We are lucky to have a few different water parks near us. I jumped on a chance to take the kids to a water park very early in July as a way to fire up our day. Annabel's creative writing camp that she had been SUPER excited about and very much looking forward to was cancelled. She was devastated. Truly. She's my author, as you know. She'd been begging for me to find a writing camp for her and I was so excited to find one. It was pretty upsetting to show up for the first day of camp only to find it was cancelled and they didn't tell us (don't worry, we actually got a personal phone call with deep apologies...but still). I cooked up a plan pretty fast to really cheer Annabel up- a day at a water park! Annabel, my thrill seeking girl, quickly forgot her woes...she was ECSTATIC that we were going to a water park!
So the three of us, my two kids and I, got all geared up and ready to hit the water park that day after lunch. Daniel was game to try it, good sport that he is, but he doesn't love water and he does not like slides, so he was along for the pool fun mainly. This water park was crowded. Very crowded. We had fun in the pool, the three of us, and then we all went on the lazy river, which I could easily spend all day riding. Daniel thought that was boring, but he did do that with us at least. After that, Annabel wanted to try the slides out, so Daniel and I watched her do those endlessly basically. We got Annabel back in the pool with Daniel a little later on, too, but then when he was done swimming, Annabel wanted to do the slides some more- a LOT more, it turned out. We were at the water park for 4 hours that day. That's a long time for us! Daniel was a really great sport, since he didn't ever do one slide and we just watched Annabel over and over. Annabel had a blast! She could easily have kept going, but good golly we needed dinner, too. All good things must come to an end. Such a fun day we had! I was just so glad I made that happen for us. Good idea, self. Pat on the back for me. I think I made Mom of the Year that day!
A couple weeks later on a Saturday, that same water park hosted a "pool party" bash complete with music, a water obstacle course, and discounted admission (these places aren't cheap, I'm telling you!) for a fundraiser and I knew Annabel would LOVE the obstacle course. So all four of us headed there to enjoy the fun that day. And whew- I thought it was busy the first time- this time it was packed. We were extremely lucky (after multiple trips around the lot) to find parking- we were actually about to leave, which had Annabel in tears, but thank heavens a spot opened. So in we went to enjoy another few hours of water fun. It was fun to have Daddy along with us this time, too. Annabel of course LOVED that obstacle course, just as I knew she would. Daniel had fun doing a few party games, trying to win prizes, and he enjoyed the pool. All 4 of us did the lazy river together a couple times, holding hands to stay together- that was fun. AND- Annabel managed to convince me to go on the slides with her. Super fun! Except for when I flipped over backwards off my tube into the water. I did NOT love that. That was scary. Still, she was tickled that even I, not the water/pool lover (gee, I wonder where Daniel gets that from?!), was doing the slides with her. Another great day at the water park!
The next time we hit a water park was for a classmate's birthday party and this time it was at a different water park near us (Cypress Cove), one we drive past ALL the time and Annabel had always longingly stared at. One perk of the birthday party package allows guests to just stay all day. Since I knew this going in, I decided to take Annabel to the party and just stay, too (though the mom would not let me pay my way; this family was beyond generous because all the moms and siblings stayed and nobody was allowed to help pay- incredibly sweet of this family, it made for a super fun day for the kids and families), and then since I was there, we just stayed past the party time. In fact, we were at the water park that day for 7 hours. Seven. Yep. Basically ALL day. Annabel could easily have closed the park out (and we did arrive at opening). I'm not sure why I didn't just plan on staying, but I didn't. I know I felt a little bad Daniel was home on his own, though he did have camp that day, so he wasn't on his own all day, just after pick up, so a couple hours. I was keen to see how his day at camp went and honestly I think 7 hours is plenty (I was so tired)! But Annabel never once tired and really could have kept going. That's just how much fun she was having!!
During the party, the girls were all off playing and swimming together, so I barely saw Annabel. I spent the party hours in the Lazy River basically, which was amazing. Then as friends started to leave, Annabel hung out with me and once again convinced me to go on the slides with her! These slides were a lot of fun. Actually, this whole park was SO much better than the other one we went to before. So yeah, we made the most of our day and enjoyed every bit of our afternoon! The boys back home were fine- I checked in on them. Daniel even helped Daddy make dinner that night, when we were finally on the way home- so sweet. This day was again SUCH a blast!! I came home that night tired but super pumped because we were just having the BEST summer ever! I was healthy, happy, relaxed, making the most of our days, able to do and enjoy all the fun things...I was soaking every minute up and loving it all!
We continued to enjoy beach nights at Centennial Beach the rest of the summer, but of course this could not compare even a little to the water parks. Annabel longed to go back. Water parks just aren't cheap though and honestly we were busy in other ways and Daniel didn't really want to go again, so we just never did. And then poof- summer was over and our days got chilly real fast.
Then this past Labor Day we had a blessedly gorgeous hot enough 86 degree day. Guess what I did with Annabel? I think you guessed correctly. Once again, I was Mom of the Year. My daughter literally screamed through the house putting her swimsuit on when I said let's go! (The boys were invited, but passed to run errands, shopping for tents believe it or not- they have some fun adventures of their own coming up!) Talk about Labor Day, summer's last fling! I was SO glad it warmed up and that I had this brilliant idea to take the day by the horns and GO!
Summers are just the best!
These are pictures from the first time we went to the water park.
Happy Annabel after the pool party fun day! She loved that obstacle course in the water!
(No other pictures because my phone was locked up so I could join the fun!)
Then we had a birthday party at a different water park! This park was so much nicer- we loved this one! Another awesome day of water fun! Even I went on the slides this time!!
Labor Day's water park fun looked much like the above pictures! Once again, I joined the water fun, so no picture proof- but we had a blast anyway!! Great memories. I miss summer already.
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