a visit to LA.

last monday i woke up with a bee in my bonnet, i needed a vacation. jude and i (because if you ever really want anything done, get jude on it) called trevan at work and plead our case. trevan was hesitant but after jude's reasoning trevan was on board. after a quick phone call to trevan's uncle scott in LA to ask permission, the vacation was set in motion.

we left thursday with plans to be home on tuesday and we had no real plans or schedule and i think for that reason alone, it was one of the most refreshing vacations we have had. also, scott and dina are the best hosts ever. they took days off to hang out with us, lent us their home, fed us, AND paid for our tickets to legoland. my kids love scott and dina and jude told me today that we needed to back this week.... i could not agree more.

(legoland)

we stayed in vegas for the night on thursday because i don't think anyone should make that drive in one day with kids, unless its on the way home :) .

(legoland)

we stayed at the Exaclibur and for $25, it was the best choice ever. jude was so excited to stay in a castle. i only hope is innocence and naivety stays for years to come. our room was 'iffy' but who can complain when its $25? "not i" said the pig.

notice the sweat? umm, las vegas is a little too hot to handle. trevan had the novel idea of walking down the strip to the bellagio (3 miles round trip) at 10pm and it was still 106 degrees. it was hot and miserable but we did see some really inspiring people. it took all the energy i had not to grab all those cards that were being handed out, i wanted an escort so bad. plus, greta is still talking about the pretty dancing waters.

credit goes out to my man jude for walking that far in that heat. i'm pretty sure that i have mentioned that jude is one of the more lazy 4 year olds you will meet, i mean the boy loves a stroller. literally, him walking anywhere is a feat. we told him if he could make it there, he could ride in the stroller on the way home. jude was so tired by the time we got to the bellagio he couldn't even complain.... and that is saying a lot.

now our room at the Excalibur may have been "iffy" but their pool took it to a whole notha' level . 4 pools and a slide to boot? jude was sold. he's pretty cute.

las vegas is always good for a little 'euro-trash'. euro trash is better than white trash because their accents make them a little classier and they were inappropriate swimwear.

i could not resist.

greta is AMAZING.

the only thing jude and i were set on doing in california was legoland. i showed jude legoland online before we left and he could not fathom the idea and had to be there... NOW! trevan thought it would be lame (a theme park dedicated to legos?) but he was not one bit disappointed. he does after all want a $200 lego technic every year for christmas. sometimes he can be such a buzz kill, its good he has determined people like jude and i to make him do things.

really all jude wanted to see at legoland were the star wars characters. we found them STAT and he would not get any closer to darth vader than this. sometimes you are just too starstruck (ie. scared).

scott.

he is the BEST uncle ever and not just because he bossed me into letting him buy are legoland tickets. first off, he came to legoland. secondly, he is innately cool. thirdly, he was in love with greta. and lastly, he let jude boss him around and willingly watched jude build mii's on the wii for 4 consecutive days. we all love us a little scott.

oh, and dina? she is the prettiest host we could have asked for.

jude's first 'real' rollercoaster.

best part about legoland? jude could go on every ride. yes, the rides are a bit tame but they are plenty wild for my wild boy. greta could not go on most rides but she was fine to sit with her pregnant mother and practice putting on lip gloss and eating delicious apple fries.

(apple fries are a MUST at legoland)

told you scott loved greta.... don't worry the feeling was completely mutual.

legoland's pirate bay area was the perfect place to cool off. being the wise mother that i am, i came prepared with swimsuits. i am so rad.

again, love affair. scott is a sucker for baby girls, you should see him with his own baby girl, even if she is nearly 18.

jude favorite part of legoland? getting his drivers licence. i wish i had a decent picture of his licence because you probably would want to frame it and display it over your mantel... just saying.

no one, i repeat no one, is more excited to be walking than greta.

dinner at P.F. Changs before my first viewing of Toy Story 3 (offensive, i know). we also got to dine with luke walton of the LA lakers... who i still have no idea is. i was hoping i would see a much cooler celebrity, like suri cruise.

my boy.

he is a great person to go on a vacation with.

the ocean.

why don't i live at the beach? i am pretty sure i would enjoy it and my kids (trevan, jude, and greta) would too.

see what i am saying?

yet again, L.O.V.E.

and no that beached whale in the background that eerily resembles me, is not me.

hopefully.

best family picture ever.

best family vacation ever.

wait...

it was until this happened.

our car broke down 25 miles south of mesquite, nv.

yes, it was 116 degrees. no, we did not have air condtioning. yes, we did wait and hour for a tow truck. yes, my kids did scream and sweat to death (jude told me his bones were cooked). yes, our 3 year old car with 50k on it did break down. and yes, it was hellacious.

turns out, we like to make the best of situations and actually had a good time in mesquite. i am old pro at mesquite after 10 spring breaks there as a kid. we got our car towed by the best and most honest people in the mechanic world. their auto shop quickly fixed our car (a sensor error) and $276 later (tow included) we were on our way back to SLC in the morning. we stayed at the casablanca for the night and my kids were no worse for the wear. in fact, probably a little better, seeing as jude was in love with their pool. he and greta had the time of their lives swimming with us and jude must have gone down their slide at least 45 times.

somethings i learned on this vacation:

-pinkberry is THAT good

- traffic in california is insane

- avoid las vegas in july

- towing insurace is a MUST

- if you have kids ages 2-10, legoland needs to happen

- apply sunscreen (this is mostly for trevan who is still healing from his sunburn and oozing blisters)

- iphone's make the drive much more bearable

- movies are way overpriced in california

- sand gets in every crevice

- make sure you have 2 of everything for your 2 kids

- you are so lame if you live in so. cal and don't have a beach cruiser

- never move to mesquite

- road trips with kids are never as bad as you expect

dear vacation,

xoxoxoxo

-the gregs