For Christmas, Santa gave us a mini trip to Great Wolf Lodge. I love hotels and Bodie loves waterslides - Great Wolf Lodge has both! So as New Year's approached, we headed a few hours south and began our adventure. Our room had a Cub's Den for me and Bodie to sleep in - definitely my favorite part. There were bears painted on the walls and it felt like we were in our own hiding spot - so cool.
The water park is big. Bodie was in Heaven. I was big enough to go down most of the big slides, but I had to go down on my own. I'm two. Two! What normal parent puts their TWO YEAR OLD on a 400' waterslide BY THEMSELF! Mine.Yep, they just pushed me off and down I went, spiraling to my certain death, screaming the entire way. (Remember the scene at the department store with Santa Claus in the movie Christmas Story - that was me.) Then at the bottom as I plunged into the pool of water, destine for termination, I felt my mom scoop me up before my head went under; I guess they do love me after all. Needless to say, I was not begging to repeat that experience.
Bodie, on the other hand, couldn't get enough. The more likely he was to die, the more he wanted to do it. So we spent hours spiraling and sliding down every type of waterslide you can imagine. And lucky for me, he loved every slide - including the ones I preferred.
They also had water obstacle courses - Bodie was one of the youngest kids to cross it and my dad was one of oldest - pretty awesome.
Bodie was too short to do the FlowRider on our recent cruise. But the height requirements were different at Great Wolf Lodge and he took the plunge, literally. While tons of teenagers and adults watched, my six year old brother fearlessly jumped into the wave machine and hung on for the ride. Eventually the wave ate him, but walked off like a pro and did it again...and again...and again.
Aside from the waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge also has a talking clock tower for story time, a mini bowling alley, a movie simulator, a shooting gallery, mini golf, a rope's course, an arcade, and, well, you get the idea - there is a lot of stuff. We even got to eat breakfast INSIDE a life-sized gingerbread house. It's weird eating pancakes while being overwhelmed by the smell of cookies.
Definitely a fun present, thanks Santa.
That same week my Nana and PopPop came to town and we got to hang out with them and our cousins - double bonus! We visited the Air and Space Museum and got to see my Great Uncle Nick's equipment from his attempts at breaking the world record for highest free fall. So cool. It's hard to believe he went 123,000 feet into the sky in this Styrofoam-looking box. He must have been super brave.
Speaking of outer space, we decided we'd suit up and give it a try too! My space suit makes me look taller. And sure glad my dad decided to wear his orange Miami Dolphin's hat to outer space. Not a bad way to ring in the new year!
Dave got his first birthday card in the mail a few weeks ago...from AARP! Yes, this year he turned the big 5-0.
He started the day with breakfast in bed. His two little buddies smelled food AND the chance to eat in bed, an opportunity not to be missed, so they joined in the fun. Then he took a relaxing bike ride and capped the evening off with 40+ good friends at a local restaurant for a big dinner party.
We ate from Dave's Menu that was Aged to Perfection, and enjoyed favor bags from the Candy Bar because "50 is Hot" and he can "Kiss his 40's Goodbye." The evening was exactly what he wanted - great friends, great food, and great memories. Festive faceware - glasses and photo props - were donned by nearly everyone...
