Chuck E. Cheese's Revisited With the Family...and Other Stuff

We have had a few visitors these past couple of days. Lyf and his five beautiful girls came down yesterday to stay over. They really wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese's. They don't have that restaurant in southern Utah. A couple of years ago Bethany and Bryn stayed at our house during the summer and we took them there. They had a memorable time and so they made sure that we went again with the entire family.

Let me just state unequivocally that Chuck E. Cheese's is no fun with a one year-old. Avoid it at all costs. Eli wanted to get on to everything and would get really mad when he couldn't. Plus, you have to stay right with him so that he can avoid all the mayhem that usually follows a one year-old around unmercifully. It is exhausting. For example, I thought I would let him try skeeball. Yikes. He threw the ball like a baseball into other peoples lanes, he didn't want to let me help him throw it, and then he climbed up on the ramp to put the balls in by hand. This automatically tilts the game. Not a problem for our game, but when he tries to go to the adjacent lanes for the same fun, it gets dicey. I guess that is why I sat at the booth with the little babies (who slept the entire time, in their carriers, away from all people and germs, covered by a big blanket) and ate my salad.

The other kids had a blast playing all of the games and cashing in tickets to get lame little prizes that they go ga-ga over everytime.

We came home and put the kids to bed. Except for Kate and Eli, the other 6 slept in a couple of tents we put in the backyard. Then Catye and her friend Josh arrived. They decided to visit us from Tucson. We played 8 and Back at the kitchen table and at 10:30 we could still hear giggling from the tent. I guess it is to be expected. But they sure did have lots of fun.

Today we went with Lyf to see the airshow at Nellis AFB. Well, at least we tried. The line was so long to get a shuttle, we wimped out and decided to watch from afar. After about 45 minutes, Lyf decided to go ahead and try again. We didn't have enough time because the boys had a violin/viola recital. Oh well...maybe next year for me.

It was fortunate that we had over an hour to kill before the recital, which was just down the street and about 30 minutes from our house. Why? Because Zach's violin was not in the car. ARGH! Hence, we briskly made our way home so the kids could change and to retrieve the violin. Honestly, Zach!

They did great with their pieces. I did take a video of each performance and I will try to post it tomorrow.

Catye and Josh babysat for us this early evening so we could have a date. So Rinar and I went to a nice dinner and then did a little bit of window shopping.

It is was a pretty good day.