There is an Aquatic Center located downtown (think very small water park) that is a marvelous place to take your children. I love to gather up a bunch of kids, smoosh them into the car and head out for an afternoon of sun and water. Whether I swim or not, I always enjoy myself and more often that not, I get to read a book! Reading! It's life before kids!
No trip with children would be complete without mom right in the middle of things, taking photos. This past Memorial Day was no different except that this time, I had a new camera to play with. And I had no clue as to what I was doing. So I experimented and then experimented some more (276 pictures total).
One of my favorite parts of the park is the Lazy River. It's a long, winding stream of water, probably no more than knee deep in any part. Most of the time, I hop into an inner tube and let the current carry me along. The breeze gently washes over me and I always find myself in some form of a Zen state. It would be wonderful to have one of these in the backyard. The kids love to swim beside me without benefit of a flotation device, and devise devious plans of swimming up ahead, past the next curve in the river, waiting until the last moment to jump out and scare me. We all laugh at how this was the best one ever and I agree that I was certainly frightened and I didn't have a clue they were waiting to pounce on me, warning giggles aside.
Next to the Lazy River, there is a pool that ranges from 5 to 7 feet deep. The children can jump off the sides (Look Mom!) doing various tricks. On the northeast side of the pool is a long slide that spirals downward, looking much like a spring that has been stretched too far. The kids love to go down it, devising ways to increase their speed, so that they will shoot out the end of the slide, faster than a speeding bullet. "Did I go really fast that time Mama?"
On the other side of the park is a veritable maze of small slides, stairs and spurting fountains of water. The biggest attraction is a huge bucket on the top that fills up with water at an agonizingly slow rate (if you are a child waiting on the bottom). When the bucket is finally filled to capacity, it begins to tip over and in doing so, reminds me of a waterfall, causing my children to disappear for a short time under a massive wall of water. "That was the best one yet Mommy!"
Of course, no water park (no matter how small) would be complete without a concession stand, albeit small in this case. While the choices are limited, the prices are more than reasonable. This simplifies staving off of the inevitable starvation, providing sustenance and strength to continue on with the serious business of having fun.
That is a child's job after all
Comments
The photos are great! My camera likes to blur action shots - if I can even get them. The water park looks like so much fun!
Posted by: Sheila at June 4, 2008 7:27 AM
Looking good Moogie - I think the new camera agrees with you..
Mine has a setting for action shots, simple enough only trouble is if I leave it on default settings it eats memory cards for breakfast.
Posted by: Gordon at June 4, 2008 6:29 PM
