Memorial day weekend and our 1st time out!

 ALWAYS love when we go out kayaking in Piedmont on the land. We have our 'secret' spots we go and I just love going though we dont get to go as much as I would like. It is alot of work to do it....and we ALWAYS have some type of experience...every.single.time. such as tipping over...or loosing a paddle or like this trip...Lily and I getting stuck under a tree and Tyler then starting to pull us out through the tree instead of around the open way. Yeah...that was fun. not. :)

But...it is beautiful and I hope its a memory that the girls will look back on and smile from their childhood!

Our first time out for this year!

These two were excited!

Just the beauty!

My favorite!

A picture with the front of mine to prove I was there too! :)

The was the first float that both girls actually were pros! Whenever there was a spot that was a little rough or whatever...........they both cruised right on through and knew how to handle the situation. We have prepared them and this time they put it all to use! It was so fun to see!

Lily did awesome!

Love! We capped off our long weekend with grilling out and then as if we havent gotten enough quality time with the Messers but we dont care.........heading to their house with the Rays here in a little bit to eat dinner!

Great way to end an awesome weekend!

We soaked up our day home!

 We have made the most of today!

Church...lunch at Texas Roadhouse, some shopping, Starbucks, errand running, laundry, unpacking, cleaning and now some relaxing and cuddling with movies to enjoy our day home!

Target for bathing suits and Starbucks make these two HAPPY!

Our last day!

 On our last day we sleep in a little bit....and then HIT the POOL!

Talk about feeling like you are famous....Ceasars pool area was outstanding! Cearars in general was just amazing with all the statues and fountains and so on and so on!

We soaked up the pool and sun before heading out still on our bathing suits to have lunch as a place that I wish we could eat at local! The best shrimp sticky buns....that I have never had before and sadly will probably never get to eat again. I am still craving one! We walked around and then went back and hit the pool for a couple more hours before getting cleaned up for dinner and a show!

We had dinner at the Mirage in this beautiful restaurant (I have to say every place we ate was so delicious and unique food. SO GOOD!) and then wen to see Shin Lim. He is a card magician and we laughed so much at the show and enjoyed it before heading to the room to crash! After the day before going all day and then the heat from being at the pool and then the late show....talk about zapping me! ha! I slept like a BABY!

Then...we got up the next morning and hit the airport to home! We love that we have found fun traveling buddies and we are already planning our next adventure! (it will be with the kiddos!)

The pool was so nice! Actually....there were 7! YEP!

Stopped for a picture in Ceasars as we were heading out to dinner. This behind us was HUGE! I just cant get over how huge and unique everything is!

I wanted a picture in front of this sign! ha!

An awesome card trick.....all of our cards matched back up at the end! NO idea how Shin Lim did what he did!

He's won America's Got Talent....been on Penn and Teller (Tyler and Lily love watching that show) so it was cool to see him in real life and it was so neat to try and see if we could figure out what he did with the cards. None of us could! ha!

After the show we walked around and then saw the Bellagio fountain show! So impressive! 

Us four had so much fun together!

Our last night in Vegas picture!

Last picture of the trip! Ended the vacay with the fountains!

The Grand Canyon

 We had amazing pictures at the Grand Canyon so it deserved is own post!

We didnt know the set up....we thought we could just drive up and do what we wanted. Well, we had to park and pay. There were two stops and the first stop wasnt very impressive but the second stop we were able to hike and do our own thing and the views were just incredible! The 2nd stop was totally worth all we paid and the effort to going!

Amazing how big.....how deep...and how it is just in the middle of nowhere too!

It was as far as my eye could see!

Eagle Point. 

This part of Arizona was the Native American land so there were examples like this of how they lived around the area. Tyler enjoyed checking out all the landscaping! 

So fun!

One of my favorites!

Just amazing...I know...I keep saying that!

These two enjoyed being with each other!

Fun times!

Yeah...the HUGE drop off...just over those rocks to the right!

On top of the world together!

Breathtaking! 

The 2nd stop was so awesome! It was all of our favorite! We climbed this and though it may not look so high in this  picture...........well......it was! It was a trek to get to the top as well! My legs were sore the next day! So glad we got a car and took off on a fun road trip day!

Day 2 Vegas!

 Day 2 we were up BRIGHT and early....grabbed our rental car....loaded it down with everything we needed and set OFF!

This was the BEST day!

We had some ideas of what we wanted to see/do but no plans....just the road and us!

The road trip was so fun! We talked, laughed, pulled off to this stop and then saw this and watched that....for example....ALL the dust bowls we saw! The rattlesnake Tyler ran over. The cow we had to stop for to cross the road. The Joshua trees that Emily was so amazed by. The route 66 experience, the longest road in America with no stops that was just bare land and dust since we were in the Mojave (or Mojave) desert! The antelope we saw, the beautiful almond and pistachio trees, Chris turning into DJ Chris (and all of his trivia questions)....all the things....just so fun!

We started off with the Hoover Dam. It was AMAZIGLY impressive! To think that in 1936 they did what all they did! It only took them 5 YEARS to build it as well. My mind....just blown. I dont think it could all be done that quickly and hold up like it has this day and time and to think they had nothing back then and built this! We took a tour of the inner workings and it was so neat to learn the history!

Only 96 people died while working on this too! Unbelievable! 

The view....amazing and pictures just doesnt describe it!

This was from the other angle with the water. Just beautiful!

We loved our first stop!

This was looking down at the bottom of the dam. Below is where we toured!

This was inside the picture above. The turbines generating the power and water. Just crazy! 

After the Hoover Dam we headed on and ended up on Route 66....or what is now Route 66. It doesnt exist any longer due to highways and interstates coming into existence but we enjoyed the nostalgia of what was left! 

Route 66 could take you anywhere back in the day!

We ate lunch at Mr. D'z on Route 66! It was an 'original' diner! The food was just okay....but it was neat to feel like we were back in the day!

Parked out front. Picture that police car back in the day!

Next stop...the Grand Canyon! It will have its on separate post next!

After that....we made it to the sign! I have to say....it was smaller than I thought it would be!

Love this picture!

This cracks me up!

Next up....Pawn Stars! We were disappointed it was closed especially because we thought its open 24 hours but the actual shop isnt. But we looked in the windows and it all looks exactly like what we see on the TV show. We didnt get to meet any of them.....bummer...but it was neat to be there!

Right down from the Pawn shop....was a wedding chapel so of course we walked down and checked it out!

Us love birds!

This cracks me up too! One of the workers came out and told us how and where to pose for the pictures! We did as he said! ha!

Then....yeah...it was a long day...but we were all soaking it up.....headed to Fremont street! Talk about people watching at its finest! All the lights....music...the longest electronic overhead motion screen that constantly changed with beautiful scenery was amazing!  The view we had above us on this picture was ocean waves! We ate at an amazing restaurant inside the Golden Nugget casino and then walked around for a bit before calling it a day!

It was the best day!