vacation – Urban Suburban Mommy

You’re not just a mom

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in The Best You .

Wellness isn’t all yoga and smoothies, vitamins and the newest fad diet. Sure, sleep, eating right, regular doctors visits and keeping hydrated are all extremely beneficial when it comes to wellness, but you know what? Sometimes it needs to be all about us.

This dawned on me as I was sitting at Sick Kids hospital with my son for five hours this morning and then deciding to call it ‘A vacation day’ because I’d already missed more work than I wanted to make up.

My VACATION days are sacrificed for my children. Gladly.

Dinner? I make what THEY want.

Girls weekends in Vegas? Sorry, little bunny has a school play that Friday.

photo: Michael Daddino

Honestly, when I realized I was sacrificing my purse and shoe ~~addiction~~ collection in order to fund the needs of these children, I knew I’d discovered the selflessness of motherhood.

Plus the staying up with sick kids, trading sleep for snuggles when they have bad dreams, playing board games (or bored games, I need a break from Candyland!), and sitting through hours of Dora, Caillou and Ruby – because, let’s face it, I really never need to hear any of those voices again – tell the tale.

We don’t have to NOT be moms, there’s no stopping that train, but we need to remember that we are also human beings. When was the last time a day was all about you? How about half-a-day? How about three consecutive hours?

It’s time to take a vacation day and use it. It’s time to leave them at daycare and NOT feel guilty on a day off. It’s time to pick a movie we want to see for once, go swimming without having to “watch this!” or spend time with a friend having tea without interruptions every minute, on the minute. It’s time to make a real dinner with adult flavours and real china instead of pandering to the mini masses.

It’s not a rejection of motherhood. I LOVE being a mom. I think that’s why it’s so easy to put myself last and worry more over their needs than mine. There’s no way I can possibly refuse to wake up for a nightmare or a sick child, but there are ways to carve out time for us and not be *just a mom* – and by JUST, I don’t minimize motherhood, not for one second. Motherhood is all-encompassing, I do it because I think it’s the biggest, best and most important job there is. But it’s time to rethink it and not make motherhood the only recognizable part of the people we are.

Next vacation day I’m hitting the spa, drinking champagne and buying myself something pretty.

(Unless my kids really need me!)

Gone cruising: A review of Norwegian Epic

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

Over the years my family and I have cruised multiple cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Disney, Celebrity, Costa, and Princess just to name of few. Never being one afraid to try something new, for our past summer vacation I wanted to experience a new cruise line for our European Trip. The only requirements were that the ship had to leave from Rome and that it was child friendly.

We selected the Norwegian Epic as its itinerary was perfectly suited for the time frame that we were travelling and from my experience as a travel agent, I knew that Norwegian Cruise Lines had an excellent children’s program.

As of today the Norwegian Epic is the 7th largest cruise ship in the world at 155,873 tonnes, 19 decks and carries 4,010 passengers. This type of mega ship has many of the bells and whistles that most contemporary cruise lines offer including water slides, rock wall, multiple restaurants, full service spa, casinos, theatres and kids clubs.

I want to share my overall impressions of the ship and its amenities.

First impressions of the ship is that it’s big.

We had sailed other larger ships in the past (mostly notable the Oasis of the Seas which once held the title of the largest ship) so we were not overwhelmed or surprised. Upon boarding we found the ship very easy to navigate, just a few unexpected hallways that lead to a dead end that resulted in some back tracking, but I think that’s part of the fun of exploring a new ship.

In October 2015 this ship underwent a dry dock which resulted in many upgrades and refurbishments to the dining areas and Kids Aqua Park. We tend to cruise on newer ships, so we really liked the feel of the freshness of the whole ship.

Since the Norwegian Epic has so many specialty restaurants we upgraded to the dining plan which allowed us to enjoy some fabulous meals at Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian Steakhouse), La Cucina (Italian), Cagney’s Steakhouse, and Tappanyaki (Japanese Hibachi).

Even when we ate at the main restaurants we were never disappointed in the quality or quantity of the food provided. Even the main buffet provided great selections for the whole family. The only meal which we found did not meet the rest of the ship’s standards was when we dinned and watched the Cirque Dreams show – however the show itself was so entertaining that the food was not the main focus.

The Kids Club was definitely a big bonus to this trip. The kids just LOVED it and would ask to go all the time. On occasion they also preferred to dine with the other kids as well. Each day the kids club had a new theme, like “Heroes or Villains?” and “Pirate Adventures.” They enjoyed pajama parties, made wacky tacky, participated in sports action and made friends with children from all over the world.

The Epic ship has some of the most interesting staterooms at sea.

The most notable difference is the split bath. Although convenient with families, it does cause some challenges when there are multiple people in the cabin at the same time. For example, if someone is using the sink, you have to climb over the bed to get past them. Another challenge that we faced was since we had a connecting stateroom, the connecting door was placed where the closet would have been so we did find that storage for 4 people was insufficient.

Here is a walk through of our Cabin:

The ship sailed a fabulous itinerary which included Livorno (where we spent the day at Cinque Terre), Cannes, Provence, Barcelona, Naples/Pompeii and one day at sea. Each port was anywhere between 9 to 12 hours which provided us with plenty of time to get off and explore without feeling too rushed.

In summary, I give this ship cabin a 6/10 taking points off for the layout. For overall value, itinerary and amenities I would give it a 8/10. Norwegian Cruise line provided an extremely memorable experience and a cruse line that we would cruise with again.

Clara Power is a mother to 2 well traveled kids, Andrew and Lauren. She is a Personal Travel Advisor at her own travel agency, Clara Power TPI, which is in association with Travel Professionals International. As an active traveler having visited over 35 countries and almost every continent, (still working on Antarctica), Clara is no stranger in understanding the unique wants and needs of families travelling together making her your expert choice for creating those special family vacation experiences. Her agency is also recognized as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner due to her extensive knowledge and superior service.

Do not hesitate to call her today to learn about what she can do to help you plan a seamless and enjoyable vacation!
cpower@tpi.ca
clarapower.ca
ClaraPowerTPI

More great travel info on Epic Traveller.

Disney – should you stay on the resort?

Posted on September 22, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

It’s a question that comes up again and again – you’re planning a trip to Disney – should you stay at a Disney resort? We caught up with Clara Power from TPI, an authorized Disney vacation planner agency and she explains the many perks of staying on a Walt Disney World resort. Continue reading →

Another great getaway

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

Upgrade!

Recently, my husband was on a job out of town and had to spend two weeks living in a hotel. Not getting to see their dad nightly was hard on the boys. Dad’s hours are insanely long – he’s not a 9-to-5er and he’s only occasionally home for dinner during the week – but a whole 2 weeks with little more than a few Facetime sessions just wasn’t working for us.

Now we love a good hotel stay – and I’ve written about our staycations before – so the boys and I turned it into a good time. I was able to take some vacation time each Friday, and drive us out to spend some time together.

I did not have to make this bed

I can’t recommend staycations highly enough. You may think “Why on earth would I ever spend money on a room when I already have a home that I pay for, and it’s only a few miles away?”

Think about it differently. If you take a day off and spend it at home, do you really take a day off? Or do you use it to catch up on chores. Do you see the cobwebs in the corner and think “Wow, I have the time to take care of that!” Or get to the little reno/repair/redecorate project that you’ve been putting off. And at home, do the kids expect you to make dinner? Get them stuff? Are they feeling the fun?

Nope.

The Doubletree gave us cookies when we checked in (and then more cookies when we went late-night exploring)

Hotels don’t have to be expensive. Hotwire.com, Hotels.com, Trivago.ca, Expedia.ca – and a ton of others, from Groupon to WagJag have offers and deals galore. And you might be surprised to find that big cities and airport strips are especially full of empty rooms on weekends that no big events are taking place. They’d rather get something than nothing, and some of the deals I’ve enjoyed have been crazy. My best find was a 4-star hotel with breakfast, parking and free Internet for $72.

The fun of a hotel lays with the amenities. Room service. Breakfast in PJs. Late-night hotel exploring. Swimming pools. Games rooms. Having the whole family snuggling in front of one TV watching a movie – and many hotels have a movie service that offers movies still playing in theatres. A new release for a family of 4 $12 in the room as opposed to $50 at the theatre – what a steal! If you’re celebrating something and you let them know, they often offer you an upgrade or send a treat to your room. Even if you’re not celebrating, always ask about upgrades. If there really are a lot of vacancies they may try to win your love with a special suite. We’ve had huge jacuzzi rooms, double rooms, palatial rooms, dessert sent up and even wine brought to our room with the hotel’s compliments.

Just be nice.

And remember to tip.

: The Raddisson

: The Westin Bristol Place

: The Best Western Plus

: The Sheraton

Just goofing at the Hilton

Nobody expects you to make dinner. Nobody expects you to make a bed. Nobody expects anything! Turn off the cell phone, shut down the laptop and just relax, nobody can find you, nobody can bother you, and the kids are mesmerized by the different environment.

I love hotels. I always have – and they’re magical to kids. It’s fancy. It’s rich. It’s a treat-and-a-half. Remember jumping bed to bed, thinking that the complimentary soaps, potions and lotions were treasure, that having your parents’ full attention was the happiest time of your life?

Yep.

Late night at The Raddisson

Staycate. Try it. It’s the most amazing family getaway because it’s easy, convenient and really requires no planning. In fact, we’ve had completely unplanned staycations where we’ve been out and decided to just find a room. There’s an app for that, you know. A quick stop for bathing suits and toothbrushes were all we needed. I would never say no.

Maxing out in Mexico

Posted on April 15, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

FEATURE shane and sullivan pool oasis mexico

You always hear about people taking last-minute vacations – well Saturday my husband and I went into a travel agency with the muppets in tow, and asked to book whatever was leaving the next morning.

I will definitely try that again, because it worked out so well. There was no anticipation with the kids. there was no build-up. There was just 4 plane tickets to Cancun, Mexico with an all-inclusive 4.5 star resort at the other end.

My husband often works 16-18 hour days and my 9-to-5 grind starts at 6.30 am and ends after the kids are in bed, the clothes are put away and the dishes are done. The days merge into weeks and into months. Spending time in an all-inclusive resort where the biggest decision is “beach or pool” was absolutely heavenly! Good food and bottomless tropical drinks were just a bonus, time with the family was all I wanted.

Time with the family and a swim-up bar.

We stayed at The Grand Oasis Palm. As far as luxury resort chains go, it was nice. Numerous restaurants, a few different pools, a decent beach and spotlessly clean. I couldn’t believe how we’d lucked out.

On day 3 we decided to check out Kids Club.

Kids Club!

I never knew that such a thing existed, but when it comes to all-inclusive resorts, you HAVE TO check out the Kids Club. It was definitely the most spectacular surprise.

Now maybe this shows how little we travel. We go to Great Wolf Lodge a lot, and we stay in nice hotels around the city for staycations, but we’ve never been to a resort as a family, and we had no clue!

Kids Club at The Grand Oasis Palm was a child’s dream come true. A big pool with two waterslides, a room complete with a dozen gaming systems – Wii, PlayStation, XBOX – and beanbag chairs for the kids to veg out on, an arts and crafts room, games room, theatre, a playground with climbers and a trampoline with harness, movie nights, a nap room and a huge staff of childcare providers to watch over the ensuing madness.

The boys couldn’t wait to go to Kids Club and hang out with their friends. They thought they’d found the best place on earth! And while we wanted to spend time with them, it was nice to take a quiet break by the pool and have a little bit of adult time. We even did a romantic dinner one evening at the fine dining restaurant on site. The boys went a few times over the rest of the week and have been telling endless stories about friends they made.

And to whomever invented Kids Club, thank you, you’re a genius.

Cancun is nice because the flight to Mexico from Toronto is about 4 hours. The hotels are under 25 minutes from the airport and, surprisingly, the boys handled the travel quite well. I think it has something to do with the in-seat personal screen with movies, shows and games for entertainment. They certainly didn’t have those when I was a kid!

We were even able to rent a car for the day and drive to Tulum to see the ancient Mayan ruins and go to the market. And because the Oasis is a chain, with a location in Tulum, we were able to visit the Grand Oasis Tulum and enjoy the facilities and our all-inclusive privileges there for the day instead of wasting the sunshine on the 2 hour drive back to Cancun.

View this post on Instagram

Sunkissed and relaxed, a week away was just what we needed. We’re already dreaming about the next destination. What’s your dream vacation?

View this post on Instagram

The bottomless piña colada

Posted on April 12, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

We just got back from a wonderful week in Mexico. While I know the “all inclusive resort” life isn’t really Mexico, it was a great – and much needed getaway, where I was able to consume way too many piña coladas and enjoy the beach day after day after day.

I’m back home.

It’s cold.

The harsh, sober reality of no more days by the pool has hit. The only thing to do now is perfect my piña colada recipe and share it. I hope you’ll mix up a batch too, and enjoy some dreams of sunshine and beaches with me.

What you need:

– 3 ounces rum – you can use cocnut rum, golden rum, white rum, light rum – I like Appleton White Jamaica Rum, but Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Royal Oak Trinidadian Rum and the German Old Guadeloupe are delish too.
– 5 ounces pineapple juice
– 3 ounces coconut cream
– 10-15 ice cubes (or frozen pinapple chunks)

What you do:

Easy peasy: Toss it all into the blender until it’s whipped smooth and frothy. Pour into 2 frosted glasses and garnish with a chunk of frozen pineapple.
(Seriously, 3 shots of rum – you should share, though you don’t have to!)

¡Salud!

Yes, but do you Disney?

Posted on February 9, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

They’re only little for such a short time.

Okay, who am I kidding, they’re little for quite long enough to test-drive every last nerve of your very being. But they’re only young enough to be thrilled by Mickey, Minnie and the gang for just a short while. Maybe until they’re 12? Maybe until 10?

So, what I want to know is, do you Disney?

Disney isn’t just that loveable mouse from our childhood, it’s not just a cartoon franchise or a resounding rendition of “It’s a small world after all.” Disney is an all-consuming entity that can find its way into a child’s heart as deeply as it can find its way into the depths of your wallet.

The Disney Store

The Disney Cruise

Tokyo, Paris, Orlando, Anaheim, Shanghai, Hong Kong

Disney Land

Disney World

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Rides, fireworks, parades – and countless trinkets and treasures they can’t live without.

Yes, but do you Disney?

We just can’t decide. There are so many other places we want to take our children. My boys are 5 and 7. They’ve never been on a plane. Is the first place we whisk them away to going to be a culturally contrived yet magical kingdom? Shouldn’t we show them the ocean? A Costa Rican Sunset? An Amazon rainforest? The Valley of the Kings? The Great Barrier Reef? The Great Wall of China? Something exotic, foreign and real? Or do we simply indulge them in the fantasy while they still buy into it, and let them go on thinking that the world beyond our city limits is really the happiest place on Earth?

With the recent purchase of the Star Wars franchise, my husband is full forces in for a Disney adventure. Not the least of all because of the new Star Wars park, bringing that galaxy far, far away to a park not that far away at all.
I’m torn. I have great memories of Disney World as a kid. But it just seems like a vacation that would require a vacation from my vacation. Yet there’s so much to do, so much to see, so much excitement. Why not let them believe just a little bit longer, let the world be that place that magic makes happen.

…Honey get your mouse ears out, we just might do Disney.

Zika virus and why we’re still travelling – just not while we’re pregnant or TTC

Posted on February 5, 2016 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Bon Voyage .

Zika. Zika. Zika.

Before last week I’d never heard this word. Of course, now, I’ve plowed through pictures of babies born with microcephaly, researched where the virus originated, and read a mountain of travel warnings, hysterical commentary and those that are downplaying any risk. Some countries are much more concerned than others – Brazil has seen an exponential spike in cases of microcephaly, causing the warnings and interest, and The Washington Post reports that El Salvador has asked its population to postpone families for two years – just to be safe.

photo by: Stefano Ravalli

Zika virus is like any other virus. Mosquitos carry and transmit this virus. If you get infected, you may or may not feel significant symptoms. You may get a low-grade fever, feel crummy, develop a rash, have redness and sore eyes and have muscle stiffness. Doesn’t sound any worse than a mild flu.

Except if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive (TTC).

It seems the risk is only to those who are pregnant or going to conceive imminently. There is a travel advisory to act with caution and avoid mosquito bites. According to the CDC:

If infected, Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not cause infections in a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood.

So, should you travel? You need to decide for yourself, and we’re neurotic, so we always err on the side of caution – far, far, far on the side of caution – but for this one, we think it’s a limited concern. We wouldn’t go while pregnant or trying to conceive – goodness knows we already have the pressure of “advanced maternal age” and other high-risk issues, but as long as we’re not pregnant or TTC, we’re beach bound.

In fact, with the life of the virus in the body limited to a week, maybe two, it’s probably fine to TTC a month after coming back. But that only even becomes a concern if mama gets bitten and catches the virus.

We checked in with the resorts to see what they’re doing – and they’re being very proactive to afford their guests comfort and peace of mind. RIU Resorts Told us their measures “include controlling the mosquito population that is spreading the disease through their bite. These measures include: cleaning and eliminating objects and areas that may accumulate water, spraying, treating sanitary water with chlorine and biological control methods for natural springs, as well as including physical barriers.” Furthermore, they’re monitoring guests and employees and plans to do follow up in any confirmed cases.

Photo by: Rob

We also spoke to Sandals Resorts International, who confirmed much of the same, noting it “will handle any individual concerns on a case-by-case basis, with guests’ peace of mind of paramount importance. All Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts continue to meet and exceed on-resort environmental standards – from increasing eradication methods to the removal of potential mosquito breeding grounds – maintaining the highest possible protocols in the world led by a team of professionally trained environmental health and safety officers.” In addition, they focus on “education for team members and local communities, building awareness and recommending preventative measures to extend beyond the resorts.”

So, does Zika cause microcephaly?

At the moment there is no conclusive evidence that Zika virus causes microcephaly and stunts brain development during gestation, however, it seems like it has to be more than just a coincidence that the rate of microcephaly in southern climates has risen with the proliferation of Zika. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) have weighed in on what it would take for conclusive findings.

Scientific American reports:

A top official from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told reporters today that to firm up the connections between the two conditions researchers must study the documented microcephaly cases, the case history of pregnant women and conduct case-control studies of babies born in affected areas such as Brazil to get further insights. Only then, following careful analyses, can scientists solidify the Zika–microcephaly links and the required preventative steps.

While that may take a long time to conclude, Scientific American also reports:

The director general of WHO, Margaret Chan, however, said that although that causal relationship has not been proved, it is “strongly suspected.” That is due, in part, to other research that has shown the virus is capable of crossing the placental barrier and showing up in amniotic fluid.

We are not doctors and we are not virologists, just mamas trying to figure out if we should travel, and we’re sharing our insights. You need to make informed decisions and should speak to your doctor for more information. Urban Suburban Mommy is in no way dispensing medical advice, only sharing some of the information we have gathered for ourselves.

There are always ski trips if sun vacations have you concerned.

Great Wolf Lodge – 10 insider tips for a howling fun stay!

Posted on December 13, 2015 by urbansuburbanmommy Posted in Bon Voyage, Mommy Approved .

Holiday Lodge – Great Wolf Lodge, Niagara Falls

We had a howling good time during our recent stay at Great Wolf Lodge. They were just getting ready for the holidays and had Santa and Mrs. Claus as special guests. They made it snow in the lodge!!!!

It’s really quite an unbelievable place, a hotel chain designed around making a child’s every vacation moment too good to be true. Brilliant really, it keeps the kids asking to come back, again and again.

Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I love Great Wolf Lodge just as much as the kids. First a bit about the place and why we go, then scroll down to the bottom to see the best insider tips for a great stay.

The basics:

Our trip last spring

Great Wolf Lodge has 14 locations, 13 in the United States and one location in the Honeymoon Capital of the World, Niagara Falls. Each hotel has a very similar set-up. Rooms are themed, some offering bunk beds, a fireplace and whirlpool tubs, it varies depending on the suite. They really are amazing!

Throughout the hotel there are animated forest animals that the kids can meet. There is a waterpark – each location is unique – but all have amazing waterslides, water playgrounds, wave pools, play pools, hot tubs and a lazy river.

The hotel is also the setting for Magic Quest. All it takes is a wand and starting up a game, and each child can be turned into a Magi, following quests, hunting clues, waving wands, collecting digital gold and amassing runes to fight the dragon. The computer system keeps the games going and each visit your young Magi can add onto their previous progress.

There are also other funtimes, like bowling, mini-put, an arcade and a bunch of restaurants, as well as gift shops and lots of merchandise for the little ones to dig into!

Why we love the place:

Story Time

The kids have the bet time. All of the activity helps them to sleep very well at night, but just to ensure this, the hotel does music and story time to help get the littles off to bed. They even offer a Cub Club, paid childcare to run your little muppet through some great activities and story time. Mommy and Daddy deserve some alone time in all of this crazy kid-centred fun (so I hear, we’ve yet to try it)!

They even offer an all-inclusive dining package. We like it. Breakfast, lunch and dinner without having to think about it. The food is quite decent and ultimately, though not cheap, offers decent value. It includes non-alcoholic drinks and tip. Where else can you let your kids roam around a hotel making friends and having high-volume fun while getting to stay in your pajamas or comfies all day. Seriously, flip-flops and fuzzy bunny slippers are the only footwear you need, because you never have to leave.

It’s my vacation too. The private patios in the room are a great place to enjoy the view and have a break

We’ve gone at least twice a year for about 3 years now, and have learned a few tricks to a great deal and a great stay.

One night is fun, it gives you waterpark passes for both the day of arrival and day of departure, but two nights is more optimal, three is our max. There’s just too much to do for a one-night stay and your kids can’t get enough of it.
Join their newsletter mailing lists. They regularly send out discount codes. I wait until I get a 25% – 30% off code and then book. For the best savings, you should plan to book 2 – 3 months in advance.
It’s not as expensive as it sounds. We usually upgrade to a themed suite so we’re not going for the cheapest room price, but even at $200/night, when you think, there are 2 days of waterpark passes for 4 people for the one night’s stay. If you consider a regular waterpark is at least $30/person admission, do the math and you can clearly see the value.
Be nice. They’re super-accommodating, and the employees, from my experience, will always try to go the extra mile. It CAN NOT BE EASY to work there, yet everyone is so nice. The kids yelling, the kids going crazy, the lights and sounds and activity of the Magic Quest, the costumes, the events, the waterpark and the weekend kids’ dance parties… It’s quite a ‘special’ work environment, and requires a special kind of employee.
Paw Passes are great for the first visit, but may not offer you value if you’re only staying one night. And they’re not so simple to share between your kids so they can get expensive. But they’re a treat, so check first if you’re planning on doing and buying a few of the things included in the Paw Pass because there’s extremely good value if you’re planning to do a lot of Great Wolf Lodge’s activities.
The rooms have fridges and microwaves with a little bar skink – like a little kitchenette set-up. Bring your own cocktails, snacks and food. We do the inclusive meal package one night and have a quiet pizza night the other. If you have dietary restrictions or just want to keep costs down, bring your own food and eat in your room. It’s totally do-able.
While I don’t drink much – or often – around my kids, it’s my vacation too. The Niagara falls location (and possibly others) is completely licensed, so, when you leave the restaurant they will put your adult beverage in a to-go cup and you can take it with you throughout the resort. Ditto for your morning coffee! If you bring your own alcohol with, keep it in travel cups, don’t go carrying wine glasses and beer bottles through the hotel, the kids will catch on that you’re having your own kind of fun, and you know how that goes!
Have a credit card with available funds on it so that you can have your wristband connected to your credit card, that way you never need to carry money. The wristband is your waterpark pass, your hotel room key and your spending account. I wish I had one of these for the rest of my life.
On check-out day, if you want to stay at the waterpark past 11am (check-out time) you should get a locker. They’re cheap and convenient and hold a fair amount of stuff. They can put your luggage in storage for the day. I don’t ever feel good about leaving my stuff in our van in a parking lot all day.
Have fun. Seriously, give it all a try. The only thing that bothers me is that they didn’t have anything like this when I was a kid!

After so many trips to Great Wolf Lodge, I still haven’t had my fill. We just went a couple of weeks ago and we’re already looking forward to returning. If you’ve got any Great Wolf questions, just hit us up, and we’ll give you our Urban Suburban Mommy-approved insight. It really is a howling good time.