Feet Shmeet

Perhaps I should have read my own post from last year's trip to California, when I was Disneyed out and oh so weary. I had high hopes for this year because we're here 6 weeks later in the year, so temperatures are perfect and crowds are smaller right? Um, Knott's Berry Farm didn't get the memo.

We ate lunch at Coco's restaurant, made a stop at the post office (good mail from California don't you know?), then drove to Knott's Berry Farm (happily traffic was moving). Randy and I both have fond memories of going there as tweens so we were excited as we pulled up and saw all the roller coasters in the distance.

Unfortunately it was a bit crowded, full of the dregs of humanity, and not really our thing. (We may have been motivated by the allure of eating funnel cakes.) We went on the log ride first, which meant standing in a half-hour long line behind extremely affectionate teenagers. It was disgusting and embarrassing to be behind them, yet I couldn't stop watching them. 

The actual ride was fun and we bought the picture they snapped as we were plunging down the big hill at the end, and that was pretty much the highlight of the day for me.

We indulged in 2 funnel cakes ($12!!!) and though they were good, there's something about having to eat standing up in the middle of hordes of strangers that cheapened it for me. Plus, Whitney was campaigning for a $4.50 icee (to wash down her funnel cake--good grief) and for a chance to play whack-a-mole to win a monkey stuffed animal. She was wearing out her welcome and pushing the limits of her cuteness because even though we're here for vacation and know that costs a lot of money, that doesn't mean she is allowed to be a demanding little cuss. We opted for $3.25 bottle of water which she ended up guzzling about half of by herself.

All of this took about 1.5 hours, but felt like all day. Fortunately it wasn't hot outside or I would have been a mess. We ended up seeing the Wild West Show (enjoyable), then went to Camp Snoopy and rode Lucy's Tug Boat which nearly made me hurl. I had to cover my face and think happy thoughts until it was over. This caused great delight and laughter in Randy and the kids, until they really thought I might lose it. That was enough of a wild ride for me. (Ever since having kids I can't ride much without feeling nauseous. It makes me feel like such a fuddy duddy, especially since I used to love rides and go on everything.)

The kids then rode the planes, drove the semi's, and rode the flying swings twice until it felt like midnight but was really 7:15. Randy and I decided we're not theme park people, and tried to figure out why we liked them so much as kids. 

This is what we came up with:

As kids we weren't concerned with money, germs, hoochies, tattooed freaks, gang bangers, child abductors, public rest rooms, or sore feet. Ah to be young again. All of these things factor in for us as adults and definitely make it harder to be in huge crowds.

We ended up "winning" the monkey for Whitney because Randy, Landon and I all played the game. Randy actually won, but basically this means we bought the freakin monkey. (She hadn't begged for this again, it was my idea.)

The kids both crashed in the car on the way back to Claudia's. It's rare to see Landon like this, especially after we've parked and turned the lights on. 

**Can you handle rides?

Do public places gross you out?

How do you manage your kids wants

while on vacation?**