Great Wolf Lodge

Our Christmas gift from Gigi and Peeps this year was a trip to Great Wolf Lodge for 2 nights! We went from the 25th to the 27th and it was so much fun! It is super nice and even more than the waterpark, there are tons of fun things to do. We enjoyed spending those days together and watching the kids (even the big ones) have fun in the waterpark.

This was when we first got there on the 25th. There is a big window in the lobby that overlooks the waterpark area. The girls were in awe.

But then, we got to our rooms, and they were excited again to see their super fun "wolf den!" They had a set of bunk beds inside a little separate area with a door and a window. It was so cute!  

Everyone put their suits on quickly so we could get down to the waterpark. We loved their matching swimsuits from Gigi and Peeps - it made them very easy to find in the crowded waterpark!

Obviously, we spent most of our time swimming, but there was other stuff to do that was fun when we weren't in the waterpark! The room that the waterpark was in was pretty warm, but the water was not warm at all! The kids didn't mind, but this mama was pretty cold, so I spent a good amount of time in the hot tub or standing on the sides of the play areas, wrapped in a towel, watching the girls slide! There were some fun slides that I went and rode with Randy, and Kendall even went on some of those, too. They had a lazy river, a wave pool, several slide areas, and a toddler area that was perfect for the younger girls. They just went up the steps and down the slides over and over again - they were so happy!

 

Out in the lobby, there is a fun treehouse, and the kids loved climbing the steps to hang out in there. At night, there was a pajama storytime in the lobby, where they even had "snow" fall at the end! Calli was a little freaked out by the animatronics, so she and I stayed in the room for that part, but the big girls had fun!

Gigi and Peeps got each kid a "paw pass" that had 5 different things on it to do or get. They could do these at any point during our stay. One of them was to make a build-a-bear! They got to pick out what they made, watch it be stuffed, and take it home with them! They loved that.

Cooper chose a cute pink bear, Calli chose a character pillow, and for some reason, Kendall really wanted this red dragon! So funny - but she loves it!

 

In their wolf den!

Another of their activities was to get to color a shirt and then take it home. That was a fun break from the waterpark, and Randy and I even enjoyed a little coloring!

 

We stayed at the hotel to eat our meals, eating pizza in Gigi and Peeps' room one night and at one of the restaurants another night. It was just so much fun and the girls went to bed easily and slept great both nights - I think they were worn out!

Thank you, Gigi and Peeps! We had so much fun and made memories that the girls will have forever! It was a great way to spend Christmas together and so much fun to get to swim in the middle of the winter. Thank you so much! 

Christmas in Ft. Worth!

We drove straight to Decatur the night of the 24th to Granny and Papas' new house! These girls were so happy to see their new cousin again when they got there, and had to take turns getting to hold him. We love that Baby Stephen!

 

There just really are no words for Cooper and this baby. She loves him so much and is so sweet with him! She just needs to snuggle him anytime they are in the same room, and she will stay and sit with him even when the other girls get up to go play. She HAS to be touching him and she HAS to be holding him as much as we will let her. It is really just too precious and we love watching her little heart and personality come out when she is around her baby cousin and really any baby. She loves babies!

Not sure how it's possible, but she just keeps getting cuter! We had a great dinner and opened presents and stockings. It was fun to visit with Grandma and Grandpa, Christie, Matt and Angie and the boys, Alden, Scott and Stephen, and Granny and Papas! Such a great night and so wonderful to be in their new house!

That night we drove back in town to Gigi and Peeps and put the girls to bed there. When we woke up on the 25th, we all had a present and stockings to open from Gigi and Peeps. The girls were surprised with a vacation to Great Wolf Lodge! They got new swimsuits in their stockings and found out that later that day we would all be going to an indoor waterpark for two nights! They had fun playing with Gracie, Evy, and Oliver before we got ready to head to Pops and Kiki's house later that morning.

 

 Mid-morning, we went over to Kiki and Pops to celebrate Christmas with them!

The girls got to love on Baby Stephen some more, and had fun playing with Kiki, Pops, and Aunt Megg. Maegan has been taking a photography class and has a new camera, so it was fun to see some of the shots she got. She's doing really well!

 

The girls did a good job opening presents and stockings and made sure to stop and hug the person that gave them the gift and tell them thank you. We have practiced that a lot, and they are doing well. I'm proud of them. :)

Kiki cooked a wonderful meal, and it was just so nice to sit and enjoy visiting with everyone. One of my most favorite presents I got was a note from my Granny saying that she was giving me 8 place settings of her Spode Christmas dishes. We ate Christmas lunch off of those dishes for so many years at her house and that is such a special gift to me! The day after Christmas, Granny had a stroke and was in the hospital for several days, and then a rehab facility for several weeks after that. She is doing better and is in an assisted living facility for awhile before going home, but it just reminded me to be thankful for these sweet times with her!

The kids' table!

Aunt Megg and Stephen!

 It was a great Christmas morning and we enjoyed being with everyone! From Kiki and Pops' we drove straight to Grapevine to Great Wolf Lodge and began our vacation there! 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning!

I'm finally getting caught up on Christmas blogging! It was a busy end of the month, then when January came, Randy went to Cambodia for two weeks and the girls and I got the flu. He is home now, we are better, and now I can get caught up!

We had a wonderful Christmas eve and Christmas morning at home. We had services at church on the night of the 22nd and 23rd, and we all went for both nights. I served in children's ministry on the 22nd with Kendall, and then we attended the services on the 23rd. The girls wore their precious Christmas dresses from Gigi and Peeps and of course, we took more pictures.

After the services on the 23rd, we came home to get ready for Santa to come! Michelle also came over so that we could exchange gifts with her, and the girls were so excited to find out that she got them each a Chuck E Cheese date with her! I couldn't even get them still enough for a picture that wasn't blurry because they were so excited.

Cooper and Calli with our cookies for Santa!  

 They went to sleep pretty quickly and were ready to go early Christmas morning (the 24th).  They were excited to see what Santa brought them - Kendall got the game Headbands, Cooper got the game Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel, and Calli got a Doc McStuffins doctor kit. And stockings!

Then they opened their presents from us. Kendall got the book The Little Drummer Boy (which was all she asked for this year), a bracelet making kit, and a What's in the Bible DVD. Cooper got an ant farm, Lincoln Logs, and a DVD, and Calli got an Elsa doll, some instruments, and a DVD. It was a fun morning!

 

Then we ate breakfast, packed up, and got on the road for Ft. Worth! The girls got to bring some of their presents, and Calli was very attached to her Elsa doll and her Doc McStuffins ear-checker. Which is ironic because she had just had ear surgery the week before. The girls did great on the long car ride and were excited to go see their grandparents!