Halloween is definitely one of my kids' favorite time of year. So it only seems fitting that I would pack in as many Halloween activities into the month as I possible could. I was surprised, but also pleased, to see that there were actually plenty of festive offerings despite how far removed we are from a big city. And as much as I had planned, we even ended up skipping a few things do to illness and time constraints. But enough about that; let's talk about the fun we actually had!
A lot of the churches in the area offered some form of Halloween activity, but we only went to one because they promised both free food and bounce houses. Can any one turn down a bounce house? Craig was even in town and got to join us!
The volunteer fire department from a nearby town was there, and gave the kids a turn wearing a helmet and trying out the big hose. You had to point it at a fake flame and if you hit it, it turned. Vash asked if he could grow up to be a fireman for probably a week after that.
Rhyla even got a turn and put that flame out like a boss!
The kids' favorite bounce house was actually a bounce race course. They got to run it together and actually made it through twice before we got rained out. I was impressed because kids as old as fourteen were running it and having a good time. It was not made for toddlers, but my two were like ninjas getting through there!
Our next fun Halloween trip was to Idyllwild for IdyllBoo! Again, we lucked out and had Craig with us, so it was a super fun family outing. They let you trick or treat in an area of the park and then we got to enjoy the rides after.
I can't remember if it's called Storybook land or lane or Fairytale land or what. But they have huge walk through models of things out of old nursery rhymes. This is the kids sitting in "the little engine that could."
Vash tugged on King Arthur's sword, Excalibur, but evidently was not meant to be king.
We met the old woman who lived in the shoe. I didn't count more than four kids in that thing, but I guess some people get more easily overwhelmed than others. (Ha ha ha...)
Vash and Rhyla were excited to see that Vash wasn't the only pumpkin around. But Craig and I spent a good five minutes trying to remember what happened to Peter after he couldn't keep his wife. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
We even threw some pennies into a wishing well. Vash wished for lots of candy and I think Rhyla got a little Snow White on us and just kept saying she was wishing. Could you blame her though? That darn thing didn't have an echo!
We thought it was too fitting that Rhyla, as Silvermist, should pose in a keyhole, much the way Tinkerbell did in the original Peter Pan movie.
After loading up the candy sacks, we took off our costumes and hopped on the nearest ride; a train. They had set up some spooky skeletons but I think I was more bothered by them than the kids were.
It's not a very good picture, but this is the scariest ride Craig and Vash rode while we were there. We thought he might be afraid but Vash was insistent he was going to ride and he just loved it. Rhyla and I set it out, as she was too short and I was too pregnant.
Actually, they wouldn't let me on most of the rides. Not even this tame basket one. But since Vash didn't want to ride, it worked out ok. Rhyla had a good time not having to share her daddy for a few minutes.
Then there were plenty of rides Craig and I just had no interest in and we got to sit on a bench and enjoy watching the kids have a blast.
When I was little, they had a ride like this at Knott's Berry Farm. It was my favorite! So it's no surprise that my children loved it too. Alas... I wasn't allowed on this one either. :(
So lucky Daddy got to ride it twice.
We finished up the all the rides in the kids' section just as the park was closing. After four or five hours at the park, both Vash and Rhyla were completely asleep in their car seats before we even made it out of the parking lot!
All in all, it was a lot of fun. They say it's the best kids' park in the world but, while we had fun, I'm still just a touch partial to Disney. (I sure prefer Idyllwild's prices though!)
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