how to party like a local in Orlando!

Monday 

We started out a bit late, but Sea Life Orlando still waited for us to get there.

 

They understood that we were traveling on CST: Christina Standard Time!

 

As a Navy veteran, I'd purchased the tickets at a 30% discount on GOVX.

 

That allowed us entry at three times less than a local would pay!

Such a great way to start our first day... but it was even better than we expected!

Kudos to the ultra-tall, ultra-cool manager there, Chasmon, who heard our story and set us up with a behind the scenes tour!

Then, we were fortunate enough to have Paige, a real marine biologist, leading that tour.

 

She was so informative, and so patient with the two little blondes, especially when it came time for us to feed the fish a little snack!

I know it looks like a private tour, but a mom and adult daughter from Iowa were on that tour, too.

I very much enjoyed that aquarium, which reminded me somewhat of the one in Key West.

What next?

Slunch for us!

Back to Sickies Garage, right down the street from our "vacation home"!

We'd noticed last night that kids eat free on Monday... ka-ching!

That's very good, since Miyah and Chloe rarely finish a meal.

Might as well be one my first niece didn't have to pay for!

I got tater tots with my Hawaiian chicken, so I could share with the girls - yummy for all three of us!

Then, back to the condo, so the three of them could get into the pool for the first time since our arrival.

See that foot?

That isn't mine in that sparkly chanclas!

(Yes, she's learning more Spanish, while she's helping her new neighbor, Nieve, aka "Snow", learn more English.)

The pool time was cut short by a thunderstorm, but that was fine by us.

I watched it from the screened-in porch with those two littlest blondes.

And what did we receive as a reward??

A double rainbow!!!

Yes, we are definitely on vacation!

i thank You, God!