Happy Holdiays from the Grovers 2010

I got some cards out in the mail this year but not nearly enough and I am sorry to those who didn't receive one personally. You are in our thoughts, memories and photo albums. I haven't been great about blogging each event because i focus on scrapbooking them but our year has been full of family vacations, birthdays, sporting events, drama, art and oh so much more. Happy New Year to you all!

Great Wolf Lodge

This year we started a new tradition for Christmas. It began last year but this year we implemented it as a family---Christmas Vacations for Christmas! Over the past few years I have become a bit disenchanted with the expectations of people when a gift is being given- the idea that a gift has to be on a list and if its not I am suppose to supply you with a receipt...anyway for the last couple years we have been contemplating not doing "big" gifts for the kids and this year we decided to begin the tradition. After Christmas last year we let the kids know that Santa Claus is still coming but that we would no longer be buying gifts for them...instead we were going to create fun family memories beginning with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge. They were so excited and continued to be excited all year long. As they day approached they couldn't think of anything else and when we set the date it was real...a day to countdown too! December 13-14, 2010 and even better Uncle Joe and Aunt Gretchen wanted to join us. The more the merrier....so here are some highlights!

The kids couldn't get enough of the slides...for the really big ones we had to climb 92 stairs to the top...those were the only ones the kids wanted to do so we must have climbed up 40 times. You do the math....my calves were killing me the next day---definitely a work out. Nicholas couldn't do the "Howling Tornado" due to height issues but he could do the River Run---it was by far his favorite because they played Rock music on the way down..If you could have seen his face. He would assume the position of "safety" as we left dock...but as soon as he was out of sight of the enforcers he would turn around put his hands in the air and rock out the entire way down. David and I couldn't help but smile big every time we made the trip. It was also fun because we could go down as an entire family. Even the kids after all was said and done when asked what their favorite thing was said in unison, "the river one because we could all be on it together." The howling tornado was a drop off in the dark and it definitely made your stomach feel as though it was flying... We kept saying we wish we had brought a waterproof camera because those photos would have been priceless.

It was fun being in the kiddie areas with Trevor and Andrew- to see the joy on their faces as well as see Andrew take his first trip down the slide. He swallowed some water but it was well worth it. Trevor was so excited everytime the water waves would come up to his feet...he would kick his feet and smile the whole time. Memories should be shared and we had fun sharing them with Uncle Joe and Aunt Gretchen.

Would we do it again? Definite Yes! We went at an off time - during the week when school was still in session and there were no lines, no waiting and lots of room to relax. The rooms were fantastic...even the cheap ones- which is where we stayed. We brought our own food for breakfast and lunch and left the facilities to eat dinner. It was a great memory and we are looking forward to next years new memory---Disneyland.