Great Wolf Lodge & Kings Island
Insanity was beginning to set in around our house and we were all getting antsy and itching for a break from the hectic norm. I figured some time away together might hit the spot. Actually, I think it had been nearing two years since we had all been on a "vacation" alone together. We didn't want to spend much and we had little time to plan, so we decided to hoof it nextdoor to Ohio for a couple days. We stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge for two nights and spent three days playing in the hotel's awesome indoor waterpark and hopping to and from the King's Island amusement park next door. Typical of most family vacations, we had a blast and wished we could have stayed away longer.
GREAT WOLF LODGE
Here's Gavin in his cool snorkle goggles and life vest.
To say he fell in love with these goggles during this trip would be an understatement.
Gavin was a watersliding nut - he loved them all
After all the lessons this past year, Gavin is so close to swimming! The vest gave him just enough of a boost that he became pretty well independent in the water. He played and swam as if the sky was the limit!
Natalie caught on to the cool goggle craze and had to try them on for herself in the hotel room.This picture's priceless.
In the hotel room, Gavin slept in the "wolf den." Although I can't say he slept much. He was ecstatic to have his very own little space complete with bunk beds and a little flat-screen TV. Our first night back at home, bedtime brought tears because he wanted to go back and have his top bunk and TV.
Inside the "Wolf Den"
Natalie assumed the big bed in our hotel room was for gymnatics...she entertained herself by jumping and tumbling on the thing for hours. Here's the monkey taking a little break.
Here's Gavin enjoying the top bunk while Natalie cozies up on the bottom bunk for some cartoons before bedtime
KING'S ISLAND 
This was Natalie's first experience with meeting "characters" of any sort and we weren't sure how she would react to them. When we saw Scooby Doo, she clung to Chet and cried when he tried to put her down. But when we saw characters that she knew and liked, it was a whole different story - She would run to them, put her arms out, and nuzzle in for a big hug. Below is Natalie hugging Boots (from "Dora the Explorer). The poor girl didn't want to separate after hugging her pal and cried when we had to carry her away.
The candy store rocked. Natalie knows it's a special occasion when she gets a sucker...and anything within a 2-foot radius surrounding her becomes covered in a slobbery stickiness.
Here's Gavin on the bumper cars. It was hysterical watching all of these little kids driving around on their own. They all made a genuine effort NOT to run into eachother! I guess after so many years of having good manners & car safety drilled into their heads, they are reluctant to drive their "bumper" car straight into another kid. Ha!
Here are the boys walking back after a ride together
Crazy hair!
In the hotel room, Gavin slept in the "wolf den." Although I can't say he slept much. He was ecstatic to have his very own little space complete with bunk beds and a little flat-screen TV. Our first night back at home, bedtime brought tears because he wanted to go back and have his top bunk and TV. 
Inside the "Wolf Den"
Natalie assumed the big bed in our hotel room was for gymnatics...she entertained herself by jumping and tumbling on the thing for hours. Here's the monkey taking a little break.
Here's Gavin enjoying the top bunk while Natalie cozies up on the bottom bunk for some cartoons before bedtime
KING'S ISLANDGavin is a huge Scooby-Doo fan.
He absolutely beamed when we ran into Scooby at King's Island. Ironically, he happened to be wearing his coveted Scooby-Doo shirt at the time.
This was Natalie's first experience with meeting "characters" of any sort and we weren't sure how she would react to them. When we saw Scooby Doo, she clung to Chet and cried when he tried to put her down. But when we saw characters that she knew and liked, it was a whole different story - She would run to them, put her arms out, and nuzzle in for a big hug. Below is Natalie hugging Boots (from "Dora the Explorer). The poor girl didn't want to separate after hugging her pal and cried when we had to carry her away.
The candy store rocked. Natalie knows it's a special occasion when she gets a sucker...and anything within a 2-foot radius surrounding her becomes covered in a slobbery stickiness.
Here's Gavin on the bumper cars. It was hysterical watching all of these little kids driving around on their own. They all made a genuine effort NOT to run into eachother! I guess after so many years of having good manners & car safety drilled into their heads, they are reluctant to drive their "bumper" car straight into another kid. Ha!
Here are the boys walking back after a ride together
Crazy hair!Natalie got so sweaty and wet at the park that her "do" was out of control!
Gavin & Chet conquered Scooby-Doo's haunted castle
Gavin happily posed for a thousand pictures in the Mystery Machine
In pursuit of a daring thrill, Gavin & Mommy boldly rode the "Runaway Reptar!" Although it was technically for kids, I thought it was actually a good coaster. If you zoom in on the picture below, you'll see Gavin and I in the 2nd row
Gavin and Daddy went on the rocking ship ride more times than I could count. Finally, I broke out the camera and got some pictures and video of the boys on their favorite ride. They're at the very top left waving.
Gavin & Chet conquered Scooby-Doo's haunted castle
Gavin happily posed for a thousand pictures in the Mystery Machine
In pursuit of a daring thrill, Gavin & Mommy boldly rode the "Runaway Reptar!" Although it was technically for kids, I thought it was actually a good coaster. If you zoom in on the picture below, you'll see Gavin and I in the 2nd row 
Gavin and Daddy went on the rocking ship ride more times than I could count. Finally, I broke out the camera and got some pictures and video of the boys on their favorite ride. They're at the very top left waving.
Click on the link below to play a short video of some vacation highlights:
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