My family is gearing up for our first visit to a water park at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells. We're staying two nights, and the first night, we're sharing a condo with two other families (for a total of four little boys ages 5 and younger.) The second night, it's just our family, and possibly two single friends we invited to stay with us.

Now that the weekend is upon us, I feel excited to go, but I must admit, originally the thought of spending the weekend at a water park sounded like a loud 'n' humid hell. Friends invited us on water park excursions before, but we always declined. Recently, however, it seemed like we either take our kids to a water park or become the hippie weirdos whose house smells like soup. (I love that line in "Juno.")

But most importantly, my kids really wanted to go for a long time, and I know they will have a great weekend. By the time my oldest was 4, he was well aware of "these swimming places with really big slides" and at that point I knew it was just a matter of time before I'd be flip-flop shopping.

So we're finally doing the American family right-of-passage water park pilgrimage and despite my original skepticism, I'm looking forward to it.