Before yesterday, thinking about a bright, sunny Labor Day Saturday spent at an amusement park filled me with… a certain kind of sweaty dread.

But also a realization. Summer is over. My sabbatical is almost over. These swaths of free time where the kids are stuck with me are almost over.

Maybe a Saturday at an amusement park with family and friends isn’t something that should fill me with apprehension.

If there is anyone who deserves my best behavior, or my biggest smile, or c’est la vie attitude, it’s them. If there is anyone I should muster patience and energy for, it’s them.

But if they think they’re getting Dippin’ Dots after 5 pm before we have dinner…

We started the day early and in another state for our annual summer trip to Canobie Lake Park.

We’re pushing the definition of summer since the kids are now back in school, but while schedules were full, no one would here about skipping a year.

The key to any amusement park that includes water features is to arrive early and hit those first. It’s worked for us in the past and it worked yesterday.

Later, my peaceful lazy river would become a teeming pit of hot, mostly tattooed, humanity.

No Disney magic sprinkled over this Dole Whip (must be why it was 55% cheaper), but it still tasted pretty good on a hot, sunny day.

Each visit someone new screws up their courage and joins the rest of us coaster people on Untamed.

We had a whole 8-person car to ourselves this year.

But for big group dynamics and everyone riding together, nothing beats the classic bumper cars.

A whole bunch of these kids will be driving really soon.

You know it’s been a good day when their legs don’t work anymore on the walk back to the car.

No weird Dippin’ Dots ‘ice cream’ but we did stop for actual ice cream to finish up the day.

While Pumpkin Spice flavoring is the fall stalwart, Dill Pickle appears to be having a moment. It works really well on somethings, like potato chips. Not so much on ice cream.

She ended up going with Mud Pie instead.

Have a great Sunday!