Splash!

Two HUGE thumbs up for Great Wolf Lodge - what fun we had! The kids had a blast and there was plenty of age appropriate things for each one of them. Katie wore the water slides out, and Julia had two areas where she could ride slides, spray water and have it dumped on her, and engage in general hooliganism. Even Henry had fun splashing.

I haven't been on a water slide in about 20 years. So imagine my surprise when I discovered I don't really like water slides. I am probably the only person in the world who can hurt myself repeatedly in water. The first time down, I banged up my elbows. Apparently, you're not supposed to drag your elbows alongside your body. The next time, I somehow jacked up my thumb on a mat handle. I'm guessing from clutching the handle in fear of losing my life. The last time, I banged my head on the side of the tube. Graceful I am not.

Katie's favorite ride was the "Howlin' Tornado". It's hard to explain the ride - imagine a couple of guys dropping acid, watching Willie Wonka, and then designing at water slide, and you'll be close. You start out on a raft (so I'm thinking, hey, rafts are safe, this won't be bad). After a brief ride down a gently sloping, Christmas-light lit tube, you take a sudden and shocking drop into a swirling vortex of HELL. I am generally a non-hysterical person, but this thing made me go all tent revival.

OH JESUS! OH CHRIST ALMIGHTY! OH LAWS! LAWS! SAVE ME JESUS! OH MERCY GOD BABY JESUS HELP ME!

Katie was completely embarrassed, but not so embarrassed that she didn't want to ride it again. Twice. Although she did ask me to not scream. I thought I could handle it, since I knew what was coming - but, no. It was just as terrifying the second and third time around.

Kate and I got our geek on that night and played MagiQuest. We swam the next day until 1, then had lunch and hit Concord Mills for a visit to the Lego Store (awesomeness!) and a little shopping.

We are all completely, totally, insanely exhausted. What a great time.