Great wolf time

Jason surprised us all right before Christmas with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge.

As the last time we went there was five years ago, neither Caleb nor Lizzy remembered it, and Ada was only five and suited for small slides only.

We managed to get all the way into the parking lot of the resort before the kids realized where we were really going (someplace a little more appealing to them than merely "a hotel where we'll look at Christmas decorations," which is what we told them).

First look at the indoor water park.

No trip to Great Wolf Lodge is complete without wolf ears--this time in seasonal white.

Aaaaoooooooo!

For reference, here are pictures from our first trip, seven years ago.

As with most things in life, water parks are way more fun when your kids aren't babies.

And able to hold their own in a water battle against you.

In the wave pool, in between wave sessions.

Family-friendly hot tub.

Caleb had a blast.

...most of the time.


After our first full day of water parking, playing, and eating ourselves silly, we stayed up [relatively] late for the "clock tower show," which is when the animatronic trees and animals in the grand lobby come to life and sing songs. 


Apparently a lot of people get more enthralled with animatronics than I, because that lobby was packed with families of young children--all of them overexcited, overtired, and full of chlorine and sugar; and 30% of them with head colds as well.


We tried our best to stay out of the way of the waitstaff rushing through, but sooner or later the inevitable happened.  A waitress tripped over Lizzy and went down with a tray full of strawberry daiquiri, rendering a large portion of the already insufficient floorspace sticky and soggy. 


We squeezed ever further back until we were under the grand lobby Christmas tree, where Jason laid down and closed his eyes as a desperate coping mechanism as the [*ahem*creepy*ahem*] show started up and robotic animals sang to us in tinny British accents about the great outdoors.  One of the tree's eyelids was stuck open, furthering my sense that these robots are possibly sentient, evil beings who will haunt my dreams tonight.


Caleb coped by climbing into Santa's empty chair, scowling, and refusing to watch.

In Great Wolf's defense, the show did include very realistic, lovely indoor snow showers falling from the ceiling.


And thankfully my kids had their fill of singing trees after the one night.


Outside the windows was chilly; but inside, the water was warm, the food was hot, our pj's were fuzzy, and the lazy river was rambling.  There were squeals, there was lounging, there was feasting, there was snuggling, there was splashing, there was sliding:  all the ingredients for a great family trip.