The Happiest Place on Earth, Revised

This week we spent seven hours at a water park.  Never once did anyone get cranky.  Never once did anyone in our party cry.  Never once did anyone have a frown on their face.

It was simply amazing.

We started out just the Nowell five.  Quickly, we added numbers to our party when we ran into another family we knew from the martial arts school.  The boys had become fast friends during their training time together so they wanted to spend the day with their friend.  He came with two older sisters and a Mom who, like the son, we only knew in passing.

At first, I was concerned that we'd have the inevitable problems that come with a large group of people:  everyone has an opinion, everyone wants their way, everyone is tired from traveling, blah, blah, blah.

But, no.  Literally, we'd look at the map, head in a direction, find a ride, and go.  And we did that about twenty times. Without a single complaint from anyone.

I wish I had known at the time that we were writing the playbook on How to take a group of three adults and six children, ranging in age from six to fourteen, through a 65-acre park with 40 attractions without a single problem because I would have taken copious notes.  On waterproof paper, of course.

Thanks to running into this other family, we had seven unencumbered hours of time to get to know them.  We talked a lot about home schooling and raising children in a difficult world and making extracurricular schedules work with multiple children.  We talked ballet costs and A.D.D. and karate.  We found out we are birds of a feather.

We just THOUGHT Schlitterbahn would be good.  We had no idea it would be made better by our new family friends.

Next year we plan on spending several days at the water park.  It quickly became our new summer destination trip.  And, I think I'll be counting down the days starting at Christmas.

Big thumbs-up to Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels.  Parking fees?  Zero.  Coolers?  Bring 'em!*  Sunburn?  Nada, thanks to SPF 50, applied twice.

If I were into grading trips, that one would get a big, fat A+. 

*No glass bottles, though.  Leave your IZZE at home.