Spring Break

For Nicholas' spring break from school we went to a far-off exotic city...not really...we drove down the road to Denver! But we had a really great time. Nicholas was so excited about staying in a hotel. Here's Nicholas and Emma on the bed:


I've been trying to get tickets to the Denver Mint for years. I always forget to book in advance and we end up not going...well...I finally remembered three months out and we got in. The Mint was a bit of a disappointment - they weren't running the presses the day we were there. The banks aren't asking for coins and when that happens then they shut down the machines at the Mint. So, we saw a bunch of machines sitting still and watched a video of what it looks like when they're running.... ugh... Such a shame after waiting so long to see them in action! Mike and I went to the Canadian Mint in Ottawa years ago - so we knew it would be cool - if they were pressing coins. We'll just have to go back another time. :o) The best part was at the end you exit via the old part of the building and there is a "cage" suspended from the ceiling where the guards would sit with their Tommy Machine guns during the early 1900s...there were Tiffany style chandeliers and it just looked really cool...like a stage set from an old movie.

Next we toured the Denver capitol building:



The Art Museum was neat - they have a ton of activities for kids. Nicholas' favorite was a wall where they project a photo of a piece of art that is covered up by squares. Then the kids have to jump on "bubbles" (projected bubbles on the floor) which "pop" when they jump on it. For each bubble that is popped then some of the squares go away. You keep doing this until the squares are all gone and the art work is reveled. It was very cool and we even enjoyed sitting there watching it! Best of all - Nicholas got rid of some energy (which I wasn't expecting to happen at an Art Museum! :o) )


We also went to the Auto show - Nicholas loved that - sitting in all the cars and getting to push all the buttons. And every convertible he saw he had to ask "is that like Uncle Scott's car?" He is so excited to see Uncle Scott's convertible!!




We all had a really nice time! Out of all these neat things to do - Nicholas' most favorite thing was riding the free buses that go up and down the 16th Street Mall.... Kids!! :o)