Tonight, we are ringing in 2012 at Surfari Joe's in beautiful Watervliet, Michigan. Actually, I have no idea whether or not it is beautiful because I have seen none of the actual town. You literally turn off 94 directly into the parking lot of this massive indoor water park/hotel.
We ran into a deal that Surfari Joe's was having that included a night's stay in one of their hotel rooms, a Pizza Hut dinner for 4 (brought to the hotel), and an all-access family pass to the water park. We decided to give it a whirl, so here we are.
It's been just awesome. The kids swam and swam and swam. There were water slides and a lazy river and valves and wheels to turn that released water in a delightful spray. Most of the water park is only six inches deep, so we were free to let the kids wander at will and watch them giggle and be wild. AJ would climb up the rope ladder and fly down the slide over and over again. Breslin loved to float on his back in a tube down the lazy river. Dharia was just all over the place in typical Dharia-fashion. We ate pizza and the kids loved the hotel room experience too. Case in point: I am now watching the three of them "hide" each other behind the mirrored sliding glass doors and then take feigning shock when one of the doors is opened. We brought "Thomas Uno" that Breslin got in his stocking. All five of us sat on the bed and played together. I think it really goes without saying that Breslin is naturally awesome at the game Uno and legitimately wins a significant percentage of the times we have played so far.
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| Eating pizza and watching "Yo Gabba Gabba" in the hotel room...gotta love Netflix! |
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| Horsing around between swim sessions |
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| Cuties. |
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| AJ shows off her stunning figure in a striped one-piece. |
And they are exhausted, let me tell you what. All three are now asleep on one of the two queen beds in our room, which I should really get off my duff and take a picture of before it's too late. Colby looks like he's not too far behind.
This New Year's lacks the fancy dress, the cocktails, and the gourmet food, but it is the best I have ever had, hands down. Seeing the pure, unadulterated joy on my kids' faces while playing together tonight was worth more than I can say. I will remember this night for the rest of my life, and for that I am so thankful.
Thank God for Surfari Joe's!
Lord, thank you for a great time with my family tonight. Thank you for the chance to celebrate a New Year together at this fun place. Thank you for giving Colby and I the courage to undertake this adventure and for the joy it brought to my three kids. Please give us a restful sleep tonight and safe travels home tomorrow. In your name, Amen.
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