Daytona Beach 2012

My mom, my boys and I took off on June 28th and headed to Daytona Beach Florida where my grandmother lives. I had a full 12 days I didn't have to go to work and it seemed like the best time to spend some time at the beach and doing some fun things in Florida. My boys have never had a memory of going to the beach although they have both been, but were too little to have any memory of going. So the first day was a beach day and the boys had a BLAST! They were absolutely worn out. We dug a big pool so the waves would fill it with water and the boys could play in it. They also got a little comfortable with going out in the waves (this made me nervous) I am not ok with just letting them go out and play in the waves. Benjamin got a little too comfortable with it and kept wanting to go out further and further. I did make them wear puddle jumpers out in the water because they don't know how to swim on their own yet. 

Getting them used to the waves was easier to do for Benjamin. Caleb was not too sure and clung to me like a spider monkey. 

 

Finally they figured out they could ride the waves in and wanted to do this forever. They loved it. 

The first day was an awesome day at the beach. I got too much sun, had sand on every inch of my skin and had a great time with the boys. The next day my aunt, uncle and cousin came to visit from Jacksonville and we had a full afternoon with them. I didn't take many pictures from that day.

On Sunday we took the kids to Silver Springs to ride the glass bottom boats. It was an extremely humid day and we ended up cutting it short because we were all so hot and exhausted. Overall it was fun for the kids though. 

This alligator was just swimming around while we were waiting to get on a boat. It scared me a bit because it was so close to where my boys were standing. 

After the boats we went and saw some animals and let the boys do some of the kids rides. We even got to feed the Giraffe. I have to put this in here for memory sake: When we walked up to the giraffe he was walking out for people to feed him and it was obvious it was a "Male" giraffe. Caleb all the sudden says " Mommy he has a HUGE wiener!" Everyone around us started laughing. I was really embarrassed. 

Driving boats on one of the little rides for kids

The Kodiak bear. He was HUGE and I would not want to run into him anywhere. 

The next day we loaded up early and headed to Busch Gardens. I was hoping the boys would fall asleep in the car and get a nap in before we arrived but it didn't work out that way. There is an entire section of Busch Gardens for younger kids. The rides are for their age and size and it was perfect for my boys.

I got to ride one ride with them.

The Elmo show. This was only 15 minutes but the kids had fun watching it and the whole time the baby was going crazy. I am sure he could hear the loud music. It was really fun.

The boys got to ride their first roller coaster and my mom was a great sport and had to ride it twice. It may have been small, but it went really fast and jerked around very quickly. 

Then the boys got their faces painted and we ended up having to wipe it all off because they kept smearing it all over the place.

We watched feeding time for the hippos and they were enormous! I couldn't believe how bit their teeth were and how huge they were. No wonder they kill more people in Africa then any other animal.

To take a break we rode the train all the way around the park. The boys got to see the animals and things around the park. 

Caleb was being a stinker and wouldn't sit with us for a picture.

This roller coaster was amazing to watch and if I were not pregnant I would have had to ride it. The drop is a 90 degree angle and straight down. It was fun watching it and the boys were enamored with it.

To end our day we let the boys play in the water in their clothes. We didn't know to have bathing suits with us. We had their PJ's in the car for the ride home so we let them get in and cool off before leaving the park. They had a lot of fun and a very full day.

On the way home Caleb hit a MAJOR wall and had a screaming fit in the car. It was way past bedtime, No nap and lots of fun and exhaustion. Finally he tuckered out and went to sleep but I almost had to pull over to get his fit under control. 

For July 4th and our last day in Florida, we went back to the beach for a half day. The kids got floats at a surf shop to ride waves. We knew they were exhausted from so many days off schedule etc.

After the beach the boys had naps and we went to play putt putt. They had fun but kept trying to putt with their putters backwards.

Lastly after a stressful late afternoon with the boys we had had about all we could take and the boys had too many days off schedule we were all at our wits end. We went out to a park on the water with live music (which was much too loud) and we waited for what seemed like FOREVER and watched fireworks.

The rest of the pictures were on my phone and just some random ones from the trip.

the band at the restaurant we went to. The boys loved watching them play. Benjamin made friends with a little girl and they went around trying to catch lizards.

This was the HUGE playground that the boys played on at Busch Gardens. It was pretty amazing.

Overall we had a wonderful trip. We know next time we take a trip with the boys it can't be so long. Seven days is just too much for them at their age because they really thrive on their schedule. I am glad I got to do this with them before the baby arrives.