Schlitterbahn!!

It's almost summertime!!! This is the time of year the kids look forward to all year long. Summer is a great time for us because it means days at the pool, waterparks or six flags!! We love to beat the summer heat in the water. Our most favorite place to go is Schlitterbahn! Every year we have so much fun. We even have a bag just for our waterpark essentials: our watershoes, sunscreen, waterproof phone cases (a must if you like to take pictures at the waterpark). Our countdown to the last days of school starts NOW!!!!

Marvel

Perrin has been talking a lot of Marvel lately. He got a new encyclopedia for Christmas and is reading it religiously. He says he can't wait for Age of Ultron to come out and I think I'm right there with him on that. Dallas has been holding a marvel experience that he has been BEGGING to go to before our trip to California where we will be going to Disneyland to see their marvel exhibit there. Of course here is our most favorite picture ever. It's on canvas and we had it signed by Stan Lee himself.

Splashtown is super fun

We go to San Antonio every summer. While we are there we look for something we have never done before. Once it was natural bridge caverns, another time it was eating at the riverwalk. A few years ago, it was Splashtown. 

We had a blast! I couldn't believe we could have so much fun at a water park other than the bigger ones! Splashtown San Antonio is 20 landscaped acres of cool, clean water excitement! Plus, it's just 3 minutes north of downtown San Antonio. 

There are over 50 rides and attractions plus free life jackets! Always convienent to not have to bring those. There is a covered public picnic area but if you don't bring your own food, the food for purchase is very yummy! The have Dive-In movies and lockers for rent. The lifeguards are professionally trained, so moms breathe a sigh of relief! They have free parking which is always a good thing and there is a souvenir shop in case you forget anything!! 

Plus here is a coupon! Always love the savings!! 

Save $5 Off at Splashtown San Antonio Coupon 
http://sanantoniokidsguide.com/coupon.php?regionid=62&bid=9300&dealid=400 

Mom's Ice Chest Challenge (Schlitterbahn time!!)

It's that time of year again! Time for our annual staycation in San Antonio and New Braunfels. Boy did we earn it after this past year. Perrin failed the Staar test twice and had to go to two weeks of summer enrichment. At least he didn't have to take the test a third time. It's been a year but we are onto 6th grade. Wow! Growing up so fast. 

One of the best part about schlitterbahn is that they allow you to bring a cooler in for free!! On top of the free parking, it's obvious why this is one of our favorite parks. We like to bring a cooler because we don't let our kids during soda and this allows us to have vitamin water and Gatorade within arms reach. Also, the youngest is the pickiest eater I have ever met. I don't know how he is going to survive Kindergarten this year. Haha. It also saves a ton of time standing in massive lines when you are STARVING!! There is one fail proof thing I always pack in my cooler when we go to schlitterbahn: fruit kabobs. 

Super simple. Just take some wooden or bamboo skewers and thread on whatever fruit is your favorite. We use strawberries, pineapple, red and green grapes. Sometime we pack a little plain yogurt drizzled with local honey as a dipping sauce but they are great all on their own. Plus it gets the kids to eat tons  of fruit with a promise of a sword fight when their done!!! Kids can't wait!!

And the winner is!!!

Congrats to Richard D.! Thank you all for participating in my giveaway. Richard enjoy your visit!

We are headed down to Schlitterbahn this Sunday and after 2 weeks of swim lessons, Perrin and his sister will not have to wear life jackets if they don't want to! But remember, Schlitterbahn has free ones in case your kids need them! We are looking forward to getting in the water. We are aiming to be there right at open so Daddy can ride all the rides that he usually can't later in the day. We are, of course, packing snacks and drinks but we will be sticking with tradition and buying a refillable water bottle and maybe a waffle cone made right in front of you. I hope you all make it to Schlitterbahn this summer!



Remember that Schlitterbahn is offering the following discounts!
Go to http://www.schlitterbahn.com/bloggers and use promo code 299000334 for $7 off a 2 day ticket and 299000335 for $5 off one day tickets. Valid at ALL Texas Schlitterbahn parks.

It's good to be green (Schlitterbahn series)

In the third of my Schlitterbahn series I'm going to touch on some of the awesome points of how Schlitterbahn is greener than all other waterparks! Schlitterbahn was born on the banks of a river and has always been a steward of the water in the park. 98% of the water is recaptured, filtered and reused all season long.

After the 2011 fire in Bastrop, Texas:

Near my in-laws house in Bastrop. 

My husband took this as he drove into Bastrop

In September 2011, a major wildfire raged through Bastrop County, Texas. Three separate fires started during Labor Day weekend and by the time it was under control, it destroyed 1,691 homes and burned over 34,000 acres of land including the vast majority of Bastrop State Park's 5,900 acres of Loblolly Pines. The Lost Pines Forest, thought to have originated in or before the Pleistocene Era, was also heavily impacted.  The fire hit pretty close to home as my husband's parents lived just outside of the fire evacuation line. Had the fire moved anymore to the left, they could have lost everything. We do know people who lost everything in the fires. Schlitterbahn tried to make the best of a bad situation though.
For safety reasons, the burned pines has to be removed. The scorched trees were destined for the grinder who would have turned them into mulch. Jeff Henry at Schlitterbahn offered to take the trees. He then had them milled and thus began the process of transforming the pines from scorched wood to the dramatic feature throughout the Schlitterbahn Beach Resort at South Padre. Here's where you'll find the Bastrop Pines at the South Padre Waterpark Resort:

• Rooms: In most rooms; the cabinets, coffee tables, nightstands and headboards are made from the Bastrop Loblolly Pines. 
• Dining Areas: Large tables are made from the Loblolly Pines.
• Lobby: The large tree stump tables by the doors leading to the heated pool are from the fire, as in the siding along many of the interior walls. 
• External: The siding on the outside walls of the resort are made from Loblolly Pine.

Ropes: Over 3 miles of 3-inch mooring ropes of dozens of former ships have been painstakingly wrapped around giant concrete structural poles in their Sea 4ever 10,000 square foot patio. 

Green House: The retractable roof over our indoor waterpark was built from a large greenhouse - an old Schultz nursery.

Lobby Check-In Counter: Built from salvaged walnut trees which were pulled from a road project in Kansas. 

Parapet Walls: The hatch covers cam off a famous US Troop carrier the John E. Pope and are used on parapet walls and also to make tables. Over 500 are on site. 

Chandeliers: The beautiful chandeliers hanging in the Sea 4ever event patio were salvages from an aging Vegas hotel. Schlitterbahn's team glued shells to them and hung in the ceiling. 

Waterslides: Yes even some of the water slides were recycled. The water slides came from a park in Cleveland, Ohio and were salvaged, refurbished and re-installed. 

Handrails: An old Dutchman Downs Stadium was the source for all the handrails. 

How many waterparks can say all that??

Surviving Schlitterbahn with kiddos!

Now I know in Texas the heat is awful!!! 

Wow! Finally some relief!

Usually, it's 104 degrees everyday!! What better place to cool down than Schlitterbahn. So easy to get to because it's right down I35! Of Course with the heat, you have to pack carefully when going out in the sun all day especially when you have kids with you. Here are some of our "go to" essentials!

1. Water Shoes for the kids/Flip Flops for the adults! - Schlitterbahn parks are among the largest in the nation. With all that walking remember that the pavement will be hot where there is no shade! 

2. Sunscreen! Lots of Sunscreen - Water and sweat remove sunscreen. Make sure to apply and reapply all day. We use the spray on kind and there is even a new brand you can spray on wet skin! No more waiting!!

3. You can pack a lunch!! - Schlitterbahn allows ice chests but no glass or alcohol. We pack our favorite juice boxes, gatorade and vitaminwaters, some fruit and snacks but remember that Schlitterbahn has yummy funnel cakes and turkey legs! They are reasonably priced and there are even healthy options!

Remember: 

Schlitterbahn has free parking and free life jackets!

Our Contest for the 2 Schlitterbahn tickets end on 7-19-2013! Make sure you enter below!

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