A Frump Family Outing With Friends

Our family luuuurves amusement parks.

Recently, some friends told us about a great deal we could get on passes to little park in Southern California. A very kid-friendly park with plenty of rides for even short stuffs little guys like ours.

We all met together bright and early a couple of Saturday's ago to caravan there on a road trip.

Upon our arrival, this was one of the first sights to greet us.



And let me tell you...this elephant looked real.

I was glad to see that Judah wasn't even phased and walked right past like it was no big deal, because there was a day when he was absolutely terrified of elephants.

He was with his buddies that day, however, so little else seemed to matter.

The fresh air, the sunshine, fun rides and good company...what more could a kid wish for?



I did worry a bit when Judah began looking around at the inner workings of one of the rides. I know the boy well enough to know that a.) he loves to climb, and b.) he just might take climbing up into the framework of said ride as a fun challenge...something like the lure of conquering every tree that looks climbable.

It's at times like that when a mother realizes just how flimsy some of the restraining belt clasps really are.



So far so good.

Even if the boys decided to stay on this particular attraction, going between all the colorful car options for approximately twenty-two rides in a row.

The lack of doors with which to further contain the boys on said cars was really my only concern.

There are reasons why the attendants at these places are always repeating the oft-heard phrases over their microphones, "Please do not unfasten the safety belts" and "Keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times".

Two very good reasons.



Later, when we met up with the big brothers in our party, we found this really neat ride that both Judah and Jericho could go on together. It was kind of a mixture between carnival swings and an air glider.



Judah enjoyed it so much that he didn't even fight big brother over who got to control the air rudder.



Here, Judah and his buddies, otherwise known as "the twins", wait in line for another go at the air-gliding dragon ride.



By some fluke, our entire party happened to meet up at this same ride again later that afternoon, and this photo has all 8 of the kids from our group in it, though the big brothers turned around at the last minute.



While chatting with the other adults in line, I snapped this picture of Judah looking longingly through the gate.

Now common sense would tell me that the afternoon sun caused a bit of a glare off my phone camera lens, but I'm not discounting the possibility that this may have been an ethereal glimpse of a guardian angel's wing.



This is Judah we're speaking of, after all.





Yes, these places are always a grand adventure with our Judah.