Water Park Adventures

A couple of days before Thanksgiving, we went on a little family vacation to the Great Wolf Lodge.

We had never been there before and the idea of going to a water park in the winter sounded like fun.

This post is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with the Great Wolf Lodge.  We just had a fun time and I wanted to share. 

So, in order to use the water park you have to stay the night in their hotel.  Check in is at 4pm although our room was ready when we arrived at 1pm.  You can use the water park from 1pm on arrival day till when they close on the day you check out.  There are bathrooms, showers and changing rooms at the water park so you can easily change into your swim suits when you arrive even without being able to get into your hotel room.   Oh, and if you are celebrating a birthday, the birthday kid (or adult in our case) gets all they can eat ice cream for FREE!  When we checked in, all the kids got a pair of wolf ears to wear.  And since my husband's birthday just happened to be during our stay, he got his own special pair of wolf ears too.  We all got wristbands to wear during our stay which let us into the water park.  And my hubby got a special wrist band to show it was his birthday and allow him all the ice cream he wanted.

The lodge was all decorated for Christmas.  It looked like a winter wonderland.  Below is a picture of the front desk area taken from the floor above.

There were lots of Christmas trees in the lobby surrounding the large fireplace.  They even had a mailbox for letters to Santa.

The lodge is 4 stories although most of the activities were on the first and second floors.  I booked our trip online but when we arrived, we were asked which floor we wanted to stay on since there were several rooms available.  The lobby is actually on the second floor and the water park is on the first floor.  I thought it would be easiest to stay on the same floor as the water park since I would be toting the little one around in a stroller.  

The water park was great.  They had several different areas but it was pretty open so it was easy to keep an eye on the kids.  

Here is the wave pool that the three oldest just loved.  They spent hours in there.  It was like a beach in that the water level went from 0 inches to about 5 feet deep.  Every so often an alarm would sound, signaling the start of the waves.  The kids would go crazy.

There were several huge tube slides, some of them expanding to the outside of the building.  I felt like I was riding a roller coaster on a few of them.  In the picture below, you can see my oldest daughter in the blue inner tube, she just came out of the yellow and green tube slide.  Most of the tube slides come out into the 'lazy river', but you can also enter the lazy river without having to go down a slide.

Here is another view of the lazy river.

I jokingly refer to our youngest as hydrophobic because since day 1 he has hated getting wet.  Bath time, swimming pools, he screams and cries if even just his feet go in.  Needless to say he didn't get in the water much.  Luckily, he was perfectly content to sit in his stroller and watch all the action.

Here's a shot of the kiddie slides.  Our five year old enjoyed going down them all by herself.  The lodge had plenty of swim vests for the younger kids to wear so I didn't have to worry about her if I let her and one of my older kids go down the tube slides together.  

There was even an agility course that my daughter and I raced across.  It's much harder than it looks but I'm happy to report that I didn't fall off.

Beside playing in the water park, there were other activities.  For older kids there was this whole MagiQuest adventure.  That was an added cost and I thought only one of the four kids would like it so we didn't do it.  There was a 4D movie, mini golf, bowling, arcade games and even a spa.  We spent so much time enjoying the water park that we didnt' try out any of these other things.  

In the evenings there was an animated story time.  I've included a video at the end of this post to show you how much our youngest loved this musical story time.  There were also some kids crafts such as decorating the wolf ears, face painting and making bracelets.  Of course the girls had to do the crafty things.

It was a fun filled adventure and we all enjoyed our stay.  Having children of varying ages, from toddler to teenager, can make it difficult to find something we all enjoy.  I'm pleased to report this water park fit the bill.  Would I recommend the Great Wolf Lodge to friends?  Yes.  Would I go back?  Probably not very often only because it's not cheap.  It's a nice little vacation, but not something I would make an annual trip out of.  That being said, I am glad we went.

And here's the video of our one year old dancing along to the songs during the evening's story time.

Subscribe to CONTROLLING Craziness and get my blog updates via email.   Don't miss anymore posts, click HERE to get email updates.

And don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Be Happy Today (a personal post about pregnancy after miscarriage)

This is a personal post about my experience with pregnancy after miscarriage.  However; I think some of these same feelings could apply to any type of loss or disappointment and our desire to reduce that sadness by reducing our happiness.

After years of trying to get pregnant and going through infertility treatments we were finally blessed with two children via IUI.  Our first was born in December 2002 and our second was born in September 2004.  

So imagine our surprise when I became naturally pregnant in 2007.   After years of trying to get pregnant, surely I would have no problem staying pregnant.  I was wrong.  Sadly that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.  I was devastated and depressed.

Over time, I felt better and things got better.  Still wanting more children, we began to pursue the route of adoption.  I had accepted the fact that I may never bear another child and I was at peace with that.

So once again imagine our surprise when we found out we had naturally gotten pregnant in 2010.

This time things were different, I was different.  

Having experienced a miscarriage had dampened the joy of this pregnancy.  I mean what if ‘it’ happened again.  I couldn’t let myself get too happy, I couldn’t go through that disappointment again.  As if sadness is inversely proportionate to happiness. 

I kept my feelings in check and worried all throughout that pregnancy that something would go wrong.  I didn’t even want to take pictures of my pregnant self.  I think I only have 2, one being the day I went into the hospital to deliver.  In fact the day of delivery, I was certain something would go wrong.  When my healthy baby girl was born, I couldn't believe it and even wondered what was wrong with her. 

I had clouded that entire pregnancy worrying about the what ifs.  I never allowed myself to feel full joy and happiness because of some possible tragedy that might occur in the future.  It took me a couple of years (which included another miscarriage) to come to this point but now as I look back I realize that reducing my happiness and excitement of the moment, I wasn’t sparing myself pain, I was only preventing myself from feeling happy. 

I don’t want to do that again.  I want to enjoy the moment.  To feel happy, excited and joy when those emotions should be felt.  Yes, pain may come, but it will not be decreased by dampening our happiness.  Reducing happiness will not reduce pain.   I don’t want to miss out on life’s joys because I’m too scared of what might happen later.  I want to love today, I want to be happy today.

I originally wrote this post months ago after finding out that I was pregnant with our 4th child.  It's taken me a while to get up the courage to share my feelings and personal experience, but I do think it's important to share.  I've been much happier this pregnancy, and loving it, and not worrying (so much).  I truly am choosing to be happy and it feels so good to share this happiness with others.

If you are interested in reading more stories from women about miscarriage, still birth and baby loss; here is a link called Breaking the Silence.  

"We speak and we write and we share not only for ourselves (though it is a balm), but also for the ones who will come after us and who will need light in their dark hour."

Subscribe to CONTROLLING Craziness and get my blog updates via email.   Don't miss anymore posts, click HERE to get email updates.

And don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Controlling Anger - Nails in the Fence FHE

Last night for Family Home Evening, we had a lesson about "Controlling Your Anger".
I saw the "Nails in the Fence" story on Facebook, and used that as my lesson.

 

Nails In The Fence
Author Unknown

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said "I hope you can forgive me father for the holes I put in you."

"Of course I can," said the father.


I read the story, but left out the part about putting a knife in a man (a bit too gory for my taste).
Then I had each kid take turns hammering a nail into a piece of wood and then taking it out.

The kids enjoyed the hands on aspect of the lesson, and  I thought this was a good way to demonstrate the damage that can be done when we say and do things in anger.

I would love for you to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

12 Ways to Make Your Parents Feel Special

Kristin@InstaMommy is here guest posting today.

With Mother's Day in May and Father's Day in June, it is important to take a moment to let your parents know how much you love them and appreciate all they have done for you throughout your life. While you don't need to spend a lot of money to make them feel special, you should do something for them from time to time to let them know you don't take them for granted. Here are 12 unique ways to make your parents feel special.

1.  Customized cards:
Mothers love having photos of their family around their home. Why not create customized mother's day cards that include photos of the entire family? The Mother’s Day cards at Shutterfly are very easy to customize with photos and sayings for a truly unique gift.

2.       Call regularly:
Don't wait for a special occasion or Sunday afternoon to call. Have a few minutes on a Tuesday afternoon? Give your parents a call to just say “hello – I love you.” That will absolutely make their day! 

3.       A surprise night out:
Just like you don't need a special occasion to call your parents, you don't need a special occasion to take them out. Surprise them on a Saturday afternoon and take them to brunch. Or to a movie. It doesn't need to be fancy, or even expensive. Just take them out and enjoy each other's company. Especially as parents age or have difficulty getting around, they will certainly appreciate a surprise outing!

4.       Send flowers:  There are certain times in a young boy's life when they will buy flowers for their mother. Trust me when I say it means the world to them. As those young boys grow into men, it is easy to get caught up in the business of everyday life and forget how much those little things meant. Surprise your mother one day by sending her flowers. Want to score extra points? Bring them to her instead of just having them delivered!

5.       Be respectful:
It may sound silly, but respect for your elders is something that is getting lost today. As we become adults, it is easy to look at your parents as fellow adults and forget they are still your parents. Make sure you always treat them and speak to them respectfully.

6.       Movie DVD:
Is there a movie you remember always watching with your mom or dad? Or is there a movie they could watch over and over again? Why not pick up that movie for them so they can watch it whenever they wish! For Your Entertainment has a huge variety of different movies on DVD available so you can find that favorite movie for your parents.

7.       Coffee break:
To go along with that favorite movie, why not get a gift selection of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? That will be the perfect snack to have while they watch their favorite movie. Mighty Leaf has a variety of tea and coffee gift sets that will let them enjoy their movie even more.

8.       Personalized family pillow:
Something that is completely unique is a personalized family pillow. This is a great accessory for the couch that keeps their entire family close by. It will certainly be a conversation piece!





9.       Charm bracelet:
Charm bracelets have become very popular in recent years. What was originally thought of as a gift for a young girl, now everyone is wearing them! Helzberg has a lovely mom charm set that will show everyone how much you love your mom.

10.   Schedule a family portrait:
We've all had family portraits taken when we were children. It was usually a day of frustration as mom frantically tried to keep the kids neat and interested while the photographer desperately tried to shoot that perfect photo. Now that everyone is grown up, treat your parents to an updated family portrait. Then have it framed for them so they can show it off in their home.

11.   Necklace:
A beautiful way to give your mother a special gift is purchasing customized jewelry. It shows you wanted to give her something that she can always have with her and will think of her children every time she wears it. 

12.   Live a life they can be proud of:
Parents have always tried to be the best parents they could be; but rarely does that mean they were perfect. It is easy to forget that our behavior reflects on them. As a saying I once heard goes, people would live better lives if they always did things as if their mother was nearby. Most of all, make sure you live a positive life they can be proud of – as well as yourself.


Thanks to Kristin for these great ideas.  What would you like to give or receive?   I'm loving that family pillow, wonder if I could DIY something like that?

For more Mother's Day gift ideas be sure to check out my posts from last week.

Thanks for stopping by,
Christa

Take Care of Yourself

As moms, we are often so busy taking care of others, that we don't take time out for ourselves.
We need to remember that by being healthy and happy, we are best able to help those around us.

Recently I found out that my friend (and the mom of my daughter's best friend) was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer.   (You can find out more about the different stages of this cancer HERE, and about the survival rates HERE.)   FYI:  Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. With regular Pap smears, cervical cancer can be prevented in just about all cases.

I was stunned and starting thinking about everything I would miss if I died while my kids were still young.  I want to see my kids grow up, and I'm looking forward to being there when they get married and start families of their own.  I want to grow old with my husband.  Because of my love for my family, I want to take care of myself.  I need to schedule my own routine check ups and make sure I keep up to date with that so if anything irregular comes up, it will be detected early.

About this same time, I received an email from Heather.

She said,

Family Tree Art

According to AccuWeather.com, there was supposed to be a dazzling Northern Lights display Saturday night due to a solar flare that occurred around 2 a.m. Thursday morning.  

"Viewing conditions will be best in the mid-Atlantic, specifically for parts of Pennsylvania and the Delmarva. Most of the country will have poor to fair views as a result of cloud cover, with areas further south not experiencing the aurora at all."

Pumpkin Picking Fun

Saturday the kids and I went to Family Tree Farm with my parents, my sister and her boyfriend.
 

We had a blast.  The people who worked there were so friendly and helpful.   The price was reasonable too, it was $20 for a family, and the pumpkins were .40 cents a pound.  I can't say enough good things about the place.  We have a tradition of going pumpkin picking with my parents and sister each year.  We've been going to various places and some have been better than others.  I just googled 'pumpkin picking PA' and found this link to all kinds of places.  From there I found the Family Tree Farm website which told me more about the place and we decided to give it a try.  I'm so glad we did.

There was lots to do besides just picking the perfect pumpkin.  They had a corn maze which was not too hard.  We've been to others that we couldn't find our way out in over an hour and exited through the entrance.  This was perfect for us and it only took us about 20 minutes to get through it.  

They also had straw bale tube slides that the kids loved to play in, on and through.

Corn pools were also a bit hit.  While the Babes preferred to transfer corn from one pool to another, the older kids jumped right in.

There was also pumpkin painting, evergreen seedling planting and apple slinging.  The apple slinging was by  far our favorite.
 

A Day of Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving and I'll be taking a break from blogging for a few days. Like most of you, I'll be spending time with family and friends, and doing lots of eating. Just wanted to share with you what I'm most thankful for:

1.  MY FAMILY, the family that raised me and the family I am raising.  I am thankful to have parents who are still married and have instilled such great values in their children.  I am thankful for their willingness to help out and be there for us in the good times and the sad times.  I am thankful to have most of my extended family close by and to share holidays and other special occasions with them.  I am thankful to have found a great guy and that he wanted to marry me too.  I am extremely thankful to have three healthy, beautiful and smart children.  I am thankful for my husband's education and hard work which make it possible for me to stay home with our children.  I am thankful for my in-laws.  They have loved me and made me feel like part of their family since day one.   I am thankful that we have so many people who love us and support us.

2.  MY FAITH.  You can find out more about my beliefs here.  I am grateful for the meaning and purpose it brings to my life and how it makes me want to be a better person.  I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who personally knows me, my trials, my struggles and who blesses me daily and loves me unconditionally.  I am thankful for my knowledge that families can be together forever.  I am eternally grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ who loves me so much that he atoned and sacrificed His life so I can return to Him someday.

Other things I am thankful for are:
my friends who make me laugh and comfort me,
my country where I enjoy many freedoms,
medical advances,
technology that makes communicating with long distance friends and family easier,
electricity (didn't know how much I appreciated it until we were without power for several days this fall)...
...this list could go on and on.  I realize I am so very blessed and have so much to be thankful for.  I am grateful for this day of Thanksgiving to reflect on what we have and to share our abundance with others.

Next week I hope to finally be done a project I started a few days ago. I need to spray paint a few things and just haven't done that yet because of the rain. So hopefully I can get that done over the weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving!