Holiday World 2018

Best Holiday World trip ever. There. I said it. And to think, we almost missed out.

A few weeks ago we decided that Thursday, June 21st was the perfect day for our 5th Annual Holiday World trip. Nana had the day off (she treats us to this trip and we are so thankful for the memories) and Doug took off work too. About a week ago we started the dreaded "weather watch" and it wasn't looking good. 90% chance of thunderstorms and rain all day. Boooo. Well we watched and we watched (I think at one time I had five different weather websites up on my computer trying to decide which on I believed the most) and by Wednesday morning we had pretty much decided that we were not going. The weather looked too bad. We checked it one more time around supper and low-and-behold the forecast looked better. Still rainy, but better. We checked it again after supper and the chance of rain had gone down even more. We took this as a good sign and decided what the heck. Let's go! 

And we are so glad we did.

It rained on us the entire way there which did nothing for our confidence in making the right decision.  We pulled into a half empty parking lot and not a line in sight. And the rain slowed to a mist. So far so good. 

The kids rode a few kid rides to get warmed up. I knew Em would love the day but you just never know about Auggie. He would either love every single ride and be scared of nothing or he would hate it. Thankfully, he loved it all (well maybe not the crazy Turkey Tilt-a-whirl thing that I thought for sure he was going to throw up on....). After we rode the little kid rides, it was clear that it was time to step it up a notch. Aug was just tall enough to do lots of other rides as long as he rode with one of us so we decided to be brave and try just about everything. I have a sore throat today from hooping and hollering on the rides and I don't know if I have ever laughed as hard as I did on a few of the rides with them. I was crying it was so fun. 

The park was empty. I think the longest line we waited in was maybe 10 minutes and that was in the water park. We walked right up to every ride and even rode a few two times in a row. 

I told Doug that we are going to have spoiled kids because there is no way we will be this lucky every year.

Usually Auggie is my buddy. I don't know if it was the matching Illini hats or what but he wanted to do everything with Daddy so Nana and I got to do a lot with Em. I wasn't complaining!

Can you tell he loved it?

We went on the hunt to find Santa Claus or Holidog and somehow ended up in a little show. Emery and Auggie were little elves that helped fix a dress for the dress maker. It was very random but very cute.

I have to brag on my little man. He was so good and I tried to remember to tell him that all day. He listened and didn't run off and was up for trying anything. Holiday World is a big day and he was such a trooper. He said his favorite ride was this ride that shot all four of us up in the air. He screamed this little fake scream the whole time and I got so tickled. He also loved the new slides in the Water Park that were just his size. He did them a million times. 

And Miss Em completely surprised us. This has been her Summer of Bravery and Doug and I had a blast with her. She loved the big kid rides--the big bird swings being her favorite ride--but her true love for the day were the Jungle Racers. Doug and I showed her the Jungle Racers--think big, tall water slide that you go down on your belly--and she shook her head no. We watched a few people go down them and a smile creeped across her face. I did it twice with her and Doug and they then did it four more times I think. And Doug said she would have done them ten more times. Her little legs went up more than 240 steps and I don't think she would have ever quit. After the first time down the slide I don't know whose smile was bigger, Doug's or Em's. It was so fun having a "big" kid to do things with and that just told us that each year from here on out will be more fun.

It is so nice to have an extra set of hands when we go and like I mentioned before, we have Nana to thank for this trip. I have been going to Holiday World for many, many years with her and she has never ridden rides. They make her sick. Austin and Avery and I would ride rides with Aunt Linda and then Mom would do the water slides with us. For some reason, my Mom got a wild hair to ride this year. Most of the time just looking at the Carousel makes her sick so what ride did she choose to ride with Emery? The crazy turkey-tilt-a-whirl thing. It was almost too much for me. I don't know what she was thinking but she survived. And vowed to never ride it again ha! We also talked her into riding a big water slide with all of us. Next year she will be back to baby duty because Bennett will be along for the fun. And I think she is a-okay with this. 

It did rain one time while we were there and it just happened to be when Em was running around like a wild woman at the Splash Pad. She is our Rain-Dancer so while she was living her best life, we stood under an awning for about 20 minutes. And then the skies turned blue and the sun came out. We really were given the perfect day. 

Auggie was asleep before we left the parking lot while Em watched a movie in the car with her eyes glazed over. We made it safely home after picking up Bennett from Aunt Vicki's. Sue and Sam watched him all day and I have been told he was a good boy. Busy but good. It was weird not having him with us but I know he had way more fun being spoiled all day. Next year he can join these two crazies.

We joked that next year we want there to be rain in the forecast when we go.

But it will be fun, no matter what.