The Farrell-Landers family had a very busy, fun-filled Memorial Day weekend. We headed out to California to visit family and friends.
A couple of days before the trip, Josh and I decided that on our way to Laguna Woods, we would stop to visit Knott's Berry Farm with the kids for the first time. So, travel day arrived and we loaded up the car and the kids on Thursday morning at three o'clock so that we would arrive at the front gates of the amusement park when it opened at ten o'clock. Josh and I thought it would be a perfect time to travel. The kids would sleep. We would enjoy the quiet and our coffee. But our son had a different plan.
As soon as we left the greater Phoenix area, Aiden started to complain about his tummy hurting. We thought that he was hungry as he didn't really eat too much for dinner the night before, so we gave him a couple of snacks, That still didn't calm his stomach and he wanted to go potty. This was just the first of many, many stops. It *literally* was the longest trip I have ever taken to California. Our poor son moaning, crying and pottying the entire way. His sister crying and complaining, as well, so she didn't feel left out. Actually, as I think back, we did have about one hour of silence when they both fell asleep about an hour away from Knott's Berry Farm.
We made it to Knott's Berry Farm only a half hour late. Not too bad considering our journey. It was a perfect day to visit the park. The lines were non-existent, the weather was cloudy with the sun shining through on rare occasion and the kids and the parents were in very good moods even with the lack of sleep and tummy issues. It was a fabulous time and a great family outing.
The kids favorite part of the park was "Camp Snoopy". This area is designed for the younger kids. They were able to go on many of the rides by themselves. And, like I said above, the park was a ghost town. The kids would get finished with a ride, walk off, get back in line and walk right back onto the same ride. It was great, especially since this the second major amusement park we have ever visited.
My favorite moment of the day was experiencing Madilyn's first adult-sized roller coaster with her. It was called the Sierra Sidewinder and she continued to eye it all throughout the day. Finally, she said that she wanted to ride it. So, Madi and I got into line to ride it while Aiden and Josh went to ride another one together. As we stood in line, you could hear and watch the roller coaster as it nose-dives, dips, and turns all the while the car that you sit in spins on its axis. Madi's eyes continued to get bigger and bigger the closer we got to the beginning of the line. About half-way, she turned to me and said, "Mommy, I don't want to ride this one." I asked her if that was really what she wanted and she said yes, so we slipped out the emergency exit and found a place to sit to wait for Josh and Aiden. We began to chat about other things and people watch. A little while later, Madilyn turned to me again and said, "Mommy, okay, let's go! I do want to ride the BIG roller coaster." Once again, I questioned if she really did want to try it again and she definitively said yes. So, once again, we walked back into the line for the Sierra Sidewinder. Of course, the line was much longer than the first time we tried to ride it. But Madi was patient and watched the riders as they got on and off the ride. I continued to ask her if she still wanted to try it and she always said "Yes". We finally made it to the ride and she jumped in the car and had me buckle her in. I told her that if she wanted me to hold on to her during the ride I would, she just needed to let me know. Off we went spinning and dipping and turning upside down on this crazy and fun roller coaster. Madi did amazing and only asked for me to hold her after about half-way in. Once the ride was through, I asked her if she liked it. She mildly nodded and as we jumped out of the car to leave, she turned to me and asked, "Can we ride it again!" And that is how another roller coaster rider is born. It was a fun parent-child experience. And it made me once again quickly realize how fast she is growing up.
Our family enjoyed the park until it closed and might have grabbed some souvenirs on the way out. The day ended with meeting Aunt Kathleen for dinner and ice cream. And before we headed south to the hotel in Laguna Woods for the night, we put the kids in their pajamas. We had a feeling that they would fall asleep during the car-ride down. And we were right.
A couple of days before the trip, Josh and I decided that on our way to Laguna Woods, we would stop to visit Knott's Berry Farm with the kids for the first time. So, travel day arrived and we loaded up the car and the kids on Thursday morning at three o'clock so that we would arrive at the front gates of the amusement park when it opened at ten o'clock. Josh and I thought it would be a perfect time to travel. The kids would sleep. We would enjoy the quiet and our coffee. But our son had a different plan.
As soon as we left the greater Phoenix area, Aiden started to complain about his tummy hurting. We thought that he was hungry as he didn't really eat too much for dinner the night before, so we gave him a couple of snacks, That still didn't calm his stomach and he wanted to go potty. This was just the first of many, many stops. It *literally* was the longest trip I have ever taken to California. Our poor son moaning, crying and pottying the entire way. His sister crying and complaining, as well, so she didn't feel left out. Actually, as I think back, we did have about one hour of silence when they both fell asleep about an hour away from Knott's Berry Farm.
We made it to Knott's Berry Farm only a half hour late. Not too bad considering our journey. It was a perfect day to visit the park. The lines were non-existent, the weather was cloudy with the sun shining through on rare occasion and the kids and the parents were in very good moods even with the lack of sleep and tummy issues. It was a fabulous time and a great family outing.
The kids favorite part of the park was "Camp Snoopy". This area is designed for the younger kids. They were able to go on many of the rides by themselves. And, like I said above, the park was a ghost town. The kids would get finished with a ride, walk off, get back in line and walk right back onto the same ride. It was great, especially since this the second major amusement park we have ever visited.
My favorite moment of the day was experiencing Madilyn's first adult-sized roller coaster with her. It was called the Sierra Sidewinder and she continued to eye it all throughout the day. Finally, she said that she wanted to ride it. So, Madi and I got into line to ride it while Aiden and Josh went to ride another one together. As we stood in line, you could hear and watch the roller coaster as it nose-dives, dips, and turns all the while the car that you sit in spins on its axis. Madi's eyes continued to get bigger and bigger the closer we got to the beginning of the line. About half-way, she turned to me and said, "Mommy, I don't want to ride this one." I asked her if that was really what she wanted and she said yes, so we slipped out the emergency exit and found a place to sit to wait for Josh and Aiden. We began to chat about other things and people watch. A little while later, Madilyn turned to me again and said, "Mommy, okay, let's go! I do want to ride the BIG roller coaster." Once again, I questioned if she really did want to try it again and she definitively said yes. So, once again, we walked back into the line for the Sierra Sidewinder. Of course, the line was much longer than the first time we tried to ride it. But Madi was patient and watched the riders as they got on and off the ride. I continued to ask her if she still wanted to try it and she always said "Yes". We finally made it to the ride and she jumped in the car and had me buckle her in. I told her that if she wanted me to hold on to her during the ride I would, she just needed to let me know. Off we went spinning and dipping and turning upside down on this crazy and fun roller coaster. Madi did amazing and only asked for me to hold her after about half-way in. Once the ride was through, I asked her if she liked it. She mildly nodded and as we jumped out of the car to leave, she turned to me and asked, "Can we ride it again!" And that is how another roller coaster rider is born. It was a fun parent-child experience. And it made me once again quickly realize how fast she is growing up.
Our family enjoyed the park until it closed and might have grabbed some souvenirs on the way out. The day ended with meeting Aunt Kathleen for dinner and ice cream. And before we headed south to the hotel in Laguna Woods for the night, we put the kids in their pajamas. We had a feeling that they would fall asleep during the car-ride down. And we were right.
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