it was really good. Greg and I even had a local beer.
After lunch we went to Sesame Street area and kids got picture with Zoe, Elmo and Cookie monster which was fun. We were one of the last ones to get our picture with him before he went inside. After that the kids ran around in the climbing area. Then we all went to ride on the Abby's tea cup ride. We spun around and around which was fun. I think Greg and I were both a little sick at the end, but it was still fun and the kids liked it.
Then we headed to the 4D Sesame Street movie. Landon loved it, but Kasey wouldn't even put on 3D glasses. Now every time Landon sees something on TV saying it's 3D he wants to see it even if it's scary. I guess it's time to take him to a 3D movie. 4D means that your seat moves, air blows at you and you get wet in some parts of the movie.
After that we played the water gun game - aiming water gun to get dolphin up to win. Kasey and I won so she got to pick a parrot. She picked the Green one which seems to be her new favorite color. Then we headed to a little area where they had some live animals. Outside they had a monkey, and then inside they had a little hedgehog that we got to pet - it was a baby that had short spikes kind of like a porcupine, but they stay on him. Then we got to see a sloth. A lady brought it out wrapped around her and told us about it that it lives high in trees most of the time, and is the slowest mammal on land because it's hands and feet are made for climbing in trees. He kept bowing his back to check out everything. The animals were right in front of us and I thought it was pretty cool. They also had some star fish and little crabs that you could touch. On the way out we got to pet a little pony. Kasey was asking if it slept during the day or night which was something they were telling us about the hedgehog inside since he's nocturnal. It was a fun end to the day.
Landon has been to San Antonio Sea World twice, and Kasey once. Landon really wanted a seal since he already had a Shamu and Dolphin. So we go Landon a Seal since Kasey got the parrot. All was well. We decided to stop off again with sleeping kids in Del Mar to eat at another recommended place. We ended up on the patio for Tuesday Tacos at Brigantine in Del Mar. The restaurant was right by the horse race track and by the ocean so it was very nice.
That night we headed back to try and get the kids in bed for some sleep.
8/10 - We wanted to go back to Legoland for the waterpark. We didn't go quite as early and wanted to hang out some for it to get a little warmer. We had to walk through the Star Wars part again and got to see the Lego Vadar walking around. We started off playing miniature golf which Landon loves. Kasey started out doing it a little - which meant hitting once to begin and then putting her ball a foot away from the hole to get it in. At least she was having fun. By hole 9 Kasey was done. She actually laid down on the ground. They had fun on 17th hole they had 3 layers which got Kasey back into it, and then she put her ball into the last hole where it went away.
We went and grabbed some lunch at the water park then played at the water park. There were smaller areas for younger kids and then 3 bigger slides for bigger kids. Landon and Greg went on one of the big slides while Kasey and I swam around in the kiddie pool. She had a life jacket on so she was very excited that she got to swim like Landon. We got to see Landon and daddy come down the big slide. Landon wasn't so sure after that - I think he got knocked around some. After that we played in the little water areas. It was in the high 60s so getting out of the water was kind of cold. We played in the little water areas, went down the little kid slides when the line was short, they even got a picture of the 4 of us going down the water slide together. Of course I had to buy it.
After the water park, we went back out to do a couple things in Legoland. We did the fire truck race again. Landon did rock climbing for the first time. He did pretty well for his first time. Then we got picutures of Greg and the kids sticking their heads in a lego shark mouth.
that night we ate steak that Greg had cooked out on the Grill at the house. The USA team was playing Mexico in a friendly. This was the first game under new coach Jürgen Klinsmann. It was nice and relaxing, and USA tied 1 to 1.
8/11 - The next morning I decided we should rest in the morning. We hung out and had breakfast and lunch at the house. Then we geared up for the beach. We spent the afternoon at the beach. Kids played in the sand, and in the water. Landon, Greg and I even tried out the boogie board. Landon was the best at it and it helps that he's 45 lbs. Kasey liked the water for a while then just used her imagination playing in the sand. She had a house and a hole and washed her hands and cleaned stuff off. We had a great relaxing time at the beach.
That night we just had pizza at the house and hung out.
8/12 - We were supposed to leave that morning to catch an 11am flight. We got calls at 7am that our flight was delayed over an hour. By the time is was done our flight was delayed until 2pm. Luckily we had not left for the airport. We took our time getting ready, took a walk around town and along the beach sidewalk, and then we had a burger at Jeff's Burger before heading to the airport. Kasey got on the plane and pretty much slept the entire time. She woke up near the end, and said something about us needing to fly home. We tried to explain that we already had. They were supposed to show Kung Fu Panda 2 or Rio on the plane, but it ended up not working so Landon watched Fox and Hound. It all worked out and we made it Dallas about 7pm. Grammy and Gramps brought our car to the airport. We headed to pick up Lady and then grabbed a quick bite to eat. After dinner we got the kids in bed. We stayed busy, but I think everyone had a good time.
