Our Mini Vay-Cay

Since Tony is actually taking some leave, I thought we would sneak off for a couple of days (just away from the Navy, not away from the kids this time). We drove down to Grand Mound, WA to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. A perfect get away for two reasons: 1)something fun to do inside (it is December) and 2)rooms that are actually made to sleep 7 (rare indeed). We drove down in the snow Sunday afternoon and came back today. Short and sweet.
The review: I loved all of the decorated Christmas trees in the huge lobby. Tony cringed at the horribly cheesy animatronic clock tower show. The little kids thought it was great. I just loved the fact that there was a huge lobby full of families with little kids! Family friendly wins an inordinate amount of points from me. The buffet was expensive..shocker. But the water park made up for any other short-comings. My dream water park - totally free from my arch-enemy, the sun! They had a great toddler area with little slides, a beach-front entrance, and plenty of buttons and levers that made water squirt/dump/spray from various things. James' favorite parts were the fountains spraying water out of the ground (which were all over the place) and ski-doos that didn't go anywhere, but squirted a steady stream of water in whatever direction you pointed them. (Although I was shocked at the idiotic adults and older kids that though it was hilarious to squirt a 2-year-old in the face. Very nice and mature. I guess I should just be glad that wasn't my husband or kids!)
Everyone loved the waved pool, although the older kids tried very hard to drown in it by not using the inner tubes. I was a good preggy and didn't go down any of the forbidden water slides. Everyone else raved about them. Scaredy-cat Sofia even went down the scariest one (encourage by 2 new friends she made at the park)...the tornado. Anthony loved the tornado! Jonny and Annika were up for anything and went on the waterslides over and over. It was a blast to watch everyone. Sorry I don't have any pictures of everyone actually splashing and having fun, but I was the wet Mom, chasing kids through the pool (trying to avoid drownings!), not the dry Mom with the camera sitting in a beach chair (boring). The upside...you also don't have to see pictures of me in a maternity swimsuit - Sexy! So, just count your blessings.