Las Vegas - New Years 2012

Following the amazing vacation to Disneyland, I thought it would be fun to top it off with a few days in Vegas and break up the long drive a bit.  Thanks to the kindness of Carolyn & Robert Wallace, we were able to book rooms at the Wallace Hotel. 

We arrived on New Years Eve at about 12:30 in the afternoon.  I thought I would brave the "Strip" and show Seema, Darby & Lamiaa the local fun before the street is shut down for traffic.  Well, of course, the first moving billboard is for "BabesinVegas.com" - and as anyone that has been to Vegas would understand the picture is of 3 mostly naked women and some line about "Girls 24 hours".  Seema from the backseat seeing the moving billboard asks "does your government allow this"?  Well, yes they do and some would say they encourage this.  Vegas didn't get it's nick name of Sin City for nothing!!!

Having some better judgement for the New Year's Eve festivities we went to an off-strip casino, Red Rock.  Yes, they do need to see a casino.  It was awesome to walk by an older lady in her wheelchair asleep in front of her slot machine.  Lamiaa says, "she looks like she is having fun."  It's Vegas baby!

After a bit of misguided walking about we decide to try our hand at the Arcade games.  Darby is thrilled when I drop $23 to get tokens and dole them out.  Lamiaa & Seema are skeptical of the fun, until the tickets start spewing out of the games... we call that WINNING!!!

Darby was not the biggest winner - hence her sad face.

Seema is clearly concentrating on "Deal or NO Deal"

Here they are holding their winnings.  Both Lamiaa and Seema traded in their tickets for cute Disney photo albums.  Darby got a few smaller items, one was a whistle that was threated to be broken by Seema if she blew it one more time. 

After the Arcade we hit a movie, Tin Tin in 3D.  So here is where I will be totally honest at how stupid I actually am.  When we leave the movie I said, oh I thought that movie was about a horse!  I kept wondering when the horse was going to be in the show.  It got a good laugh.  Darcy did ask how long it took me to figure that out... well about 1/2 way.  I know, blonde.

The next day we hit Ceasars Forum and the Bellagio fountains.  Which after that we were exhausted and needed a rest & dinner.  Both happened.

The one thing Darby was MOST excited to see was a store she had spotted on our first day and REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to go back.  So on our last day, she and I got up early and hit Trader Joe's when they opened.  Darby finally understands the importance of getting one here in SLC.  I am pretty sure this was the first time she was able to pick a wine for her mom.  We got DeeDee the Happiness Project with the smiley face on it and other goodies. 

But, that wasn't the store Darby wanted - it was, yes, Zombie Apocalpyse.  We found it the night before and jumped out of the car to get a photo. 

So this may be the most interesting store I have EVER entered and when we did both Darby and I looked at each other and said, this could be strange!   Yeah, strange in a your grandmother works here and they sell astroturf, emergency preparedness supplies, stun guns, jerky and zombie stuff...  I am not sure what all Darby walked away with - but later I was told be her mom, DeeDee, don't buy her a stun gun...  good thing we didn't get that cute pink cell phone style stun gun.

That is Vegas Baby!!! 

Disneyland

The day after Christmas we went to Disneyland with the Darby Duffin clan for a week of fun!

It was a total blast to share together.  Everyone had a great time, collect pins, ate good food, went on scary and not so scary rides and enjoyed the California sun!!!!

We also met a few characters along the way... and screamed a lot in the rides...

For the record, I said NO cotton candy ~ too messy! Guess who was right???

Goofy made us a lovely dinner one night and lots of his friends came to play with us.

It was an amazing trip that was filled with giggles, sugar, love, Seema yelling in her sleep, Darby taking over the bed and Lamiaa insisting EVERYONE goes on the Hollywood Tower of Terror. 

On to 2012 and VEGA$ Baby!!!!

Chritsmas Day!!!

The Ingham family tradtion for Christmas Day is to go to Scott & Heidi's for breakfast and open gifts.  The highlight the past several years have been the "Surprise Balls" made by Aunt Heather.  She does an amazing job wrapping gifts up in a HUGE ball of crepe paper.  It slows the kids down and makes it so much fun to see trinkets and gifts fall out.  This year there were passport holders, oatmeal, collapsable water bottles, hot chocolates, money, and gift cards and tons more!!!  The day is relaxing and fun to just chill out and play games and enjoy!

Everyone has a different method to get their gifts out - Seema choose the rip it apart method.

Ryan is good at unrolling - and check out the amount of crepe paper!!

 Mimi thought matching pajamas would be cute this year. 

Ryan as you can tell is super thrilled with his Paul Frank snuggie!!!!!

Merry Christmas Monkeys!!!!

Christmas Parties and more...

Prior to Christmas we attended lots and lots of parties with friends and family and had a great time.  These silly monkeys rode the Polar Express Railroad to the North Pole where we found Santa!!!

Of course we had Sparkle there too for the fun to enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, singing and more.  Sparkle loves to sing  - and she has a beautiful voice to boot!!!

despite that Bob looks asleep - he and DeeDee are enjopying a snuggle on the train.

This photo kills me - not sure what exactly Seema's face is trying to say ... and it is pretty cute with Santa.

We also had a December Movie Night. The kids walked to Christmas Street - only about 3 blocks away.  They did say it was cold, I said, I know.

Generally they crack me up!  Of course, they watched Elf.  Can you name the 4 food groups????

CHRISTMAS EVE!!

We were excited to be included again in the Steve & Sonnie Swindle Annual Christmas Eve festivities.  Although this year was sad to not have Grandma Elaine there, we did take a moment to remember her and how much she enjoyed Christmas and this party - So, for her, we did it right in her memory. 

Alex, Heather & Seema getting ready for some serious Bingo games!!

After 14 of playing - Heather finally won $60.  Sadly, Seema was 1 number away from winning $300.  Usually new comers win, but not for her, sadly.

Of course, there is the massacre of the pinata.  Geoff, I think has fun blindfodling everyone.

Seema did a great job hitting that mermaid.  She had some practivce hitting Gabriel earlier in the week!!

Of course Santa came to visit  - even with his busy schedule he finds time to come to the party.

Joe had to sit on his lap!!

Ella getting a present... Santa is like that!!

Morgan goofing off - she must have been really good this year!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!