We decided that hanging out in Vegas would be the most appropriate activity possible.
Actually, we had two legit reasons for temporarily leaving Zion: 1) Baby blessing of Lucy Smith, Brady's new daughter 2) Our neighbors from Alabama (I've written about them before) flew in and asked us to pick them up.So we left a little after 7 (because everyone slept in and I woke them all up just barely in time to rush out the door and make it to the church in Henderson 3 minutes early). The baby blessing went very well and Lucy looked even more beautiful in person. After a lovely luncheon and hanging out at Brady's in-laws (where Brianna embarrassed me with her squirrelish behavior) we headed to the Venetian hotel to pick up our neighbor friends.
Tom and Debra insisted on taking us on a little tour around their favorite spots along the strip. We saw the typical spots - Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, the Volcano-thing, and 500 nearly naked girls. Lots of cute (ridiculously expensive) little shops, giant bears made out of bazillions of flowers, gorgeous Christmas displays, and one indoor area with a fake sky that totally made you feel like you were outside. In Italy. If it weren't for the excessive 2nd hand smoke we were all inhaling, I might have really enjoyed it. We had to walk through several large casinos, where I witnessed the funding source for all the amazing decor: gambler's lost money. I walked by one table where, within 5 seconds, a man put down 5 chips (worth $100 each, I later learned) and had them swooped away at the roll of a dice. He then put more chips down. Sick. Our friend won $1000 off of one quarter put into a (very cool-looking, I admit) slot machine! But then continued to spend til those winnings were lost. Even if I didn't have any religious belief in the wrongness of gambling... I still think I could never bring myself to risk hard-earned money in something so pointless.
There's my soapbox for the day.
Bottom left photo: a statue that turned out to be a well-painted real person standing very still. I hope she gets paid a lot for that. Photo above that: Brianna enjoying her gelato treat our friends bought her. $7.50 a scoop. Insane.
In several photos, Tom and Debra are holding Brianna. She wouldn't let them do that for long, but it gave me enough of a break so my arms didn't completely die. Thirty pounds of wiggly toddler carried for 2 hours in crowded smokey areas really wears this pregnant lady out.
The nice warm weather in the middle of winter was the best part about viva-ing Las Vegas.
7 comments:
I once saw someone set $1,000 down on a roulette table and lose it within a matter of about 5 minutes. I couldn't help but think of all of the people who are unable to pay bills and are losing their houses, and how incredibly awful it seemed to just throw money like that away.
I liked meeting Tom and Debra - they certainly like you guys. We will NOT gamble when you come next week. Probably not UNTIL Brian leaves, but maybe not then either.
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
Cute post. My favorite thing in Vegas is the Bellagio fountain! So pretty and fun to just stand there and watch it (fresh air too). I think I would really LOVE Vegas if there wasn't, as you mentioned, so much smoke and nakie ladies.
And I'm with you...religious beliefs asside, I really can't imagine throwing money away on gambling. Makes me stomach turn just thinking about it.
Dear Anonymous -
ummm.... thankyou. Wish I knew who you were. You've inspired me to block anonymous comments, cuz I realized it's a little annoying not knowing who posted.
And - I have to disagree. I like a lot of my earlier posts better. Buuut... ultimately, I'm really not trying to be "original" or "creative." I'm just documenting our lives. If we happen to do something original and creative, then the post will reflect that. But my blogging objectives are just as well achieved when a post of the mundane is published.
gambling makes me sick....How far are you from vegas? Sounded fun....call it missionary work.... :)
who is that anonymous person? how awkward. thanks for the lucy compliments. glad you guys could make it. don't be embarrassed by brianna. my parents had my sister's two-year-old staying with them for a week and are fully aware what two-year-olds are like.
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