Walking the dog with the kids was so fun in this unkept field of weeds, made the animal in them come out and stalk me.
Sharing with Smiling Sally and friends on Blue Monday!
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Monday, May 13, 2013
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A day of fun.....
We live about six miles from Busch Gardens Adventure Park, Europe. Yes, this is a good thing. My older son works there and the rest of us get to reap the benefits of going to the park for a few hours or for the entire day if we so desire. Since I promised the kids we would do a fun activity once a week during the summer and I really didn't want to go to the gym this morning, I figured pushing a stroller through an amusement park would take care of both, the entertainment for the kids and a workout for me. We packed up the car with water, snacks, baby's things, camera and cell phones and off we went. We still hold season passes which also comes with VIP parking--sweet stuff.
One of my biggest pet peeves, and I have many, is when people walk side by side along a path that is obviously not wide enough for the one's who are traveling with them and those going in the opposite direction. When I go to a park like this I want to get the kids past the main gate as quickly as possible. They do not have the patience to stroll from the parking lot to the gate, only to have to stroll some more just to get to the first ride. Mind you, this park has plenty of hills which can tighten anyones booty in no time flat. However, the last thing I want to do is take my time, pushing the stroller up a hill--that hurts.
So I pick up speed and head up hill, sure enough, a family of five decided they want to walk hand-in-hand in front of me. Now I can't go around them, I can't go through them, I can't go under them...maybe I'll go over them...grrr...(Yes, me and the girls were chanting the tune here but I left out the part about running them over with the stroller--I didn't want them to think mommy was loosing it already). A loud EXCUSE US PLEASE did the trick, they parted and let us through, I smiled and said "Thank You very much! Have a nice day!"
The second issue I had at the park today was in the games area. I don't usually do games because the last thing I need in my house is, yet another stuffed toy. But today was a day of fun so I gave the girls some money and we figured if we only compete against each other we had a 100 percent change of winning something. My issue was with the young employee whom really didn't look like she wanted to be there today. That, of course, is not my problem. Anyway, I asked her exactly how the game works so I could explain it to my 6 year old, she was snooty and said "you pay and then you play," like, for real, I have to pay. What do I look like, a five year old. Once again, I gave her a big smile and a big thank you and just before we left with our new dust collector, I mean, stuffed toy I asked the girls to say thanks as well and wish her a day filled with customers.
It's hot out and we've been walking, waiting, and riding for over two hours now. It's fine time for a slurpee or some form of frozen treat. We spotted the nearest frozen treat kiosk in Italy where the girls grabbed some cups and just as they were about to decide on a flavor a woman and her two kids walks up, grabs a cup and starts pouring herself and her kids a slurpee. I started to say something, but, for the sake of my girls, I resisted (I was really trying to be patient). This lady is so ignorant and she is trying my patience. Would it hurt her to wait her turn in line. Where do people learn these bad manners and what was she teaching her girls? Geeezzzz! Just as my girls were about to collect their straws, the woman, once again, cut them off and started digging in her purse for change. I reached in front of her and again, used my authoritative voice and said "Excuse me please, I need to get some straws for my girls before their slurpees melt away, Thank You!" She couldn't be mean to me because, although my voice was loud and firm enough for all to hear, I was polite and I was nice. My mom taught me well.
In between all these little happenings we managed to eat some delicious BBQ chicken, play in Dragon Land's water park (it's all for kids under 8), the girls went on a few rides while the baby and I took in the nature side of the park and watched the wolves, eagles and parakeets. We really did have a good time and thankfully, there was plenty of time in between the annoying people that the aggravation never had a chance to build up.
The kids were exhausted, they even fell asleep on the way home. I felt like I worked out for hours. It was a fun day after all.
One of my biggest pet peeves, and I have many, is when people walk side by side along a path that is obviously not wide enough for the one's who are traveling with them and those going in the opposite direction. When I go to a park like this I want to get the kids past the main gate as quickly as possible. They do not have the patience to stroll from the parking lot to the gate, only to have to stroll some more just to get to the first ride. Mind you, this park has plenty of hills which can tighten anyones booty in no time flat. However, the last thing I want to do is take my time, pushing the stroller up a hill--that hurts.
So I pick up speed and head up hill, sure enough, a family of five decided they want to walk hand-in-hand in front of me. Now I can't go around them, I can't go through them, I can't go under them...maybe I'll go over them...grrr...(Yes, me and the girls were chanting the tune here but I left out the part about running them over with the stroller--I didn't want them to think mommy was loosing it already). A loud EXCUSE US PLEASE did the trick, they parted and let us through, I smiled and said "Thank You very much! Have a nice day!"
The second issue I had at the park today was in the games area. I don't usually do games because the last thing I need in my house is, yet another stuffed toy. But today was a day of fun so I gave the girls some money and we figured if we only compete against each other we had a 100 percent change of winning something. My issue was with the young employee whom really didn't look like she wanted to be there today. That, of course, is not my problem. Anyway, I asked her exactly how the game works so I could explain it to my 6 year old, she was snooty and said "you pay and then you play," like, for real, I have to pay. What do I look like, a five year old. Once again, I gave her a big smile and a big thank you and just before we left with our new dust collector, I mean, stuffed toy I asked the girls to say thanks as well and wish her a day filled with customers.
It's hot out and we've been walking, waiting, and riding for over two hours now. It's fine time for a slurpee or some form of frozen treat. We spotted the nearest frozen treat kiosk in Italy where the girls grabbed some cups and just as they were about to decide on a flavor a woman and her two kids walks up, grabs a cup and starts pouring herself and her kids a slurpee. I started to say something, but, for the sake of my girls, I resisted (I was really trying to be patient). This lady is so ignorant and she is trying my patience. Would it hurt her to wait her turn in line. Where do people learn these bad manners and what was she teaching her girls? Geeezzzz! Just as my girls were about to collect their straws, the woman, once again, cut them off and started digging in her purse for change. I reached in front of her and again, used my authoritative voice and said "Excuse me please, I need to get some straws for my girls before their slurpees melt away, Thank You!" She couldn't be mean to me because, although my voice was loud and firm enough for all to hear, I was polite and I was nice. My mom taught me well.
In between all these little happenings we managed to eat some delicious BBQ chicken, play in Dragon Land's water park (it's all for kids under 8), the girls went on a few rides while the baby and I took in the nature side of the park and watched the wolves, eagles and parakeets. We really did have a good time and thankfully, there was plenty of time in between the annoying people that the aggravation never had a chance to build up.
The kids were exhausted, they even fell asleep on the way home. I felt like I worked out for hours. It was a fun day after all.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Back to school but not for long
I realized this morning as I was seriously enjoying my early morning time alone, that there are 3 weeks left before school lets out. This is good and bad. I always look forward to having the kids home and not getting up so early, eating breakfast together, doing stuff around town, etc. But then for some reason the younger kids never do sleep in when they should. It seems like on the days they don't have school, they get up earlier. It's a pattern I've learn to accept. My teens on the other hand would sleep until noon if I let them, and I do sometimes.
Flor (my mother in law) asked me what we had planned for vacation. I always feel a little awkward answering this because I think she thinks we should do something. Apparently it is an American tradition to plan a vacation away from home during the summer months. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, where I was born, when school let out for the summer simply meant that the kids would play all day outdoors, eat fruit ripened on the tree, make home-made helado (like italian ice),go down to the river for the day, hang out with the neighborhood kids and come home before the sun goes down. There were no major trips planned, no money sucking adventures to go to, just a simple summer. We did occasionally go to the beach, which for us was about 3 hours of away. We also visited family members who lived a little further away but that was it.
We have gone a few summer vacations, the American way, summer house rented by Flor and Dulce and another time we rented a Condo in Florida and it was fun, I will admit to that. Although I felt like I needed a vacation after my vacation. I don't ever feel the need to begin planning a week-long summer trip. I just take each day as it comes and if I see an opportunity for us to go do something fun and we have to spend a couple of days there then we go, if not, we're not too far from the beach, 2 major rivers each with a beach area as well and a few amusement parks.
Then there's our back yard. it's not huge and it's not fenced in but we have great neighbors and a lot of kids in the area. So this summer I plan to turn on the water sprinkler, fill up the water balloons, fill up a kiddy pool, and enjoy the outdoors right here, where it's free, fun and full of smiles.
Flor (my mother in law) asked me what we had planned for vacation. I always feel a little awkward answering this because I think she thinks we should do something. Apparently it is an American tradition to plan a vacation away from home during the summer months. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, where I was born, when school let out for the summer simply meant that the kids would play all day outdoors, eat fruit ripened on the tree, make home-made helado (like italian ice),go down to the river for the day, hang out with the neighborhood kids and come home before the sun goes down. There were no major trips planned, no money sucking adventures to go to, just a simple summer. We did occasionally go to the beach, which for us was about 3 hours of away. We also visited family members who lived a little further away but that was it.
We have gone a few summer vacations, the American way, summer house rented by Flor and Dulce and another time we rented a Condo in Florida and it was fun, I will admit to that. Although I felt like I needed a vacation after my vacation. I don't ever feel the need to begin planning a week-long summer trip. I just take each day as it comes and if I see an opportunity for us to go do something fun and we have to spend a couple of days there then we go, if not, we're not too far from the beach, 2 major rivers each with a beach area as well and a few amusement parks.
Then there's our back yard. it's not huge and it's not fenced in but we have great neighbors and a lot of kids in the area. So this summer I plan to turn on the water sprinkler, fill up the water balloons, fill up a kiddy pool, and enjoy the outdoors right here, where it's free, fun and full of smiles.
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