Some Photo Friday Action for the "Guest Host"

What happens in Vegas...well it's not staying in Vegas today. Diana is hosting Foto Friday this week for NikeMom. Here are some of the shots I took of the family doing "The Strip." If you haven't ever visited Diana's website, take a look. Diana has an awesome, inspirational story...and she swings some mean kettlebells!

So...onto the Vegas Pix...

We started with lunch at The Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay

Turbo ordered a chocolate shake...yum..

Turbo and me...waiting for our burgers.

DramaGirl and Walter...waiting for the check...

Then we walked over to the Luxor because DramaGirl and Turbo wanted to see the Titanic Exhibit. It was OK... We were in Halifax (Nova Scotia) a couple of years ago, and that is where the Carpathia, the ship that picked up the Titanic survivors docked. We went to a really excellent Titanic exhibit there, so this one wasn't quite as good, but sad and interesting in a Vegas sorta way nonetheless.

Two interesting points about it were that they had a section of the actual hull in part of the exhibit. It was huge (but they didn't allow pictures, and I'm a pretty good rule-follower...the teacher in me, you know). Also, upon entering we were given a boarding pass with an actual passenger's name on it with some of his or her background. At the end of the exhibit, we could see if we survived or not (sorta maudlin, don't you think?) I was a first class, female passenger so I survived. Walter wasn't so lucky, third class, male...he had no chance. Both DramaGirl and Turbo survived too...

Then it was on to the next stop. We drove. Trust me...those hotels are enourmous...and MILES apart!

Driving down the strip...I love that amidst all the big buildings, the cheesy little souvineer shops and the Travel Lodge still are hangin' on...

Next...We stopped at New York, New York to ride the roller coaster, but I didn't take any pictures...BTW, when the roller coaster operator tells you to take off your sunglasses, if you are wearing regular glasses, take those off too...I almost lost mine in a corkscrew rollover. Walter chickened out and wouldn't go on the roller coaster with me, so I went with the kids. I LOVE roller coasters!!!!

From there we went down the strip farther to Wynn and Encore. I'd heard lots about the Wynn casinos, and I'll admit, they were nice. I'm sorta nonchalant about all of it, to be honest. I don't gamble (I HAAAATE losing money that I could spend on something important, like shoes). But I do like watching the people, and well...there is lots of shopping on the strip....mostly stores where I can't afford a thing.

DramaGirl, posing with the only Ferrari I could ever come close to affording...that is if I wanted to spend several thousand dollars on a pedal-car for my kids...

DramaGirl downstairs at the Wynn...all of those things are Parasols. There were two bars, the one upstairs was called Parasol Up, the one downstairs is called Parasol Down. It wasn't until she was downstairs that I saw the sign that said 21 and older only...OOOPS!

Turbo, Walter, and DramaGirl on the walkway over the strip.

DramaGirl and Turbo - in front of the Fashion Show Mall. I was ready for some more shopping!

Unfortunately, the boys' tollerance for shopping had ceased to exist. But the kids wanted to see the strip at night, and since it was still light out, and since it'd been, oh gosh, hours since we'd last eaten, we found another place to stop... a deli called Zoozacrackers, back in the Wynn.

I am soooooooo 13...please let me endure this photo for you.

I had no idea, but Turbo brought plastic bugs to play with in his spare time...gotta LOVE boys

Also, since it was the first night of Passover, we ordered....

Matzoh Ball Soup (just an enormous Matzoh Ball, huh?)

Chopped Liver...Yum (really, I like it...it's one of Walter's favorites. The kids won't touch it).

Potato Latkes...not a traditional Passover food, but you can't go wrong with fried potatoes. EVAH...

and of course...

Wine (it's in the rules. You have to drink wine at Passover!)

Finally, it was dark outside, so we cruised down the strip...blaring tunes and shouting out windows...nobody seemed to notice...




It was a good day. I have been in Vegas (as you know) lots these past couple of months, and I'm usually there a few times a year, but I rarely go down to The Strip.

Back in SoCal now and looking forward to tomorrow's long run with the SDTC. It'll be the first time I've run in a week, and the route we're doing mimics the La Jolla 1/2 Marathon, which is in about two weeks.

Thanks to all of you who continue to send your good wishes and prayers for my mom. I know she occasionally reads my blog...she's likely to read it today (go back and read yesterday's too mom), since there are kid-photos posted. You are all really amazing peeps and {{hugs}} to you all!