Great Wolf Lodge

While everyone didn't stay healthy on our getaway to the Great Wolf Lodge, I still think everyone had a good time. I made the kids go to school for a couple hours Monday morning which was smart because they were so hyper and I wouldn't have been able to finish prepping and packing so easily. I picked them up around 11, they ate lunch and then we began our almost 4 hour drive to Traverse City.

Upon arrival the kids were itching to have fun but first we had to take some of our traditional photos.

After picture taking we ended up hitting the Magi Quest store first so we could buy Penny a wand - she was the only one without one- and then started the game for all the kids. After doing a couple quests the kids were hungry so we went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. The food wasn't quite as good as we remembered but it was just as pricey. The kids did enjoy using their wands in the restaurant to make things go off. Ben would casually flick his wand at a big tree in the center and that would make some lights flash. There was also this super annoying squirrel they kept setting off.

After dinner the boys decided they wanted to do more Magi Quest and the girls decided they wanted to go to the water park. So dad went questing with the boys and I took the girls to the water park. The water park felt extra cold and I felt like I was just shivering the whole time since the girls wanted to try everything out- that meant going in and out of water constantly. Thankfully they really wanted to go to story time so we didn't stay too long.

Story time is pretty much the same each time we go and I find it extremely boring but the girls love it and the boys don't seem to hate it. I think the girls especially love meeting the characters afterwards. This time it was Rachel Raccoon and they both gave her a big hug. I was grateful that Ben jumped into line quickly so we didn't have to wait too long to get our picture and hugs with her.

That night ended up being a rough one- Ben decided to take his turn at being sick and threw up. He was pretty miserable all night and ended up sleeping right by the toilet. That morning I had signed the boys up for Junior Lifeguarding but with Ben sick, I ended up just taking Steven. For Junior Lifeguard they threw a dummy in the water and had the kids take turns circling the water to try and find it. The life guard told them to walk on the outside because it was easier but the kids kept jumping in the water so the process took a bit longer- it was cold out of the water so I couldn't blame them for jumping in. After they saved the dummy "Timmy" they then talked about rescuing techniques. Steven seemed to enjoy the Junior Lifeguard class and when it was over he got to help "turn on" the water park which he thought was pretty cool.

Once the water park was officially opened Tyler brought the girls down to me and he went back to stay with sick Ben. It was kind of a juggle trying to watch 3 kids at the water park. The big slides were annoying because Penny couldn't go on them at all, Lucy could only do them with adult and Steven wasn't wanting to go by himself. Eventually he got brave and did go by himself and I was grateful for that because that stopped his complaining. The water park felt warmer this time around- not sure why- but that was a good thing because the girls still liked going from thing to thing. We did spend the most time in the lazy river and a good amount of time playing basketball in the pool though. While playing basketball one of Lucy's throws landed smack on the center of some man's head- so embarrassing. He didn't even turn around so we never got to apologize. Below is pics of the girls at the toddler area- I asked Penny to sit by Lucy and that snotty face was her response.

Around lunchtime Ben was finally feeling better and came and joined us. It was really a relief to have him there so Steven had a buddy.

Eventually everyone got hungry so we went back to the room for a lunch break. Then we did some more Magi Quest but the girls weren't super into it. After 2 quests the girls and I took a doughnut break since there was a Dunkin Donuts in the hotel that had been tempting me since we had got there.

After eating our donuts I tried to convince them that they wanted to take a nap because I really wanted one but that was so silly of me. Too much fun to be had. Instead we read some books and when the boys came back from their questing we went bowling. I goofed when we were swiping the card to play and only purchased a round of bowling for 4. That meant the kids got to have fun and us parents got to watch. But they were a pretty entertaining crew. Penny had a really good butt wiggle that she did before granny bowling the ball each time. They all scored in order of their age so to speak- Steven getting the highest score and Penny getting the lowest.

Next we went back to the water park and hung out there until dinner time. This time we were there with everyone- no one back in the hotel room sick and it was lots of fun. More basketball playing, more lazy river floating and the boys spent a good deal of time jumping across the lily pads. 

For dinner we went to Chili's where the waiter asked if we were trying to start our own country with so many children. Seriously? At this point I was feeling kind of off so I didn't enjoy the food too much but at least Ben seemed fully recovered by this time. So much recovered that he was upset when I suggested he didn't have soda because it might upset his tummy. We ended up compromising on a Strawberry Lemonade that was suggested by a meddling waiter. Not my favorite waiter for reals- he also kept telling my kids how grateful they should be that we took them out and how they should do chores for us when we got home. I don't know, sometimes stuff like that just bugs me, I can parent my own children thank you.

Back at the hotel I did one last trip to the water park with Ben, Lucy and Steven. I sat and read a book while they went across the lily pads. Literally that is all they did for almost 2 hours. It was fine with me though. I wasn't feeling great so it was nice to just chill and not have to be in the pool with them.

That night I went from feeling off to feeling terrible and in the early hours of the morning I finally threw up and that was the most relieving thing ever. After that I felt a lot better but unfortunately there was no sleep for me because Lucy woke up feeling sick and moaned and groaned for the rest of the night. 

Wednesday morning I was feeling pretty done with the trip but I also wanted to get my money's worth so even though I would have been happy to leave after we checked out, we stuck around. I stayed in the lobby with Lucy who was absolutely miserable while everyone else went questing with Tyler. I took multiple trips to the lobby bathroom with Lucy and around lunchtime she finally threw up. We left the hotel shortly after that so everyone else could get lunch and then it was time to drive home. 

So as I said I think everyone had a good time, at least at some point, but for the first time I was pretty happy to leave Great Wolf Lodge. When we got home Lucy was still sick and she had diarrhea all Wednesday night so I kept her home from school Thursday. By the end of Thursday she seemed fine so when I was asked to sub Friday I decided I better take it. As I had said before sub jobs were becoming few and far between. Unfortunately she woke up Friday morning crying that she didn't feel well and didn't want to go to school. With lots of mom guilt I sent her to school anyways because I just couldn't cancel another sub job and she really couldn't afford to miss more school. I felt so bad leaving her at the bus stop crying- not just for her but also for my friend that I had asked to watch them at the bus stop. Apparently she calmed down shortly after I left thank heavens. She told me later she was more sad about being away from me- we had been together for 4 straight days so I guess I can understand.

The sub job itself went pretty well- just two kids that drove me a little bit crazy but overall a good day. That night we went to the book fair and the kids were all able to get a book using some money Poppy and Grams Brady had sent (I even got one too). I did have an embarrassing moment when Steven was getting another book with his own money and needed help paying the tax and I couldn't find my money. I thought it was in my jacket pockets and when it wasn't I thought maybe I had left it in the bag with the other books so I had to call Tyler to send Ben over with it BUT it turns out it was in my back pants pockets the whole time. The workers must of thought I was a crazy person.

Our Saturday was pretty uneventful. I just ran some errands to prep for Ben's Pokemon party and then took him out on a date to McDonald's since he had earned all his jewels. I have been slacking on giving out jewels but I need to be better because it's good for making sure the kids get one on one time with me or Tyler.