Todays plan:
1) LONG drive up to SLC
2) Take great grandma out to dinner
3) Enjoy the cooler weather
4) Enjoy visiting with grandma and playing with her doggie, Chester

Kennedy was very good at entertaining Cord along the way and the kids either played the x-box, watched movies, or listened to music. When we got there Cord LOVED grandmas playroom. He was in Heaven.






























We have been up really late for the past 2 weeks. Even when we try to put the girls to bed early they end up talking or can't sleep. At dinner I told the kids that they all had to go to bed early because we had to be at the temple at 8:00 am. It was the last day for the open house so we needed to get there early. As soon as we got home the girls decided to.......wash the dog. WHAT?? It was already 10:00! But apparently it's a tradition for Kennedy to wash the dog. So they got on their swimsuits and climbed into the bathtub with the dog. That didn't work out so well because he kept trying to jump out so they moved into the shower. All I could do is shake my head and get their beds set up. At least they had fun and now Grandma doesn't have to worry about doing it.

The Super Duper Show

At a scout function I had heard about this magic show geared toward kids which really interested us. The tickets were only $5.00. We weren't expecting "Lance Burton" by any means but thought it would be fun and entertaining. Mason LOVES magic. Chelsea decided that she didn't want to go which worked out well because then I could leave Cord at home. Kennedy and Mason wanted to sit up front so they could be pulled in as helpers. Brianna very much did not want to be a part of the show. But because we were the first ones there, they seated us right in the very front. It was a small show, only about 10 kids and the parents. As we were sitting there, Brianna looked at the sign and said with quite a bit of sarcasm, "The super duper show??? Why didn't you tell me it was the super duper show?" I guess she would have opted out as well but now she was stuck. The magicians were quite silly and I'm sure the kids ages 5-10 got more out of it but I thought it was fun. And of course the kids got pulled up to help. Even Brianna had to go up. I told her she could have cried like some of the other little girls to get out of it but all I got was a dirty look for my suggestion.





I loved taking lots of pictures (of course). Brianna sat down after her turn to help and said I needed to delete the pictures of her. Of course I won't because it's my camera and I can do what I want with it. A few minutes later, I got pulled up on the stage. You should have seen the look on her face as she grabbed the camera and snapped away while there wasn't one thing I could do about it. As the magician was trying to "read my mind" all I could think about was the fact that I had only gotten about 5 hours of sleep, I didn't have on any make-up, didn't bother to put in my contacts, and apparently the outfit I was wearing isn't that flattering. Brianna then stated the fact that I was not allowed to delete any of the pictures she took. TOUCHE! So I decided that to be fair (even though I don't like how I appear in any of the pictures) I should include one in my post about the Super Duper Show :)

After the show we hurried home to pack then drive up the St. George. We had plans to go up to Salt Lake City for a temple open house and I didn't feel like driving all the way in one day. It's nice to break up the trip.

A bummer wednesday

Before Kennedy came to visit us, I had been compiling a list of things I could do with the kids in Vegas. Then we save up all the ideas for when she comes and have a "super vacation" here in town. In the beginning we all sat down and reviewed the list to decide which things were most important and what we could afford to do. Then I map out a plan around my work schedule. We have had to be flexible. For instance we were going to go to Circus Circus Adventure dome on friday, but later found out about the YW/YM boating activity. Today we were going to go to the Ceasars forum shops to see the moving statues. But then I remembered that the Luxor had a cool motion ride. It had to be a short activity to do in the morning because I needed to take a nap before work. This morning we decided to head to the Luxor for the ride. After we got there we walked all over that dumb casino looking for the ride (I had even looked it up on-line last night to make sure I wasn't crazy.) I guess all the websites I was looking at were out-dated because they no longer had the ride. We did get one picture by the egyptian statues but the place has really changed since I had been there last.

We thought we could hurry over to Ceasars for plan A. But by the time we drove up the strip (painfully slow) and had trouble finding the entrance, I made the executive decision to abort the mission. It was already noon and if I don't get a nap then I'm miserable at work. Instead we decided to stop and get a yogurt. Luckily the girls were good sports and enjoyed their treat.

Super Tuesday

Lots of fun today. The girls had a fun young women activity where they learned about kick-boxing. Then we headed over to pack meeting, which happened to be a pool party. It much more fun to swim in the evening than in the middle of the day. Mason earned 6 of his activity pins for Webelos. With all the things we have been doing this summer we have tried to make things count for scouts as well :)

Then the girls and I headed down to the strip. It's also much more fun and cooler at night. I just wish there was some way to avoid all the "female advertisements". I hate exposing my kids to that. I guess I just shouldn't go then huh? But we took Kennedy to see the water show at the Belligio and the volcano at the Mirage. At about 11:30 Mike sent me a text that said "stay out of the clubs, Kennedy will tell on you!" so we decided we needed to head home before we got into trouble. I love to see the water shows. There are so many different ones and it's FREE entertainment.

Swimming, Sweating, Slurpees

We aren't doing something totally exciting every day because we have to navigate around my work schedule. It's been so hot that I decided to take the kids swimming at the local pool. Just standing outside watching them I was sweating up a storm. It was so hot that the kids didn't even want to stay out there very long. So we left after 1 1/2 hrs to go get some slurpees to cool down.

Attack

We let her stay for 2 weeks, take her all over town, and this is how she repays us? :)


But then Cord gets even!

Lion King

My parents came down to join us at the Lion King tonight. All I can say is WOW!!! It was soooo awesome. Mason wasn't sure if he really wanted to go because he had seen pictures of all the people in the "wierd masks". But after we were done he was glad he went. All the special effects were breathtaking. The only thing that would have made the experience better was if we were closer. I bought the tickets a month ago, but I guess when you are asking for 7 tickets together you get put in the far back. We were 2nd from the top row. The whole house was sold out.






My kids are "pictured out". They wouldn't even stand by this cool statue of "Scar". Luckily I still have Kennedy who will do anything I ask her to. I did force them out of the car to take a picture by the iconic Vegas sign. I'm such a mean mom. Hopefully they'll thank me one day that I took so many pictures. I guess it's my proof that I did fun things with them.

Shark Reef @ Mandalay Bay

If you ever come to Vegas, the shark reef is an excellent way to spend the morning. The fish were so big!! Cord was loving all the "ish". You are given a handheld recording about each fish there. When you see a number you push it and learn all about what you are seeing. I was surprised how much Mason loved it. He had to listen to every single one. I loved the 2 tunnels that you walk under and see the fish swim right over you. Because most of it is dark, my pictures didn't turn out so great. I couldn't capture how awesome the experience was. My favorite was the "shiprwreck". It was like you were in the bottom of a boat with glass walls. That's where they had a ton of sharks swiming around. We were so close to them. Mason was brave enough to reach out and touch the sting ray. He said it was "slimey".

Venetian

Just another stop on our "vegas vacation" was to take Kennedy to the Venetian.



As we browsed through the canal shoppes at the Venetian, we found the live statues. I tried to coax the girls up there to take a picture. Brianna said, "OK, but I'm not going to hold his hand." But when they got up there, he held up his hand so she reluctantly took it. Hahaha.


We also stopped for some Gellato as we walked around. We had to go into Brianna's favorite store, Coach. The saleslady had them try on some of the lip gloss. I think it's Brianna's dream to be rich and spend hours and hours at an expensive mall trying on shoes and looking at bags.

Today was an extra busy day because as soon as we got back the girls went boating with the young women out on lake mead. They were gone from 4:00-10:00. At first we weren't sure they were going to go because it was really windy and there was the threat of thunderstorms. They ended up driving down there to check the weather and it was fine at the lake. They came back looking exhausted but happy and they shared stories of riding the intertube behind the boat.