More Flags. More Fun. 6-Flags!

We took our end of the summer trip to 6-Flags with the big kids the other day. They earn free tickets during the school year and we always promise to take them. It was getting to the end of summer and the days were limited, but we managed. We took cousin Micah with us this year. It's always more fun with more people and he otherwise wouldn't get to go 'cause his Momma's a very protective type of Momma! :)
We also met up with another family... the Jennings. They have 2 girls either side of Maggie. We like hanging with them too.
Micah has never been to 6-Flags so I tried to take lots of pictures for him, so he can recount his adventures to his folks and sisters. Leslie decided that particular day would be a good day to have an appendectomy... even though we had left our little girls with her for the day. She was worried her pain had something to do with cancer again so when the diagnoses of appendicitis came, it was almost welcomed. Mom retrieved the little girls for us so we could stay and play. Thanks Mom! We started off our day on time but 30 minutes down we realized our tickets were still hanging on the fridge. So we ended up adding an extra hour of drive time... just for fun. Summertime in Georgia is iffy when it comes to afternoon thunderstorms and we were threatened a few times but it never did rain on us until we were leaving, or at least ready to leave. We rode the things we wanted. Played in the water slide, called Skull Island. Curtis and I realized every year is harder on our bodies and eventually... they'll have to ride alone. EEeek!

Micah's first ride was on the Dahlonega Mine Train. It reminds us of the good ole days. It's been there for us like the Mind Bender and the Scream Machine. It's an old wooden coaster and it's jerky... but mild. We have started with this ride for 3 years in a row... sort of a tradition now.

We met up with the Jennings and rode some of the milder rides, Hot Air Balloons, Rockin' Tug Boat, Splashwater Falls, Wyle E Coyote roller coaster. We took a break for lunch and while they ate pizza in the park we went back to the van and had a picnic on a sewer drain! Sort of... but it was covered! This saved us several dollars! At the end of the day we had spent $20 total in the park (not including tickets) and we had all you can drink liquid and 2 HUGE pretzels for our afternoon snacks.

After lunch we started on the Log Flumes and got a little wet and then went to Skull Island, where the kids played on the water slides for a little more than an hour. This also gave the adults time to chill... although "sit and chill" didn't happen because you're also trying to keep up with 5 little people to make sure they don't get hurt, lost or stolen. We all survived and I even danced the Funky Electric Slide with Maggie, Meg and Anne. We were a hit, I'm sure! I had to convince Maggie that these people would never see us again and they really didn't care if she danced in front of them. One hop, slide to the left, slide to the right, criss cross! Everybody clap your hands... I digress!

We parted ways with the Jennings so they could go get soaked on Thunder River while we glided peacefully thought the Monster Plantation, which is now called the Monster Mansion. A little freakier at the end and a little more entertaining to scare little people by reaching up and touching their arms when they don't expect it! Not that we would have done that or anything. I'm just saying!

Micah really enjoyed his first Scream Machine experience!

Bennett, at the end of the Ninja. This ride is not as popular because for the past two years we've just walked up and gotten right on. It turns upside down and does some corkscrew action that gives a body aches. Maggie's still just a wee bit shy of being tall enough. Probably a good thing!

The storm started rolling in and we had one last ride to take... one of Maggie's requests, the train. Just a plain 'ole train that goes around the park. The bottom fell out while we were riding but it was ok since we were covered. But when we got off we were moistened just a bit. We stopped by the gift shop for souvenirs but the kids all agreed there was nothing they really wanted. I wanted to get a photo frame or something like that but we can never find those. It's always those crazy stuffed toys and cups with their names... but no one ever prints names like Bennett, Maggie or Micah. It stopped raining so we headed to the van, but the break was short lived and we got drenched in the parking lot. We were thankful for towels. We ate the rest of our lunches on our way to Grandpa and Grandma's house where we stayed the night, got the little girls and traded out the big kids. They get a turn staying at Grandpa/ma's now. Spoiling beyond comprehension! But like she says... What happens at Grandma's stays at Grandma's. I'm not complaining!