Sunburns, Slides and New Sensations

As a kid I loved water slides passionately. They were on the top of my list of fun things to do. My parents obliged often enough. In my preteen years they took us to the tiny water park up on the reservation, followed by later trips to Oasis in Palm Springs and Seven Peaks in Provo. Then by the time I hit high school, we didn't go so much anymore. I went once in college, only to learn that a water park isn't nearly so much fun when you are too paranoid to let anyone see you in a bathing suit. My friends and I spent the whole time traipsing around the park with our towels wrapped around our waists, which doesn't really work for actually going on any of the slides. (We did brave the lazy river a few times, and yes, at least one of my roommates even covered herself with a towel as we floated around. Heaven forbid anyone should have seen her stomach!)

Well, remembering how much fun it was as a kid, I decided to give M, J & B the joint birthday present of a trip to Sunsplash water park here in the valley. (Though the girls' birthdays aren't until later, they found out about it on J's birthday.) Yesterday was the big day, and after dropping off K at my sister's house, we met my mom at the water park for a full day of sliding and soaking. Fortunately, I felt good most of the day, so I was actually able to enjoy myself.

B went down just one of the big slides on a double tube with me before refusing to do it again. She found it too scary. However, she was perfectly happy to hang out in one of the kids' areas and slide down that slide over and over and over. Luckily, my mom could just hang out in the pool to watch her while I traipsed around to the other attractions with the other two. J was enthusiastic and nearly impossible to keep up with. He raced around to anything that caught his interest without bothering to let me know where he was going-- plus, he seemed to have no concept of waiting his turn in line so he frequently cut in front of people, to my utter chagrin. (Not to mention making it hopeless to try and collar him, since I couldn't exactly go elbowing my way through people after him.) M enjoyed the slides, but her favorite seemed to be the wave pool. I've always liked the wave pool myself, but I don't think I care for it too much when you spend the whole time trying to make sure your kids don't drown. J had no qualms about swimming out to where it was five or six feet deep, only to find that he could barely breathe between waves. As for me, I was brave enough to tackle the straight-down-and-straight-back-up halfpipe slide right behind a group of fearless teenage boys. (That is one heck of a drop! If I was a screamer, it would have earned a high-pitched scream. As it was, I think I gave some kind of warbling yell.)

A couple of overall observations though, from my new perspective as an adult at a water park:

1. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 30 minutes or putting on a bra later will make you wince in agony!

2. Water shoes would have been smart. Since this is 110 degree AZ, you can't go running around barefoot or you will blister you feet. I did wear my flip flops (and carry them down the slides) but only about halfway through the day one of them broke. And then what??? I had to hobble around, kind of shuffling about trying to keep the stupid foam under my feet.)

3. Don't expect great-- or even mediocre-- food service. Even though it is halfway through the season, apparently the teenagers staffing this place have not figured out their job yet. (Like keep making the food. Seriously! That's what you're supposed to do at the snack bar, right?)

4. Canoodling couples abound in the wave pool and any semi-deep swimming areas. I guess I never frequented a water park with a boyfriend, so maybe I'm out of touch, but apparently, it is great fun to make out while the waves are hitting you. If Terence was there, he probably would have felt free to shout "Get a room!" but alas, he was too busy writing people tickets to embarrass the kids.

5. Eight hours at a water park beats even melatonin for putting B to sleep at night. Oh yeah!!!

All in all, we had a great time. The kids are already asking if they can do it for their birthdays again next year. Hooray for a smash hit birthday present!