Las Vegas Vacation -- Day 2

Despite day one ending on a bit of a tired, sick note, a fairly decent night's sleep and the bright sunshine of a Nevada morning were helpful.  Stopping by the Welcome to Las Vegas sign and taking silly pictures didn't hurt, either.

Our plan for day two was to visit the Grand Canyon, a supposed 4-5 hour drive from Vegas.

So out we started, feeling good, until...one hour and a dead end road later we discovered we had been driving in the wrong direction.

The dead-end road we were on for most of an hour.

Connor was oblivious to our plight -- happy as a clam with his apples and sunglasses.

Ever the optimists, we turned around, found the correct road, and eight hours later we made it.

Along the way we made two stops, one at the Grasshopper Junction Mini Mart (to get directions and take a bathroom break)

and the other at the Roadkill Cafe, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch before making the second half of our journey.

Once we arrived, the view was well worth the time spent lost and in the car.  Besides Tracy Arm Fjord (and Alaska in general) the Canyon was the most breathtaking site my eyes have ever beheld.  The Canyon was so expansive, so deep, and the colors so vivid that it took my breath away.  Now that I look back at the photos, they almost do not look real, but I suppose that is just a reminder of the beauty of God's creation.  It seems too beautiful to be true at times.

Connor was enamored with the sights, and he kept telling everyone to be quiet, that the canyon was "sleeping."  Since we've been home, if someone asks where he went, he replies, "Las Begas and the Grand Canyon."  He then proceeds to tell everyone that "the Canyon has holes."

After walking only a small part of the perimeter and hitting up a general store for souvenirs, we hit the road for a much shorter drive back, stopping only for dinner...no directions this time.  :)

I was hoping to make it back to Vegas in time to see the city at night, grab a dessert or some other treat, but Connor was sound asleep and we were all exhausted, so off to bed it was.

Up next:  Day 3 -- our full day on The Strip

Las Vegas Vacation -- Day 1

Last Friday, we left in the wee hours of the morning for just after 7 a.m. flight to Phoenix and on to Las Vegas.  This was a trip that had been planned a few months ago, using vouchers we received after an eight hour delay in our flight to Seattle last summer.

Connor was pumped about his second plane excursion, as you can see by the video below:

He was the perfect passenger, yet again.  I just knew that after our wonderful experience last summer that something would surely go wrong, but he loved the plane, the clouds, and the people just as much as before.

This was Jared's (first cousin) first ever flight.

For the first leg of the trip (Louisville to Phoenix) Connor slept nearly all of the 3 hours, 50 minutes.

This was our view coming into Phoenix.

For the second leg, a less than one hour flight, Connor watched the first half of Cars and devoured some Twizzlers.

This was my first view of the city once we landed:

Our next stop was to park at our hotel, the Luxor, although check-in wasn't until later in the afternoon.

The view inside the lobby of the Luxor.

After we parked, we headed for our first stroll up The Strip, to find a spot for lunch.  We had beautiful views of Excalibur and MGM.

We were all pretty famished, so we hit one of the first spots we saw, New York, New York.  The scenery inside was beautiful, and Connor especially loved the roller coaster which periodically made its way past us while we ate.

The lunch part of my meal was not particularly memorable, but dessert was.  It was a yummy tiramisu in a cup fashioned out of chocolate.

After stuffing ourselves, we walked back to the hotel, checked in, got unpacked, and then broke out Connor's new swimming trunks so he could try out the pool.  The water was a bit chilly, but he splashed around on the steps with Jared and would've gone completely in if one of us could have endured the frigid temperatures.

After relaxing a bit more in the hotel, Jason called to let us know that his bus would be arriving in Old Vegas shortly, so we all loaded up to pick him up (long story, but the gist is that Jason doesn't like to fly, so he took a Greyhound).  The plan was to eat in Old Vegas, see Fremont Street, and enjoy the night, but Connor was already asleep, I was feeling sick from the plane ride and jetlag, and Jason's parents graciously took us back to the hotel to rest.  I am so grateful.

The rest of our gang had a good time, and actually ended up eating dinner at  In N Out Burger, so I didn't feel as though I missed out too terribly.  Connor was restless for most of the night, so it wasn't the best start to the vacation, but things rapidly improved.

Still to come: Days 2,3, and 4 of our Vegas adventure.

April Photo a Day Challenge -- Week 1

For some reason, finding inspiration for this first week was a little tougher for the first three days, but got better as the week went on.  

Here are my photos for week 1 of April:

Day 1 -- Reflection (in the piano)

Day 2 -- Color

Day 3 -- Mail

Day 4 -- Someone Who Makes Me Happy

Day 5 -- Tiny (tiny swim trunks for my little boy)

Day 6 -- Lunch (cheese crisp at the Roadkill Cafe in Arizona)

Day 7 -- Shadow (taken on our day to the Grand Canyon)

March Photo a Day Challenge -- Week 4

 With our trip to Las Vegas, I got behind on posting my photos, so here, a little late, are my last photos from March:

Here are my photos for the last days of March:

Day 22 -- Kitchen Sink

Day 23 -- Moon

Day 24 -- Animal

Day 25 -- Breakfast (Yes, I ate a cupcake for breakfast...don't judge.)

Day 26 -- Key

Day 27 -- My Name

Day 28 -- Trash

Day 29 -- Feet

Day 30 -- Toy (Connor's best pal, Muno)

Day 31 -- Where I Relax

I will posting the first week of April as soon as I can get all of my Vegas photos organized and ready to post. :)

Death in His Grave

I love the music of John Mark McMillan all year long, but this song always touches me in an extra special way this time of year:

 (lyrics listed below)

John Mark also wrote a line-by-line commentary about this song on his blog, which you can find here.  It is more than worth the time it takes to read.

I am so thankful that the cross was not the end of the story, that I serve a victorious and risen savior.

Death In His Grave

Though the Earth Cried out for blood
Satisfied her hunger was
Her billows calmed on raging seas
for the souls on men she craved

Sun and moon from balcony
Turned their head in disbelief
Their precious Love would taste the sting
disfigured and disdained

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

So three days in darkness slept
The Morning Sun of righteousness
But rose to shame the throes of death
And over turn his rule

Now daughters and the sons of men
Would pay not their dues again
The debt of blood they owed was rent
When the day rolled a new

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke holding keys
To Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

On Friday a thief
On Sunday a King
Laid down in grief
But awoke with keys
Of Hell on that day
The first born of the slain
The Man Jesus Christ
Laid death in his grave

He has cheated
Hell and seated
Us above the fall
In desperate places
He paid our wages
One time once and for all