Grateful, Thankful, Blessed: our 25th Anniversary SeaWorld Celebration (Spring ’18 TR)

[pigletto]

Just popping in to see if there’s any updates .. but then I remembered Jake came yesterday didn’t he? If so, I hope you guys are having a great visit !
I’m dreaming of vacation today. It’s been a long week. Only 209 days to go.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just popping in to see if there’s any updates .. but then I remembered Jake came yesterday didn’t he? If so, I hope you guys are having a great visit !
I’m dreaming of vacation today. It’s been a long week. Only 209 days to go.

I am SO sorry that I've been terrible at updating all week. I will be working hard to remedying that in the days ahead . I owe you all some good quality posts with lots of pics.....there's still so much of the trip to share.

You are correct that my boy arrived late yesterday.....it was so wonderful to see him pull into our driveway . Steve took the day off today, so we've been able to spend lots of good quality time together. His visits are brief so we have to make the most of every single second.

Thanks for your patience......I appreciate it more than you know!

The next 209 days will pass quickly, my friend. We'll all keep you company and time will fly by .

 

[pigletto]

I am SO sorry that I've been terrible at updating all week. I will be working hard to remedying that in the days ahead . I owe you all some good quality posts with lots of pics.....there's still so much of the trip to share.

You are correct that my boy arrived late yesterday.....it was so wonderful to see him pull into our driveway . Steve took the day off today, so we've been able to spend lots of good quality time together. His visits are brief so we have to make the most of every single second.

Thanks for your patience......I appreciate it more than you know!

The next 209 days will pass quickly, my friend. We'll all keep you company and time will fly by .

What a great picture!! Please don’t apologize ... you don’t owe us anything! I can’t even believe how much Jake looks like Steve these days .. wow!!
Have a great weekend !

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

What a great picture!! Please don’t apologize ... you don’t owe us anything! I can’t even believe how much Jake looks like Steve these days .. wow!!
Have a great weekend !

It drives me crazy when people start reports and then are slow to update. I hate being one of "those posters"!!

But...this week I finally finished our photo book for the trip, which is what took up a good deal of my free time. Three months later, it was most definitely time to wrap up that task. I got a rockin' good deal on Groupon for Picaboo (I ended up paying just $35 for a $150 voucher) so that was the kick in the pants that I needed. I placed the order yesterday and officially scratched that task off my list.

On a trip planning note, we also decided on a little splurge for our fall vacation. We booked the Ferrytale Fireworks Sparkling Dessert Cruise......something special for our final night of the trip: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/ferrytale-wishes-dessert-cruise/

And it appears we are really getting some fun Dismeets lined up! So far we've got fairly firm plans to meet up with @chiamarie , @DontRushMe , @verleniahall , and @afan . @pattyw is looking like a strong a possibility too, and I hope we can also work in a time to say hello to @Joanna71985 while we're in town since we missed her in the spring. And @JaxDad is a maybe. It's shaping up to be our own mini Disappalooza . It's hard to believe we're down to ....77? 76?.....days to go.

And yes, Jake is the spitting image of his daddio . If anyone ever had their own mini me, it's definitely Steve . Alike in looks AND in personality! I am blessed, indeed.

 

[pattyw]

And it appears we are really getting some fun Dismeets lined up

Yay!! Joe and I were discussing the weekend trip and he's in!! Have to get busy working on the details!!

And yes, Jake is the spitting image of his daddio . If anyone ever had their own mini me, it's definitely Steve . Alike in looks AND in personality! I am blessed, indeed.

Yes! and they're both blessed as well to have you!!

 

[verleniahall]

77 days for us!!

 

[dalmatian7]

Love that pic with you guys and Jake. Have a great weekend. Since you guys let me know it was Cat appreciation day, DD7 and I gave our barn cats a special treat that night (chicken thigh trimmings) and did a “photo shoot” Meet Fluffy (yellow long hair, ok he is trimmed a bit)) and Emma Twinkle (calico). Have patience I have never got a photo on here from my phone

 

[dalmatian7]

it is embarrassing how long it took me to get those in my post, but on the plus side I got around to adding an avatar pic .
Gina I am glad you mentioned the photo site you use. I couldn’t remember the name and was going to have to read back through old posts to find it.

 

[Joanna71985]

I hope you have a great weekend with Jake! And yes, fingers crossed we can meet up this time

 

[pattyw]

Love that pic with you guys and Jake. Have a great weekend. Since you guys let me know it was Cat appreciation day, DD7 and I gave our barn cats a special treat that night (chicken thigh trimmings) and did a “photo shoot” Meet Fluffy (yellow long hair, ok he is trimmed a bit)) and Emma Twinkle (calico). Have patience I have never got a photo on here from my phone View attachment 342979View attachment 342980

Cute kitties!! Cat mom of 8 here!! Ours had a special treat that day too!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

You'll love this Gina, my hubby saw the picture of you 3 and said you look just like a teenager

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Wednesday, May 9th: SeaWorld

Once the Pets Ahoy show had concluded, we dodged our way through the growing crowd that had gathered at the front of the stage to meet the stars of the show and headed back out to continue our day in the park. We decided to head over to Journey to Atlantis so Steve could enjoy a ride or two before things became much busier as attendance increased throughout the day. Journey to Atlantis is a longtime favorite of Steve’s, and somehow he had missed stopping here on both of the other SeaWorld park days on this trip . It was definitely time for him to make up for lost time!

We arrived to see a standby time of 15 minutes posted at the entrance to the queue, which we thought was pretty darn good. Steve handed me over his hat, keys and wallet (sometimes he gets VERY wet on this ride…..especially if his big hulk of a body is in the front row, giving the boat some mighty momentum down the drop ) and off he went.

As it turned out, the 15 minute posted wait time was not at all accurate: he ended up literally walking onto the ride . I had opted for a quick restroom break once he had entered the queue, and afterward had barely secured a good viewing spot along the fence and readied the camera on my phone before he came plunging down into a massive splash.

Normally I enjoy a tour through the Jewels of the Sea Aquarium while he rides Journey to Atlantis, but not this time. Low crowd days are truly awesome!

I strolled through the gift shop and met Steve at the Photokey desk as he exited the ride. As a general rule, he strives to strike a crazy pose for the ride photo on this attraction, and today was no exception. Hands up, baby hands up! Give me your heart, gimme gimme your heart, gimme gimme….

Apparently the guy in the front row got the memo about the crazy pose . At least neither one could say the other ruined their photo!!

We had the Photokey staff put the picture on our annual Photokey card, and headed back through the gift shop and out into the concourse. I was mentioning to Steve that I almost missed his descent because he was so quick, and he filled me in on the fact that their stand-by signs were definitely off. He went to put his wallet and keys back into his pocket when I suggested that he ride again…..he definitely might not enjoy such short lines later in the day. He hesitated just long enough as not to seem to eager , then dashed off for a second time into the queue. Encore, please!

This time, I *did* spent a few minutes enjoying the exhibits in the Jewels of the Sea aquarium before once again meeting up at the Photokey desk. On the second ride, he got a royal soaking……literally everything right down to and including his underoos . “Well, I’m not hot anymore!” he quipped as he wrung the excess water from the hem of his shirt .

More to come!

 

[verleniahall]

Hahaha - how is journey compared to say splash mountain?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hahaha - how is journey compared to say splash mountain?

I will have to ask Steve, as I've never rode either one. I despise drops so I have no desire to experience either attraction , though both are favorites for Steve. I know the drop is longer on Journey to Atlantis.....60 feet versus the 49' drop on Splash.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Yay!! Joe and I were discussing the weekend trip and he's in!! Have to get busy working on the details!!

Yes! and they're both blessed as well to have you!!

Wahoo! Let the planning begin! It will be so awesome to see you both again!

77 days for us!!

I can hardly believe we'll soon be at the 2 month mark! It's unbelievable how fast its roaring up!

Love that pic with you guys and Jake. Have a great weekend. Since you guys let me know it was Cat appreciation day, DD7 and I gave our barn cats a special treat that night (chicken thigh trimmings) and did a “photo shoot” Meet Fluffy (yellow long hair, ok he is trimmed a bit)) and Emma Twinkle (calico). Have patience I have never got a photo on here from my phone View attachment 342979View attachment 342980

Your babies are simply beautiful . I bet they loved the chicken thighs!

Do you find that your male cat enjoys people food more than your female? Our Vi is mostly content to stick with her cat food (and prefers dry over wet), but Dash is like an eating machine . He especially loves butter, cheese and meat.

it is embarrassing how long it took me to get those in my post, but on the plus side I got around to adding an avatar pic .
Gina I am glad you mentioned the photo site you use. I couldn’t remember the name and was going to have to read back through old posts to find it.

Happy to help! And I was so slow at getting on the boards this weekend while Jake was here that I didn't even see your post without the photos . So it worked out just fine!

I hope you have a great weekend with Jake! And yes, fingers crossed we can meet up this time

Definitely let us know your schedule when you have it for that week (October 26th to November 3rd). We will move heaven and earth to be able to meet up to say hello!

You'll love this Gina, my hubby saw the picture of you 3 and said you look just like a teenager

Well, let me say that you just made my day!!

 

[verleniahall]

I will have to ask Steve, as I've never rode either one. I despise drops so I have no desire to experience either attraction , though both are favorites for Steve. I know the drop is longer on Journey to Atlantis.....60 feet versus the 49' drop on Splash.

Ok - thanks!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

So I fully intended on getting a longer update posted last night than just Journey to Atlantis, but I had a nasty migraine pop up late yesterday afternoon (long after Jake had left for home, thankfully) and I just couldn't look at the computer screen anymore. We had a freakishly intense (and completely unforecasted) thunderstorm blow in, so I think it was just the sudden change in air pressure that set me off. It is the first migraine that I've had since our Epcot day in early May, so its been a few months since I've had one.....so I guess I can't complain. It just sucked to end up in bed at 8:30 on a Sunday night after such an otherwise awesome weekend.

We had a great few days together as a family: Jake rolled in around 7:30 on Thursday night and headed home just after 10 am yesterday. A short visit, for sure, but we packed in a lot of fun during the time we had. We did a TON of shopping, a ton of eating (I'll be spending some extra time in the pool this week to atone for my dietary sins!) and we devoted Saturday morning to giving Jake a tour of Belle Isle State Park, one of Detroit's best assets.

The James Scott Memorial Fountain:

The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory:

The Dossin Great Lakes Museum:

And the Belle Isle Aquarium, oldest aquarium in the USA:

With our much-anticipated weekend now over, its time to get back to business. I'm going to try and make up for some lost time and get some good entries up this week. They may be a little shorter than my customary posts, but hopefully they will be more frequent . Thanks again for your patience!

(I miss him already)

 

[verleniahall]

Glad that you had a great visit!!

 

[pattyw]

Wahoo! Let the planning begin! It will be so awesome to see you both again!

So excited to add another trip and being able to get together again!!

Beautiful pictures of the sights around Detroit!! So nice to have a weekend with Jake

 

[chicagoshannon]

Looks like a good time! I keep meaning to mention Daddy's Donuts to you. It's in/near Detroit. He makes them fresh and to order! You should try it sometime.