Vegas fun and Papa and Nannie Visit...

It's been many years since Dennis and I have been on any kind of vacation without kids. Too many years. This year, I decided that for my belated birthday present I wanted to go to Vegas for a few days, and see "The Lion King" while we were there.

To make things even better, Dennis' dad and step-mom said they would meet us there, and then follow us home for a few days visit. The girls haven't seen them in a couple of years, so were were all pretty excited.

Dennis and I got to Vegas around lunch-time on Sunday the 13th, and I was already immediately in my happy place because it was nice and WARM. The Utah summer thus far has been on the cool side, and I love heat. We met up with Dennis' dad and Debi, checked out the hotel/resort we were staying at (I was still getting lost there throughout our stay), then ate and chatted.





Every morning of our stay, we got up and went and layed by the pool. I can't tell you how nice it was to enjoy the sun and the heat without anyone climbing all over me or clammoring for my attention. I didn't realize how stressed and tightly-wound I'd been until I got away from it all. Dennis says he misses "Vacation Tarin". I do too.

Once it started getting too hot (for Dennis and his dad, because I could have happily sat by the pool most of the day) we usually ate or went shopping. Two of my very favorite things.

Monday night we went to the biggest buffet of our trip at The Wynn. I ate so much I made myself sick, so that was super-fun. Then we went to "The Lion King", which really was exciting. The costumes were something I couldn't ever have come up with, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I did get my first pangs of homesickness thinking how much Kaiya, and even Emmie, would have enjoyed the show.





Tuesday, Dennis and I spent a good portion of the day at the Primm Outlets, where I had the time of my life and he survived. What a good man. :) For lunch we went to a little dive we'd heard about called The Mad Greek, and it was DELICIOUS. Somehow I'd gotten over my 20,000 calorie binge the night before, and managed to share a gyro, fried mushrooms, and dessert with Dennis. Yum.

That night we also walked down to The Belagio to see a couple of the water shows, which is always something I love. I told Dennis it's the only free thing I can think of that I really do look forward to, so he was all over spending as much time there as possible.

Wednesday went much too quickly, and we left Vegas in the early afternoon. As much as I had started missing the kids, I still wouldn't have minded a couple more days of vacation!

The girls woke up bright and early Thursday morning, excited to see us, and more excited to see Papa and Nannie. Papa tends to spoil them all rotten, and had made the mistake of telling Kaiya to make a list of everything she wanted to do while he was here. And my, what a list it was. Miraculously, we did EVERYTHING on the list.

We went swimming every day (to the point where Hayden would wake up every morning and chant "SHWIMMING! SHWIMMING!"), went shopping for new clothes, went to Costco, went to Build-a-Bear, had breakfast at IHOP, dinner at Golden Corral, went to see Toy Story III, went to Toys R Us, went mini golfing, etc. By the end of his few days here, I think all of us adults were beyond exhausted, but the kids had the time of their lives.

Disco Emmie...



My Little Starfish...



Kaiya and Papa having a very serious conversation...



Emmie...



Hayden wasn't a huge fan of swimming, but LOVED the hot tub. That's my girl...



Kaiya...



Claire (she spent the ENTIRE time in this thing)...



Papa with the little ones...



My girls...



At Build-a-Bear, I took Heather's advice and we made a "binky bear". I rounded up all the binkies in the house and Hayden stuffed them into a bear. She had a couple of rough nights, and has done great ever since! It's such a relief to me. Yay for no more binkies!

Kaiya made a unicorn she named "Sparkles", Emmie has a new bear named "Sophie", Claire has a monkey she named "Sarah", and of course, Hayden has her new "Binky Bear". They have all been sleeping with their new friends each night. It's adorable.

Picking their stuffed animal carcasses - and Hayden having one more hit of the good stuff...



Claire holding her monkey's new heart...


Kaiya and Nannie giving her new friend a bath...



Emmie admiring herself with "Sophie"...



Kaiya and "Sparkles"...



Emmie...



Claire and "Sarah" the monkey...



Hayden stuffing her binkies into "Binky Bear"...



She's happy so far...



Awww, loves for her new friend...



Hayden was obsessed with the computers. She must get that from Daddy...



The girls with their new stuffed animals...





Of course, about ten minutes later, Hayden fell in the parking lot and skinned her knee. The first thing she asked for was a binky, and was not too happy to realize that the binkies were going to stay IN the new bear. I wish I'd have gotten a pic or two of that fun little moment.

Saturday morning was Chuck E Cheese day. Daddy was being sent off to go golf for the morning for his Father's Day present, and Papa and Nannie were smart enough to realize that with one less adult, Chuck E Cheese would be the perfect place to keep the girls contained and happy. It was a good time.























These are pics of the girls on their final day of fun with Papa and Nannie...

















After our final dinner with Papa, we were literally a two minute drive away from home. Within those two minutes, we had two kids fall sound asleep. :)





All-in-all, Dennis and I had a great time in Vegas - in large part thanks to his dad and Debi, and we all had a lot of fun with them here in Utah. The girls are still talking about it. Claire even cried a couple of nights ago because I wouldn't agree to immediately allow her to get on a plane and go see her Papa.

And Dennis and I are convinced we need another trip together VERY soon. I love my cute husband.