Amused At The Amusement Park

Day 19

With summer comes many fun, diverting activities, such as camping, swimming, and going to amusement parks. Yesterday I went to Elitch's with my sister and her family and had a wonderful, amusing time. (Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera, so no pictures of this day)


I’ve been to Elitch's many times, but it had been quite some time since I last went there, and many things have changed since then. The park has changed, but I have changed. This time I felt like a 100 year-old man, struggling to walk from one ride to another, choosing not to ride any of the big, fast, intense rides. I preferred watching my niece and nephew enjoy the park.


We spent the first 2+ hours in the water park area, which was ideal for such a hot, sunny day. My niece Matteah just loved getting into the water, going down the slides and getting drenched! It brings a smile to my face even now to recall her expressions as she reached the bottom of the slide with a huge splash! My nephew Casey was not entirely on board with being in the water at first; Jaimee had to constantly hold him, but she very cleverly eased Casey into the water, starting with his toes, then his foot. The next thing I see is Casey walking in the water, bending over and making splashes. He loved it! Jaimee had a difficult time convincing Casey to leave the water when it was time to visit the rest of Elitch's.

Daniel took Matteah on several of the “kiddie” rides and also watched Casey, which allowed Jaimee and me the time to go on some rides. Jaimee and I rode the swings and then the Sea Dragon. I love the fact that she and I enjoy the same rides. I also love the fact that Jaimee didn’t try to get me to ride any roller coasters (my hesitation with roller coasters will be addressed in a future blog!) I really enjoyed this one-on-one time with my sister (no offense to Daniel or the kids!)

One of the last rides of the day was the Ferris Wheel, which all of us were able to ride. What fun! A beautiful view of the park, of Denver, with Casey and Matteah watching it all in wonderment!

I was so tired, though, and when we left I felt like I had done the most strenuous work of my life. It’s amusing to me that a day of fun can be so exhausting. There was a time when a day of fun left me feeling more energetic; now a day of fun makes me feel lethargic. But I am glad I went, I’m glad I went with Jaimee, Daniel, Matteah and Casey, and I’m most glad that I wore sunscreen and a hat!