The Great Escape

 My husband and I had been plotting our getaway to "Big People-ville" for several months, and the time finally finally arrived.  Last week, we went to Las Vegas (about 3 hours from us) to see the Lion King Broadway musical.  My husband skateboards and plays video games - I love music, cooking, and crafts, so there are few activities we actually enjoy doing together, but we both really like going to see Broadway shows.  Kind of an expensive hobby, so we only hit one every year or two.  It was AMAZING!  The music was superb, the costumes outrageous, I'd highly recommend it if you're into that stuff.  Tom's summary:  "A white man's way to enjoy ethnic culture."  We loved it!

The girlies stayed at our house with a wonderful mom friend of mine who has raised 5 kids - I figured she was more than qualified for my 3 little ankle-biters.  Plus she had my 5-year old, who's pretty sure she knows everything about running our home.  The only questions the sitter texted me actually made me feel like a slacker.  How much candy is Linsey allowed to have before dinner?  She said YOU let her buy some at t-ball.  Then, Does Natalie have pajamas?  Linsey is saying that she DOESN'T.

{Admittedly, I've given up on jammies for my last two babies once they start squirming and resisting changing clothes.  I feel bad even saying that, but I wind up having to wash them every day anyway because something spills either coming in or going out of some orifice, so I've taken to just a onesie and random not-so-nice pants when it's nice weather.  There, I said it.}

ANYWAY, we had a great time, we were a little bummed that most of the good restaurants were closed by the time we got out of the musical, but we ate at a great American place called "Red, White, and Blue," I think at Mandalay Bay.  It was well after 11pm by the time we finished, and I begged, begged, begged my husband to take me to see the water show at the Bellagio hotel.  We were told it was about a 15 minute walk from Excalibur, where we were staying (found a $36 room priceline.com!).

 We walked as fast as we could, and it took us over half an hour, going up and down the bridge walkways and dodging slightly inebriated people.  Vegas looks so appealing on TV and in ads, but it's actually kinda dumpy and a little scary, like most big cities - at least on The Strip where we were.  I definitely understand why most of the pics you see are taken at night, and why the casinos are indoors without windows!  Anyhow, I had those 4-inch high heeled sandals on I mentioned in my last post, and my feet were KILLING me!  We got there just in time for the last show at 11:45, and it was spectacular, almost worth walking 70 minutes round-trip in high heels. :)  Aren't we women crazy??  The things we put ourselves through...

 

We fell asleep after 1am and slept until almost 10 - I don't remember the last time I slept for such a long time!  My husband blamed me for closing the curtains, but I absolutely loved it.  I loved all of it, even the 3 hour car rides with just the two of us.  I mean, how often does that happen?  We had a nice breakfast that morning and returned home, totally refreshed, to happy kids, a clean house, and a bleary-eyed babysitter.  (apparently she and my youngest had a long night!)  I know the kids had fun, too, because we had to remind them to hug us, they were so excited to tell us all they did.  And when I asked my three-year old if she missed us, she replied honestly, "Um, yeah...but I REALLY miss grandma and grandpaw!!"

I love my husband <3