I Would Have Never Predicted...

Sunday was my birthday and the first thing Jeremy asked me was, “What do you want to do today?”

There is no way I could have predicted that hours later my response to that question would be, “Why don’t we go to Nickelcade in Ogden?” Whoa. Where did that come from?

Let me back up. Before the whole Nickelcade event, we were cruising the streets of Ogden killing some time waiting for lunch. As usual, Henry started asking us if we would navigate in certain directions. After a few turns, we realized he was steering us directly to Fatcats, an arcade fun center that he loves. Henry had recognized some landmarks near the area and was on a mission.

After we sat all amazed at our little one’s street smarts and memory, we promised him that he could go to Fatcats after lunch if he had good behavior. We then headed to our favorite Mexican joint to eat some delicious, cheesy, spicy goodness. Here’s Henry pointing to the blue sun outside the front door.

You should know that Mi Rancho is smack dab in the middle of a seedy motel that rents rooms by the month, week, day or hour. Ogden. Awesome.

Also, you should know that Henry reminded us that he was behaving during lunch by loudly declaring, “I’M BEHAVING!” He also shouted that he was behaving as he threw rocks in a fountain in our dining area. He shouted “I WIN!” when one of those rocks knocked over a plastic turtle sitting atop the fountain.

After lunch, we were off to play games at the arcade. When we arrived we were impressed with ourselves at finding a stellar parking space. Once we walked closer to the building, it because obvious why we scored front row parking. Fatcats is closed on Sundays. Again, Ogden. Awesome.

Henry was distraught. He knocked on the doors and yelled through the door cracks for someone to unlock the door and let us in. He wondered why ‘that man locked him out’. He asked us for the keys. Jeremy explained to our three year old that ‘the man’ was Brigham Young and he kept the keys on Sunday. Not Awesome.

It is in this moment that this story now comes full circle. I looked at Jeremy and said, "Why don’t we go to Nickelcade in Ogden?”

So off to Nickelcade we went. Henry was thrilled that Dad had the keys to this place. Here's Henry pressed against the entry window in anticipation of all the fun he was about to have.


Henry and Jeremy headed straight for the games that had involved driving and steering.


And shootin' stuff.


I began wondering what I was doing at Nickelcade. Later, I found my purpose at Nickelcade through Dance Dance Revolution Japanese Version. Can I just tell you how awesome We Are The Chapions and We Will Rock You sound as sung by Asian pop stars?


Reese was loving all the bells and whistles of my DDR game.


Really loving them.


She was, however, a little suspicious of Big Bird.


Henry invited Reese up for a horsey ride.


Later, Henry challenged Jeremy to an air hockey match.


Grandpa Wayne decided he would try his hand at a rifle game.


Reese looked on with great anticipation.


I would have been looking on with anticipation as well, but my attention was diverted by a bag of trash sitting on top of a video game. Ogden, Awesome.


After all the game playing and trash spotting was over, we all went out to the parking lot and slathered ourselves down with antibacterial wash. We then stopped to get Henry a slush puppy with the longest straw ever.


Thanks, Nickelcade for saving our lives Sunday. Without you Henry would be so ticked at Brigham Young for locking him out of the arcade.