Weekend visitors part dos

Indoor water parks are my happy place!  A few years ago, when Brad was in midst of grad school hell, we went to Massanutten Water Park for Mother's Day.  We ran, we swam, we had a blast!  And for the first time in 10 months the words "I have to get home to study" were not uttered.  I am not kidding... that phrase was a staple in our life for 3 years.  Never hearing it again (at least from Brad's mouth) would not be a day too soon!  No one argues, few people cry, and we always have fun when we go!

So when our weekend guests were here we decided to head to Great Wolf Lodge.  Mali and Cadence loved the slides, Sierra and Laurel (ok, and Brad and I) loved the big slides, and I think Shawn and Theresa enjoyed their first taste of one of the happiest places in Virginia!  Naps aligned beautifully with arrival and departure, we had a great dinner at a BBQ joint where the kids ran around like wild and we did our best to ignore them, the kids finally got to play Magiquest and the little girls listened to the creepy  quaint storytime characters that night.  The girls loved their "campout" bunks as well as having the freedom to go out "on their own" to do one of the quests.  It was a great way to end a wonderful weekend with our new friends!

This pretty much sums up Cadence going down the slides!  But she did it over and over!

Mali and Cadence swimming

Mali checking out the slide

...and the fountain

So much joy, happiness, and even playing together!

Checking out the bunk

Relaxing on our bed

Magiquest

Look what a large piece of overpriced plastic can do!  It can open and even larger piece of plastic!  But the kids loved it.

Storytime (this was right about the time a little girl, 4 years old maybe, turned to me and said "No flash photography"  Really?!)

We found something new (and probably against the rules) to do with the room decor

Brad gives Mali a lift

Shawn gives Cadence a lift

Laurel loved her some Mali!

Wild ride!

Ok, not that wild, but to Cadence it probably feels like it! She got a little "help" from Laurel!
P.S. If anyone knows the magic trick to turning it, please let me know!

Great Wolf Lodge

For Christmas we gave ourselves the gift of an overnight trip to Great Wolf Lodge. It was a two-fold gift... I've been DYING to go there & we got the kids fewer individual items which equates to less stuff piling up in our house! If you haven't ever been you absolutely must go!! They are all around the US. For those who don't know it's an indoor water park & lodge. The park is "free" with your purchase of an overnight stay and because you can go both the day you arrive AND the whole day that you are checking out, it's actually a pretty good deal. There are themed rooms, so Sierra & Laurel had their own little bunk nook with a TV & all (not that they ever watched it!). Cadence actually slept well in her pack-n-play and we were thankful for that. Brad and I took turns hangin' with Cadence and going on the slides with the big girls. Now that I think about it, I don't think he and I ever swam in the same pool at the same time! But everyone had a blast! Cadence loves the water, waterslide, and all of the fountains. It bodes well for a summer filled with pool time! Of course, Sierra & Laurel always have been waterbabies!

Cadence ventures down the slide - with a little help from Laurel!

Bunk beds

Cool picture of the girls under a waterfall at night



The fam... is Sierra already reaching that age where she's going to looked pained everytime we bust the camera out?!