Viva Las Vegas!

A few days before we left for Jamaica, Bryon called me from work and let me know that’d he’d be gone for an entire 2 weeks nearly immediately following our return from the island.  And not just gone for business to any old place - but to Las Vegas & San Diego!

Time for a hairstyle change!  Goodbye Jamaica, Hello West Coast!
He HATED his post-braid hair so much he wouldn't look in the mirror!
Hakuna Matata,kid (this looks screams The Lion King, doesn't it?!).

A quick search for flight deals online and I found an awesome discount on flights directly from Boston to Las Vegas (as well as direct flights from Vegas to San Diego & from San Diego back to Boston).  Total bill?  $215!  Seriously, just a couple hundred bucks!  A nearly free vacation for myself and the boys?  Sign us up!

Jet setting with these two clowns again.  Watch out Vegas, here we come!

No love for the paparazzi.

Bryon’s trip was lengthened by adding on a few days in San Francisco before he arrived in Las Vegas, but we met up with him in Sin City Tuesday evening.  He arrived a couple of hours before us, which was perfect because he was able to get a rental car, check into the hotel and get the room ready for bedtime.  Maksim was a trooper on the plane, and asked to go to bed on his own at 8pm - just an hour after his usual bedtime.  He slept for the remaining 5 hours of the 6 hour flight.  On the other hand, Deklan was not interested in sleeping at all.  He contently stayed awake until 10pm EST, giving him just an hour of sleep on the plane before we landed!  It actually worked out fine because 10pm in Boston is 7pm in Las Vegas…so it made the jet lag easier to deal with the following day.

Puppy gets all the love.  All the time.

Just a monkey clinging to his best friend.

The airport was a  bit rough.  Both kids were super tired, but all Maks wanted to do was play the slot machines!  I told him that he just couldn't - which didn't go over well.  Man, I really wish I could have let him sit down and play JUST ONCE!  I totally get that it wasn't fair or fun to be surrounded by all those lights and games and not even be able to participate.  It didn't get any better as the trip went on and Las Vegas didn't have any kiddie-friendly slots!  He was so disappointed!  Maks even decided he'd be ok with playing roulette instead - but go figure, I had to tell him no to that as well!

With just 2 days to explore Las Vegas, I tried to fill our schedule with nearby sightseeing and kid-friendly activities.  It seemed like an was going to be an easy feat, but things became more difficult when I realized that most “attractions” and shows don’t begin for the day until around 11am.  Bryon was busy working each day, so the boys and I were flying solo.  Deklan started the trip off right with an early morning bath - complete with breakfast and cartoons!  He knows where the party’s at!

6am in Vegas and Deklan knows where the party's at.  Breakfast in the tub while watching tv!

For our first expedition, we headed over to the Miracle Mile Shops and walked the mall before the stores opened.  Maksim and Deklan were amazed at how the ceiling of the shopping center looked like the sky!  At 10am we caught the first indoor rainstorm of the day.  Thunder, lightning, fog and pouring rain - in the middle of the desert (and the mall)!  

Watching the rain fall.

The majority of the remainder of the day was spent at the hotel pool.  Swim, snack, sunscreen, repeat.  I literally had to drag them out of the water before their exhausted bodies shut down completely.  

Squinty eyes and out of focus, but sunshine and swimsuits - never a bad combo!

When Bryon returned from his conference, we drove to Goyemon Sushi House for some all-you-can-eat sushi.  (Maks was thrilled to have found the "Statue of Liberty - 'the small one from Las Vegas'" on our drive.)  

Bryon visits Goyemon each time he’s in Las Vegas, so we were sure to make an extra special sushi trip this time around to help celebrate his birthday as well!  After sushi, we drove the the The Mirage.  Maksim had patiently waited all day, looking forward to seeing the Volcano at The Mirage come to life with explosions and fireballs!  Bryon dropped us off at valet parking so we were able to get front row views of the action.  Maks LOVED it!  Deklan ran away yelling, “I scared! I scared!” after the first explosion (it was hot!).  Luckily, I heard Maks yell at him to “come back, it’s ok!” and I was able to grab him before he was lost in the crowd.  Despite trembling and clinging to me the entire show, Deklan keeps asking me if he can try it again someday “when he’s an adult.”

On Thursday, the boys and I took a walk down the strip to The Flamingo hotel for a wildlife habitat walk.  We arrived in time to catch the tail end of the pelican feeding.  We explored the rest of the habitat and got up close and personal with pink flamingos, exotic ducks, koi fish and so much more.  

Pelicans eating their breakfast.

Flamingos at The Flamingo!

Koi as big as my kids!

We ventured on to check out the streams, ponds and garden gazebos - and even caught a couple getting married!  It must have been contagious because these two actually expressed their love for one another in a way other than sibling violence!

Take them to a chapel and suddenly they're in love.

From The Flamingo, we walked across the street to Caesar’s Palace and discovered an abundance of statues and fountains.  We wound our way through Caesars Forum Shops and ended up at the aquarium.  Deklan was especially excited to have found “Mr. Ray.”  (He’s still trying to find Nemo.)

Because why would you simply sit in a chair sculpted like a head?  #thatchintho

Mr. Ray!

Another mall, another interactive show - Fall of Atlantis.  We stuck around for the 7 minute animatronic display of fire, water and nine-foot talking statues.  Deklan, again, wasn’t a huge fan.  Maks’ recollection of the story is a bit off-kilter.  “The brother and sister are fighting with each other and their father tells them to get along.  They don’t listen to him and fight with water and fire.  And then he kills them.  And everybody dies.”  Ok.  Close enough, Buddy.  Moral of the story - maybe you should stop fighting with your brother???

Next stop, the High Roller!  I’d been planning on taking the kids on this giant Ferris wheel in the evening to catch view of the city illuminated, but the timing was just too perfect to pass up when we walked by just as the attraction was opening for the day.  We had a clear view of Las Vegas from 550 feet above the ground.  Although each cabin sphere can hold 40 people, we were lucky enough to ride with just 2 other adults - giving the kids free range of views from every side of the observation room.  I’m glad we went when we did, as the winds picked up for the day just as we were landing.

About to be 550 feet above Sin City!

Fearless!

Cautious...but came around eventually!

Checking out the sites.

Nevada landscape.

High winds actually shut down a lot of attractions for the rest of the day.  As we exited the ride, we made a quick stop at In-N-Out Burger and also picked up 6 specialty cupcakes at Sprinkles for Bryon’s birthday celebration.  The 3/4 mile walk back in extreme winds with 2 overtired toddlers, a diaper bag and a bag full of food was brutal.  Dust in our eyes.  Winds that kept knocking people over on the walking overpasses and outdoor escalators.  Seemingly making zero progress in forward motion.  Eventually, we made it.  Naps ensued.

The remainder of the night was kind of a bust due to high wind advisories.  The street lights in Vegas were all out, which just added to the chaos.  We walked to The Bellagio, anxious to see the fountain and light show.  Unfortunately, it was cancelled.  So, we drove to Old Vegas for the Fremont Experience.  Cancelled as well.  However, now we have a 4 year old who desperately wants to grow big enough to zip line his way down Fremont Street when the light show is going the next time he’s in Vegas!

I’d considered going to Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at the Bellagio after the kids went to bed for the night.  However, with an early morning flight to San Diego in the morning (without Bryon’s assistance), I decided to call it a night and get some rest alongside the boys.  Plus, this afforded Bryon the opportunity to celebrate his birthday with his co-workers/friends Vegas style.  I think he spent most of the night at Tao and came back to our hotel room exactly 1.5 hours before he needed to chauffeur us to the airport.  Happy Birthday, old man!  How’s it feel to be 29 again?!  Just kidding (kind of)!  Welcome to 30!

Vegas was awesome to see, and I think I’ll be back sometime - sans kids.  I’d love to have another opportunity to explore - cycling around Red Rock Canyon, seeing the Hoover Dam, hiking the Valley of Fire, kayaking the Colorado River, exploring the Grand Canyon (helicopter ride anyone?), cruising Lake Mead, zip lining in Bootleg Canyon, racing a dune buggy in the desert…and enjoying so many Las Vegas shows!!!