Las Vegas

 We stayed at the Hyatt Place in Las Vegas- it's a couple of blocks away from the strip.  It is also right across from the Hard Rock Hotel- it was cool to stay right by the big guitar!  Friday night was the wedding, so we didn't do much sightseeing then.  But we spent all of Saturday doing the Vegas thing.

We got up bright and early Saturday morning- we were still on Idaho time and the kids don't sleep in anyway.  And also we were right by the airport so we could hear every plane leaving so I couldn't sleep well anyway.  So we parked at the MGM Grand so we could see the lions, but it was too early to see them so we decided to walk the strip a little bit.  Actually it turned out to be a lot.  And we only brought the one stroller with us this time- we had the other one in the car, but we didn't think we'd be walking too far and we thought Rylee could handle it.  At first neither one wanted to ride in the stroller, but they both wanted a ride by the end!  The weather was perfect though- not too hot, which was good.  After all the walking we did, we were pretty hot!  So we walked from the MGM Grand to the Paris before we decided that was enough and walked back.

Then we went swimming with Lindsay's kids at our hotel.  Matt wouldn't go swimming because it was too cold, so it was just me and five kids.  They all pretty much stayed on the steps, which were pretty big and they had plenty of room to play and splash in the water.  I did save Ashlyn and Jacob from drowning though, so it was a good thing someone was in with them!  Then they drove home and Ashlyn took a nap. Pretty busy morning! Then we went back to the Mirage for the rest of the day- that will be my next post. 

 MGM Grand

 Cool car!

Excalibur

 It must have been early- there were no cars on the road!!!

I wish it were like that the whole time!

 New York, New York

 M&M's World

 Ashlyn liked this M&M better than the "real" thing!

 The girls love Spongebob, so we had to get a picture!

 Probably as close as we'll get to the real thing!

Back at MGM to see the lions.  

Rylee and Matt got to actually pet the lion cub 

and get their picture taken with it!  

Rylee was so excited- and I think Matt was too!

Erin & Derek

My sister, Erin, got married last Friday in Las Vegas.  

We were so excited to see her and Derek and be there for the wedding.  

We also got to see a lot of family that came too.

Congratulations, Derek and Erin!!!

We love you and wish you all the best!

 Myrt, Grandpa, Rylee, and Ashlyn waiting at the chapel for Erin and Derek to get there.

Rylee and Noah

Rylee and Ashlyn were VERY excited to see their cousins!

 Derek and Erin getting out of the limo.

 Myrt and Grandpa

 The girls had fun playing while we waited for the wedding to start.  

Here Rylee is playing with my cousin, Erica's, little girl, Olive.

 This was the first time we saw Lindsay's baby, Avila. 

She was exactly one month old that day.

 The girls were in love with Avila!

 Ashlyn and Noah

 Me, Ashlyn, Noah, Rylee, and Jacob

 Just before the wedding.

You can see at the bottom of the sign that this is where Jon Bon Jovi got married-

that was the reason she got married here.  

She's a HUGE fan (obviously!)!!

 Here's the newlyweds!

 Derek's parents, Derek, Erin, and my parents

 The cousins (except Avila)

 My parents, Derek, Erin, and Myrt, and Grandpa

 The girls torturing Noah.

He's such a good sport!

Sisters- Lindsay, Erin, and Me

(There were so many cameras that 

we didn't know where to look, 

so I just looked at mine!)

 The great-grandkids with their great-grandma Myrt.

 With all the grandkids.

 My cousin, Laura, caught the bouquet.  Rylee was very upset because she wanted to catch the flowers.  But Matt was glad- he told her she would be the next one married if she caught it!

 Avila and Ashlyn

 Rylee surprised me and held Avila for a long time- she was so sweet holding her.  Usually it's Ashlyn that is obsessed with the babies, but it was Rylee this time!  And Avila was so good to let Rylee hold her for so long!

 Giving a kiss.

 Ashlyn was tickling Jacob- they had so much fun together!

(Erin, you were my 400th post!!!)

Only in Idaho. . .

 . . . do snow and Halloween come in the same month!

I helped Ashlyn color this pumpkin with markers.  It's hard to tell who did what, but I think it looks pretty cool.  It was too big to color with one marker.  Rylee liked it so much that I had to help her make one!

 Last Thursday (my dad's birthday) I had teacher inservice.  When I went at 8:00 in the morning it was raining, but by the time I left for lunch at 11:30 this is what it looked liked.  (I went home for lunch to pack for our trip to Las Vegas.)  My car was completely covered in snow- it was crazy!  And then when I was done at 3:30 it was still snowing.  It snowed until we got to Blackfoot and then just rained the rest of the way to Sandy.  We stayed with Matt's friend there and then finished driving to Vegas the next day.  I wasn't expecting our first snowfall yet, but this time of year you never know what the weather will be like.  Only in Idaho!