Wisconsin Dells

This year, we decided to head up north for our annual family vacation, and ended up in the Wisconsin Dells. We stayed at the Wilderness Resort and the kids enjoyed 3 full days of water fun. With 8 waterparks (yes, I said 8) to choose from within the resort, there was plenty of stuff to do without having to leave. JD enjoyed the mammoth waterslides and water rides, while Ava and Grant were very content on just playing in the wave pool and sliding down the kiddie rides. This place also boosted 4 mini-golf courses, sandy beach, haunted house, 3 huge arcades and plenty of other fun things for kids to do. Needless to say, no one got very bored on this vacation. We did manage to get away from the resort (for a very short time, the kids needed to get their swim time in) and visited nearby Devil's Lake, shopped at the outlet malls and walked along the river downtown and what trip isn't complete without visiting the local candy store. Yes, Ava got the giant sucker that every kid envies, and no matter how hard Daddy tried to persuade her into other choices, she just wasn't going to let go of that foot-long sucker :) Matt and I enjoyed some tasty chocolate covered chips, but we weren't to fond of the chocolate covered bacon. JD had some crazy wafer candy and poor Grant just stared at his sucker. Yes, it wasn't until 3 hours later that we discovered Grant's reasoning for not wanting to eat his, it was cinnamon flavored, and very spicy for that matter. So when Grant was saying "Hot" he was referring to the sucker and not the weather! :) (P.S. JD picked out Grant's sucker thinking it was cherry:) In all though, we had a very fun trip and ended it with a stroll through the Amana Colonies in Iowa. Our trip through NE was a different story.....I'll post pictures later :)

Madison, WI "Home of the Badgers"

Ava enjoying the "baby swings"

Grant giving "Monty" a high-five....and where is Ava.......??

Oh....there she is....hiding from the "Giant Moose" (Ava doesn't like clowns, puppets, or giant mascots...according to her, they are "Very Scary"!!

Beautiful "Devil's Lake"

What.....Chocolate covered Bacon......I usually love chocolate, but not a fan of this. I don't think that chocolate and bacon should be used together in the same sentence :)


Downtown Wisconsin Dells overlooking the Wisconsin River


Breath-taking sunset on Lake Delton


Enjoying the "Lost World" waterpark

The kids' "We're not ready to leave yet" faces :)

The kids enjoying some "calm" water before the waves begin.....this wave pool is the largest indoor one in North America.

Ava along side Marilyn

JD hanging out with the "King"

Video of Ava and JD enjoying the waves.....sorry for my unsteady recording, but it's hard trying to keep the camera still when you're getting bombarded with waves and holding Grant :)