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Family

Great Wolf Lodge: Not Just for Wee Ones

To squeeze the last few drops of fun out of summer, we surprised the kids with a two-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This indoor water park boasts over 100,000 square feet of water-packed fun, including scream-worthy slides for risk takers—not for the faint of heart!—and zero-depth entry areas for wee ones. Outside the water park, there are plenty of activities to keep everyone busy until nightfall.

Great Wolf Lodge Niagara

Our visit to this immense 84-degree indoor water park was the second for us in five years. I was a little worried that the lodge and all of its amenities might look a little tired or appear a bit rundown. Not so. And, with the kids being half a decade older since our last visit, I was worried they might not enjoy themselves as much (they are 7, 10, and 13). Again, not so.

Fun for all ages

We actually enjoyed ourselves more this time around. With the kids being that much older we, as parents, we were free to experience all the fun with our children without the incessant fear factors that come with having toddlers around water.

The kids LOVED the tipping bucket. Btw, my 13-yr old took this photo. Good job Campbell!

Check in and check out were a breeze. Parking availability was plentiful.

The staff, from reception to dining to housekeeping, was always pleasant and courteous. Lifeguards were impressively attentive. Even staff at the gift shop was friendly and helpful (usually a rarity when shopping with kids!).

Our room, with two queen beds and a pull-out couch, was clean and spacious. Movies were available on demand (always a bonus for our family). Our room came equipped with a microwave and mini fridge. So, we planned ahead and brought fruit, refreshments, bread, sandwich meat, and pizza. As such, we were able to cut down on meal costs by warming up pizza in the microwave for dinner the first night and making sandwiches for our lunch the next day—all done from the comfort and convenience of our room.

The view from our room

Thumbs down? Although many visitors seemed to enjoy MagiQuest, the “live-action adventure game” (new from five years ago), I give MagiQuest two thumbs down. The idea sounds magical, but the reality of it all is far from magical. With a “magic” wand in hand, children open treasure chests set up in hallways leading to hotel rooms, they also listen to a wizard, and do a few other “magical” things. Children were crying because the wands wouldn’t open all the treasure chests and parents were always on the hunt for misplaced wands—we’re talking about two-year olds carrying wands… Why wouldn’t they be misplaced? The least expensive wand cost $16.99 before tax.

Not a fan of MagiQuest

For families with more than one child, the cost of these wands adds up quickly. Some families tried buying one wand to share between siblings. Before even leaving the shop, siblings were having meltdowns over who got to hold the magic wand. I witnessed parents frantically handing over fists full of cash to purchase additional wands just to stop the madness that had ensued. Those wands are a total cash grab. Each wand is nothing more than a small piece of plastic that stops being “magical” the moment you leave the lodge. Blah! Okay, rant over.

Thumbs up? Dining at the Antler Shanty was definitely an improved experience. The food choices, served buffet style, have multiplied tenfold from five years ago. Salads, sides, main dishes, and desserts were plentiful, with lots of variety, and always fresh.

Two thumbs up for the Antler Shanty!

Also improved? The atmosphere as you walk into the lodge is more energized. How so? Five years ago, we entered the Grand Lobby to the sounds of nature with birds chirping, owls hooting, and wolves howling off in the distance. This time around, in addition to the nature sounds, there was current music pumped into this area, giving a fun, youthful, active vibe the moment you walk through the doors. Children were singing and dancing while parents were toe tapping to the music.

Furry friends in the Grand Lobby

Will we return? Absolutely. Will it be in five years time? Not if we can help it. For more information about Great Wolf Lodge Niagara, please visit http://www.greatwolf.com/niagara/waterpark .

Happy visitors: Ava (10), Campbell (13, and Hayden (7)

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Thanks for stopping by,
Anita

Family / Lifestyle / Summer Fun — 3 Comments
4
Jul 12

The Heat of Summer

“‘Come with me,’ Mom says. ‘To the library. Books and summertime go together.’” ~ Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me

School is out and those lazy, hazy, and ever-so-hot days of summer have settled in.

The heat of the afternoon sun is scorching.

The early afternoons are filled with such intense heat that even the birds have fallen silent. The hum of the air conditioner working overtime can be heard… Please keep working… Please keep working… Even those annoying flies, the ones that always seem to somehow fly right at ear level, appear to be moving slower.

You know the birds feel the heat when they are silent during the day.

Poor flowers, they’re all wilted and droopy. The flowers have been watered yet they thirst… for shade. The only respite comes in the form of an ever-so-slight breeze that gently rustles the leaves every minute or so.

Ever sit by the shade of an old oak tree? Magnificent, isn't it?

On days like this, trying to stay cool with ice cream on a cone would be pointless. Ice cream in a cup would be no better for it would turn to soup in a cup within seconds. Watermelon, or cantaloupe, or honeydew melon might do the trick… Sigh. There’s none in the fridge.

Even this ice cream truck couldn't beat the heat!

I think I’ll make a point of stopping by the library with the kiddies today. The kids won’t overheat if they sit outside in the backyard and read. Then… I’ll pick up that melon!

Watermelon is a great way to stay cool on these hot summer days.

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Thanks for stopping by,
Anita

Entertainment / Family / Lifestyle — 9 Comments
16
Feb 12

Another Shining Claire Dunphy Moment!

You know those mornings when you feel like you’re consistently behind the eight ball? You know, the type of morning when you go to grab a cup of coffee only to find that you forgot to turn on the coffee machine in the first place? Most mornings, that’s pretty much the norm for me. One morning last week, however, I outdid myself. I pulled a doozy of a Claire Dunphy. If you’re not familiar with whom Claire Dunphy might be, please see my earlier post, I Pulled a Claire Dunphy… Have You?, from May 2011.

Julie Bowen plays Claire Dunphy in the hit TV show Modern Family.

Wednesday morning started out no different than any other morning. I dragged my sorry butt out of bed after hitting the snooze button one too many times, took a hot shower, blow dried my hair, and put on my makeup.

I wish I looked this cute (and calm) while applying my makeup.

Next, I woke up the kids, got them dressed, washed their faces, helped them brush their teeth, and sent them downstairs for breakfast. I popped bagels in the toaster for everyone and tended to the dog.

Our little princess, the oh-so-sweet-and-lovely Goobie girl.

After serving breakfast, I started preparing the kids’ food for the day and packing their lunch boxes… I could go on but I won’t bore you with the particulars of my morning routine. Needless to say, the shorter I grew on time, the faster I tried to get things done, the more forgetful I became as time marched on.

I'm getting tired just thinking of these crazy mornings!

As I shoved the last lunch box into the appropriate backpack, I took stock of time for what might have been the bazillionth time.

“Kids!” I bellowed like I always do at 8:25 a.m. “Five minutes until we have to leave the house! Go to the washroom, wash your hands, brush your hair, and get your stuff on!”

I glanced down at myself and remembered that I was still wearing my PJs.

A little secret I’d like to share: I tend to keep my PJ top on and throw on a pair of jeans or yoga pants to walk the kids to school. No one is the wiser since I wear a jacket to hide the PJ top. It doesn’t make sense to dress for work yet when I have to walk the kids to school during these dog days of winter.

Ok, we don't get anywhere near this amount of snow in Toronto, but you get my drift.

“Four minutes left!” I yelled as I raced up the staircase, down the hallway, and into my bedroom to change out of my PJ bottoms.

“Three minutes!” I hollered as I exited my bedroom and dashed down the hallway to get to the stairs.

I sucked in my breath (these morning routines are tiring!), and began my descent down the staircase like a mad woman.

About three stairs down, I noticed a cool draft on my legs. I stopped dead in my tracks. The kids, all bundled up, were staring up at me, wide-eyed, from the bottom of the stairs. No one said a word.

I glanced down at my legs and gasped. My legs were completely bare. Even my toes were naked. I had changed out of my PJ bottoms and had forgotten to put on my jeans or yoga pants. Talk about coasting on autopilot!