Tiki Island

Not two blocks from where we were staying on the Marine Base, there was a little 

rec place called Tiki Island. 

James was entranced. It looked like the funnest place he had ever seen. Sadly, it was also closed.

We checked on the internet - open on weekends only. He waited patiently for Friday. (...and by patiently, I mean asking daily if it was Friday yet and if now we were going to Tiki Island to ride the bumper boats.!?!)

It was nice when Friday came and I could finally say 'Yes!'

And, not only did we get to go to TIKI ISLAND!!, it was their opening day, fun fair, buy-a-bracelet-and-get-to-ride-everything day! Excellent timing. (The big, sometimes boring kids opted out, and, since it was right by 'home', that was fine. Sometimes it's nice to be party-pooper-free.)

Balloon Monsoon was there. They made us POKEMON!
It turns out, three out of four Romero children prefer pikachus to other balloon animals.

So, we got 3 pickachus (though, where my James picture is...?) and a bear on a heart for Cozette.

There was a little boy next to us in line who had two kissing doves on a balloon heart. I asked him if it was for his sweetheart, and got an "Ugh! No! It's for my parents!" Funny!....to me...if not to the boy.

We waited in line forever for bumper boats (not theme park forever waiting...15/20 minutes).

The kids said it was worth it. I'll have to take their word for it, because I opted to stay on the sidelines for that one.

Annika was a sport and took Cozy with her...

...while Jon seemed to have a squirt-gun vendetta against Annika.

SO glad I sat that one out. They were so wet.

They dried off, jumping in the bouncy houses...

...and riding the pirate ship.

(Notice we aren't carrying our balloons around everywhere? That's the nice thing about being right by your house. We walked home and put them away....and tried to entice the big kids out of their cave, with tales of floats and bumper boats. Alas, to no avail.

So we returned. And after we ate hotdogs and rootbeer floats (Yea! I don't have to make dinner!), I decided we should do something calm, like mini golf.

Even as I'm writing this, James is looking over my shoulder and offering Cozette mini golf advice. :)

"You should hit your ball to the high part Cozy. Then it will roll down to the hole"

Tiki Island. Land where childhood dreams come true.