12.06.2006

Las Vegas, Baby!!!

Our last trip was to Las Vegas for a four-day vaycay. We had such a great time!!! We stayed at Lee's cousin, Mike and Amanda, (and Dane!)'s house the whole time. It was so gracious for them to let us stay there, AND use their car the whole time! Wow. Anyway, here's what we did, in some sort of order:
Flew in, and Renee Shepard met us at the airport with her sweet baby, Carter. She took us back to Mike and Amandas, while Lee took a taxi to his spa trade show on the strip. Mike and Amanda bought some very yummy pizza, then we shimmied on over to gospel meeting, where we saw a few familiar faces! :) On Thursday, we went to Hoover Dam and played around town a bit. On Friday, we drove around Henderson and played at the park. Friday night we went on a double date with Mike and Amanda, while the kids were babysat til "all-hours". :) We went to Fleur de Lys, which is a very famous restaurant in the Monterey Bay casino/hotel. After spending an exhorbitant amount of money on four-course meals, we went with stuffed bellies to the Cirque de Soleil show around the corner. It was FABULOUS, totally in-describable. Mind-blowing. On Saturday, we lazed around a bit, drove around the strip a bit, ate some great Indian food, then went to a wildlife "store" inside a casino that I forget the name of. This store was amazing, just crammed with wildlife, not just the busts but the entire animal stuffed. Tons and tons of fish, wild animals, creatures of every kind. Even snakes. :) The kids loved it! Oh, and don't let me forget about the mermaid! That was so cool. They also saw Emo and Dory in the fish tank with the mermaid. What fun!

Anyway, we had a really great time with the Andersons! We are so over-whelmed by the wonderful time we had there. We are hoping that they let us repay the favor soon!

We're home now, recouperating after the month of travel. We have leaves that need raked, clothes that need washed, and bills to be paid. (sigh). :) Glad to be home though.

Love to everyone!

The fam at Hoover Dam

The Venitian

Selina at Mike and Amanda's

The Venition (not how you spell that, I'm sure) was AMAZING.

Playin' hard!

Striking a pose

That's my girl, goofball.

Peyton

Brooke being cool at the kiddie park, 'cause you gotta be cool to hang.

Who says "grown-ups" can't play on the monkey bars too?

I'm in this picture with Lee, can you see me?

Dane's second piano lesson.

sweetie-bug, Dane!!

Notice the "do not touch" sign? Those signs don't apply to us. Apparently. :)

Selina, Daddy, Peyton, cousin Amanda!

Selina meeting the mermaid

Selina and Mommy in front of the big stuffed giraffe, it was too tall to fit into the photo. :)

Selina, Peyton, and Dane all met a real live mermaid!!!

Selina posing in front of the "live" animal exhibit

Selina telling Santa what she wants

Lee making Dane smile in the car

We had a fabulous night out with Amanda and Mike! This is at the Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay. Yummm!

The family in front of the waterfalls at the Wynn

Amanda (with Dane), Mike, Lee, and Peyton and Selina in front of the waterfalls outside of the Wynn hotel and casino.

At the Wynn casino and hotel, Mike was working at a benefit at the Luis Vuitton store

WASHINGTON trip!

Wow, we've been busy!! We went up to WA for the Thanksgiving week, and here are a few photos of the trip. We had an over-night double date with my bro Brad and his wife Arica, which was a BLAST, Thanksgiving at Mom's house, lefse the day before, of course, :)... then topped off the trip with a Pike Street trip with our cousins, the Elley's, from the Seattle area. Travis and his new wife Glenda live in a houseboat down on the bay. We had a super great time!!!

Peyton, Selina, and Aurora playing dress-up (the entire time we were there)

Brooke, Peyton, Aunt Linda and cousin Jesse

Brooke, Ille, and Lee hangin out, opening Tgiving presents

Lefse!!

The little lefse-helper

Mom's beautiful table set and ready

Aurora and Selina dressed up and parading around on Thanksgiving day

Mom's Thanksgiving desert

Pooped!

Selina at Mom's

Peyton at Mom's

Brooke with the kiddums on Thanksgiving day

The family at Pike Street!

My bro, Brad, with his beautiful sweetie-pie, Arica out on our double date!

At dinner on our date

Lee and I at the pier in Seattle, on our night out with Brad and Arica

Travis and his gorgeous wife, Glenda!

Family at Pike Street

Pike Street with the Elley bunch!

THIS is why I love Gig Harbor!!

Lee and Brooke walking down the pier

Lee, Grandma Bonnie, and the kids on a walk along a pier in Gig Harbor

11.16.2006


More houses on Balboa Island

The beautiful houses on the Island

Family on Balboa Island