December 22nd

Vegas was fun and at the same time very strange to be there for Christmas.  Lots happening with lots of pictures so I am taking it one day at a time.  After church on Sunday we drove  to Great Falls.  I didn't want to get up so incredibly early and deal with the border.  I had enough Air Miles to get a room.  It took us longer than expected, and the kids were so excited they were a little crazy.  After a few hours Dave and I where not sure we where going to make it through the week.  I told them they could ask us any question about us growing up, them growing up, us dating, or whatever.  This always seems to work for a bit.  Funny how kids are always so interested in what their parents lives where like when they where little.  We checked in and went to sleep.  The next morning we had some time before we had to be at the airport.  Dave wanted a crossword to do.  Three stores later we found one.  Lots of Sudoku and Word Find, apparently people in Great Falls don't like crossword.  He also wanted new shoes. Needed badly is more accurate.  We went to Scheels.  Two and a half years ago we stood in the same spot and found nothing.  Shoe shopping with Dave usually ruins the day.  Miraculously he found a pair.  Hallelujah. We got to the airport and ate some lunch we had packed.

Blake was so nervous he made himself a little ill. We told the kids what to expect before going through security so they would not be nervous.  Cora went through, then Leah.  Then they made Leah step aside and pulled me out of the line to go through.  I was told that Leah had been selected for additional screening.  Just random selection.  They took us aside and wiped her hands down and put the cloth in a computer for analysis.  I kept telling her not to worry it was OK.  I had booked to far back on the way there and we had no windows.  Not a good first time experience :( They loved it, but it is not the same.  Cora had a little kid across the aisle from her that was watching Frozen.  So she watched that the whole way.  

After landing we took a shuttle to the car rental and then to our hotel.  The kids where astounded by the casinos.  Every hotel made it hard to find what you where looking for.  We walked through big casinos to get to restaurants, hotel check ins, and shows.  Every map I looked at said our hotel was 2 blocks from the strip.  Well they must have been HUGE blocks.  It was almost a mile from our hotel to the strip. The first day we walked up to the strip.  Blake had been nervous, then a little motion sick, and was still feeling it a bit.  We had a light dinner at Subway.  The walk was a little dirtier than I remembered.  Honestly the first day I was a little disappointed.  I felt a little let down after how excited we had all been. But it got better.

The first night we were tired and hungry.  We watched the water show at the Bellagio and took pictures of the Eiffel Tower.

We walked back to the hotel and went for a short swim before bed.  It was a little weird and kinda nice to be the only ones swimming.  It was dark and warm, with Christmas music playing.  It was an exhausting first day, but fun.  Definitely time for sleep.