Since my conception 37 years (+9 months) ago I cannot remeber a year when I have not gone to San Diego, Oregon, Hawaii, Yellowstone - SOMEWHERE - for a summer vacation. Well, thanks to OPEC and one terrific president, this summer will be a first! That's right, no grand vacation plans for the Raddatz's this year. We sat down with the kids about a month back (when gas was, gasp, $3.00/gallon) and let them know we just could not afford to take a big vacation anywhere it required us to drive. So we decided to take several mini vacations instead. Camping, fishing, carnivals, water parks - things close by that we could do in a day or two. Fit enough of these activities in the next few months and I think the kids will have something to write about in their "What I did this Summer" essays at the beginning of school.
Today was the first of our mini vacations - the Orem City Summerfest. Miriam is at Youth Conference and it was my job to keep the kids entertained so I decided this would be fun for all of us. There was a carnival, helicopter, firetruck and ambulance we could get into, and of course all the over price food and garbage booths we could hope for. I bought $30.00 worth of tickets and set out for a good time. As you can see from the attached pictures everyone was having a good time.
Well, things were going so smooth until the ferris wheel. I will let the following pictures tell the story.
ugh! I don't know if you can tell, it's pretty subtle, but one of these kids was not having a good time. The last picture was not color enhanced, Zach really was turning green! His knuckles were white in a grip of death, and his little heart was racing. The party was over! I guess I can count myself lucky that Zach won't be required to write one of those school essays. I think it would become evidence against me of child abuse if he did. Our next mini vacation will be a bit easier on the stomach, I hope. And I think I can scratch Lagoon off my to-do list. Megan and I seem to be the only members of the family interested in anything that goes faster or higher than the Merry-go-round. Pity...
10 comments:
Wow! I have never seen a face that green in my life. You are lucky he didn't yak on you. It's good to see the fam having a good time while their mother is away, probably not having a good time.
Poor Zach. Love the idea of the mini-vacations. My kids will be having that kind of summer as well, since I've chosen to use up all the money and go galavanting about while they all stay at home. Keep sharing your mini-vacations so we can get some ideas!
Bwahahahahahaha!
Classic.
Can't believe Josh chose to ride the chicken? Huh.
I think our boys were 12-14 before we could coax them onto a roller coaster...I distinctly remember thinking "Why did we spend all this money to go to six flags, and walk around the park, when we can walk around the park at home for free"...I can say that once they do break through the "fear zone" it is a lot of fun.
Poor kid, Jason(I mean Mark) can relate to that!
The pictures are classic!!! I love the one of Aaron and Meghan. They look so happy to be there. You're a good dad. Carnivals are crazy! Love ya!
Hey--
It's been a month.
Could you update this thing?
Any more mini-vacations? I miss reading about your life. I suppose I could call but it seems I've done that in the last few months. And you know how often I actaully pick up the phone to make a call. I guess that means you need a new post. Love ya!
Thanks for sharing. I love being able to read about what you great and incredible family is doing. It looks kind of like starting a blog opens you up to a lot of abuse. Hope that is not true because I finally got one going. Check me out at daveraddatz.blogspot.com. I know I will regret using my real name. At first I thought I didn't really care who knew, but I have thought of a couple of people I would just as soon didn't.
Were you on Oprah!? Or did you write in to Oprah? Cuz your story is sounding all too familiar!
I got an idea, YOU AND I will be faster and higher together cuz I'm all about thrill. Let's go to Six Flags baby!!
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