Water park!

I had a trip to Montage Mountain in our calendar for June before I realized that almost everything would be cancelled beginning the middle of March. We usually go to that water park near Scranton for free once a year through our WVIA membership. Our summer bucket list usually contains about 100 experiences on it. This year our list has fewer than 50 experiences on it, but we DID make it to a water park this summer. I drove to Jackson Township, NJ three times this summer. The first two times we spent our time at Six Flags Great Adventure, but yesterday we spent 5.5 hours at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. It was the first time any of us had been there. Thankfully the traffic wasn't too bad around NYC. We left Aunt Janet's house at 8:00 and arrived at Hurricane Harbor at 10:45, and that included one stop to get gas for the van ($1.99 per gallon!). Oliver really wanted Aunt Janet to join us at Six Flags. She said she would have loved to ride some metal rollercoasters with the kids if the park was closer to her house. Due to COVID-19, they didn't have all of the attractions open in Hurricane Harbor, but the kids enjoyed going down water slides, floating along the lazy river, and swimming in the wave pool. I had my bathing suit on and planned to join them, but since they only required you to wear a mask as you were entering/exiting the park, buying something, or using the bathroom, I went back out to the van to get my camera after the kids had gone down their first water slide. I planned to put the camera in a locker after getting some pictures so I could join them on the water slides. The previous week I had rented a locker for $1 for two hours at Great Adventure. Would you believe in the water park they charge $22 for a locker? I wasn't willing to pay that much and didn't feel like entering the park a third time in one day. So I didn't ride any rides. I did get myself a little wet at one point because I was so hot. This was our fourth trip to a Six Flags park this summer, and it was the first time I used my good camera at a park this summer. I took just a handful of pictures with my cell phone the other three times. Pictures with facemasks on is just not very appealing to me. So I sweated a lot more yesterday than I thought I would at a water park, but I was able to take pictures!!! I haven't edited all of them yet, but I have included a few in this post. I had made reservations at both Hurricane Harbor and Great Adventure in case the kids wanted to ride a few rollercoasters after the water park closed, but they suggested we just drive home. We bought a late dinner at Subway on the way home as I had a gift card. 

This morning we all went to church together. The senior pastor had the last two weeks off. Two weeks ago Pastor Brandon preached an excellent sermon. I can easily picture him being a senior pastor. Paul watched the service online last Sunday and said that Pastor Eddie (youth pastor) did a good job. I'll have to watch that sermon online because it was his first time preaching at our church.. He's been the youth pastor at our church for about one year. I asked Paul to take the kids swimming today so I could have a few hours at home alone this afternoon. If the weather cooperates, all five of us can go swimming together next Sunday, which is the last day the pool will be open in 2020. This evening I'm taking the kids to a picnic at Pastor Ken's house, and Nadia will have youth group after that. I'm thankful we were able to spend 5.5 days with Aunt Janet and visit Six Flags on the way there and back. I'm also glad that the next time we'll be in the car for 6+ hours in one day, Paul will be with us, which means I don't have to do all the driving myself.