Day off

One of the effects of Zach having only four days off each month, is that when one of them isn't spoken for by a trip out of town, or running all the errands that don't get done the other 27 days, it seems like a holiday.  So, on this one, we made a reservation to go to Rainforest Cafe.

On our way there, we drove by a time-traveling Dolorian!  Zach and I were quite enthusiastic, and the kids were a little chagrined that they didn't understand the significance. We promised we'd update them with YouTube when we got home.  (I forgot about all the swearing in the Dolorian scene- oops.)

The kids wanted to go up the escalator to see the restaurant from above. So on our way home, we all went up. I was about to turn around and go back down so we could head to the car, but the kids went down the hall and realized there was a door to the outside. The restaurant had been so dark with a view of the "night sky" and shooting stars, it felt later than it was. But the view of the sunny bridge overlooking the strip looked so inviting, we headed out to take a peek.  Then we spotted the M&M store and the Coca Cola store, and since Zach had been meaning to get a very specific Coke bottle bank for the last four years since the last one his dad gave him broke, we headed down.

We got out the elevator and look who was waiting to take a picture with us!  At Disneyland we'd opted not to wait in line to get a pic with one character at a time, so this was pretty fun.  I don't think the boys even noticed Buzz looked like he was melting...

 We happened to walk by the line for the free M&M 3-D movie a couple minutes before it started, so we went in and watched it.  It was pretty cute!  The kids loved it. Then we thought we'd check out the new fourth floor, and while we were standing there, they announced that "Green" was coming out to take pictures on the fourth floor.  So we stayed while she walked out the door by us, and just kind of gathered around for a picture.

 A few stores down was the Coke store, and we went in so Zach could get his bank.  His dad would periodically give the change in the bottle to one of his siblings or him while they were growing up.  Then we used it for date nights when his dad gave it to him. So we're keeping up the tradition. We saw the Coke bear standing there with nothing to do, so we went over and took pictures with him, too.

 I always am a little anxious when taking kids to the strip.  When Zach and I go to shows or stuff at night, there's always a billboard with half-naked somebody, posing provocatively.  But this little stretch, during this time of day, was free of anything that needed to be turned into a discussion about modesty and God's plan for our bodies.  I kind of like the fact that, when my kids turn into young adults, Vegas will just be a place that reminds them of walking around with Mom and Dad when they were little, ha.