Valleyfair!

Dearest Husband:

Yesterday morning, the four of us (you, me, Nick & Lexi) headed to Valleyfair. Grandma came to watch Z & Z. We got there just after 11:00. This was Lexi's first time there & you went last year with Nick & I went the year before. I had 2 years to recover & that wasn't quite long enough.

After we entered the gate, the first ride we hit were the antique cars. You & Lexi rode together


& I took the backseat while Nick drove.


After that we let the kids ride the big boat...and of course they got soaked.


Then they waited on the bridge to get wet again.



I think we did the Bumper cars after that. That was fun. Lexi wasn't tall enough to go alone so she rode with you.



We should of done those again, they are always fun.

I then was stupid and went on the EXTREME SWING with Nick. It's rated a 5 (on their 1-5 rating) & I think it should be a 7. That ride got to my stomach. I'm pretty sure I went on it two years ago but don't remember being as terrified as I was this time. This ride did me in. But did I stop then? No, we had just gotten there after all!

We then headed to YOUR favorite ride. The Rip Tide. Lexi watched as the three of us went on this one. This was the picture she took of the three of us...do you see us? I don't either.



This made me feel worse.

Did I stop!? NO. You wanted to do the WILD THING. So while Nick & Lexi went on the Tilt-O-Whirl (neither of us was gonna do that one cause we can't handle the spinning) you & I did the WILD THING. The ride that is. I made it but wow, I was REALLY done at that point.

So you decided it was time to head to the water rides. I had to go get my swimsuit on. So Nick played in the arcade, you & Lexi headed to the Water park & I went to get changed. I got back & then got Nick & headed to the Water area. He was headed right to the LAZY RIVER. You know why.....so he could find money in the water! I wasn't feeling good at all at this point so I told Nick I was just gonna sit in the kiddie pool. Imagine that, no little ones with me & I still end up in the baby pool! I didn't last long & thought well I maybe could just float down the Lazy River. So I got a tube & did that. About halfway through I saw you & Lexi getting off a ride. I yelled for you (PHIL! LEXI! PHIL! LEXI! BALDY!) but wasn't getting a response. Finally right before you were out of sight, you saw me. When I got off the River you all were ready to go on more rides, however I needed to rest some more. So I found a nice chair in the shade while you did some more of the water slides. After that you were all headed to the Lazy River & I felt ok enough to join you. That was a nice float down with you. I could of done that all afternoon. We got done & decided we better have some lunch. It was 2:30 I think. I felt ok enough that I wanted to do the big tube waterslide before we ate. So the four of us went on that. That was fun. I'm mad that I wasn't able to do it more!

We then headed back to the van & had our lunch. I was slowly starting to feel ok at this point. Still just spinning a bit. We then decided we'd split up & you & Nick would do the bigger rides while I went with Lexi. FINE WITH ME. I figured I could handle the rides with her! We did the Antique cars again


And then the Ferris Wheel


She then did a kids maze thing which was kinda dumb, more for a preschooler I suppose


There's our girl on the swings! See her brown shoes...


And here she is on the MILD THING


We also did the Flum and the Corkscrew (the ride that back in the day was the *scary* one!). We then did Thunder Canyon...which was stupid since I had the camera with me. Yep, it got wet. So no more pictures. The screen doesn't work anymore. I'm glad I was able to get the pictures I had on it off. I'm drying it out now & hope it works. Well it does work to take pictures but the LCD screen doesn't work.

We then took a 40 min show at the Imax. You probably would have enjoyed it. It was about the Ocean. Lexi kept looking for you all the time we were split up asking "do you think Daddy would go on this ride? Would he come in here to watch the movie?"

I also took Lexi into the Foam Ball Room. As soon as I saw it I thought "Nick would LOVE this" It's filled with a TON of foam balls & they have guns & stuff to shoot each other with & a bunch of other neat things to do with the balls. Lexi & I played in there for awhile. This was in the kids section so of COURSE I've never checked it out before cause Nick is way above that you know?!!?

So we met you & Nick at 6:00 at the basketball court. You wanted to try the 3 point shoot out. How many shots did you make?!! Well, Lexi loves her monkey but a jersey would have been cool.

Oh, I also had to boost my ego & try the guessing game. I had them guess my weight. They had to be within 3 pounds. I knew I could win this one. Would you believe I stood on that huge ass scale in front of strangers?!? I guess I'm finally (for the first time in my life) comfortable enough with my size to do that. I won of course...he was 15 pounds off & probably more like 20 since this scale seemed friendlier than ours at home! So you told me to pick the green stuffed FROGGIE for Zachary cause we know how he loves those Froggies!

So we decided it was supper time. But before we ate I told Nick he's gotta check out the foam ball pit. So we went to that. I was right, he LOVED it. The kid worked up a sweat in there running after balls & stuff. I wish I would of gotten some pictures or video of that. We were in there for awhile & you finally said you were hungry! So I finally got the kids out of there & we headed for some grub. Got the kids each a slice of pizza & then we shared some Panda Express. That was good. I then headed to the van to get rid of the camera since it wasn't working & you guys headed for some mini doughnuts. I was surprised when I came back you saved a few for me. MMMMMMM Thank you!

So we did some more rides & I think we were all starting to get tired. I wanted to do the new big fast rollercoaster called the RENEGADE. I think you said you & Nick did it a few times. I finally felt better to go on that one & the old white rollercoaster. It was about 8:00 & you were ready to go & Lexi was too. Nick, nope he wanted to stay until close (10:00). Well you lucked out. It was just before 8:30 I think & Nick went on the upside down boat ride. I went to the bathroom. I came out & Nick was already done. I thought wow that was fast. I guess he got on the ride, buckled in & they then decided to shut down the rides (that went over 50 feet in the air) because of the weather. We looked at the sky & decided we better get the bleep out of there. It wasn't looking good. I would have preferred to just stay there & seek shelter in the bathrooms or something but you wanted to beat the storm.

So we left & it was getting very dark & lots of lighting. We hit lots of rain & I was driving & at one stop light we switched cause I don't like driving when you can't see. So you drove & we made it home safe & sound.

Nick made a comment in Nicollet that we missed two things. We were going to get ice cream at McDonald's & we talked about stopping at the lake. Well Nick, we would have done those things IF the weather wouldn't have ruined our plans. You got your ice cream when you got home.

Today you asked Nick what his favorite ride was yesterday.....he answered the Ball Factory & the Wild Thing.

I'm not sure what my answer would be. I love to go on the thrill rides but damn why can't my stomach handle it anymore!?! I guess I just have to stick with the rides rated 1 and 2. That sucks.

Love,

Dearest Wife