Summer Fun at Mountain Creek Waterpark

After braving the sweltering summer heat for the past couple of days, Joey took a day off in the office so we can go beat the summer heat at the Mountain Creek Waterpark in Vernon, NJ. It's an hour and a half drive from our place. Our very dependable and generous friend Kuya Jun accompanied us to the place. I was the designated navigator because I went there last year. Though my being there last year did not make me an expert, I have my "cheat route" which I researched in Mapquest. :) We didn't get lost but had to stop once and validate if we were in the right track. And we are. Arrived there just in time for the opening. TIP: Burger King has a promo that takes $5-10 on admission prices to the park :) Jaira, upon seeing the big wave pool just lost it. She wanted to jump to the water right there and then. Same with her Kuya Juwan. Jin was excited at first but after and hour or two in the water he wanted to go home na. The place is just as I remembered it from last year without the throng of people. Last year we went there towards the end of summer and it was a weekend so you can just imagine the crowd. When we went there yesterday (Thursday) there wasn't much of a crowd so you could really appreciate the place. Mountain Creek is majestic, lush greenery all around. Excellent facilities. Very nice staff. Jaira really had a great time, Juwan was begging to try out the "big people's" rides but Jin is another story altogether. Went home at around 330pm. Tired but very happy. Wanting to go back to the place and again have some summer fun.
Snapshots of Summer

Janine Ira Maclid Sebastian

Jaira. Princess. Kulit.
Loves chocolate drink, Nemo, Kitty, Dora the Explorer, milk, Jojo Circus.
Gives the sweetest kiss.
Loves to climb, kick, run, make a mess of the house. :)

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Day Trip to Atlantic City

We've been in NJ for more than 6 months now but we really haven't had the chance to go long-distance driving as a family because of problems with our schedule and not knowing how to go to far destinations. Then everything came into place. July 3 was declared a non-working holiday in Joey's office, I don't work Mondays to Thurdays and most importantly -- a very generous couple, Kuya Jun and Ate Tess Alipit , gladly accompanied us and volunteered the use their vehicle to go to Atlantic City, NJ.




Kuya Jun and Ate Tess picked us up at 9AM. We head on the road at around 930AM. It was a long trip, 141 miles from our place to AC, but was made relatively short with all the conversations and a stopover along the way. My children were angels. Behaved all the way. We arrived there close to 1PM.




It was a warm day, perfect for a day out. We enjoyed the Steel Pier Amusement Park. Juwan had the time of his life at the Crazy Mouse ride. I, on the otherhand, almost puked on the that ride. Jin and Jaira discovered their fishing skills can win them stuffed animals. Joey enjoyed the "sights". :D We enjoyed Pizza, corn dogs fries and buffalo wings at Papa T's Pizza & Grill at the Boardwalk.




Kuya Jun and Ate Tess gave us a tour of the area although we didn't venture far from the Boardwalk, afraid the kids aren't up to a walkathon after they had their fun at the pier. Ate Tess and I got to try the slot machine and I actually won $21.25 in the process. The casinos all look the same to me :). Rows and rows of casinos, with lots of old people playing. I just hope they don't gamble their life savings there.




We left at around 430PM. US' major roadways are really well maintained thus Kuya Jun didn't have a hard time driving plus there's no traffic here. Arrived home at 8PM. Tired but very happy. Kuya Jun was talking of a possibility of driving to Canada within the year to see the Niagara Falls. Hmmm. Looking forward to that :D

Maraming Salamat and God Bless Kuya Jun & Ate Tess.