VBS, 23 Months and San Antonio...

Vacation Bible School was great... as it always is!  I am so blessed to be a part of a church that puts so much emphasis on the Jesus Journey.  Our church writes their own VBS curriculum and has an amazing team of ministers, assistants and volunteers to help things run smoothly.  This year, I was able to be a part of that team as a "Hallway Coordinator".  I know, it sounds pretty official, right?  Basically, I made sure the younger preschool and nursery classrooms had what they needed and the teachers were able to visit the wonderful goodie room. 

Ellasyn had a blast at "Bible schooo" and even sang herself to sleep on the last night singing..."Have fun Bible Schooooooo... Noaaaaah" (one of her sweet buddies). 

Because of the busyness of that week, I forgot all about taking her 23 month picture!  However, I did remember the morning that we were getting ready to leave town for a four day weekend and was able to snap a couple quick shots.  I am half sad and half relieved that I only committed to the monthly pictures through 24 months.  Relieved because it is hard to remember now that she is older and I am always late in making them.  But sad because that means she is growing up and turning into a little girl... no longer a baby. *glistening tear down my cheek and a big sigh*

Moving on....

We took our first McDaniel family of three vacation to San Antonio! Despite some naptime/bedtime difficulties, and a few squabbles over who needed to push the stroller and who needed to ride in it... we had an amazing trip.  Ellasyn loved the "Hotel Voom" and the fact that she got to sleep in a big bed.  Our hotel was right on the Riverwalk and she loved riding the elevator down the the water.  She kept asking to "Geh in!" Uh... no, I don't think so. Yucky.  We went to all the typical San Antonio attractions... Riverwalk, Market Square, Alamo, The Quarry, and my favorite... Sea World.

~ reading books with her animals during the car ride ~

~ claiming her bed in the hotel room ~



~ dinner on the riverwalk ~





We had fun at Market Square looking for a Mexican dress (you know the bright colored ones with the embroidered flowers) and a child sized belt to have her name branded on. 

We walked across the street from our hotel to the Alamo on July 4 to take some pictures and spent the rest of that day in Gruene.  When we came back we found out that it was the first time in the history of Bexar County that there would not be fireworks.  Sad. So instead we went on the river boat tour, and watched fireworks on tv.

~ This is pretty typical of Ellasyn's photo sessions ~
~ She is too quick to catch on camera! ~

~ red, white and blue family photo ~



The last day we were there was Sea World!  I have wanted to take Ellasyn ever since I heard of the new Sesame Street Bay of Play that they added this summer.  She loves Abby Cadabby and Elmo... even though she has seen maybe half of an episode of Sesame Street.  We have lots of books and the characters are on some of the Earth's Best products that she likes.  Right before this trip, she watched an episode of Abby's Flying Fairy School on the computer and learned that fairies have wings and fly.  She would flit around the living room and say, "I'm a fee-fee!"  So cute.  Ethan and I were a little disappointed in the "Bay" part, but Ellasyn loved playing in the splash area and seeing the character show.  

~ excited to go to sea world ~

~ waiting for the park to open ~

We watched another show called Azul. It was a beluga/dolphin/Cirque de Soleil type show with divers jumping and flipping off of the rafters in between the fish mammals. I was pretty impressed.

We visited the dolphins and E and Miss E got to pet them.  We saw fish and sharks, sea lions with their sweet tiny (not really) new pups, seals and sea otters. Ellasyn loved them all!

~ running through the splash area with Daddy ~

~ dancing while we wait for Elmo and friends ~

~ shaking her little booty ~

~ Zoe was a little too furry for E's liking ~

~ she liked Abby much better ~

~ her first ferris wheel experience ~

~ petting the dolphins ~



We stopped by the Lost Lagoon water park to ride the lazy river. It was a big hit!  Ellasyn loved "See-ming"  She wore a life vest and we were in tubes... but it was difficult to hold onto her.  We figured out that if we all wore life jackets it was easier to float along with her.  It was fun, but not shaded.  I got a little fried.

~ floating in the lazy river ~

~ playing in the kiddie pool ~



Before we got to Sea World we told her that we were going to see whales she got so excited and said, "Jonaaaah!"  She loves the story of Jonah being swallowed by the "Biiiig fiss". I am a little glad that she was asleep when we got down to the Shamu show... that theater was packed to the gills. Ha. (I know that whales are really mammals) Ethan and I watched for a little while from the very top and got to see the newest Baby Shamu. It was pretty cute to see him/her doing the tricks with the Momma Shamu.  On the way back from Shamu, since Ellasyn was sleeping comfortably in her stroller we just parked her in the shade  she and I waited in the shade while Ethan rode the Journey to Atlantis.



~ Ethan is in the last row on the far left ~

A full day of fun in the sun = free evening of entertainment riding the elevators up and down the 11 floors of the air conditioned hotel. 

~ who needs to pack bath toys when you have two cups and a spoon? ~

~ a little maraca seranade ~

~ my sweet girl in her favorite "Cars" jammies on the roof of the hotel ~

It took all evening, but the pictures are loaded. Enjoy!

Love,

Us