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While in Denver for two weeks we actually got out to see and do quite a few things. Well, free or inexpensive things that are suitable to do with 3 kids. After all, why would I ever want to go to a nice restaurant and actually eat at a leisurely pace? Or do some gnarly hiking? Or antique shopping? Or be out after 8:30pm? Or, or, or? Traveling with kids is sure different than travelling as a couple, but we still had fun.

These are some pics taken on the fly with the ipod. It’s just too darn hard to haul around three kids AND a heavy camera that needs toying with while the babes are on the loose.

We toured the Hammond Candy Company.

  

I thought Rob would get a kick out of this.

We went to the talked up Mile High Marketplace but it was just junk and more junk.

Rob went to the Tattered Cover bookstore.

We went to the Museum of Science and Nature three times. Our Discovery Gateway passes got us in for free and it was totally fun.

They had a T.Rex Encounter which I thought was pretty fun. The Animatronic dinosaurs were huge and followed you with their eyes and heads. Their roars were quite loud and scared Madeleine and Caroline just didn’t know what to think. This was taken in front of a green screen.

 

Here Nate is looking at the sun and its solar flares.

 

The kids loved Space Odyssey’s AstroTot area. Madeleine especially loved to dress up and pretend they were crashing into an alien planet.

 

 

We also went to the huge play area in the mall. This gave them a chance to play with kids and me a chance to sit back and be stared at because I actually have three children. The whole time in Colorado I never once saw a family with more than two kids. So I got some stares and a “Way to go!”.

 

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The kids got to sit in the new Tesla and got free posters of the car. I wouldn’t have minded taking it out for a test drive. Too bad it doesn’t fit 3 carseats.

 

While in Denver we were also able to go out to dinner with two of Rob’s cousins and their families. We haven’t seen them for years and our kids have never met. It’s nice letting our kids meet more cousins. They love cousins!

We also met up with an old friend, Brian Gardner, and his family. He and Rob were in the band FOUND nine years ago. It was fun to catch up with all the craziness that has happened since then. We ate at the (in)famous Casa Bonita and watched the silly dive show, which the kids loved. We were so happy we got to meet up.

We had a few day trips while in Colorado including downtown, Georgetown, Golden, and Boulder. We’ll blog those when we get a chance.