Cedar Point 2010

It's become tradition. Every summer we take a trip to Cedar Point. Chris and I are both amusement park enthusiasts, and both worked at Cedar Point for 3 consecutive summers after high-school. Since then, my extended family has gotten hooked on going with us every year. It's one of our favorite vacation destinations!

This year, we almost skipped the annual Cedar Point trip. But I'm so glad we didn't. It was a blast! My parents always go, and love to stay in the Lighthouse Point cabins they have there. The cabins are situated at the back of the park, some have a water-front view of the lake. We chose to stay in the cabins which include a loft, which is just perfect for little kids. Each cabin has a small kitchenette, with a little breakfast nook area, and small table. There's a small bedroom with a sliding door, closet and TV. There's also a small bathroom with possibly the tiniest bath tub and shower combination I have ever seen. In the living room area, the kids up in the loft, can look down into the main room, and also toss things over the side, which they all found to be great fun. While walking around the cabin getting ready, we'd hear something fall from the loft, and then little giggles in synchronized fashion would echo from above, but no little faces could be seen to take the credit. There's a huge arched window overlooking the pond, and the main living area has a TV and 2 futons that pull out into double beds. In all, the cabin sleeps 6 adults and as many little kids as you can cram into the loft area.

Chris and I took the bedroom so that we could set up the pack 'n play for Emily to sleep in. She did absolutely wonderful. She was probably the least fussy kid in our group. Ethan and Eliana slept in the loft with their cousins, Denae and Amarah. My sister Aubrey took a futon, as well as my parents. We had a second cabin, which my sister Melanie and her boyfriend Jim, and kids stayed in. She had her teenage son and his friend, her preteen daughter and her friend, and her and her boyfriend, Jim's, 4 year old daughter, Beth.

We left on a Saturday afternoon and when we arrived, the first thing we did was head off to check out the swimming pool. There was a nice sized swimming pool, equipped with a lifeguard, extra life jackets and extra towels. There was even a large sized Jacuzzi off in it's own corner, and best of all a really cool water-feature with pipes that sprayed and dumped water in different directions. This water feature left a very shallow puddle that was just perfect for Emily to crawl around in.

After our swim, we went back to the cabins to get cleaned up for dinner. There's a really nice BBQ place at the marina, right on the water, called Famous Dave's. It's one of our favorite places to eat. They have the best BBQ ribs, and I usually don't even like ribs. While we were there, eating our BBQ and licking the sauce off our fingers, it began to storm outside. The wind blew, the rain poured, and the lighting and thunder put on a very impressive display across the lake.

We had taken the complementary shuttle bus to dinner, and therefore we were at the mercy of the shuttle driver to get back to the cabins. Unfortunately, the only bad part of our trip was having to wait on the shuttle bus. Usually, the wait for the shuttle bus is only about 5 or 10 minutes, but for some reason, they only had one bus running and the driver was pretty incompetent, if you ask me. So we ended up waiting in the middle of a lightening storm for over an hour for a ride. I have to admit that I got a little worked up over the ordeal and could have easily chewed someone out over it. I guess that's just the mama bear in me. LOL

Finally, we got back to the cabins and put the little ones to bed. The next day, my kids, to no surprise, woke up bright and early. We had breakfast in our cabins before heading off to the park. Daddy, being the dedicated man that he is, went to church, before meeting us at the gate. Thankfully, he made it just in time.

First thing in the morning, the park opens early for Cedar Point hotel guests. The only rides open are usually a few of the large roller coasters, which obviously the little kids can't go on. It's asking the kids a lot to sit and wait in the park for an hour before the kids rides open. So, by the time everything was open, the kids were well past the point of losing their patience - and I don't blame them.

Poor Eliana was too little for all the rides we came across. Many of the children's rides require a height of 36". My little Eliana is only 35.5", just shy of making the mark. So, by the time we got to a ride she could go on, we were both ready for her to finally start having some fun.

I had broken off from the group with my girls in their double stroller. We found our way to Planet Snoopy, the same location where I had once worked, although back then it was called Peanuts Playground. The only thing that hadn't totally changed was the pond and water-fall feature, which I fondly remember wading in on hot summer days so I could skim the leafs out.

We found a little train ride, not as cool at the one I used to operate, but it would do. I had to ride with her, because of her being so small. Thankfully, they allowed Emily to ride as well. I asked her where she wanted to sit, and of course she wanted to sit in the front where the engine was. Then the Cedar Point employee informed me that there were only 2 cars that adults could ride in, and the engine was not one of them. Ugh, rules... rules... rules......I remember having to enforce them, but I also remember them actually making sense. So, unfortunately, I had to coax Eliana out of the front of the train and into a less exciting seat, where she could sit with me. Thank goodness she didn't have a melt down! She sat back, with a big smile on her adorable little face, and declared, "Mommy, I love this train."

Eliana begged to go on the Kite Eating Tree ride, which was like a miniature Power Tower ride for kids. I knew she wasn't tall enough, but the guy running the ride allowed her to go on anyway. He did measure her but I'm assuming that because she was so close, he figured she was "close enough". She only had a smile on her face for a short time, until the ride began to fall, and bounce. She started screaming, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Poor little thing. She had the look of pure terror on her little face. When she got off the ride, I asked her, "Eliana, did that tickle your tummy?" She shook her head yes, and snuggled into me.

Meanwhile, Daddy was off with Ethan riding some rides that Eliana was too small for. Eventually, we all met up at Planet Snoopy and were able to enjoy a few rides together. Grandma fed Emily a bottle so I could take pictures of the other kids riding some rides. Then we all headed over to Ocean Motion, another ride where I had once worked.

Everyone could ride this one, except for Eliana, Amarah, and Emily. It worked out because Grandma and Grandpa didn't want to ride it anyway. They stayed on the midway with our entourage of strollers and the 3 littlest girls, while the rest of us took a few rides on the big swinging boat. When I went up for my turn to ride with Ethan, the Cedar Point employee wouldn't allow us to sit on the far end of the boat. Of course, I argued with her since she had just allowed Beth, his cousin who's shorter than him, to ride in the same seat. Again, a new rule that I didn't appreciate, so of course, I had to give her a hard time over it. If I had a dime for every time I heard someone say, "but he's already been on this ride before...." and being an employee, I had to be the bad guy and tell them their kid couldn't get on the ride. One would think after that experience, I would have been more understanding. Nope, I've turned into the typical guest who's only concern is making sure her kids are having fun!

We made our way back to the cabins, another bonus for staying there where we were already on-point. We had brought our own lunches and ate at the cabins and then I stayed with my girls so they could take their naps. One lesson I've learned as a Mom, NEVER mess with nap-time or you will pay for it later! This gave the bigger kids and adults time to ride on some of the bigger rides, while the little kids weren't slowing them down.

After a much needed nap, we all met up for a ride on the big train. We made 3 rounds trips before heading off for another ride. Eliana had been begging to go on the Giant Wheel, a huge colorful wheel, at a height that terrified Daddy and I. Our kids aren't known for sitting still, and the thought of them bouncing around and peeking over the edge, 136 feet in the air, was enough to give us both a heart attack! But we made it through the ride okay. Eliana was beaming with delight when we got off the ride, tossing her little hands in the air and declaring, "I did it!"

We ended the day with a trip to the swimming pool. All of my kiddos love to swim and splash around in the water. I didn't mind it at all. It felt good to cool off after a hot day of playing in the park. Then, topping it off with a nice soak in the bubbling hot tub.....what could be better?

The next morning, Daddy had promised to take Ethan out to look for snakes. There is some type of water snake in the lake that loves to come out in the mornings to bath in the sun. They look very poisonous, but I don't think that they are. They have a diamond shaped head and are striped in black and white or black and brown. We didn't find any on our walk, but cousin Kevin found Ethan a couple of snakes after breakfast. We did see about a zillion May Flies. The flies covered everything, from the buildings to the side walks. They did make the sidewalks rather crunchy as we walked along, yes, there were that many!

Then, we enjoyed an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at Breakwater Cafe, another one of our favorite places to dine, before heading home.

It was, indeed, a very nice trip.

Three Minutes and Forty-Four Seconds.....

Three minutes and forty-four seconds. That is exactly how long the slide show was. I had created it for my niece, compiled of the photographs I had taken of her, for her senior pictures. My goal; to watch the 3 minute and forty-four second video, without interruption.

I sat in front of the glow of my computer monitor and glanced around the room to view what my children were up to. They were all preoccupied, so I clicked play on the video. It was not a full 20 seconds before Ethan had his hands in my face, "Mom, mom, look at this!" As he shoved a small toy in my face. I hit pause and in my annoyance, I didn't even notice which toy he was trying to show me. "Ethan, Mommy needs just a few minutes, okay?" He doesn't know why, but his 4 year-old instincts are telling him he needed my attention.

I reset the video back to the beginning. I was determined to get the full effect of my handy-work, by watching it at least once without interruption. Okay, lets try this again. It was just over a minute into the video when again I hear, "Mom, Mama, where are the crayons and markers?" Ugh, goodness child! Can you not entertain yourself for 5 minutes? Keeping my thoughts to myself, I reminded him of their location. They were actually where they were suppose to be, so that must have been what through him off.

Here I go again, third times the charm, right? Back to the beginning, the music from Owl City's, Firefly starts playing....."cause I'd get a thousand hugs from 10 thousand lightning bugs....." Once again my concentration is broken by the persistent nudging of my little Eliana. I stop and look into her big blue eyes and can't help but scoop her up into my arms.

Maybe if I watched the video with Eliana on my lap? Would she watch it with me and allow me to view it in it's entirety? Once again, I start the video from the beginning. Eliana loves it. How could any 2 year old not love a catchy song that mentions hugs from lightning bugs? She was mesmerized by the tune as well as the pictures of the pretty young girl, whom she was convinced was a Disney princes. She was wearing her prom dress, after-all. So far, so good. We're getting towards the middle of the video when from the depths of the pink pack and play comes a screech of serious proportions.

So close. I stop the video to feed the baby and put her down for her morning nap. Now it's lunch time. For all of you who've never prepared and served lunch to multiple little tots, you have no idea what you are missing!

Bed time rolls around. All the kiddos are in bed. So, I'm thinking that now is my chance to view the 3 minute and 44 second video in peace and quiet. I sit down at my computer, which is next to the large picture window in our front room. The windows are open and it's raining outside. The setting is deliciously relaxing with the only sounds being the rain and the passing of cars. The music begins to play and I am fully anticipating enjoying the fruits of my labor.

Then I hear my husband, "Honey, would you mind playing a song for me on YouTube when your done with that?"

Three minutes and forty-four seconds......I was so close.