Still Great at Great Wolf Lodge.

We need more swords.

I thought when I heard we were going to GWL that the swimming would be the thing , but nope.

It’s the swords.

I already mentioned yesterday that we coughed up a few bucks for a penguin light up bubble blowing machine…pffft, That's beginner stuff.

Let me introduce you to the ultimate money maker:

This is called a Magic Quest sword thingy game…I'm not sure. The “Quest” is to suck as much money as possible from you when your offspring sees other kids turn on the lights in the “tree” in the restaurant with their magic wands and you're still trying to figure out why this thing exists or what it does.

Our little wizard is too small or overwhelmed for all this but the idea is you aim this thing at a screen and then it gives you a map and you aim the wand at treasure chests arranged in the hallways that tell you that you earned points. Im sure there's an entire reddit group for this, but for us it's just too much..she opened a few treasure chests and of course turned the tree lights on - and we are good.

We done with swords now -yes?

OH NO. Up next is a.bright yellow balloon sword we found during the balloon activity in the afternoon

We will be leaving with THREE different swords. One shoots bubbles, one shoots invisible light beams and the other make s a lot of noise and is a true weapon in the wing hands and is as annoying as you can imagine.

So ya- swords. We've got them.

But wait! Let me tell you about the swimming, because that’s why we are here.

As a non swimmer, this is my least favorite part , but then I went and had a daughter who is my most favorite person and the next thing you know- I'm swimming.

She took it easy on me first and told me to be brave by floating down a tube in the lazy river.

I'm lazy, and did well here. No problem

She then upped the ante and brought me into the pool. We both stayed in the shallow end and she showed me how she's getting better and I survived hearing “Dad, watch me - a million times.

She's a better swimmer. The lessons might be paying off.

Then, because we got a “free” photo I got talked into getting into a big blue tube with my entire family and then sliding down what seemed to be the longest time of my life inside a bright yellow tunnel at full speed.

I keep telling everyone Dad is old and afraid of water but they did not listen,. and forced me to tube in true panic mode.

I tubed. I panicked. I survived.

When we went to pick up our photo, which was the entire point of me going so we could have photographic evidence of this trip as a family and GWL failed me.

The photo wasn't taken so no photos

We did that to meet a baby crocodile though. This is “Gary”

To summarize

1. We have more swords than medieval times

2. We were all brave when it came to swimming

3. Swimming makes you tired.

We're getting one last swim in after breakfast and then we pack up and head home as our two nights here to celebrate 7 years old comes to an end

If anybody needs a sword, let me know. We have extras.

TH and Co.