Before/After

Well--the deck is 99% complete! I just have one more set of stairs to build leading up to the other side of the deck by the garage and it will be complete!! Can't wait--hopefully I can finish it tomorrow after Levi wakes up!

Before

After

2 adults---7 kids

Today we met my friend Amber at a park in Moses Lake. She was headed from Spokane to Leavenworth for a wedding and her boys needed to run around and her girls needed a break and to eat. It's crazy to think that between the two of us, we have 7 kids!!

Home Sweet Home!

We made it safely home--as if I had any doubts! But we had a fabulous trip! We did so much, but still I feel like we didn't do enough. I can't believe how much there is to do in Vegas--including getting lost at 2 am!
We went to a Tournament of Kings show in our hotel, the Excaliber. It was a dinner and a show with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and you had to eat with your hands. But it was very good! We walked most of the strip and made a point to visit as many casinos as possible. There were so many high-end shops, I wish I had more money for shopping. We went to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay, the Bodies Exhibit and Titanic Exhibit at the Luxor. We also saw the Blue Man Group at the Venetian. It was so awesome. So much color and sound and it was hilarious. We watched the fountain show at the Bellagio, the pirates at Treasure Island, the Moving Statues at Cesars Palace. Only in Vegas can you see Lions, the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Sphinx and more in the same place.
Tuesday night we went to the Piano Bar at Harrahs which was a blast. It's amazing how much fun you can have with a couple of Pianos (and a few beers). Then we went to Toby Kieths bar and grill (also at Harrahs) and watched an amazing band--I even got Levi to dance with me (after a few more beers). At about 2 the bar closed and we headed back to our hotel via the monorail. Unfortunately, I got us going the wrong way, then when we got off to get on the monorail going the other way, we were informed that we had just got off the last monorail of the evening. We were about 7 miles from our hotel, and several blocks off strip at the Hilton. It looked to be a loooooooooooooooooooong walk! But Levi, my hero, got us a cab (the first either of us had ever been in) and we got a ride back. I was so grateful, the driver got a huge tip!!
Wednesday was our 9th anniversary, and we planned to do the Stratosphere. We got up and going about 7 pm, had a nice dinner. Walked down to the Stratosphere and I looked up and decided that I was okay just looking at it. It was very tall--and I am afraid of heights--maybe another time!
Like I said, we had a great trip, but I definately missed my kids.
I didn't get very many pics, but here are a few of what I did get.

Our hotel "Excaliber"

The Stratosphere--this is as close as I got!

Levi on the Strip

--at the Tournament of Kings

Las Vegas or Bust!

So tomorrow Levi and I leave for our trip to Vegas. I am so excited. First of all, it'll be our first trip alone since our honeymoon. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and I will miss them dearly, but it will be nice to do things with other adults just for adults, sleep in and not have to worry about diapers. Secondly, we will be celebrating our 9th anniversary while on our trip. It seems crazy how quickly the 9 years went, but yet, here it is--9 years and 3 kids later and we are still very happy and in love!!
I'm a little anxious about flying. I don't have a lot of experience with flying, but I have been assured that all will be well!!
We are going to go see The Blue Man Group, and there are a couple other activities we would like to do. Levi has been working on me to go on a ride on the Stratosphere. Have I mentioned that I am deathly afraid of heights and the Stratosphere is very, very, very, very, very, very high--but I am a very brave, and at times, very crazy--so we'll see.
I will have lots of pics to post and lots to say upon return, so until then . . .

Happy Independence Day!!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!! We had a BBQ with some friends and then Levi went to work. I got the kids some pop-its and sparklers. After dinner I let the kids do the pop-its. They all loved them, especially Jett. Anything he can throw is right up his alley. But I was a mean mommy and made the kids wait until it was darker to do the sparklers. When I finally deemed it was dark enough, we went out on the deck (it's almost done). I wasn't sure how Jett would react to them. When the girls were his age (about 21 months) they would have totally freaked with the "fire" of the sparklers, and they were still a little timid tonite (at 4 and 7 years old), but not Jett. He snatched that sparkler right out of my hand and went to work swishing it and flinging it in the air. He had so much fun and every time the sparkler went out he said "more" and was ready for another one. He was very sad when they were done. Then we sat on the edge of the deck looking towards Ephrata and watched 3-4 different fireworks shows. I don't know if they were for the different towns around us just fireworks that people bought, but they were pretty good. And after everyone, Jett cheered "wooooo" and clapped his hands and then said "more". Once again, he was sad when they ended. The girls enjoyed them too! Overall, it was a pretty good 4th, for not really having any plans.





Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!!