Weekend in RAS BEGAS!! Day 1

I had to get OUT of the smog and cold for a couple of days. Brent was going to be working through the weekend and the kids had Monday off of school, so I loaded them up in OUR NEW-to us-SUBURBAN (woot! woot!) and we headed south to visit friends in Las Vegas. It was Sunny & Warm and SO MUCH FUN!--it was the perfect, much needed getaway.

DAY 1 After a feeble attempt at church...we had a lovely picnic in the park and enjoyed the 70 degree weather. We could have spent the day there, but the Vegas strip was calling and you know the saying, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!" I gave in to my dark side and took the kids to an afternoon MAGIC show with this dude:The promo showed him making tigers disappear with pyrotechnics and such-something very Vegassy and amazing...we, apparently, caught him after his career peak. $10 a ticket got us an off the strip dive, about 30 people in the audience and lot's of paper tricks--I think I saw Joshy Boy perform a few of the same tricks for the neighborhood when he was 8. But the kids had a blast and they all got to go on stage and be helpers which was very memorable for them and worth every penny.

After the marvelous magic show we headed for the strip. The kids felt the HEAT from the Mirage volcano and the cool, misty breeze off the Bellagio water fountains. They were in AWE! It was a great night--aside from carrying Jenna the ENTIRE time--my back still hurts.

Here we are waiting for the volcano to erupt:
And in front of the Bellagio waiting for one of the 4 water shows we saw:--check out grumpy pants. She was asleep on my shoulders about 20 minutes after this was taken--poor tired lady.We also walked through the Bellagio gardens and saw it decorated for the Chinese New Year--Year of the Rabbit. Not as cool as others I have seen, but still cool.Day 1 was a SUCCESS! Day 2 coming soon...