I PROMISED YOU GIRLS.....

some TRICK-OR-TREAT pictures

Here are SOME pictures from tonight.....the site is pooping out again. I will get more on later.....I PROMISE!!!! The girls looked really cute, I promise.

Jumbled Picture Anthology of our Weekend

Gerrick and the kids at the Botanical center.

Braydon is pretty impressed with the palm trees.

Reagan chillin' in the recliner and enjoying the view

at the hotel.

Pig Pile on Dad on the bed!!! This is the only picture

that turned out from the night at the hotel!! They had

a blast jumping on the beds and being crazy after all

the candy!!!

Well, this is all I can do right now, I promise they get more interesting, but the site isn't cooperating any more.......to be continued.

Hello. Back again. We had a wonderful time in Des Moines!!! We left later than we wanted to because Gerrick had some work to tend to in Cedar Rapids and Marion first. So, the kids were in the car an extra hour!! They did well. We stopped in Williamsburg for lunch and continued through without stopping. We checked into the hotel early. It was beautiful. It is the type that is set up with all the rooms on the perimeter and you can see down to the lobby from all floors. I had stayed in one like this in Cincinnati, I think, when I went to a youth conference! It was wonderful. We were on the 9th floor, and the kids refrained from throwing anything over!!! We had to take a quick trip to the Target because Mom didn't like any of her clothes that she packed....but I quickly found suitable attire. Then it was back to the hotel to rest up for the nights festivities!!! The kids threw a movie on the laptop and Dad and I rested. We headed down around 5 to find where the child care was for the night. The kids also went outside and burned off some steam. Then we dropped them in the day care rooms that they had all set up with juices and treats. They told us later that they had pizza for dinner and colored and watched movies. When we went down to Gerrick's award banquet we were surprised. All of the other companies he worked for had fancy banquets where you wore your sequins and pearls. This one was MUCH more casual. I wore slacks!!! We each had 6 free drink tickets, and the tap beer was free!?! The food wasn't as good as some of the other sit-down affairs we have been to, but the fun made up for it. After the award presentation in the left side of the Grand Ballroom, the MC said, "Follow me to Bourbon Street." As he said that the back half of the room opened and right on cue a big band started playing jazz music. The trumpet player was phenomenal!!! They had all kinds of different food set up, a dance floor, and a character artist!! The chocolate fountain was my favorite. There were beads and masks for everyone! It was so fun! I got to meet all the guys Gerrick trained with. They were crazy! I also met his boss, and for the first time since he worked for my Dad, I liked him. Everyone was really having a good time. We had to leave around 10 to pick up the kids. They were ALL wound up. By the looks of Reagan they must have given her a cookie every time she cried!!! She was crazy.
The next day we were up at 6 and the kids were ready for their room-service. So, I called down and got them breakfast. It was ALOT easier than getting them all to sit still in the restaurant. They were more jacked about eating in front of the T.V. than anything else.
After quick showers, and a quick nap for Mom, we were off to the Botanical Center. The girls really loved this. They learn about the rain forest in first grade at our school, so this was neat for them to see. Keghan read all the signs, and Shaelynn helped fill out the scavenger hunt that they gave us. Reagan didn't have much fun, but she had been buckled in the car or a stroller all weekend and was getting tired of it.
After a quick stop at Bennigans for lunch we went to the zoo. They didn't have all the animals because of a special Halloween week event. But, we saw lions, 2 types of monkeys, seals, and goats. Instead they had trick-or-treating for the kids. Just what we need, candy! They also had some blow-up jumping things for the kids. They liked that, and it gave them a chance to run around.
That was the last stop on our weekend. We were home in time for dinner, which we ordered in! We were tired, and didn't want to push our luck with the kids in another restaurant!! They were really well behaved all weekend. We only had a few problems with Shaelynn making decisions. But, that was a lot of decisions in one weekend. She had to decide what to eat for every meal, and what to buy at gift shops. She is always convinced she will make the "bad" decision and be stuck with "the worst stuff ever."
Anyway, if you are still reading this, you are probably more bored than I!! Have a great day, and get a life=-).
And, of course, the site is not loading pictures right now. I have TONS of great pics. I will try to get them on tonight, along with trick-or-treat shots!!!