Sleepless in Las Vegas...

It was a GREAT visit and we were more than happy to spend the time with family... but, our trip to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving was EXHAUSTING!!!!!!  Luke was all messed up. He is either teething, getting sick, completely unable to adapt to new locations or he just a general GRUMP... but he was just whiney and crying all the time! Neither Scott nor I could leave his side without him having a major meltdown.  Easygoing this boy is NOT!!!!

He went to bed really well.. but, with the time change... he was up every morning at 4:00 am!  It wasn't all that bad.. we were mostly on Michigan time too, but we were staying up a great deal later than he was.  You would just NEVER suspect from these pictures that he spent most of his Thanksgiving vacation in Vegas whining and crying!

Okay, maybe I exaggerate.  I am prone to it.. but really... he was damn grumpy!!!  He had to scream himself to sleep in order to take a nap. Nighttime was a bit easier.  Maybe cuz he couldn't see his surroundings really?  Or maybe he was just exhausted.  Who knows?  

We survived though!  And, I know that my Mom and Dave appreciated our coming out and visiting no matter how interrupted their sleep was too!

My step-sister, Crystal and brother-in-law, Colin were out there too.. and we had a really great time spending more time with them and getting to know them better! We all got along great living in some pretty close quarters for five days!!!  I think the drinking helped! HA!  We are a family that enjoys the wine and the drink. We are Polish after all.  It's in our blood. Drinking and dancing are just a given!

Here is a picture of the whole family at dinner... minus Luke, who much to my mother's disappointment, was sleeping. Scott and I were, of course, THRILLED!!!! We got to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in peace! 

Thursday, after dinner, we took a ride down to the Strip (as I posted earlier) to show Ally the sights.... all she talked about the entire time were all the Mamma Mia signs... so I decided to take her to see the show on Friday. Scott, my mom, Ally and I went.  Ally was absolutely GIDDY and LOVED the show!  She takes after her mom, and I take after my mom, when it comes to a love for live shows!!!! I will NEVER forget my first show... Les Miserables, with my mom!!!!!!  I am so happy to pass on the tradition....

Ally also absolutely loved spending time with Aunt Crystal and Uncle Colin.  They were pretty crazy about catering to her every whim. She and Crystal made Christmas ornaments together... Colin played endless games of Go Fish!  And... this was Ally's favorite thing to do.... she asked Uncle Colin every five minutes if he would carry her on his shoulders... he was a big pushover! I wonder how his back is holding up today?  ;-)

All-in-all... we had a GREAT trip and a wonderful visit!!!!!  We saw some sights, did some shopping and most importantly, enjoyed our time with family... talking, drinking and just hanging out... isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about????  I am truly thankful for that visit as we made memories we won't soon forget!

More pictures on our Mac Gallery!!!  Take a look!