All I Ever Need to Know I Learned at Sea World

So, it's Monday morning, and we are semi-recovered from our quick trip to San Antonio and Sea World.  Let's just say it was an interesting weekend.  So, in an effort to recap, here are the top five lessons that we learned this weekend. LESSON #1:  The parking barriers are as much fun as the theme park we just paid a bunch of money to go in.  As we were leaving for lunch on Saturday, the kids stopped and played on these blue cone things.  If we had only known . . . [photopress:100_4602.JPG,full,centered] [photopress:100_4601.JPG,full,centered] LESSON #2:  We really need to learn to take more pictures.  Aside from the lovely blue cone parking lot pictures, we only took about five more (3 of which look exactly like the ones Mom already posted on her blog!)  So, here's the last picture we took: [photopress:100_4600.JPG,full,centered] LESSON #3:  A good rousing game of "Duck, Duck, Goose" is actually a pretty good way to end the day!  Even if Becky only picks you cause you're pregnant and she knows she can outrun you! LESSON #4:  Family vacations are a lot more fun for kids than for adults.  This is the kid perspective:  We went to Sea World, and we got to see dolphins and Shamu and stay in a hotel and eat lots of junk food and go to bed really late and watch movies in the car.  This is the adult perspective:  We went to Sea World and we had to pay $10 to park, and it was really hot and humid, and the kids were tired and had way too much sugar, and we didn't sleep for 2 days.  By Saturday night, we were exhausted, but as we listened to the kids go on and on about their favorite things of the day, we realized that we have reached that stage where we don't do things for ourselves anymore.  It's more important that the kids have a good time.  And they did, so mission accomplished!  Oh, and thanks Mom and Dad for all our vacations that we loved and I'm sure weren't that much fun for you!  LESSON #5:  Family is the most important thing.  Jon and I rushed back yesterday morning to be at church.  We both had responsibilities that we thought were pretty important.  One of those was the primary program for the kids and I thought I needed to be there to help.  As I sat and the program went on, I realized something.  Emily was no longer standing up to sing the songs.  She had fallen asleep on the stand!  Now it was cute and all, but Jon and I were upset with ourselves.  Our kids were exhausted from the trip, and instead of realizing that it was more important to have a weekend as a family, we rushed back home to our crazy lives as if THAT was the most important thing.  And it's not.  The primary program would have been fine without us, and they could have survived Jon not being there.  So, we are learning, I guess. Maybe before we die we'll get it right! Anyway, that's it!  It was a physically and emotionally draining weeked, but the important thing is that the kids had fun and we got to be with our family for just a little bit!  And thankfully, none of the kids died from sugar shock!