Adventure in Adventureland

Ryan and I had started to plan a weekend getaway to St. Louis at the end of this summer. We decided to cancel it for several reasons, but Sunday night I was telling my dad about how I had wanted to go to Six Flags in St. Louis- because I really wanted to ride the rides, something I haven't done since probably junior high. So Monday morning my mom informed us that dad wanted to take us to a nearby small amusement park. It was a family first, and was just right for being there with kids, with lots of little one's rides. We started slow with the merry go round, which for Hannah Grace was a little rocky. She sat out a couple rides that Bennett manned up to, and surprisingly we finally convinced her to go on the bumper cars with us. From that point on, all bets were off, that girl was all in!

Goin' after daddy and brother. =) They both loved it.

The semi trucks were a huge hit.

We like a couple of goofballs rode behind them the first time, thinking they were going to be scared-- yeah the next go round we knew they would be just fine on their own. Ha!

So then, we knew it was time to pull out the big guns.

Thats right, we took the kids on the log flume. It didn't take me long to think maybe it wasn't the best decision. This was us going up the first "hill". Bennett and I got pretty soaked right off the bat and he was not happy about it. Then came that big hill at the end. Oh my, I don't think I have ever been so nervous. Now don't get me wrong, I have never been scared of these things, but suddenly I was terrified going down this steep, water gushing incline with my little ones aboard with nothing but my embrace to keep them secure. I wish you could see this pic below better- if you could have seen Hannah at all in the one you could buy (for a ridiculous price) we prob would have gotten it. You could definitely tell neither Bennett nor I took even the smallest breath.

(Again, getting soaked in the front)

I felt pretty horrible for unecessarily scaring them, but actually when all was said and done, to my surprise, they were both pretty excited and proud that they did it. (FYI- most the people getting on this ride were families with kids our size or even smaller, so really I thought it just wasn't as bad as it looked if all these tiny kids were riding it- ha, right!)

We breaked for snack, then headed off to this part of the water park...

It ended up being entirely too overwhelming, and ended disastrously with Bennett. But, before trucking out with our screaming three year old, Hannah Grace went down this big slide by herself, surprising me once again. The water was freezing.

After finally calming Bennett down, we discovered another favorite, the boats.

They had this soothing little thing all to themselves for back to back rides.

Ryan and I did get our turn on a couple of rides too. We had just finished dinner- which was the good and nasty kind of park food, when we said "ugh..." at just the sight of this ride that flipped you all around and upside down and all kinds of crazy junk. We were both picturing dinner coming back up. I looked at Ryan and said "Let's do it..." I think he was hoping I was kidding but didn't fight me (deep down he really wanted to too=) Dad took these pics of us, and I couldn't help but include most of them on here- they just paint too good of a picture of our marriage in general, hahaha--

Ryan- calm, cool, collected and level headed. And me, with my slight flare for the dramatic.

Saying final goodbyes =)

I wasn't going to include this one on here, since Ryan got cut out of it, but I decided after looking at the rest, I needed some proof that I did indeed love it and had a great time despite being terrified.

Upside down-ness.

The sun was beginning to set and we were all wiped out, but decided to end the night on the grandparents taking the kids on the ferris wheel, or as they deemed it- the "air boat".

SUCH. A. TROOPER. Not much else needed to be said there. Girl didn't make a peep all four or so hours.

I'd say I got a good amusement park fix to hold me over for a bit. But it will be fun to do again as the kids all get a little older. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they warmed up to all of it! So by the time we take them back again will Ryan and I officially be too old to ride all the rides? Hmmm...