Mommy Spirit: Woodloch

4.26.2015

A year and a half ago, our little family went to this enchanting family resort called Woodloch. The resort, situated on a lake in the backwoods of Pennsylvania, created many fun memories for us. We celebrated my husband turning 43 and Little Lewie turning 5; we celebrated a year of blessings for our family (when we went through some personal challenges and struggles); and we celebrated life as we know it.

Our trip was so magical that we vowed to do it again, and in fact, all three of us wore the bracelets the resort gave to us (for the entire year and a half) as a way of saying to ourselves..."Remember Woodloch. Remember Family."

Our trip this weekend, although cold and snowy, didn't disappoint. Woodloch is known to many (including the advertising industry) as "The Ultimate Play Date". I don't know how to better describe this resort as it provides tons of activities for family members of all ages. On this trip, my husband enjoyed the zip line, and we as a family enjoyed the pool, the go carts, the bumper cars, the miniature golf, the arcade, and the delicious food served three times per day at their main lodge. (Everyone from the resort eats together at the very same time like a family.)

Go Cart Racing!

Lewie lost another tooth! He now has two missing front teeth!

A little bit of snow in the forecast.

Waiting for milk shakes at the "Treat Place." (That's Lewie's term for the snack bar.)

Eating at the main dining hall. Little Lewie takes the best pictures...

The awesome pool at Woodloch!

Playing some sort of SEGA Star Wars game...

On this particular trip, Little Lewie played BINGO for his very first time. (The stakes were high as we could actually win $20 - $80 per game!) We also had the joy of watching a Saturday Night Live type of skit (for all ages) on Thursday night that was held in their very large auditorium. It was the first time Little Lewie really enjoyed live theater entertainment, and I was impressed that he understood the humor. Our favorite skit of the show was when the cast pretended to do a synchronized swimming routine. Everyone's bare feet went up into the air except for one person who was wearing colorful socks and clown shoes! Lewie burst out into a roaring belly laugh when he saw the shoes. I couldn't stop laughing either.

Our quick two night trip went by in a flash. I wish it could have been longer, but then again, I'm thankful that we even had the chance to go back. I need trips like this to remember what's important. I now have an orange bracelet to go with the blue one I received during my very first trip to Woodloch. I'll continue to wear them with pride and to remind me that no matter what, "Family is First."

9.23.2013

On August 1 of this year, I returned to work full-time. (I'm still getting emotional thinking about it.) For the last 4 1/2 years, I've held onto a part-time schedule, which allowed me to stay home with Lewie at least two to three days per week. This time, to me, was the most precious ever, and I will never ever regret my decision to stay home with him. I've had an amazing time reading Lewie stories, taking him on play dates, and especially taking him on special mother-son outings.

Over the summer, I lost the generous salary I was making as a part-time employee, and I was forced to either work full-time to keep my salary or settle for 40% less pay. It was a difficult decision--one that I still question, but for now, I've opted to keep my salary and the lifestyle I've been accustomed to...at least until credit card bills can get paid down...

These past few weeks of being a full-time employee has been draining to say the least, and so when the opportunity presented itself for us to take an affordable family vacation last week, I couldn't pass it up. The place, known as the Woodloch Resort, nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania, is an all inclusive family resort that offers in-door and outdoor pools and splash pads, bumper boats, bumper cars, go-karts, a zip line, archery, arts and crafts, family competitions, lakeside activities (like row boating, skiing, fishing, sailing, and swimming), and evening entertainment (like plays, comedy shows, and juggling acts).

In some ways, it reminded me of upscale camping; we ate at the lodge as a group with other families, we partook in mostly outside activities, and the grounds of Woodlock were pristine, rustic, and natural. The part I liked the best, however, is that Woodlock is family-centered. All activities (whether they be sports, rides, parties, festivals, shows, or competitions) were geared toward children and their parents, and as a result, one of their many known slogans is "the ultimate playdate." For four full-days, my husband and I had non-stop "playdates" with our five year-old, and we learned that in doing this, we not only created tons of fun memories but we also laughed harder than we had in years... At Woodlock, even grandparents and great-grandparents join the fun too. It's truly a unique place.

While I won't bore you with a day-to-day itinerary of everything we did, I would like to share a few pictures of my favorite moments. Indeed, my son told us one evening, "I think this place is magic," and once he said it, I couldn't agree more. Woodlock was magic--it healed my wounds of going back to work full-time, and it brought a renewed radiance to a stressed out family (ours) that so desperately needed to be reminded of the "simple things" that make life awesome.