When not at SeaWorld during our trip, we were either driving, running around a beach or enjoying the views from one of our hotel rooms (see third and eights pics). The weather, as previously mentioned, was chilly and wet, but the girls didn’t let it stop their fun. At certain points, I would be all bundled up, clinging to my coffee and cursing the cold – while the girls would be running around, laughing and asking if they could take off their jackets because they were too warm. (They even went swimming, in a not-terribly-heated pool, in the drizzle one day.) If only, I thought numerous times, I could be as sunny and carefree – regardless of the circumstances – as they!

-M

There are quite a few rides at SeaWorld, and we made sure to go on all of the dry ones. (It was, sadly, just too chilly to go on any of the water ones.) Zoe’s favorite – and Q’s – was the Manta, an extremely fast “double-launch” coaster that they went on almost ten times, while Avery was partial to the much more tranquil SkyRide. And though not a ride, another highlight was the girls posing in a jumbo-sized snow globe – see sixth pic.

-M