It's Gobbles Time!: Vacation + Amusements X 3 = A Fun End to Summer

My parents rent a shore house at the end of August every year, with every year being their "last". I'm starting to think that's their ploy to get us to come down "but this is the last year we'll all be down the shore together!". So our family, my sisters, and brother-in-law descended upon Sea Isle for a little getaway. The Lobster, even surer on her feet than in June, could not be kept out of the ocean. Anytime someone asked Gobbles to go fill a bucket, she was right behind him. She did insist on always holding someone's hand (thank goodness), but wouldn't hesitate to pull them out to see as far as she could go. Then there was my boy Gobbles. For as much as he loves swimming, the unpredictable nature of the waves made him cautious. He would hold securely onto our hands and only go no higher than knee deep. One moment I don't want to forget was when we had the kids out deep in the water with us, beyond the break of the waves. Gobbles clung to hubs for dear life, and the Lobster just laughed as she bobbed up and down in the water. We were out so long she was shivering, but every time I tried to walk back onto the beach, she would grab the shoulder of my bathing suit and pull back towards the sea saying Water, please? No leave! My little water baby is a riot!

A little chilly beach day 1, but nothing to keep
me away from the world's largest sandbox!

Hmmm. I feel like a hobbit...

I'm gonna dig too!

I love you daddy. but f-you at the same time...

Wait, come back - I was just kidding!

Hobbits together

A little warmer today. Do I have something on my face?

No squirt-a me, Gobbles!

We'll keep this one small. Fun family!

C'mon grandpop! Let's go! Nice Pearl Jam shirt!

I'm gonna dig me a hole!

Hole jumping, by Daddy.

Look out below!

What are you looking at?

THROW!

A Lobster Sized hole!

Ain't nothin' better than sandy fishies

Why build all these castles?

To destroy them, of course!

The Jersey Shore nightlife is the same as I remember as a kid. (Not as a 20 something year-old, that's a different nightlife all together). But the family time on the boardwalk, the rides, the arcades, that's what I remember so sentimentally and hope to give my kids those same memories. This year, Gobbles really took a liking to the arcades, and even more so, the rides. We hit up the promenade twice for some arcade action, where Gobbles played video games, I played the crane games, and the Lobster rode the dollar rides. One night we headed over to Ocean City's boardwalk for some Mack & Manco's pizza and Wonderland rides. Gobbles had a ton of fun and even made it on the tilt-a-whirl. The Lobster also had a ton of fun but also tried to climb out of the rides in motion, so we had to watch her there. Our last morning there, we had a late second breakfast of chipwiches from the Fudgy Wugy man, a perfect way to complete the trip and wrap up the summer.

Who needs to go inside the arcade when all the fun is out here!

Cheese! Can I make my aunt walk all the way around this with me?

Looks like i can!

Apparently we are REALLY into driving games!

Well that's interesting, the sand just comes right up to the boardwalk...

Teeheehee! If you want to hold the lobster's hand you
must be her height!

Dad / Uncle duty

Fudgy Wudgy's hea!

Oh yummmy Mancos...

Now THIS is a boardwalk! Let's go!

Mommy, of all the fire trucks you pick this.
How significant that you love Gavin and this is the Lobster's first solo ride...
Sigh, the 90's called...

Wheee!

Yess! Let's get that boat in front of us!

Maybe if i get out it we can catch it!

Whip around that corner! Whooah!

Up we go! Glad our Aunt is here to hold the Lobster in!

I'm just having fun, guys, I wasn't really going to jump out!

Hmm. But how will I get out of this one?

Tilt-a-WHIRL. Thank's Aunt M!

I'd be much better if you let me THROW it!

Yup, i'll find all the rides within the arcade that I can

A super moon... to bad the lobstah's asleep!

Just as we thought the summer was done, we realized the rides in Ocean City were just a warmup of what was yet to come. A few days after we got back from the shore, we were back on the rides at the carnival at my sister's church. We first went over to her house for a little bbq, joined too by my cousin, her husband, and their 2 year old daughter, M. The kids all got along greatly, it was so cute to see M with the Lobster, as she hugged her and helped her fix her hair, such a big-sisterly thing to do, so different than Gobbles. (although I'm not complaining at all how Gobbles treats his sister, he is so good to her, just doesn't have that sisterly touch, which is probably a good thing).

Yay sugar! Yay rides! yay, yay, YAY!

Cheese!

Here Lobster, let me help you with that!

Anyway, after dinner and a sugar high we took the kids over to the carnival and hit the rides. It was nice that Gobbles had someone to ride on the flying rides with, as hubs put the kabosh on the Lobster Roll riding them since she tried to climb out of the boat in Ocean City. The kids enjoyed rockets, ducks, the carousel, more spacecrafts, and giant spinning teddy bears. I decided to take them down the fun slide, an old favorite of mine! Everyone was getting tired but apparently M loves the ferris wheel, so we headed that way.

Gobbles rode with his godfather in one gondola, while my cousin and M rode with me and the Lobster. This is when it got a bit daunting. The guy loading the ferris wheel looked like a poor man's Brett Michaels and loaded the wheel in the most inefficient way possible. Before we started spinning the girls were starting to get antsy. Stuck at the top of a ferris wheel is not the place you want to be with a toddler shouting "all done!" and trying to climb out. Both of us held tight onto our little girls and much to our relief the ride started spinning. After a few minutes that we were over already, it stopped, with us yet again at the top. The girls again started squirming and trying to break our death grips on them and I started calling hubs' phone, standing below. I wanted him to make the guy unload us next. Unfortunately, he never answered and we had to wait. After what seemed like an hour, we were all down with our feet firmly on the ground. Gobbles bounded off behind us proclaiming what a wonderful time he had with his uncle. I'm happy he did!

It was getting late and my cousin left, but Gobbles insisted he wanted to play one game, and chose an "everyone's a winner" fishing game, where he one a shark and the Lobster got a tiny whale. Both were happy and the adults went off to the "beer garden" for some relief. We sipped some adult beverages while the kids played hopscotch nearby then called it a night. All in all, a great time with family!

Thank goodness I have a responsible co-pilot this time!

Oh no! I'm back with the Lobster and she's trying to get out again!

Which way to the funnel cake?

Why don't they have one of these at our playground?

Alrighty Uncle J, let's hope this is safe!

C'mon, Mommy, let me stand up!

We're not that high, see, there's Daddy!

Mommy, don't let the Lobster look down, she might get scared!

Our final "hurrah" of the summer was a trip to Knoebels, a very interesting, old-school amusement park of hubs' childhood. We met his mom and sister's family up there on Saturday and I was immersed into all things Poconos. After a 2.5 hour drive we pulled into the gravel parking lot where people and dogs of all kinds were walking towards the party tents and amusements. We bought a ride all day bracelet for Gobbles and hubs and some tickets for the Lobster and myself and got to riding. The Poozer family and Nana caught up to us while hubs and Gobbles were on the first right, the Flyers. I'd never seen anything like it, each plane is basically a bucket suspended by a cable with a rudder that you can steer and use the centrifugal forces and wind pressure to leap your plane into the sky. Hubs and Gobbles were careening around sideways, so needless to say I was happy when that ride was done even though my son loved it since he got to "steer".

Next, we ate a quick lunch of perogies and pizza, all of which was really good. With the meal, the Lobster and her cousin gained some energy enough to want to ride. And ride they did. They rode firetrucks and boats and planes and cars. Gobbles, with his unlimited rides, took a turn with each girl on the kiddie whip, laughing and having fun as they flew around the corner. After a water ice break, Gobbles decided he wanted to move onto some of the bigger rides, which was good timing considering it was time for the girls to nap. Lil Poozers went down no problem, but the Lobster fought for about an hour in the stroller, in my arms, and on the ground because she wanted no NAP! While she went back and forth from hugging me and sucking her thumb to tantruming, Gobbles and Nana rode the kiddie coaster. I was a little nervous for him to go on this without hubs or I, considering when he rode Thunder Mountain Railroad he was a bit shaken, but he loved it.

He went on to ride the pirate ship, the whip, and the rockets with his dad, uncle, or aunt. Finally, when the Lobster fell asleep, we made our way across the park to some bigger rides for hubs to ride and Gobbles had a snack. Then we approached the Twister, a giant wooden coaster that intimidated me a little, and Gobbles showed no fear. He grabbed my hand and we marched up the steps. This place amazingly had no lines for anything, and before we knew it we were seated in the car behind Nana and brother-in-law. I put my arm protectively around my little guy, knowing that wooden coasters knock you around a bit, and held on tight. We whipped around corners and up a hill. As we descended, Gobbles let out a scream that sounded just like those I let out on the steep hilled coasters. I glanced over at him and there was no terror, just joy on his face as his hair stood straight up in the wind.

The ride was over but Gobbles wasn't done - he ran out to waiting hubs demanding to go on again, and hubs happily obliged. During this time the Lobster and her cousin had woken up, so we started making our way to a kiddie ride near the other wooden coaster that we longed to ride. We realized that the girls' couldn't ride this without Gobbles, so we waited until he and hubs caught up. When they approached, Gobbles declared that coasters are fun, but he wanted to ride the train. Knowing the day was coming to an end, we sent the kids with the husbands and Nana to the train so sister-in-law and I could ride the Pheonix. In the interest of going quickly so we can catch up with everyone, we got in the shortest line - the very back of the coaster. What a treat it was - as the coaster flew down the hill we almost flew out of the back! We deboarded thanking our lucky stars that Gobbles did not ride this one with us, because I could barely hold myself in the coast, God knows where he would have flown!

We caught up to our families as the train was pulling from the station into the woods (did I mention people can rent cabins or camp right in the park? Bizarre!!). After the train returned and we were leaving the park, we discussed the ideal time for another Disney trip, perhaps when the girls are three just like Gobbles. Because at this age, these amusement parks are his glory. Long gone is my merry-go-round fearing boy from a year ago, welcome no fear (but still slightly cautious) Gobbles.