Splash Kingdom, baby! Swimsuits, towels, sunscreen. Minivan, I-30 West for 15 minutes. Let the good times roll.

It’s too easy not to do this more regularly. You walk up, you buy your tickets, hit the lazy river and the wave pool for a while. Get adventurous on the slides. Watch your kids come screaming down with ear-to-ear smiles and then race back to the top to do it again. When everyone gets hungry you get them a slice of pizza and follow it up with a snow cone. Then more slides, the wave pool and the lazy river again, and before you know it you’ve killed an entire afternoon and made the crew so happy they don’t want to leave. EVER! In fact, one of our kids swore he was “going to walk here tomorrow”.

I remember back in the 70’s and 80’s, before the big water parks that cost a bajillion dollars and have a parking lot the size and temperature of the Mojave Desert set up shop between here and Dallas, there was a two-slide operation on the west side of town. Two slides, and the lines were long. It got old fast. After 45 minutes, you were ready to go. Not so at Splash Kingdom. Close parking, fast lines, tons of slides and other attractions to keep the kids busy for hours.

This is the cure for the summertime blues.

By the way, Splash Kingdom always has fun stuff going on. Upcoming events at Splash Kingdom include:

• Toddler Tuesdays on August 1 and August 8 where kids under 5 years old can enjoy the park from 9AM to 10:30AM at their own pace.
• Family Nights from 5PM to 9PM on August 2 and August 9 when admission is just $10 per person.
• Bark At The Park on September 17^th from 2PM to 6PM. Bring a pup or two to play, and if you’re looking to adopt a pet, there will be dogs available for adoption.

Additionally, they do private events too and still have some available spots this summer, so treat your employees or customers to some fun in the sun. It’s a great way to show your appreciation.

The post The Cure For The Summertime Blues first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

NOT.THIS.YEAR. Not on my watch. But first let me tell you a little bit about my parenting style, because I don’t want you to think for a minute that these little people dictate everything. We get them gifts twice a year, for Christmas and their birthday. Birthdays are special, birthdays are the one day that we like to make it all about them. Recently a good friend suggested I read Love Does by Bob Goff, and if you haven’t read it. GET IT. In it he talks about allowing their children when they turn 10 to pick anything in the world they would like to do. And guess what? He agrees to do anything they want on their 10 year old adventure. The subtitle of the book is Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World, and that friends, is exactly what it’s all about.

Our kids aren’t 10 yet, but this is the type of parent I want to be. I want to show my kids that you can live an extraordinary life. It’s not about having things, or being the best at this or that. It’s about collecting meaningful experiences within the moments that define your life. When my son asked to have a party at a water park I knew I wanted to make that little dream come true. We had never been to Hawaiian Falls, but it came highly recommended because of how family friendly it is, even for our 4 year old twins.

So began the planning of the best birthday party ever. We sent an evite to his buddies and I called in the big guns (my mother-in-law) to help me with the cupcakes. I found out that Hawaiian Falls offers cabana rentals for parties that include all you can drink wristbands, and you can choose to add a combo meal wristband as well. We ordered the works including a shaved ice treat –major sugar overload, but in a very very good way. The date was set and we showed up with towels, cupcakes, balloons, and a sign. Oh and 14 very rambunctious and excited kids ranging in age from 4 to 8.

Do you see that? Do you see that huge smile on his face? #MomWin I’m going to celebrate that win all the way until next year. This was one birthday he will never forget. I think he’ll tell you that his favorite part was having his friends to celebrate it with him. Those boys had a ball. They went up those stairs and down those slides all morning long.

Remember I mentioned bringing in the big guns? I say that because my mother-in-law has a Masters in Ceramics. This sweet grandmother and I spent over 4 hours making Angry Birds themed cupcakes with fondant. It was maybe a bit more than we bargained for but our hard work paid off. The cupcakes looked amazing and then our 4 hours of work turned into 4 minutes of stuffing faces.

My husband is not easy to please. He’s particular. In a good way. Maybe I should say discerning? I think he would approve of that word. So when he said he thinks we should get season passes next summer, I nearly fainted. I was thinking the exact same thing. Hawaiian Falls is a short drive from Tanglewood up 820N off of Clifford Street. The proximity is a big plus as is the variety of activities including their Adventure Park with climbing areas and zip lines.

Here’s the exciting bit! Comment on the blog with your favorite birthday memory (either yours or your child’s) and you are entered to win a Family 4 Pack of 2016 Season Passes. We’ll announce the winner on Sunday night.

I did some investigating on their Facebook page, and it looks like they are having a Flash Sale this weekend with the lowest prices they will have for 2016 Season Passes. This would make a GREAT gift for your own family or for friends who love having adventures in their life.

Mahalo, Hawaiian Falls! We will definitely be back.

Need a birthday party or family portrait photographer? Contact Shelby Walters shelbywaltersphoto@gmail.com or visit her Facebook Page for more info!

The contest is now over, Comment #19 won…See below, I have replied to that comment. Thank you all for entering, my favorite part is reading your answers!! xoxoxoxo

The post Best. Birthday. Ever. first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.