Just the Five of Us

Six Years . . .

. . . has gone by awfully fast.

This is the first year in a long time that we haven't gotten Hersheypark passes. We bought a new car, a new transmission for our other car, and a new furnace instead ;). But Emma's gone a couple times; I took this photo of her when we went with her dance school.

She hung out with two of her friends the whole time, going on rides and chatting and giggling the way girls do. She turned to me at one point and said, "Mommy, I'm glad you're here and I want to go on things with you but I want to go with my friends, too. But I don't want you to feel bad."

I assured her that it was fine to go on rides with her friends, that I was happy to watch her have a good time and chat with the other moms.

 

Springtime in the Park Part Two

After Emma's soccer game, we went to Hershey again. What a difference from last week! It was not crowded at all, and we got on lots of rides. I took Jake on Great Bear twice--he loved it. Doug took him on Stormrunner, and I loved watching the excitement on his face when he launched. It's still hard to believe he's tall enough to go on--it seems like just yesterday he was only wishing he could ride.

 

2005

Emma and Owen went on some rides together, and Emma happily went on Frog Hopper and the planes by herself. She and Owen went on the turnpike cars with Doug, and then I took Jake and Emma on the frontier flyers and pirate ship. We tried to hit the rides that have really long lines when it's crowded, but the Fahrenheit line was a bit longer than I wanted to wait--much to Jake's dismay. We ended the evening with ice cream and came home to meatballs waiting for us in the crockpot--another under 10.00 day at the park, and a very happy time with the kids.

Springtime in the Park

On Good Friday, we kicked off our sixth year at Hershey. With about 25,000 other people. It was insane. But we made it work.

We waited almost an hour for our season passes, so it was a while until we actually got anywhere near the park. Emma and Owen both needed separate trips to the bathroom and the kids got a little impatient, but we finally had our passes--even Owen since he needed one this year. We measured the kids on the way in.

 

Owen is still a Kiss. I love how he's so proudly holding his pass.

 

Emma was bummed that she wasn't a Hershey Bar. But she's right on the line, so I think she'll be one by the end of the summer.

 

Jake REALLY wanted to be a Twizzler. And--as I was shocked to find out in the ride office--he ACTUALLY IS! He was so pumped. He waited over an hour for Fahrenheit. It was the only ride he went on, but he was totally psyched. Worth the wait!

 

Emma was happy to go on rides with Owen, but I could tell she was a little bored. Owen was much more timid around the rides this year . . . he wouldn't ride the Frog Hopper, which was a favorite last year, and he wouldn't ride the helicopters either. He rode the planes, but wouldn't go on them again when we went back the following week.

 

 

 

We met up with Gianna and Chiara, and Emma and Owen happily went on rides with them for a while. Well, Emma did, anyway. Owen had to be taken off the mini pirate ship and the Dizzy Drums. "I doesn't like they go up and down" he told me.

 

 

First he was there . . .

. . . and then he wasn't.

Even though it was massively crowded and there were waits for every ride, we had fun. And, sticking to our no dinner at Hershey rule, we made it out spending less than 10.00 on Kettle Korn and ice cream.

Hersheypark

We hadn't been to Hershey in a while, so we went on Sunday afternoon. It was hardly crowded--I think due to the storms in the morning. We hit the boardwalk first. As usual, we started with two times around on the Lazy River. Odd name, given that Jake half walks his way around so he's usually so far ahead we can't see him. I share a double tube with Emma, who is constantly squirming and moving around. Ironically, Owen is usually the calmest out of all of them.

Then we spent an hour in the wave pool. Jake reluctantly wore a vest because I wouldn't let him in the deep waves without one. He's such a frantic swimmer and doesn't breathe calmly, so I think he exhausts himself pretty fast. Owen actually came out into the four foot waves and really enjoyed it.

Sandcastle cove was closed, so we did the little wave pool for a while until Owen had a diaper catastrophe all over Doug. Thankfully, nothing got into the wtaer, but Doug had a lovely time trying to get him cleaned up in the changing rooms that didn't have showers. He did the best he could, and then they walked up to the other rooms to shower off. Emma and I had to wait for them for a while, and then we went to have dinner.

The taco place was closed and we didn't want to spend a lot of money, so we bought one chicken strip meal that we shared and ice cream, planning to eat more at home. Jake complained forever that he was still hungry--"the chicken and fries were my appetizer and the ice cream was my desesrt. But I never had a main course!" A brief lecture on what real hunger is and the threat of no rides kept him quiet.

I took the kids on the Extreme Cup Challenge twice while Doug took Owen on the kiddie rides in Founder's Circle.  We left for home after that, becuase I needed to get the kids to bed and pack and finish laundry for Monday. As it was, we didn't get the kids to bed until 9:00 and Owen even later, but we had a great time and the water felt wonderful. The crowds were June crowds--nothing like what August is usually like.

HP

On Monday, we went to Hersheypark. We hung around the house for most of the day and did a Costco run and then had an early dinner before heading to the park.

We got to the Boardwalk around 6:00. We did the lazy river. Emma and I shared a tube, and she loved it when I steered so she'd go under all the fountains. We spent the rest of our time there in the pool. Emma, Jake, and I did one round of waves in the really deep end--totally awesome. Loved the feeling of free falling, and Emma kept trying to swim past me even deeper and laughed every time I pushed her back. Owen stayed in the smaller waves for most of the time with Doug as he's hooked on Daddy lately.

Then Jake and Emma rode the waves down the side of the pool. Jake got some good rides in and Emma just ran out to about three feet and then just let the waves push her down toward the shallow end. She must have done that ten times. It was actually a little chilly by the end of the time there, so we were glad to get dressed.

We ran into the Jolly Rancher, and all the kids gave him a hug. Jake will still do that, and Owen will hug them, stand, and look up at them, patting their sides and just loving on them. I'm sure they don't know what to do with him, and we usually drag him away with the promise of a ride.

After the kids and Doug had ice cream, they went on some dry rides.

Owen had some requests, and Doug and Jake went on the bumper cars. We didn't get Owen a bracelet, so they wouldn't let him on the swings . . . and that was the beginning of the end. He screamed the whole time Emma was on the ride, fussed during our trip to the bathroom, and was finally happy on the Tiny Timbers.

He screamed because he didn't want to get off and fussed all they way down to Founder's Circle before going on some more rides. I took the kids on the Scrambler, and we marveled at a spider web and how the spider was able to hang on while the ride was in motion. Jake and I waited while Doug took Emma and Owen on the merry-go-round, and I enjoyed some rare cuddle time with my oldest. Owen threw a fit when we left at 10:00, screaming "MORE RIDES!" all the way to the car.

It was a late night . . . way too late for them.

And Emma won a new friend . . . she played Flutterball three times (she's very willing to waste her money on games) and was able to trade up to the large bear in the upper left. She named him Snowflake (joining Snowy and Snowball and Snowman Blankie) and has slept with him every night since.

At Home

Tuesday, we spent a much needed morning at home. We had a crazy busy weekend and Monday, so it was nice to hang out at home and do some much needed chores.

The kids helped me do a lot of weeding. They did quite a lot, especially since every time I'd start to weed, Owen would cry and want to be held. I paid them each 2.00 for a job well done, and Emma was thrilled to add the money to her stash.

Owen was finally happy to play with the trucks in the dirt, and Jake joined him. They played for awhile, and it was sweet to see Jake play with him and engage him. Plus, Jake hasn't played with his trucks in years . . . I loved seeing him back out there in the dirt.

Emma did some art work while I was cleaning the basement and doing laundry.

And the boys played with the Little People. Again, I was so happy to see Jake playing with Owen. They don't play together that much, and Jake was being very tolerant. Owen loved the attention.

It was very relaxing and very much needed. Doug took a half day, and we went to Hersheypark in the evening. We took Owen on the Trailblazer for the first time . . . never again. He was pretty scared for most of the ride and then climbed out of his seat while we were waiting to pull into the station. Doug got to ride Stormrunner, though, and Jake rode Sidewinder by himself in the front seat. It was quite a feeling seeing him on a coaster without Doug or me. I did take him on Wildcat and Lightning Racer, but after that, I was rollercoastered out.

Hersheypark Obsessed

Owen is OBSESSED with Hersheypark. He asks to go there hourly. Today, he woke up from a much needed nap cranky and whiny. I tried to distract him.

"Owen, would you like to go outside? It rained a lot and we can look for worms."
"Wormies? Wormies go Hersheypark."
"The wormies went to Hersheypark?"
"Yes."
"Are they going to eat treats there?"
"No," Owen said, "Funny, Mom." He paused. "Owen treats Hersheypark."
"You're going to eat the treats?"
"Yes!"

In the early spring, he wasn't that thrilled with the characters. Now, he runs up to them, throws his little arms around them, and hugs them as he grins and they bend their huge forms over him to hug him back.

He wants me to draw Hersheypark. He scribbles on paper and calls it Hersheypark. When he sees pictures of ferris wheels or rides, either in books or church festivals flyers, he calls it Hersheypark.

We went twice this past week, and on our second visit, we learned he is offically a Hershey Kiss. He just loves being there, and requests certain rides--he loves the monorail, the train, the "other one train," the ladybug, the car, and the balloons. He also loves the mini scrambler and now the swings. I honestly think that the rides calm him. I've often thought that his constant need for physical contact with us and being in motion/throwing himself around could be sensory related. He seems so calm and relaxed on the rides that I think he's getting the sensory input he needs.

He is definitly Hersheypark Happy.

He rode this EIGHT times in a row before I dragged him off, kicking and screaming, afraid that it would addle his brain or something.

Four Hours at Hershey

is a lot more tiring than two.

We hit Hershey on Sunday. Arrived with a light "spritzle" as Doug called it, had three hours of rainless fun, and then left just as the harder rain was starting (rain, a bare face, and two rides on the Lightning Racer don't quite mix).

We ran into the Browns shortly after we go there, so the kids all had ride partners and the parents had friends to talk with.

It was totally empty. I thought Friday had been sparse . . . the park was like a ghost town. We waited for NOTHING. On the ride home, we did our usual "count the rides we went on." Each of us went on 15-17 DIFFERENT rides. Some more than once.

We were VERY tired on Monday.

Opening Day

6:20-8:00--Doug, Jake, and Emma were on the Coal Cracker when the whistle blew. I think we finally made it out of the park by 8:15.
Owen slept through the first 20 minutes and woke up ready to go on some rides.
Emma scored 6000 and 1000 on Cup Challange all by herself.
Not one tantrum or complaint--even with not getting ice cream.
Owen asking for rides by name--"Trucks!"
Emma drove the turnpike car by herself--I just helped her come into the station at the end.
I took the kids on the Pirate ship three times in a row. And then rode the Claw after that. I still feel queasy.
Bought two new cups and a kettle corn bucket to get us through the summer.
Checked out the wave pool and lazy river--both were filled and waiting.
no dinner--just snacks I brought, popcorn, and soda (the soda was courtesy of Doug) . . . parents of the year there.
We were amazed at the lack of people there. In our four years of having passes, the park was the emptiest we had ever seen it.
The rain held off and we didn't get rained on.

Rides:
Jake
Extreme Cup Challenge
Bumper cars
Pirate ship (3x in a row)
the Claw
Frontier Flyers
Turnpike cars
Coal Cracker

Emma
Extreme Cup Challenge
swings
Pirate ship (3x in a row)
mini merry go round
mini scrambler
Frontier Flyers
Frog Hopper 2x
Turnpike cars
Coal Cracker

Owen
Dry Gulch Railroad
mini scrambler 2x
trucks
Frog Hopper 2x
Turnpike cars

Jess
Extreme Cup Challenge
Pirate ship 3x
the Claw
Frontier Flyers
Turnpike cars

Doug
Extreme Cup Challenge
bumper cars
Dry Gulch Railroad
Turnpike cars
Coal Cracker

A good start to the season. We may go back Sunday to focus on Midway and Founder's Circle.

 

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

The early photos were taken in 2005, and the recent ones were taken Sunday. I'm not sure what I want to do with all of our Hersheypark photos . . . I have so many, and many are similar. I'd love to do a scrapbook just of Hershey so I can combine photos of different years on the layouts, but I'm not sure when to cut off. 2010 seems logical . . . I could do a "Five Years of Hershey" album. Until then, we enjoy them on the computer. And I put page in the kids' books each summer of Hershey memories from that year.

Jake still has to share his Dippin' Dots.

I love this because it shows how much Emma changed just in one summer. The first two were taken about four months apart.

Same happy older sibling. Same concentrating toddler. SAME CAR! And no, it was not planned.