Family Summer Vacation 2009

This summer we decided to take advantage of our season passes and spent a week at Universal Studios. As usual, it was way fun! We even made our way to the beach and the Santa Monica Pier. We just love the beach. However, I somehow managed to contract a flesh eating disease called swimmers itch. Basically it is an allergic reaction to a particular parasite found in the ocean. It was super gross. The night we got back from the beach, I just was not feeling well and started noticing that I was super itchy. The next day little hive like bumps started appearing and started to spread. They didn't stop spreading until a week later. It was not fun at all. And it made me feel like my body was on fire, but super cold at the same time. So needless to say, I didn't get much sleep until it finally went away. But it was so worth it! This is the first time the girls really got to play in the ocean. However, I think mama liked it the best, they had to keep telling me to get out and go. I was just having too much fun!

Sweet Jadyn sleeping in the car on the way to Cali

Jadyn waiting patiently as we sit in traffic on the way to the beach.

Harly proudly modeling her new beach bucket as we wait in traffic.

Mommy trying to occupy herself in the car as we wait in traffic.

Jon and our sweet girls-brrr too cold for daddy.

Harly's woohoo picture.

WARNING-BIG MAMA IN SWIMSUIT.

Having super fun in the water!

Cheesy Jadyn.

A pretty smile from Harly. (Woohoo!! Usually she is our silly face girl!)

Mermaid Jadyn-notice the seashells. The girls made it clear

how important it was to include those. Crazy girlies!

Harly freezing....I told her she needs more meat on her

bones like mommy to keep warm. Our little peanut.....

Enjoying the pier. We ate at a yummy mexican

restaurant on the pier. Delic....

Awww yummy hot chocolate to warm Harly and Jadyn.

Mom and Dad-aka Jon and Heather

Chilly Jadyn

Anyone who knows us knows that we have to check

out the malls and other retail stores (target-hee hee) at each place we travel.

So here is a picture of the

girls enjoying themselves while mommy and Grandma Collins

are off shopping. This was actually an awesome mall. We wanted to

go back again before we left, but alas, so little time, so much shopping.

Welcome to Univeral Studios

The characters love to come and talk

to Aunt Kelly and the girls.

Harly with her infamous cotton candy. She will

talk of nothing else weeks before our trip. We could

take her anywhere and all she cares about is the cotton

candy. Crazy cotton candy girl!

Jadyn waiting for the crazy Creature from the Black

Lagoon show. Do not recommend. It is off broadway

gone waaayyyy bad. Very strange indeed!

Jadyn scored it big this time. She got pulled up onstage for the

animal show. A bird actually came out and landed on her head.

Brave girl. Mommy hates birds, so you go Jadyn!

And as usual, she got called up onstage to dance in

the blues brothers show. Go Jadyn go!

Another cotton candy shot....of course.

The Fam