We were pleasantly surprised.
Friday, instead of work, Grig's job had a Lagoon day. The tickets were free (we found out later, we thought we were going to have to pay for them), and we were excited to take Kevin. It's been a couple of years since we've gone.
This year, he was just an inch taller than the 36' mark. That meant that he could go on a lot of rides that he couldn't go on before.
The first ride we did was a dinosaur drop. Grig said that, at first, Kevin was a little scared, but then after Grig told him to laugh, he began to really enjoy it. This was a big change from last time. One of the few rides Kevin went on caused him to cry because he was scared. It's fun to seeing him getting so big.
The next ride we tried was a swing ride. It was for children, so the seat-belt didn't fit me or most of the other adults I saw riding it. Kevin seemed to really enjoy that one though.
After that ride, I really wanted to take my family on a ride called Rattlesnake Rapids. It had been one of my favorites when I had been here in jr high, but it hadn't been open the last couple years when we had come.
It was on the far end of the park, but because of that, the line wasn't very long yet. We were able to quickly get on one of the boats.
At first, Kevin was a little frightened.
However, as it went on, he began to enjoy it more and more. In fact, he was really getting into it...when we floated under a waterfall and he got soaked. That was the only time during the day that he cried. He did NOT like getting unexpectedly wet.
The next ride made up for it though. On our way to the "beach," we stopped at a car ride. He wanted a blue car, and he just happened to get one. We loaded him into it, he was buckled up, and he drove away. It was on a track that just looped in a circle, so we went to the end to wait for him.
The kid in front of him was screaming by the end of it (he didn't want to be away from his mother), but as Kevin came around the corner, we had to laugh. He was singing and jamming out as he rotated the wheel. When he came to the end of the track, he wanted to go again, but we wanted to get to the beach. He was a little disappointed, but he really liked that ride.
Next, we put on our swimming suits and went to the "beach." It was really fun. We didn't end up taking any pictures, because we were all playing in the water. Kevin loved it. As we played, clouds came up and wind began to blow, and though he started shivering a bit, he didn't want to get out of the water.
We only had time for about an hour of fun there, and then it was time for lunch. We got dressed and headed over to one of the terraces, where we met up with the rest of the company and got free food.
Kevin made a friend, and we enjoyed hamburgers and other things.
Our next stop was back to some more kiddie rides. Kevin got to try bumper cars, and I think he really enjoyed that. Then, he went on the swings again with his dad.
Afterward, Grig really wanted to go on a roller coaster, so I took Kevin to the Merry-Go-Round. I'd already gotten to swim and go on Rattlesnake Rapids, so I was satisfied.
For the first time, Kevin really enjoyed the Merry-Go-Round.
We went on it twice while we waited for Grig, only to find out that there was a delay, and so he didn't get to go on it anyway. That was kind of sad for him, but at that point, it was time to go.
We loaded up the car and drove to Idaho to celebrate my Grandpa's 80th birthday. It was a really fun party, and I hope that my grandparents enjoyed it. We love them a lot, and they have made a huge impact on my lives. I'm so grateful that they're still around to celebrate with us.
We didn't get to sleep until after 11:30 p.m.
The next day, we had a luncheon with my family, and afterward, Grig and I went on a date while my sister kindly watched Kevin. I don't know if we could have pried him away from his cousins anyway. He was having a really good time with them.
Grig and I went to watch Jungle Book, which we enjoyed and were grateful that we were able to go. We went back to my sister's house to pack, and then we went to a gas station on our way back to Utah to meet my sister and pick up Kevin.
We tried to call them, but there was no answer. So, we waited. It ended up being a good thing, because at that moment, I found out that my sub for Sunday was sick and couldn't take my place the next day. I spent the next half an hour calling around, and finally found someone. Then, after we went in to go to the restroom, we heard from my sister. They had been in an area without reception, but it worked out just fine.
We had a nice drive back, and got home at about 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, we woke up, got dressed, and got in the car in time to make it to church in a nearby city so we could listen to two of my cousins speak in church. They did a great job. One had just come home from a mission, and the other is leaving soon.
After church, we ate lunch together, and then my dad, my brother, his daughter, and our family went to the cemetary. It was nice to have some quiet time alone with them.
Kevin loves being around people. He really enjoyed the whole weekend, but I also think he was also tired.
When we got home, we collapsed. Grig and I fell asleep, and Kevin played quietly in his room.
It was a wonderful, exciting weekend. It was nice to be around family so much, and we really appreciated those who helped us out and fed us.
It wasn't until later that we learned about the tragedy in Orlando. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. We pray that they'll be brought peace and comfort during this trying time.
