In April this year Cowabunga bay sold some buy one get one free passes to their waterpark. Because we can see Cowabunga Bay from the freeway as we drive by the kids always ask if we can go. We decided to buy six tickets and use them as motivation rewards for the kids this summer. We immediately told Caleb about Cowabuga bay and used to to help him push through the last couple months of Upstart because he was really having a hard time wanting to do it every day. We hung up a printed map of cowabunga bay with a bunch of boxes to cross off and all I had to do was remind him that he was working toward a Cowabunga Bay trip and he'd hop on and do his work. He was the most excited for Cowabunga Bay of any of the kids and loved it the very most.
Lydia and Austin both worked toward a Cowabunga Bay date by doing their summer learning work throughout the summer. We made goals of things that they needed to accomplish (among a few other smaller things Austin finished his language arts book and Lydia finished her Math book). It took them both the entire summer to finish but I'm glad that they had something to work towards so that they were able to accomplish those important things. I took Austin and then due to some bad weather, we didn't take Lydia until the very last day of the open season, barely squeezing it in.
I loved being there with each of the kids one-on-one. We loved going down the waterslides, swimming in the lazy river, and getting dumped on by the giant bucket. I tried really hard to be present in the moment and not have my phone out even to take pictures but I did snag a few.
Caleb:
(also bought french fries and a Shark Drink at the park)
Austin:
(after swimming we grabbed a hamburger at McDonalds and went to Waffle Love for dessert)
Lydia:
(we went out to eat at JCWs with the Wards to celebrate Lydia and Audrey)
I just also have to share this story about when I took Caleb. I bought him some french fries because he was hungry but they were super overpriced and I didn't want to buy much more. He LOVES sharks, though, and there was a special shark drink that came with a little toy shark and "a story". I thought that it would come with a little book or booklet or something but when we got up to order they had me sit Caleb right on the counter and turned on a little audio book for him to listen to while they made his drink in front of him. Here is the gist of the story:
"There once were some kids who were swimming at Cowabunga Bay. (drops some sour patch kids into the blue water of a drink). The didn't know it, but across the road at the aquarium there was a leak in the shark tank and the sharks got into the pipes connecting the two places (holds a plastic shark swimming toward the cup), suddenly there was a shark attack! (dives the shark into the blue water releasing some red grenadine syrup that had been inside the shark making it look like blood in the water)"
I don't remember the rest of the story because I was so traumatized. It was hilariously terrifying. I was watching Caleb like a hawk because he is scared of sharks in pools already. (The Provo Pool has a bunch of posters with pictures of sharks that say things like "Don't pee in the pool or the sharks will get you.") However, he seemed to not even realize what the story was about, thank goodness.
Still, months later - the thought of this makes me laugh out loud! How terrifying, especially when you can see the top of the aquarium building over the freeway.
