Six Flags for Six Cannons (and a Nana)

Today I woke the boys with "you haven't been very good so far this trip so we are going to cancel six flags" Noah rolled his eyes and said "when are we leaving the hotel".


We had a great day! It was so hot. We did a lot of the same rides multiple times. The log ride 3 times. Mason did great on the first, was good on the second until we went on the little drop and started sobbing so he did not go on the third. He also got a little scared on the scooby doo ride and so he snuggled me and I sang itsy bitsy spider (very quietly so that I didn't scare the other riders).


Since it was such a nice, warm, humid day we spent a great deal of time in the water park. My mom spent a lot of time with Mason on the lazy river. For the first little bit Noah joined her and Clint and I took Jake and Ethan on the "Big Kahuna" ride. The wait was 45 minutes, but they really wanted to go on a "big person" water ride and this was the only one they were tall enough to ride. 45 minutes of listening to the group ahead of us talk about skin tags and the group behind talk about prom dresses and "no he didn't" comments was a little much (as I'm typing the "no he didn't" I am trying to shake my neck like the girls behind me were doing and I think I just pulled something). You get in the raft and then you ride down a huge slide and it is very fast and some scary parts (it is rated moderate). I told the boys I might be scared and Ethan assured me that he would scream for me. I screamed and laughed, Clint smiled, we both reassured the two boys there would be ok. They had the most terrified looks on their faces. Once we got out they both smiled, laughed and said "let's do that again". Jake then also said his shoulder hurt because of how tight he was holding on.


We then traded Jake and Ethan for Noah. We told Noah he could do any waterslide ride he wanted since he was tall enough for all of them. He chose the super slide (we think this was the name). It is similar to the big slide at the fair that you sit on your bottom on the sack and go down, except it is MUCH bigger and you lay on your belly. You wait in line and get your mat (think thin blue camping foam with handles) from the person coming off the slide. Clint and Noah got one and then it was my turn to get one from the next rider. After one look at him I made Noah give me his so he could take the next one (it was from a weird looking guy with no shirt I didn't want his belly juices...ewww). We then waited for a short time (10ish) minutes to go down. When we got to the top this mom was trying to force her 5 or 6 year old son down. He was sobbing his name was Ethan (she kept screaming it). She then put the mat down at the top of the slide and tried putting him on it and pushing him down. He wouldn't grab the handles and finally the lifeguard stepped in and stood on the mat so this crazy lady couldn't push her kid down this water slide. I'm glad she did this because I was about 2 seconds away from stepping in. I'm not sure what I would have either - "excuse me ma'am I'm a pediatric nurse and I think that the potential psychological and or physical injuries you may be causing your child far outweigh the frustration you will have if you walked him down the stairs....or excuse me ma'am and then I would push her down the slide. I'm really glad that poor 16 year old lifeguard stepped in because I don't know which one I would have chosen.

We then left the water park to have funnel cake, go on a few more rides, and get a souvenir. Ethan was devastated to find out that The Hulk is not a part of the Justice League. He thinks that you should be able to find Hulk gear everywhere, and if they don't carry it he is devastated. He settled on a superman cape, Jake got a Joker cape, Noah got dog tags and Mason got a batman onesie. Out in the main stage area there was a group of kids that were the cast of some show at six flags. The boys were playing the drums on large metal garbage cans. Mason loved it! he loves the drums and garbage cans. He was in heaven! He was dancing and clapping and sad when it was over. Very cute!

We had a short drive to Mt Vernon Illinois after we were done. Mason was asleep before we were done fueling the Excursion up. Jake and Ethan were asleep shortly after. Right before they feel asleep Ethan was thrilled to see what was in his happy meal, I finally snagged a hulk toy from a McDonalds! Yay for Mama! (We have been looking for one all across the country). Noah looked at his atlas to watch where we were going. Right around dusk we saw a 1 antlered deer crossing the road. (Always exciting to see a deer, especially a crazy 1 antlered deer).

My family is all now asleep and I am just waiting for the 3rd load of laundry to finish drying. Gotta love vacation I don't have to do dishes, or vacuum, or mop but I always have my dear friend...laundry.