Lake Mead/Vegas Trip

October 13-14, 2011

On Thursday, we drove to Lake Mead so I could try out my wet suit in the lake before the Pumpkinman Triathlon on Saturday.

I felt pretty good, but I still have trouble swimming straight.

Sammy and Austin wanted to swim out far, but I told them they had to be able to touch the bottom since we didn't have life jackets. They probably would have been fine, but better safe than sorry.

Tommy was looking for any type of animal...he is still recovering from his oral surgery earlier in the week when he had two of his molars extracted.

Sarah seemed to have the best time just playing on the edge, talking to herself in her own little world.  It was super cute.

For dinner Thursday night we went to Lotus Chinese Restaurant in Henderson, NV.  It was actually pretty good.  We like to try to find hole-in-the-wall restaurants and I think this one was a success.  I was super pleased because as we walked in the restaurant we were sat next to the only only people there at that time (several more came in afterwards).  So I'm a little worried that they sat us right next to this other couple, one because we have four active kids and, two, it is always a little worrisome when nobody is in a restaurant   

Well after we got settled and they took our order, the couple next to us commented on how "well behaved" our children were.  LOL   At first I was speechless and wasn't sure how to respond since nobody has every said that about my children before.  I almost glanced behind me to see if they were talking to someone else.  It was really cool though, because the kids heard the comment and they were super good the whole time.

Although I had to laugh when I saw Sarah doing this...not exactly "well behaved" but super cute.

We had the whole day Friday to kind of hang out, so first we went on a chocolate tour at Ethel M. Chocolates (Mars Company).

Then we stop at the Las Vegas sign for a little photo op.  I have wanted to do this every time I drive by the sign and finally it happened.

The whole family.

We drove down "the strip."  The kids liked looking at all the buildings at the end of the strip we came to our next destination - the "Pawn Stars" pawn shop. 

This was very interesting.  Almost more like a museum than a pawn shop.  We left just as they were about to  film a segment.  They asked for every to be quiet and act normal, and I just thought that was too much for us to handle.  LOL. 

After that we went to the Las Vegas Temple.  The kids ran around and played on the grass.  It was a beautiful day. 

My dad came down from SLC for the triathlon, so after that we met up with him.  The kids swam in the hotel pool, we went to lunch, and then I met up with Brooke to pick up my race packet.  Becca coordinated with some friends who live in Boulder City for us to have a pre-race dinner/swim party at their house.  The backyard was a kid's dreamland - pool, slide, swing set, trampoline.  The kids played hard.  Becca, Brooke, Laurel and I carb loaded.  It was a wonderful evening.