Halloween Spooktacular

We spent a few hours at Sea World on Sunday! We have been longtime passport members, and Sea World is our favorite place to go when we want to get some uninterrupted family time in (especially since our schedule can be a little hectic at times!). This was our third year attending the park's Halloween Spooktacular event. There are candy stations scattered throughout the theme park, and costumed characters and fantastic decorations are around just about every corner. The kids love Sea World on ordinary days, but hunting for candy and treats is always an additional source of excitement for them.

I don't have time to post a whole lot about the day, but I wanted to post a few photos. If you have the opportunity to get there, the event continues Oct. 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31! Visit www.seaworldorlando.com for more information!


Megan and Jeremy at the entrance to the trick-or-treat path...


"Visiting" one of the whales in the observation tank behind Shamu Stadium. The kids have been known to tell people that they have a pet whale and that we go visit him at his house...


Megan and Jeremy with one of the garden fairy characters in the park. Notice the strained smiles? They don't look directly at the camera much...Steve says I "broke" them by taking so many pictures during their first few years... :)

Cooler Weather

The temperatures have been staying at or just below 80 degrees the last few days...I LOVE it when the Florida temps begin to drop for the cooler season. In Florida, we don't have four seasons like everyone else. Steve and I like to joke that we have two seasons here...summer and summer-lite. The last few years when the kids have had their birthday party (in December), we've worn shorts. To me, Christmas just isn't the same when the temps are so high. I grew up visiting my grandparents in Canada for many Christmases, and eight feet of snow wasn't unusual for us...going to the Christmas Eve service at church without needing to wear a jacket just doesn't seem the same to me.

The only problem with the cooler weather at the moment is the fact that I want to open the windows, but we haven't checked all our screens yet. The mosquito population seems to have multiplied ten-fold in the last few days, so I'm trying very hard not to invite those little buggers into the house. Jeremy got bug bites all over his legs on a walk last week, and the poor kid looks like he's been attacked by vampires...red welts everywhere.

The kids have their first field trip on Friday, to a local pumpkin patch. It will be their first "real" ride on a school bus! I bought their field trip t-shirts today, and I think I'm just as excited as they are because I get to go as a chaperone. I'll have my camera with me, of course...don't think I could go on a field trip with them without one (and anyone who knows me would completely agree!).

School has been going well for them...they still have completely different attitudes when it comes to schoolwork. Megan comes home and immediately starts asking if she can do her homework. Jeremy kicks back and turns on the tv or dvd player and relaxes. Not sure if that's something we can attribute to the difference between boys and girls, but it's pretty funny to watch. I dropped them off at class this morning and neither one even noticed me once they got settled in at their worktables. Usually Megan hollers for me to come give her a hug and kiss before I leave, but today I didn't get that request. It's a great feeling because I know it means they're happy there, they're comfortable and not having problems. But at the same time, it's still an adjustment not having them need me just a little. Just proves that another interesting thing about being a parent is learning that sometimes you rely on your kids just as much if not more than they rely on you.