Great Wolf Lodge

All our good buddy wanted for his birthday was a trip to Great Wolf Lodge with his best buds.  We were thrilled to be invited along for the fun!

Monday, around noon, we loaded the car (5 kids, three adults) and headed to GWL, just about 2 hours away.  It was an easy, albeit LOUD car ride.  We were pumped when we got there! Had to take a group pic:

We checked in to the rooms and dealt with a minor snafu (there are no adjoining rooms, so we were across the hall from the boys-- which isn't really a big deal...unless your kiddo needed you in the night and was out wandering the halls looking for you......which didn't happen.  But the thought of it possibly happening kept all three moms up all night long- ha!).

After dropping bags, the boys were changed and ready to go in seconds.  It took the moms a few minutes to get situated and gets drinks made #priorities.  And then we were ready for the park!

Okay, so here's the thing about this place-- we were all kind of dreading it and thinking ughhhhh, but we knew the kids were excited.  We actually had just as much fun as the kiddos did, I swear.  Andy was super nervous and apprehensive when we got in the park and wouldn't leave my side.  Kris asked him if he would feel better if all the moms rode a ride with him.  He said it would, so off we all went.  And we didn't stop there-- Andy gained confidence and went off on his own and the moms spent the day riding ride after ride, laughing our heads off.  

We picked a central location for our stuff that was easy for the boys to get to, and every now and then they would come find us and ask us to ride a ride with them- which was SO fun.  I think they got a huge kick out of us screaming like crazy on the rides- haha

We all played hard until about 7, when we made the boys stop to eat dinner- still in the park.  They devoured the first pizza and then we ordered a second one.  While we were waiting on that one, they went and did a few more runs.  

We stayed in the park until it closed at 8:30.   It was basically empty and we had to whole place to ourselves-- amazing! No lines!



We headed back to the rooms and showered up and got the kids in bed.  The moms say in the hallway with a bottle of wine waiting for them to go to bed.  Finally it was quiet about 11 and by 11:30, we were out cold too.  But we were up soon there after listening for little boys looking for us-- which they never did.... of course. 

As I tucked them in that night, Andy was still wearing his wolf ears, which they get at check in....

And Cal was all snuggled up with that toothless smile.  Melt me.  

 The next morning we were up and got breakfast for everyone.  The boys were excited to his the arcade.  Andy played this game first and hit the jackpot on his first attempt and got 1000 tickets.  Immediately.  Oh, and wolf ears still on....

 Cal was like a ADHD child on red bull in there, running from one thing to the next, so most of my pictures are with Andy, who preferred I stick close to him. 

He turned in his tickets and got a wold tail key chain, some candy and a blaze toy....which he LOVES.  

We hit the pool for a bit more until we had to check out at 11.  We went back to the rooms and packed up and then hit the road to head back home.  Wolf ears still on!

We had a LOT of fun! And the memories the boys made are priceless.  I think we did it right-- there for just one night, just under 24 hours.... no need to be there longer than that, I don't think! I also suggest if you are going, go ahead and ride all the rides.  I would have been bored out of my mind if I just sat there for 8 hours! There's my unsolicited advice about Great Wolf Lodge.  I do think we will be going back-- Eddie is dying to try these rides we've been talking about!