A Glimpse of VEGAS

We returned from Vegas late last night.  We went for a business meeting and I can tell you now from experience...don't go to Vegas on Memorial Day weekend-ever!!  We were there from Wed-Sun so we mostly missed the crowds but they started pouring in Friday night and Sat morning.  A stayed awake our entire travel day...not great considering she had a fever when we got her out of her crib that morning.  This first pic was taken at the Portland airport.  The boys were calling the Hawaii airline planes "mommy planes" and the Alaskan airline planes "daddy planes" because each has a woman/man picture on the back of it.  They can also always spot "Aunt JJ's plane!!" (Southwest)

Avery stayed awake until the very bumpy landing we made into Vegas...then she fell asleep!

Geoff carried our precious cargo off the plane...and she slept for about 20 minutes.

Geoff and I were in meetings the first day and a half so Grandma watched the kids.  Thank you Grandma!  The kids had a great time with Grandma and Ms. Valerie (Grandma's friend from TN) riding the monorail to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay.  They loved seeing all the sharks and kept telling us how they saw a great white.  

From the looks of this pic, they did see a great white!  I like the arms crossed and hand-on-hip pose.  :)

They did get to watch some extra TV on this trip-I don't think they had any problems with that.

We stayed at the MGM Grand.   Avery always knew how to find the golden lion.

I got to gamble a little with my dad.   He was playing blackjack and when he lost about $350 in a few rounds...I said "$350!  That is an arm chair!"  (I guess I value money in regards to furniture.)  He looked at me like I was crazy...then he went on to roulette.  It hit his number and he won $875 and looked at me and said "and that is a couch!"   Funny man.  :) 

I won a total of $135...and my dad won $4K while we were there.  Then we walked away.  

Our first attempt at the pool didn't go so well.  Avery took huge naps while we were there because she was sick...so when she woke up we were headed down to meet Geoff and the boys...

 ...and ended up walking around for about 30 minutes not being able to find them.  There were a lot of pools!  And did I mention there were a lot of people?!  Geoff wasn't answering his phone, Avery was heavy, it was about 95 degrees outside and I gave up.  We returned to the AC.

I was lucky to get these two pics of her.  She wanted held and I would put her down for just a second to rest my arms and try to get a quick pic before she wanted up again.  

 

We got to see Cirque de Soleil show "O" with the company on one of the nights and Papap stayed with the kids.  Papap treated the boys to a movie while he put Avery down.  He said he kept her and the boys up as long as possible because he wasn't going to be handle if Avery cried.  She only cried for about 30 seconds before she passed out.  And the boys were watching the end of the movie with their eyes glazed over.  The movie ended and he said they ran into their beds and went right to sleep.  

On the last night of the meetings we rode the monorail to dinner...don't you love Geoff and Matt's matching shirts? (they didn't plan it)...

Papap and Avery on the monorail. 

On the way to the hotel, Jack hitched arrived on Mr. Rick (friend of my parents) and Wyatt hitched a bit shorter ride on Uncle Matt.

Aunt Amy enjoying a banana split at Caesars.

 

 While Aunt Amy, Avery and I shopped on Saturday, the guys hiked in Red Rock.  The boys with Uncle Matt:

Hiking and swimming wiped W out.

Avery was feeling better by the last day or so and was able to get two pool trips in.

The crew in San Fran - almost 10 p.m. awaiting our last flight home.  Jack fell asleep before the plane even took off.  Avery didn't give in until the last 1/3 of the flight.