On our second day, Sunday we went to the beach. I dont remember what one it was but BOY was it full of seaweed!!! The kids didnt mind though they were just sooo excited and thrilled about all the seashells that were ALL over the place! Matt was a pro at finding the sand dollars. He found at least 2 for each of the kids. It wasnt the warmest to go swimming so we just played in the sand and got a little wet but it was sooo fun! I love the sound of the ocean!

On Monday we woke up early and headed to Sea World which we thought opened early but we were actually 1 hour early and there was at least 100 people already there! People are crazy!

They have changed it so much since I was a kid. There is a HUGE kid playland area that has rides and water stuff! it was so much fun !

It was pretty warm that day and little did I know I was coming down with strep so I about fainted a few times there, we thought i just needed to drink and eat more because of the sun. It was Tuesday when i woke up with a sore throat and of course thought it was just that so i lived on tylenol my whole trip, but i still had a BLAST!


The park people were taking the flamingos for a walk and this one decided it was thirsty and drank the water from the crack! LOL it was so fun they were just squawking away!!

We decided to buy some little fish for the kids to feed the seals and the worker guy said to not dangle the fish over the wall or a bird will swoop down and get it....soo....what does Samm do? she held the fish up to put over the wall and this big bird with LONG legs swooped down and grabbed it out of her hand!! HAHA! she just started BAWLING!! it was pretty funny, so here they are putting the fish through these little feeding tubes!

Day one

Finally I have some time to blog about our trip! 

Matt left work early to get some sleep in before the BIG drive. We left around 11pm so that the kids would pass out for hopefully most the time. We left Haven home with my sis annie( which was so so so so nice:)) We left and about 5 minutes later I realized I had forgotten our hotel papers! haha so we had to turn around, but it was straight to Cali after that! I'll tell ya what trying to sleep while pregnant in a van is NOT my idea of fun! I got about 3 hours of in and out sleep but it was fun being able to talk with Matt and discuss our future plans and stuff! 

 The kids slept till about 6:30 and then were up watching movies.  They were SOOO good! we got to San Diego about 10 when we realized they were of course an hour behind our time so really it was only 9!! AHH we had soooo much time to kill because we could not check into our hotel till 3! so we decided to go to the San Diego zoo! It was so much fun! and so much to see, there are over 4,000 animals! This place was HUGE! we did not see it all because there was just too much hiking and we were getting tired. I mean there was a stinkin escalator for cryin out loud to get to the top of the zoo, i swear this place has its own mountain! 

  Everything was outside so it was just stunning to see everything and all the different vegetation there was!

The kids thought this was cool because this is one of the plants that dinosaurs ate!
I took this picture to show how HUGE these goldfish are compared to those ducks! They could eat them!!

and this is the map of the place!

WE HAD A BLAST IN CALIFORNIA! PICS COMING SOON! 

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

So I have to blog about the BEST mothers day i have ever had! 

Although it would be nice if  mothers day could  be on any other day than sunday so it would feel a little more relaxing, but matt made it sooo awesome! 

He woke up at 6:30 (normally it is 8) and made the kids breakfast then of course me too! all the kids came in and were each carrying something for me. This is one of the reasons i LOVE having so many children! it is so fun to have so many people loving and depending on you! 

  Matt took the kids the day before to the dollar store and let them pic out whatever they wanted for me! let me just tell ya...I LOVE THE DOLLAR STORE, so many GREAT deals lol! 

it brought back memories for when i would buy my mom these cute little ceramic figurines to put on her dresser and how they would end up in my room haha! 

anyway i got a few of those, a pizza cutter from parker and of course a stuffed animal from haven:) i LOVED it! 

then matthew whipped out something for me that is my mothers day/birthday/anniversary present...a quad with my REAL name on it! I am soo thrilled to finally have some scriptures with Ballard on it and not Sorensen. 

anyway we were actually 10 minutes early to our 9am church!! woot woot thanks honey!! 

we came home and I  just sat down and was given lunch, did not have to feed the kids and was able to take a nap then of course wake up to some baked potatoes and grilled chicken!

It was the BEST day ever! I really felt like my whole family really did appreciate all that i do....It was enough to fuel me for 1 more year!!