Summer Vaycay...

Last year, as a Christmas gift, my sister and mom decided to get us each season passes to Michigan's Adventure. Our first trip was on the last day of school. It was just the big boys and I. Since having Kyle, I haven't spent as much time with Caleb and Andrew as I'd like. Keith always takes them to do fun things and I stay home with the baby. We had an absolute blast! I left the park that day and called my mom, crying, thanking her for the wonderful gift. I had the best time with the boys. I told her it would be the gift I ask for every year.

This year, it rained like crazy on the last day of school. We were all bummed because we were so looking forward to the park. We made the most of our rainy day and had lots of fun, but we all couldn't wait for a sunny day.

Andrew has no fear, but has one thing working against him in a major way. His height. He is a roller coaster madman and before the start of the season, Pat measured him at 47 1/2 inches tall...1/2 inch too short for the big rides. I told him to hang tight. He is sure to grow during the summer months. I don't know what happened on the first day, but he measured shorter than that and so the people in the registration area gave Andrew the platinum pass, which is for seniors and small children. Thanks to Andrew, we have a free season parking pass!! Better than that, for him, if he wears his tennies, he is just tall enough to ride the roller coasters. He doesn't quite hit the mark, but If a finger cannot fit in the gap, he is all set. Keith rode the coasters with him and while he was a bit queasy, Andrew giggled the entire ride. Every ride. Unfortunately, Andrew isn't tall enough for the new coaster-Thunder Hawk. Big bummer.

Caleb is horrified of heights. I don't know where that comes from. :) Pat told him he would take the boys to the park this summer and that Caleb would have to ride all the rides! He was mortified! He cried about it, or at least whimpered, every time he brought it up to me. I told him that as long as he didn't have a choice, he should suck it up and go with it. The Thunder Hawk has 5 loops. It is all I heard about. I finally came up with the idea that he should try the corkscrew because it only had two loops. I told him I'd go with him. He LOVED it! He loved it so much that he made it his mission to ride all of the roller coasters. The other day, after riding Shivering Timbers, I heard him say to Andrew something like, "Now that I've ridden them, all the fun is gone." Oh. I guess we don't have to come back anymore.

I decided one day, a bit earlier in the season, to take Kyle on our little adventure. I didn't want to pay for daycare so I told the boys we wouldn't stay for too long and they wouldn't be able to ride many rides. Our first stop was the Tilt A Whirl.. The four of us rode it. Wouldn't you know that we got a good car...one than spun really fast. The attendant stopped the ride early for another rider. Good thing. I thought Kyle was going to puke. Surprisingly, after that experience, he still wanted to try other rides. We all tried out many of the "kiddie" rides and everyone seemed to have fun.

We have been back, as a family of 5, a couple more times since then. Kyle no longer rides in the stroller. It is only used as the carryall. Keith and I take turns staying with him and riding with the boys. Kyle even likes the water park. Keith plays in the water, the boys play in the wave pool, and I lounge, poolside, in the sun. What a life. I need to take it all in now since next year, Kyle will cost someone lots of money!!

Yuck! I am no fan of heights and this ride, and especially this picture, turns my stomach!

These boys...

Andrew and I are in the top right of this picture...upside down.

Woo Hoo..