Washington D.C.

So as part of our fun in D.C. we went and saw Kung Fu Panda and went to Chuck E. Cheese. Unfortunately, Steve wasn't able to join us for Chuck E. Cheese but Jenny and the two boys were. Our kids had so much fun at Chuck E. Cheese! When the trip was over and and we asked the kids what their favorite part was and they all agreed it was Chuck E. Cheese.

Showing off our Kung Fu Panda moves. As you may be able to see, we had the whole movie theater all to ourselves.

Jordan checking out her loot. Jenny bought the kids and little prize bag which of course the kids loved.

Ken trying out one of the kiddy games.

Helping Jordan to get a little more muscle behind the balls.

Jordan and Kailyn showing off their coins.

Family photo.

Eating dinner.

Ken and me showing off our B-ball skills.

Ken and Kailyn playing a game of air hockey.

Caden going for a ride with Chuck E. Cheese

The girls loved this ride (until they learned they can get tickets and thus prizes from other games). It was a virtual roller coaster ride.

Jordan and Caden.

Kailyn determined to get lots of tickets.

Kailyn playing some basketball.

Kailyn

Jordan trying some basketball.

The kids in their new glasses.

Caden loved this game. You pushed a button to try and knock over the rubber duckies.

So Caden was playing this game when I guess he got frustrated that the balls kept rolling back to him instead of going in the hole. So, he took it upon himself to hop up and walk right up and put the ball in the hole...too bad he put it the hole that didn't count for anything. So much for cheating.

Jenny bought the kids some ice cream bars. Caden was in heaven and had to eat every last drop of it.

Caden happily eating his ice cream.

Caden trying to help Jordan play basketball.

Washington D.C.

So we took this trip last month but I have not been able to post it. For many reasons-being out of town, trying to find time to sort through a ton of photos from the trip, a shattered computer screen that recently got fixed and blogger being against me (I actually already created this post once but it had problems and refused to post or save.

We had so much fun in D.C.! We met up with Ken's missionary companion and we had a lot of fun with them Sunday and then going to the zoo on Monday. Our kids got along so well with their kids. I'm so glad we were able to met up with them it really made our trip so much funner.

The kids got such a kick out of watching the Nelson's home videos.

Kailyn decided to eat her string cheese by putting it on her legs. Why? I have no idea.

Taking a Sunday walk.

Doing crafts Sunday at the Nelson's.

Caden taking a little Sunday snooze.

Group picture ath the Smithsonian National Zoo.

One of the kids favorite exihibits. The tunneling rats. They loved watching the blind rats run through the tunnels and run into eachother. I personally found the hairless rats gross looking.

When we finally decided to head back to the car so we could go get some lunch, Braydon offered to push the stroller for me. Wow!, what a strong kid. He pushed that thing with Caden and Jordan in it for a really long distance and all uphill.

These are the monkeys that were directly overhead as you walk on the path through the zoo.

Kailyn and Ken all wet after playing in the misters.

Kailyn loved playing in the misters. (see is the one far left)

Kailyn

Jordan saw this frog and thought it would make a cute picture, but she insisted that it include only her.

All of the kids. I love Caden's smirky smile.

Caden got a kick out of the monkey that came up to the glass and started interacting with him.

A Weekend Without Mommy

Yeah, so Shelly skipped out of town for a wedding and left a poor unsuspecting Ken with the burdens of three little but very needy children. So, here's Ken's post showing a little of what we did while Mommy was gone. I apologize, there are a lot of pics.

Friday, Caden, Jordan, and I took Kailyn to school then hurried off to the library. After the library, we went to Kailyn's school to cheer her on in her "walk-a-thon" fundraiser. Kailyn is very down-to-business on these types of things. You tell her to do something, and she will get it done and she's all business about it. She gets that from me. It was fun watching her walk the laps. She said she was walking fast but her hips started hurting her. She did 31 laps in all. We came home and played games, took naps, put together puzzles, read books, etc. For the evening, I did what any responsible Father would do--I ditched the 3 kids at a friend's house and went out to eat in honor of date night. Actually, it was a get-together for my residency program, and it was nice not to have to drag 3 kids with me. The kids had a blast and came home with scary spiders on their heads.

Don't they look thrilled? Past bedtime, what can I say. Caden was enjoying it!

Saturday. We laid low for the first half of the day. Attached is a great picture of what we did (that Shelly never would have allowed). The kids cleaned the living room and spent much of the morning watching movies. To my credit, only one of them was purely entertainment. The rest were at least trying to teach something. I spent the time working on computers (Jordan dropped our computer and then the piano bench onto the computer accidently shattering our computer screen), bills, etc. After the nice relaxing morning, we went to the local YMCA and enjoyed free face painting, bag decorating, cookie decorating, and frisbee toss (for prizes). Then we went to the church for the ward trunk-or-treating and chili cookoff--yummmm! The kids looked great in their costumes (Kailyn was an angel, Jordan a butterfly/fairy [she couldn't decide], Caden was batman [wearing my costume that I used to wear everywhere as a kid]).

Sunday was also pretty relaxing except for the hour before and the hour after church. We made it to our seats just as Bishop started the meeting--I consider that on time. Though I didn't get any compliments on my girls' hair, I was pretty durn proud how it turned out. I guess that's my answer (the no compliments part) about what others thought of their hair-do's. On the other hand, no one came up asking what happened to them, so I guess I could consider that a compliment in its own way. When I got home, we enjoyed the delicious chicken and dumplings that were in the Crock Pot that I had started earlier in the morning. All in all, I'd say it was a good weekend--we survived and at the end of it all the kids still said they love me (of course, I was their ticket to their trunk-or-treat candy--and believe me, I used that more than once!!)