Tales of the Flowers: Welcome to Colorado

Welcome to Colorado! The first stop on our summer journey! The kids were super excited to be here because they really wanted to play with their cousin Avery. Whenever they get together, they like to take over the basement and have a "festival" where they make and create all sorts of things. They've been planned things in secret for weeks via FaceTime, so we know they're up to something good.

Since we're off school for the summer and very flexible with what we're doing each day, it's once again time to buy a Chuck E Cheese Summer of Fun Pass! For just $149 ($115 if you use discounted gift cards), you get 3 months of playtime where you can go every single day if you want, have 250 credits to play each day, and get 50% off food! We certainly like a deal, so we were definitely in!

We'll be earning as many tickets as we can for something special we have planned towards the end of the year. Wait and see what that's going to be.

As time goes on though, things don't always get better. Last summer, the basketball game paid out 100 tickets for a high score. This year we're down to 50.

But the stuffed crust pizza looks better than ever (at least at this location).

Theresa is happy to be in a town with a large Asian community with lots of Korean grocery stores to choose from. In Orlando we don't have many, but there is an H-Mart that has been "coming soon" for 4 years now.

Gochujang and cucumbers. A favorite snack.

We're here for Avery's last day of school! It's tradition to go out for ice cream! Yum!

Patrick has to rush back to work, but Megan is still free. We're all headed to the Mouse House (is that only for Disneyland, or can we call Chuck E Cheese that too?)

It's always fun to play with friends.

Nearing Memorial Day, there's good deals on steak!

Pair that with some of Megan's fresh sourdough bread, and we've got a tasty meal!

But who can resist having just a little taste before we have dinner.

Lunchtime! Ever since I started dating Theresa (so many many years ago), I would take her out to eat at the San Chang house. It's a Korean restaurant in Colorado Springs that I remember serving some of the best chicken bulgogi and the most delicious wontons.

And yes, the same owner has been here for a really long time too.

I can't remember if the kids have tried it before. I'm sure they have.

Theresa, like usual, got her stone bowl filled with boiling kimchi soup.

If it's not threatening to boil out of the bowl, it's not hot enough.

Alli's chicken bulgogi was good, but not quite as good as I remember it. Sometimes it's hard to beat nostalgia. I've started making spicy korean bulgogi at home, and I have to say mine is just as good now.

I also got a spicy pork. I like that it comes out sizzling. I remember eating off these cast iron cows for years and years now. I wonder how many are original.

But my saddest discovery was the wontons. Before they were made with a nice thick skin with a tasty filling. Now, the skin has changed and it's not the thick chewy texture it used to be. Now they don't taste "special" to me anymore. Bummer.

Despite that, Ian really liked them, opting to have those instead of an entree. We had ordered a few for the table, and an extra for him. I placed a 4th order for fried wontons with the waitress. She relayed it to the owner/cook. He came out to the table to greet the dining room afterwards. We told him that Ian really liked the wontons.

Owner - Ah. Daeji.

Uh... I know what that word means... That means "Pig". I don't think that was very kind.

Well with food that isn't anything special anymore, and uh... that, I don't know that we need to come back, despite the good memories from before.

Afterwards, we split up with some going back to the house, with others heading down the street to Chuck E Cheese again!

It takes 3 kids to go on a downhill ski slope.

Patrick and I going on a roller coaster ride.

Gram and Pop Pop offered to watch the kids while Theresa and I had a date night with Patrick and Megan. For dinner, we'll have one of their favorite Mexican restaurants Jarrito Loco. It's definitely tasty!

And they serve some of their drinks in the cutest pottery cups!

Finally, it was time for the kids to reveal what they have been disappearing into the basement and working on in secret this whole time!

And it's.... NOT A FESTIVAL!
IT'S A MOVIE!

That's right. They have used some of their newly discovered skills from their enrichment schools, for improve, graphics, etc, and put together their own movie with costumes, a script, original songs, and more! I'm excited to see their creativity come through!

And previously they'd build things for their festival to "sell" but they wouldn't make all that much. This time, they've gone with food to sell during the movie! I like the extra sign that says "No outside food/drink".

I think their prices could be increased though. That's cheap!

Tickets to the show are just 75 cents and includes a small popcorn.

And it doesn't stop at just food. There's merchandise too! Popcorn buckets that double as hats!

There's a guard hat and a witch hat.

I've posted their video on YouTube, so I'll link to it from here.

It's titled "Memory Bridge".

Some things to know ahead of time. There's a brother and sister going through the woods. A Witch captures the sister. The brother needs to find a special object called the "Lustrious" to help defeat the Witch.