Okay, you might think we're crazy . . . but find two nights and head to Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos. 

Why? 

Because it’s a great family vacation without loading the kids on a plane.
 
Great Wolf in the Poconos is one of 11 Great Wolf resorts nationwide.  Themed like a visit to the northern woods, the highlight is a huge indoor water park, complete with a three-story fort, slides of all sizes, wave pool, lazy river and a few "big kid" rides.  Outside of the water park, your kids will be hooked on the interactive game called MagiQuest (don't ask, just buy your kid the wand and let them loose) and good luck dragging them out of the Northern Lights arcade.

 Everything is designed to be easy for families.  Family rooms (wolf dens and kid cabins) are "rooms within rooms" where kids get bunk beds and their own flat screen TV.  The restaurant features a buffet capable of satisfying mom, dad and the most finicky toddler (peel and eat shrimp, prime rib, noodles and PB&J, anyone?).  A great staff is empowered by a terrific management team to make your stay the best it can be.  Forgot a phone charger?  They'll find you one.  Toddler changed the combo on the in-room safe?  They're there in a flash to fix it.  Want to stay and play after you check out?  No problem, you’re welcome to stay in the water park all day.
 
 It is a testament to the quality of the experience that Great Wolf is, pretty much, busy all the time, with a few dips in September, January and May.  So here’s the HK recommendation: hit the road Sunday morning around 11.  You will cruise to the Poconos without traffic.  Check in and play Sunday, Monday and Tuesday morning and head home Tuesday mid-day.  Yup, HK says it is worth calling in sick and pulling the kids out of school for two days.
 
Great Wolf claims they create space and opportunities for families to build family traditions.  It's corny.  But it's true. 

Where:   3.5 hour drive from SH, near Delaware Water Gap
When:  anytime
Who:  Everyone
$:  Rates vary quite a bit by date and time of year
More Info: http://www.greatwolf.com/Locations/Poconos/

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Watching your little ones lick their lips for a cookie and watching them try to lick away irritation are two different things.  Here's some tips from experts so you child need not suffer!

Good Ol' Petroleum Jelly. 'Wet your child's chapped lips 10 to 20 times a day with cool water for about 30 seconds and then slather on a thick coating of Vaseline petroleum jelly,'' says Paul Rehder, M.D., a pediatric dermatologist in private practice in Oxnard, California. ''The Vaseline doesn't taste that good, but even when habitual lip-lickers lick their lips, the saliva won't get through the Vaseline.''

Keep it in a pocket!  Any readily available lip balm such as ChapStick is suitable for use by kids with chapped lips, says Rodney S. W. Basler, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. But it has to be reapplied every time your child eats or drinks anything. Otherwise it won't work.

No Flavored Lip Balms. Ignore the pleas of your child for such exotic lip-balm flavors as Mucho Mocha or Torrid Tangelo, suggests Dr. Rehder. ''Some kids like to eat the flavored kinds right off their lips, causing even worse chapping. Stick with the unflavored lip balms instead. They're more likely to stay where they're needed,'' he says.

Sunscreen combo. ''It's a good idea to protect your children's lips from cancer as well as from chapping,'' says Dr. Basler. Regularly apply a lip balm that contains sunscreen whenever your child goes outdoors.
The Bees know Best!  Carmex, an over-the-counter product that comes in a little tin and is made of beeswax and phenol, is better than any prescription medicine for chapped lips, says Dr. Basler. If regular lip balm isn't strong enough to help your child, Carmex might do the trick.

Encourage less licking. Chapping is caused by dehydration. So if your child's lips feel dry, she'll automatically lick them to restore moisture. Unfortunately, as soon as the moisture from licking evaporates, her lips will be drier than ever.  It's a habit to break.

Fluffy and pink, these pair perfectly with hot chocolate.  
Ingredients
1/2  cup confectioners' sugar
1/3  cup cornstarch
2  envelopes unflavored gelatin
1-1/3  cups granulated sugar
2/3  cup light corn syrup
1/2  cup crushed candy canes or mint candies
1/8  teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Into a small bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cornstarch. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick foil. Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Sift 2 tablespoons of the sugar-cornstarch mixture into the pan, tilting to coat sides. Leave any excess in the pan.
2. Place 2/3 cup water in a large bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.
3. In a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat sugar, corn syrup, candy cane pieces and salt over medium heat about 7 minutes until sugar and candy are dissolved, stirring occasionally. Strain into bowl with gelatin.
4. Beat on high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread into prepared pan and smooth top. Dust with 2 tablespoons of the sugar-cornstarch mixture. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
5. Lift marshmallow from pan using foil. With a wet knife, cut into 6 squares. Spread remaining sugar-cornstarch mixture onto a baking sheet. Invert marshmallow block onto sheet; cut each square in 9 pieces. Toss marshmallows in sugar-cornstarch mixture, and set on a pan to set an additional hour. Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.
 
Brought to you by Merri Cohen, our Marlboro-Manalapan PM!