Sweet Summer

While Memorial Day weekend may be the official kick off to summer, and while I thoroughly enjoyed our time on the boat last weekend, the weather was just shy of making it feel authentic.  Mother Nature sweetly obliged me with some piping hot winds and glaring summer sun this week, however.  Now it feels like summer!  I know a lot of people hate the heat, but I have to say, the older I get, the more I like it.  I hate the winter.  I hate being cold.  I don't like to be hot when I'm sleeping, but otherwise, I'll take the sweat if it means being outside in a tank top and flip flops, and I'll take it even more happily if it means being on the boat!  We didn't get to take the boat out this weekend, but we were still able to enjoy the summer sun.  

Friday was Jacob's school picnic at DelGrosso's Amusement Park.  On a whim, I decided to take Andrew along for the ride.  I thought that Jake would probably meet up with a buddy and then Andrew and I would spend the day in Kiddie Land.  That's not at all what happened.  When we got there, the two boys rode a few rides in Kiddie Land.  Then we ate lunch with Jake's classmates.  He hooked up with a few buddies from school, and we all went on the train together.  The other boys wanted to go on rides that Jake just wasn't ready to risk yet, so he veered away and stayed with Andrew and me.  They played in the arcade a little, but what they really wanted was to ride rides.  Unlike Jacob, Andrew is a little dare-devil.  He was through with Kiddie Land and wanted to go on the big rides early on.  Unfortunately for me, he had to be accompanied by an adult, so I spent the whole day riding rides with the boys.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not a big ride person.  For one, I'm ultra paranoid that a bolt is going to come loose, causing the ride to blow apart and kill everyone on and around it.  Secondly, all those people sitting in those seats and touching the handles with sweaty hands and bodies....Ewwww....  But I hate them the most because I get sick.  Really sick.  The last time I was at the park with the kids, I rode the Carousel and got nauseated.  I'm a total wimp when it comes to rides, so you can now understand just how big of a deal it was for me to ride all day with them.  Amazingly, I didn't get sick at all.  I'm not sure what made the difference, but I am grateful for whatever it was.  I did have keep my eyes closed on the Tilt-O-Whirl, though.  That one was just a little too much for me.  

First ride together, eager to start the day! 

I was worried about Andrew on this ride, because it spins pretty fast.  I thought he would get scared and want off mid-ride.  Boy, was I wrong!  Scroll down to see what else this kid rode!  After one disappointing ride on the boats, Kiddie Land quickly lost it's appeal for Andrew.  

I think the way to take the most flattering "selfie" is by looking up at the camera.  Unfortunately, with two kiddos who are shorter than me, that wasn't possible.  Add to it the fact that I can hardly see my screen in the sun, and you get several self-taken photos that are seriously unsightly.   Just how many chins can one girl have?  Apparently, many more than I ever imagined!  When I was taking this picture, Jacob was very concerned that I was not going to put my phone away before the ride started.  "Mom, seriously.  Put it away.  It's going to get broken."  That's my little old man! 

The disappointing boat ride.  I think he envisioned driving his own speed boat...not quite what he got! 

"A-hoy there, Mates!" 

Snack break and attempt to get out of the sun for a few minutes.  Unfortunately, all of the shaded benches were taken, so this was the best we could do.  

This is the face of someone who really enjoyed his ice cream! 

Jake is a born rider! 

Tilt-O-Whirl.  ( See what I mean about the chins? Yikes!)

Yes, I rode this thing too - 4 times.  Jake was too chicken to get on.  He sat happily at the picnic tables below us and waved, not caring at all that his 5 year old brother was braver!   

On our way out, Jake and Andrew got the front seat of the caterpillar roller coaster.  

Another "selfie."  Getting better, don't you think?  Really, I took them just to prove that I actually went on these rides.  This one is the Paratrooper.  It goes in an oval up, around and down.  At one point during this ride, Andrew said, "I love this ride!  It makes my butt hurt!"  I started laughing and he asked why.  I said, "It makes your butt hurt?"  He said, "Yeah.  It feels all squishy inside!"  

Jake wasn't so thrilled about getting a hug from his little brother on a 90 degree day.  Maybe that wasn't a hug...he was probably wiping his sweat on Jake's shirt! 

After several attempts, I finally got one photo of them that was decent.  The best part?  Right after this picture, Andrew took a bite of his cotton candy and said, "Oh!  Ew!  This tastes like fur!"  

This is what a satisfied little boy looks like at the end of a day at an amusement park.  

On the way home, Jacob said, "You know, I had a really good day."  That's not something he would typically say, and seeing as how we spent it together, just the three of us, it meant a lot to me.  I'm glad I didn't chicken out and make them ride the rides in Kiddie Land for an hour and then truck home.  It was worth every anxiety-ridden eeby-jeeby.  

Today we went to the pool in Martinsburg for a few hours so the boys could swim.  Andrew was so excited to get in the water.  I am usually pretty on-top of things, but somehow I managed to get to June with no sandals for Andrew!  In last-minute desperation, we bought him a pair of flip-flops at the dollar store, just to get us by for today.  When I told the boys where we were going, Jake said, "Oh yeah.  Dollar Store flip-flops.  That's a great idea.  What could possibly go wrong with $1 sandals?"  Seriously, is this kid 10 or 45?  But the flip-flops worked out splendidly!  Andrew loves them!  He wore them out on some errands this evening.  Even if they break tomorrow, they were a dollar well spent!  

All decked out and ready to swim! 

Under the water umbrella

Andrew's turn

Taking a warm-up breather.  

"Mmmm....concession stand candy is to die for!" 

Jake was pleased with his french fries too.  

And while we were hard at play for the last 2 days, Sam picked up the slack at home and did all of my laundry!  I love that cat!