Our Family Blog: May 2010

Memorial Day Weekend

After our return from our vacation last week, we were thankful to have the long weekend before heading back to reality. Sara and Helena went strawberry picking on Sunday. Later that night, Sara and Jonathan (joined by their parents) went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a barbecue dinner.

Usually afraid to go near live animals, Helena got fairly close to these horses at the strawberry fields

Helena taking Jonathan for a ride

Courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa, Jonathan has his outfit picked out for the cruise in August!

Swimming at the hotel

Given the heat, we spent a lot of time each afternoon after a long day at the parks going to the resort's pool. The following are some random shots of the swimming pool, our hotel, and the remainder of our weeklong trip. We had such a great time, we are certain to be going back again.

Helena posing in the kitchen

Helena showing off the master bedroom jacuzzi

Jonathan eating breakfast

Helena on the balcony

A shot of the main pool at the resort complex

Jonathan is ready to go swimming

Jeff with the kids in the pool

Jonathan and Jeff practicing for some type of team competition in the pool

Helena drying off after her swim

Jonathan's wet head look

Helena posing at Downtown Disney

Showing off our new Disney shirts

Everybody asleep on the plane ride home

Jonathan woke up in time to have a snack before the plane landed

Epcot

Day 5 we headed to Epcot. The day started off very early because we arranged to attend the Princess Breakfast at Norway in Epcot's international section. Jonathan was not too fond of all of the princesses, but we weren't really there for him. Helena enjoyed meeting each and every one of them...and Jeff enjoyed the buffet breakfast (he tried every last danish...and the breakfast potatoes were amazing). After exploring some of the rides in Futureland, including Helena going for a ride with Jeff on the GM Test Track, lunch was at Mexico's San Angel Inn. Dinner was at an Irish pub in Downtown Disney before we went shopping to get some gifts to remember our vacation.

Family picture at the entrance to Epcot

Helena waiting to go to the Princess breakfast

Yeah baby!

Family picture with Belle

Helena with Sleeping Beauty

Helena with Cinderella

Helena with Snow White

Helena with Arielle

Posing in front of the Finding Nemo ride

Helena waiting to ride the Test Track

Helena locked in for the Test Track

"I once drank a Coke this big!"

Helena banging the drum in the Chinese gift shop

Jonathan taking a nap

Helena volunteered to be an honary captain on the boat that travels across Epcot's lake; she was rewarded with a captain's license and a sticker.

Photo of Sara and Jeff taken by Helena

"I've got the whole world in my hand..."

Sea World

Day 4 of the vacation was at Sea World. Helena enjoyed all of the different shows, especially the Shamu show.

Great shot by Sara of the dolphins during their morning feeding

Jeff and Jonathan by the dolphin exhibit

Jeff and Jonathan during the dolphin show

Sara and Jonathan at the Shamu show

Helena grabbed the camera and started snapping some self-portraits like this one

Helena posing in front of a car painted like a whale

Helena posing at the penguin exhibit

Magic Kingdom

Day 3 saw our first visit to one of the parks duing our vacation - Disney's Magic Kingdom. Helena was excited to ride on Dumbo and It's a Small World. Jonathan got to go on a few rides as well, in between naps in the morning and afternoon. After two prior trips to Disney in his lifetime, Jeff finally braved it and rode Space Mountain! We lucked out that we stopped inside for lunch at Tomorrowland just as it started to rain outside. Dinner was at an Italian restaurant that was recommended by the hotel.