GWL

I'm back with another edition of Kait Will Spend Money on Random Junk that Prohibits Her from Splurging on Nice Things

But this, my friends, is a success story! In this season of parenthood we want to travel a bit with the girls and make fun memories. Please note I use the word travel very lightly (like 3 hours is my max distance to drive to a getaway) We're weak in the area of actually FOLLOWING THROUGH so I needed to take drastic measures. I hitched our wagon to the Cash Budget in January! This allowed me to plan our trip to.... GREAT WOLF LODGE!... without any guilt. Any extra money left over in January could go towards spending money during the trip. Will I eat eggs and beans for a few days in January to kick back in a hotel and eat pizza? Yes. Always yes. Actually booking the hotel was hard and seemed very over the top but BAM, I reserved a room and there was nothing but excitement ahead. The girls had never been so it was a perfect chance to create a Surprise Trip for them. We gave them hints leading up to it (It's in North Carolina, we're staying at a hotel, we need to pack bathing suits) 

Splurge #1 happened on our drive up to North Carolina. We had our play money in a mason jar burning a whole through our cup holder and I, the driver, decided a nice cup of jo would be tasty so we stopped by Starbucks and I got a fancy drink

Here's the normal me: Packing a small amount of half and half to go with my hotel coffee. And there's the Queen of Sheba relaxing in the background

The Great Wolfe Lodge exceeded our (low) expectations. The decor was fun and for a hotel where kids run rampant, it was super clean. This is not a paid ad blog post with GWL, but if they want me to write one, we'd gladly visit again winkyface The hotel was well populated for a Thursday/Friday so I can't imagine every going on a weekend or when "real" school is out. Because we went in the winter, our room+water park was $212 (inquiring minds want to know) Honestly, although the girls loved the water park, just staying in a hotel and watching TV on a bed was equally exciting. Maybe we will visit Columbia next? They slept on the pull out sofa while Kent and I had our own queen beds. Nothing says a decade of marriage + 3 kids like choosing to HAVE YOUR OWN SPACE FOR 8 HOURS. 

Here's a picture of Audi slowly making her way across the semi wet,  populated water park with her dad. This is a good picture to illustrate traveling with kids. Lower your expectations and your literal speed down like, 50 notches and you'll be better off. We just want to speak kindly to one another, make a few memories and get some sleep. 

Chick fil A lunch in our bellies, wolf ears on and Suits in suits...ready for the water park! 

Auds was kind of hit or miss, but she did great overall. She loved the splash pad part on the second day 

When we weren't swimming, we were snackin'! Splurge #2 was pizza hut pizza while watching PBS Kids in our hotel. I mean, is this even real life? Somebody pinch us

GWL has 4 slides and they're legit! I'd wait to visit until at least one kiddo is interested in rides. Also be prepared to lug a large tub up two flights of deck steps in a bathing suit. Oxygen mask, anyone? 

If your family loves water time and you can get over the idea of swimming in large contained bodies of water with lots of strangers, Great Wolfe Lodge might be a good fit. We'll be back next year!