Our Spring Break

 Since Brent got spring break off this year (won't have it again for 4 or 5 yrs) we knew we had to take the kiddos somewhere.  We toyed with a cruise, but Bennett was concerned bc he'd heard about the Titanic.  Luckily we don't watch the news bc he would have completely freaked out if he'd heard about the costa concordia!  So we opted to go back to sunny Florida.  This time we skipped the House of Mouse and went to Universal, Sea World and Legoland.

The Harry Potter section was jam-packed!  We'd spent the first day on one side of the park and the second day on the Harry Potter side.  Emma waited patiently on all the kiddy rides in Suessland, then when we headed back to HP world.  The lines were all still 60-75 minute wait times (it had been recommended to us to wait until later in the day for HP rides bc the lines were really long).  So we ate and the kids got butter beer.  No change in wait times.  So we headed to the next area on the map.  Long line there too.  The kids played in the "interactive" area for a few minutes while I prayed that the lines would shorten so Emma, who had been so patient, wouldn't be disappointed.  My guilt was pretty high.  Brent and I had a mini pow-wow about how to finish the next couple of hours in the park bc this was it - no more days at Universal.  The Pterandon ride wait time shorten from 75 to 60 minutes while we stood there so we decided to get in line.  Amazingly the wait was only 45 minutes and we headed back to HP land.  We waited in the 60 min line for the family Hippogriff ride and it also only took about 45 minutes.  Then we split up, Brent getting ice cream for the little guys and going to Spiderman and me going with Emma on the big rides in HP land.  The HP Journey ride had come down from 75 to 60 minutes, but someone overheard us talking about it and said they had just ridden and had only waited about 35 minutes.  And it was!!  Next we were off to the dualing dragons ride.  Amaizingly the wait had moved from 75 to 10 minutes!!!  We walked all the way up commenting that it wasn't a 10 minute wait, but a10 minute walk.  Then we rode it again!!  bc it had "dualing" dragons -- 2 rides in 1. 

So, I don't necessarily feel that God cares how long the lines are, but I do believe, and it has been shown to me many times before, that He cares about me and about us and therefore, on this day, He cared about the lines being long.  We were able to ride everything and also buy the HP things Emma wanted then meet the others at closing time at the front gate to leave.

On to Sea World

This day was wonderful.  Very laid back.  We actually didn't ride any of the rides here, just watched the shows and saw the animals.  We were all amazed by these animals and their ability and trainablity.

LEGO LAND

This LegoLand is new - opened in Oct I think.  (Bennett knows for sure and knows everything about it and all the other ones.)  It is located at the old Cypress Gardens.  We rode several rides, but some of them were "different."  For example, in the Lego Technic area, if you wanted your bike to go up and down during your ride, you had to pedal. 

It is a requirement to take your picture with all the cool Lego people, especially when they are Star Wars.

The Mini area was really neat!  There was this mini pirate town and the ships sailed through the canals; there was also mini Las Vegas, Mini Washington DC, Mini Florida like Ky West and South Beach, and several other mini areas.

Once we left the park it was time to spend a few days with our friends, the McCalls, who had moved back to FL a few years ago.  We enjoyed Saturday just sitting on their couch and watching the kids play.  And since the Mr. works for The Mouse, we're going to go back for a Star Wars weekend and see them again!!