Summer wrap up, a little late

Now that it's late Fall (I'd actually say winter), it's time to wrap up summer fun.  The months just seem to fly by and Helaina's growing up way too fast right before our eyes.  Most of these pics show the daredevil that Jim and I live with - Helaina's desire to walk on the wild side and her need for speed.

Our Seabreeze outing this summer was eventful for Helaina.  Before our trip she'd been BEGGING to go on the full-sized Jack Rabbit wooden roller coaster.  I hadn't been on it in years but remember it being fun.  She met the height requirement (over the line by just a smidge) and we reluctantly agreed she could ride (she was ready to cry if we said no).  Jim didn't want to ride but I felt I had to go to supervise Josh and Helaina - as if I could do anything or protect her from harm while riding in the seat behind her.  The ride was as the name warns - just like a hopping jack rabbit - three steep up and down drops in quick succession, and turnaround then 3 more up and down drops on the way back, ending in one final drop through a pitch black tunnel.  All the while Helaina's laughing and I'm screaming "Are you ok?  You ok?  Hold on!  It's almost over!"  Yikes, it was fun but I was glad it was over.  Daredevil daughter comment before the ride ended: "Can I go again?"  Uh, no.

Log flume is always a favorite for Josh and Helaina.  I think they rode it 3 times in a row.

 She loves the wave pool.  Like I always say, no fear and ready for anything adventurous - our little daredevil.

 She still goes on the kiddy water slides but now tackles the adult ones too.  I always had her ride down a double tube with Josh but this year she wanted to use a single tube - which she barely fits in.  Josh rides down before her and she follows.  They must have done this slide at least 5 times in a row.

 One of Helaina's favorite water slides in the soak zone.  It's for kids only but you slide down it pretty fast without any control, as you can see by the position of her feet.  We lost count how many times she went on this one.

 If Helaina had a bucket list (or if she knew what a bucket list was), she would have crossed off one of her items.  Along with about 30 of her children's theater buddies, she sang the National Anthem at a Chiefs game this summer.  She was SO excited.  Anyone that knows our daughter well knows that she's obsessed with the National Anthem and sings it all the time - perfectly. 

 Ah, Wonderworks - another favorite of Helaina's.  This is the wind tunnel.  You stand in a small shack and a GIANT fan blows unbelievably strong wind, so strong that you need safety goggles and have to hang on to a pole.  Once was enough for me - I came out with my hair in knots looking like I had combed it with an egg beater.  Helaina dragged Jim in it about 4 times.  She's nuts.

This is the 4-D theater, where you buckle yourself into a seat that moves, turns, vibrates and bumps while you watch a 3-D movie on a huge screen.  They have 3 different movies and Helaina experienced them all - a roller coaster mine ride (my favorite), a flying machine ride and a haunted house ride.  Jim and I watched 2 of the movies with her and she did the last one by herself.  This is the screen and monitor that the ride operator watches from outside the theater to see if anyone is getting motion sick and signals to stop the seat movement.  Helaina's in the front row (of course) on the left, while Jim and I watched from outside.  This girl is up for anything.  I always say that she'd bungee jump if we let her.  More summer fun to come...