Thursday, October 20th 
The kids were up bright and early, bubbling over with energy and begging to leave as soon as breakfast had been devoured. We met Joe and Lisa at their villa, and the guys all drove over in one vehicle while us girls drove over in the other: that way, Steve’s parking privileges under his annual pass covered the parking fee for our car while my AP provided complimentary parking for Lisa and Joe’s van. With our early start, we arrived about 15 minutes before park opening, and were happy to be among the first through the gates once again
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We had the annual Photokey, so we told Joe and Lisa to take full advantage of it over the duration of their trip. All they needed to do was collect photo cards from each photographer (if we didn’t happen to be with them at the time) and I’d have them added to our account
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After their mini-session with one of the park photographers, we made a point of getting a group photo at the park entrance, though it wasn’t without its challenges
: the kiddos were finding it difficult to adjust to the blinding sunshine of the morning, and none of them had remembered their sunglasses
. While they swore they would die on the spot, it just made for a few grouchy moments until the attractions and exhibits made them forget all about their squinty eyes.
I encouraged Steve, Joe and Lisa (all thrill seekers and coaster lovers) to head straight to Manta while I took the kids to see the stingray exhibit in Key West. There would be little to no line at that early hour, and the little ones were more than happy to chill with Aunt Gina while their mom and dad rode the ride.
I purchased them a tray of food so that they could have the unique experience of feeding the rays, but they were surprisingly nervous to do so
.
I say
surprisingly because these kids are no strangers to animals: they live on a small hobby farm and have multiple horses, several dogs, and an assortment of pets. Living the rural life, they are just as comfortable with a snake or a frog in their hands as they are riding a bicycle……so I didn’t figure that they’d have any inhibitions about feeding the rays. I think it was the odd way the rays suck the fish from your hands that they found unsettling: that, and the fact that those pesky rays were full of tom-foolery at that early hour, and seemed to take completely delight in soaking us all with a huge splash each time they swam by. Every time a large one approached, it was followed by a squeal of annoyance as one of the three inevitably stood with fishy water running down their face and shirt.
It took us a while and a few failed attempts, but they managed to actually get a couple of those little fish in the bellies of two grateful rays. We washed little hands thoroughly afterward and made our way next toward the pelicans.
(I am afraid I returned the kiddos to their parents a bit wet
... check out the front of Alaina and Johan's shorts
):
The kids were pretty impressed by the pelican exhibit, and couldn’t believe the size of the birds. They oooohed and ahhhed and pointed and chattered away, making me promise that I would bring Joe and Lisa back to that part of the park at some point during the day so that they, too, could see the rays and visit the pelicans just like they had done.
We wound our way over to the Manta exit where Steve, Joe and Lisa were waiting around the photo screens. We had timed it just perfectly, as they had just finished the ride and were having a good laugh at their picture. I had the photo put on our photo key and handed the soggy kids off to their mom as they chose the place they wanted to visit next.
We all opted to do an attraction that the whole 7 of us could enjoy together, so Turtle Trek was the next logical stop. Not only was it something that would appeal to both the kids as well as the adults, but it was smart to check off another major attraction early in the day while the crowds were non-existent. It was also nice to get out of the blazing sun for a few moments: the kids were captivated by the huge aquariums featuring the manatees and turtles from the second we headed inside.
The staff inside the queue was, as always, very knowledgeable and super patient with all the questions that the kids had about the sea creatures featured in each habitat. We only had a short wait before being ushered into the theater for the next showing of Turtle Trek, but it went by quickly for both the adults and the little ones.
Turtle Trek drew high marks from Joe, Lisa and all the kids: Alaina was a bit intimidated by the loudness (and held tight to my hand during the entire show), but otherwise it was a hit. The girls, especially, also loved the outdoor manatee exhibit as we exited the attraction, and we stopped for a few moments to admire the size and gentleness of these timid “sea cows”.
We also paused for a “girls pic” with the manatee statue
:
We continued our trek through the park, and headed to give the kids another ride experience: this time, on Journey to Atlantis. Little Alaina could not be convinced to give it a try, so she and Aunt Gina opted to visit the Jewels of the Sea Aquarium while the rest of our crew rode the ride. Atlantis had just opened for the morning so there was no wait to board.
After a short exploration of the inside of the Aquarium, we managed to make it outside to the viewing area just in time to catch their boat splashing down and hear their screams of delight. Alaina was excited that they spotted us watching them and gave us a big wave, which she happily returned to them
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We walked back through the gift shop and waited for them all to emerge from the ride exit. They were all excited to see their ride photo, especially Johan: he had been rather scared of the ride (and had begged to get off as soon as they boat was sent on its way) but now had bragging rights that he lived to tell the story. Photo proof of his bravery.....especially when his little sister wasn't willing to brave the boat.....was just what his little ego required
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Since this was Lisa and Joe’s first visit, we left most of the choices of what to do next up to them (we had seen it all and done it all on previous visits, so whatever they chose would be just fine with us) and Lisa suggested we take in a show. They all were eager to see the killer whales in One Ocean, and she thought it would be smart for the little legs to have a rest and enjoy a snack and some rehydration while they enjoyed the production. Afterward, we could let them loose in Shamu’s Happy Harbor for some kid-sized amusements.
Next up: Shamu makes a splash, we all get in touch with our inner child, and Steve tests the size limits on Swishy Fishies 
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All that to say, if you have one nearby, definitely keep them in mind for really big groups and even catering for a party!
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There's nothing more worth celebrating than love: heaven knows the world needs more of that emotion.
The crostata looks divine 
. Ever since I posted that entry, I've been dying for apple pie 
. Not sure what happened to that unseasonably warm weather, but we're paying for it now (and all this week, according to the weather man).
. I love March weather here. It's very warm hovering on HOT. We are spending the day here....
You're killing me here, you know.
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to the thread!
. I'd be making a back-up plan if I were you. Hopefully the storm tracks more south and misses western New York State.....safe travels back to Canada, whenever you manage to get on your way. Hopefully 
. Didn't Mother Nature get the memo that we were all ready for spring?
