Preston's 15th birthday

Saturday was Preston's 15th birthday.  He was treated to a trip to the Lineman's Olympics with Colin and Spencer.  He had a great time.  Colin's contract technically doesn't start until November 1st, so he could not compete this year, but says he will try it next year.  They said it was a great event.  Preston was happy to spend some time with his brother.  He also said he got some cool free stuff.  Always a bonus.

Harper was invited to go to World's of Fun and spend the night in a hotel with a friend from school.  The problem we had was that we just don't know these people at all.  She was sad when I originally said no, and the mom did make an effort to get to know us by coming to meet up with me at the football game.  We agreed since she had already purchased tickets that I would drive Harper up to Kansas City and meet them, and then take her back home when they were done.  This was the compromise plan.  The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea to just take the other 3 younger kids for Preston's birthday at World's of Fun.  They all love going there.  So that is what we did.  We met up with Colin to pick up Preston, and off we went.  Preston thought that seemed like an amazing way to spend his birthday!

The only problem we had was that it was one of the last weekends for World's of fun to be open, and they had their annual Haunt night.  I swear I have been there probably a dozen or more times and have never seen it like this.  It was wall to wall people.  They had beer tents set up for adults.  They closed all of the little kid rides so that the workers could become part of the Haunt.  They had haunted houses, and an insane atmosphere.  It would have been fun if there had been half as many people there.  As it was, the lines were terrible, the waiting was terrible, the ability to walk between the rides was terrible.  It was terrible.  And I felt really bad.  Bad that it wasn't very much fun because of the lines, and bad because the cost to get in there is actually also terrible.  

We were there for about 5 hours and the kids only rode 2 rides or so each.  We also remembered that this a bad place to take a kid when they are 7-9 years old because the little rides are too little, and the kids are too short to ride the roller coasters.  I actually felt sorriest for Saige.  She did not want to ride the "baby" rides, and she was too short to get on the big stuff.  She ended up walking around with me.  We looked over the amazingly cool decorations, and went to the Haunt Parade.  The parade was really awesome, but it was so dark that none of my photos turned out.  Saige also had fun eating cotton candy and posing beside stuff so I could take pictures of the decorations.  They really spared no expense when it came to the cool décor.  

After waiting almost 2 hours for each ride, Preston and Quincy asked if we could just leave.  They were disappointed.  Luckily, Harper's group grew weary around the same time, so we just left.  Harper rode a big roller coaster, and was excited that she didn't chicken out....however her glasses flew off her face midway through so she was sad because she had to spend the rest of the evening being blind.  World's of Fun would not stop and look for her glasses.  I understand, but she doesn't have the glasses just for show...it literally left her without being able to see the rest of the evening.  Luckily, she has a spare pair.  

The kids were talking about how the park went way overboard with the fog machines.  I took this picture to show that even the parking lot was foggy!  

I am sorry that the park wasn't a more fun thing for the kids to do on Preston's birthday.  Preston is such a good kid!  We are very blessed to have him in our family!  I will make him his pizza and chocolate later this week!