A day at the Kroc center.

Yesterday we had the honor of attending Dr. McDonalds patient appreciation day at the new Kroc center. The Kroc center is a new community center they just finished in Salem. It has swimming pools, a rock wall, fitness area, gym, theater, and many classes offered. It's kind of like an upgraded YMCA. It officially opens next week, so if you have spent a pretty penny at Dr. McDonalds (like we have) then you were invited to attend this event. The kids were really excited to swim. Remember when you went swimming as a kid. You could pretty much do anything except for running on the cement and holding your friends head under water for too long. Well, rules have changed. We found out that 1. kids are not allowed to wear there life jackets in the lazy river, or in the large pool area. I guess they would rather have those kids drown than wear their life jackets?? 2. You can only lay down on the slide, no sitting up. Because some genius built a metal support bar that you may hit your head on if sitting. Malia was too scared to lay down, so no slide for us. 3. None of my kids were allowed to get in the hot tub. 4. You are not allowed to toss your 2 yr old up into the air, no matter how many excited squeals are coming from her little mouth. 5. You cannot wear your goggles on the slide, they may injure your eyes. But you may put them around your wrist and slide down. We were only in the pool for about 40 minutes and had the whistle blown on our little family at least 4 times. Toward the end of the 40 minutes we were all huddled in the one area of the pool that did allow life jackets, looking at each other like "well, what CAN we do?" Seriously can't they just post a sign that says "swim at your own risk" and let us actually enjoy ourselves? And what's this new rule about NOT allowing kids to wear life jackets. When we questioned the pool manager about this she said kids are not allowed to wear life jackets in the lazy river because they might get caught in the current. Well I would rather have them caught in the current with their life jacket, then without. People are so stinking scared of getting sued these days that no one is allowed to have any fun.
Needless to say we won't be getting a membership. I do have to say that the center does offer tons of classes that I think the kids will love, and luckily the cost is the same whether your a member or not, but I don't think we'll be doing much swimming.
And since i'm already venting I have to add another short story. A while back I was leaving the gym and a Mary Kay representative was doing a drawing for free products. Well, I actually won. Yay! $10 in free products. So she called today and then the truth comes out. The $10 in free products is only good if you have her come to your house to do her 30-60 minute shpeel. Well I've heard the schpeel and I don't want to hear it again. If I don't do the schpeel it's $10 off $30 or more. Sounds like some false advertisement to me. I just wanted my free products, but since I wasn't willing to listen to the whole rundown and do a self-applied facial and have a "glamour" makeover, I get nothing. Lame....okay enough venting from me, I'll try to be more positive on the next post.