~ Spring Break part 2: Great Wolf Lodge

Part Two of our Spring Break vacation was a major splurge. 

As we were heading back south, we spent a night at the Great Wolf Lodge that's half way between Seattle and Portland. As our friend LeAnn put it, "don't you love the vacuum they attach to your wallet when you check in?" It was ridiculously expensive-- and worth every penny. It was our kids' dream vacation. And while the lovely Oregon spring weather outside was COLD and really, really rainy

the weather inside the water park was 84 degrees.

nice.

It was a really well done place-- all "north woods" themed and not hokey or cheesy.

They let us start playing at 1:00pm the day we checked in, and we played until about 2pm the next day, even after we checked out. At least they let you get a lot of bang fer yer buck there. 

"enough pictures Mom! we want to go PLAY!"

Us in the wave pool during the calm between the wave cycles. It actually got pretty rough in there! The kids loved it, and I had fun although I felt like I was on guard the whole time. Mostly because Calvin kept wanting to go in the deep end without a tube-- where he repeatedly got bashed around by tubes and finally relented and rode a tube after inhaling a bit too much water. 

Yes, that's me, the dork in the t-shirt. 

The buffet restaurant was surprisingly good. The kids thought it was SO COOL to be able to have whatever they wanted, including dessert. It was all lodge-style decorations, including booths that had canvas tents over them.

Calvin the cookie bandit.

Calvin being his gregarious little self and making a new friend... and Kizi deciding to join him as I was heading over with the camera.  ;)

I think at this point Jonathan was maybe wishing that we drank (alcohol), and that his drink was loaded... it was pretty loud in the water park.

Look at that girl vogue!

Sorry about the blurry photo... had to capture Kizi doing cartwheels down the hall.

HAPPY KIDS!

This place had the most gi-normous fireplace I've ever seen.

The windows give viewers a full (and QUIET) view of the water park.

Probably the cheesiest aspect-- a little clock tower show in the evenings, but the kids seemed to really like it.

The bucket at the top would dump on everyone about every 4 minutes or so... making the trip to the top of the water slides very perilous!

The kids were too chicken to ride the Tornado and the other bigger rides that go outside the building-- visible from the highway outside. Just as well... the lines for them were really long.

We went down these slids a LOT! Very fun.

A shot of the wave pool, although it looks much smaller in this photo.

Checking out... we were TIRED!