2 Mom's + 7 Offspring + Spring Break + Six Flags = What Were We Thinking?

Six Flags Over Texas.  When I was a kid these four words would send me into totally excitement for days on end!  Back in the day I was lucky to get to go to Six Flags once a year (10 kids = poor family) and when that day came I took FULL advantage of it!  We would get there at opening and stay till it closed!  Every year it was the same, the night before Six Flags I could NOT sleep!  (Six Flags was better than Christmas to me!)  I was way too excited!  I would map the trip out in my head and try to figure out which ride I wanted to ride first!  The 1 hour drive to Arlington felt like an 8 hour drive - I'm sure I drove the driver of the car CRAZY asking "are we there yet".  Upon arriving we would line up at the entrance and as soon as they opened the gates we would RUN in trying to be the first in line for that new roller coaster!  Ahhhh to be young again! 

Times have changed.  I wanted my kids to have that same level excitement.  It didn't happen.  Boy 1 grumpily ask "Do I HAVE to go to Six Flags?"   Boy 2, well just check out the picture below of him. Girl and Boy 3 were the most excited - at least two out of four were excited.  That's pretty good right?

I think this is the only pictures I have with Boy 1 on Spring Break. After this picture I never saw him again. He and his friend, the tall one beside him disappeared and didn't return to us for days. They played endless hours of Xbox, saw some TV show being filmed live in Dallas, went to a Mav's game, stumbled across the "Cheater's" van and they tell us they collected more girls phone numbers than they could count. Nice. And this is just the beginning.  OH, and they left Six Flags EARLY!  Can you believe that? Early.  What the…..?

Once we entered the park all (except one) was excited to see the first ride, the tea-cups!

Boy 2 was SO NOT excited about the tea-cups.  About 5 years ago (when he was 4) we went to an amusement park in Wichita, Kansas where he went on a 'spinning' ride.  Once he got off he was sick as a dog.  I remember we sat on a bench for at least 45 minutes waiting for him to feel better.  He never did, not that day anyway.  From that moment on he vowed to NEVER ride a spinning ride again, and he hasn't.  I mean look at the poor fellow, he looks miserable just thinking about riding the tea-cups!  He couldn't even turn around and watch his siblings & friends!

Now he is happy!   The Conquistador! 

We got onto the first two rides in no time.  However this did not hold true for the rest of the day.  Next we hopped in line for a rollercoaster.  Where we waited and waited until I finally went and bought lollipops for the kids....

And then we waited and waited and waited some more.  This picture was taken after being in line for about an 45 minutes.  Don't they look excited?!?

And this is about an hour and 15 minutes in the line.  Lollipop more than 1/2 way gone....

Still waiting.....

2 hours and 10 minutes later we got on the ride.  I don't even remember what it  was called. 

After waiting so long the kids were hungry and thirsty. This cost small fortune.  Turkey Legs at Six Flags are $8.95 each (but OH SO GOOD!).  Drinks are $4.99 each.  I had to take out a small loan for this day! 

One of the things I enjoyed most about Six Flags this time was people watching.    Back in the day you could smoke ANYWHERE in the park.  In line, walking around, in the food areas and so on.  Now the smokers are limited to the "Blue Line" areas.  Sorry to you smokers, but I think it is funny.  They look like caged animals! 

I know it is sad that there is a baby in the smokers area, I'm hoping her mom was just resting there and didn't know it was a 'smoker's cage".

While waiting for HOURS in line for that other roller coaster ( you know - the I don't know the name of)  Kim and I started reminiscing about Six Flags and when we were kids.  We talked about how excited we were when the Shockwave came out!  It was so cool and we couldn't wait to ride it!  An upside down roller coaster - who would have thought!  We were so excited!  I remember I was in 4th Grade when I rode the Shockwave for the first time.  I went with a group of girls from school (and yes in 4th grade we were allowed to run all over Six Flags BY OURSELVES - I couldn't imagine letting Girl run off with friends at Six Flags today).  We were SO NERVOUS to ride; waiting in the line was almost as thrilling as the ride itself!  By the time we got to the front of the line one of our friends was freaking out.  She couldn't do it.  She was terrified. We totally peer pressured her into riding.  To this day I'm not sure she has forgiven us for that.  As we were telling stories Kim and I were trying to remember the year the Shockwave came out and then we saw this.......

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  THE SHOCKWAVE IS A HISTORICAL ROLLER COASTER?!?!?!

I thought maybe I shouldn't let them ride, it is HISTORICAL! It might derail or something crazy because it is so freaking old. :o)

Anyway, moving on..... A few things I learn today.
- Sugar doesn't cure the long line blues
- I will NEVER take the kids to Six Flags during Spring Break again
- Boy 2 really doesn't like amusement parks
- Boy 3 is more fearless than before
-Girl continues to be happy no matter what
- Smokers belong behind the blue line
- We LOVE hanging out with the B family (we already knew this though)
- Making memories is what it is all about
and the number one thing I learn today is that:
- I am freaking "historical"