Really?! It's been 4 years?!

For our 4 year anniversary we went back to where it all began,  Las Vegas!

At Mobile Mini's company Christmas Party this year we won a 2 nights stay at Excalibur Las Vegas and we knew right a way when we wanted to go.  This would be our first trip to Vegas since we were married there on April 4, 2004.  We thought it was fitting we would be returning our 4th anniversary.  The first day we drove up early that morning from Phoenix and arrived about noon.  We borrowed Reed's dad's truck because the bug is a little less reliable every day and we didn't want any surprises. So, we left the bug at Reed's parents house.  When we got there we parked in the self park lot, the king of cheap didn't want to valet the truck.  We hauled our bags clear to a side door of the casino and were immediately accosted by time share people.  The minute Reed heard 'Discount Tickets' and 'Free Money' I knew we were sunk.  Sure enough Reed set up an appointment for us to go on a 3 hour tour the next morning.  Oh FYI the next morning, is April 4th, and for those of you paying attention, that's our anniversary.  What a romantic I married!  Last year it was the water softener guy to get a gift card to Home Depot.  At least he was gone in 20 minutes.  So after our little speed bump we were off to the front desk which, for some reason, you have to travel clear through the casino past all the slot and tables to get to.  After we checked in we wandered around Vegas and ended up at the Planet Hollywood in their mall there and we ate at a little Italian Cafe.  It was kind of funny to see exactly where they had gotten too in the changes from the Aladdin to Planet Hollywood.  All of a sudden it went from modern and marble to middle eastern and stone.  After that we headed back to our hotel for a couple of hours to rest.  We got back to the hotel around 2 and when Reed woke up at 7:30, I was falling asleep.  When I woke up at 10, we commented on how wild, crazy and exciting we were.  Here we were in Vegas and had spent pretty much the entire time sleeping so far!  We woke up the next morning to go on our romantic tour of the time share.  We grabbed some Starbucks and got on the bus with the other suckers.  We kept practicing our straight faces the whole way there and practiced saying NO!  The lady was nice and fun to talk too.  There was no hard sell the whole time we were speaking with her.  After our tour was done and we stated we wanted our free stuff, she dumped us in the hard sell room.  Again, we told them no.  Then we got dumped into the next hard sell room where the lady was obviously livid we hadn't bought and Reed and I kept whispering to one another, 'I hope they let us take the bus back'.  When we got out of there back on the bus, and back to our hotel, we went to the Canal at the Venetian to ride the Gondola, just as we did 4 years ago that day.  Our gondolier was really nice and he sang several songs to us.  He sang an Italian Aria, his favorite Dean Martin song, and the song from Lady and the Tramp.  He was so glad to finally meet people who had been wed in the Venetian and were still so much in love.  He gets asked all the time if people who get married there, stay married.  After the Venetian we headed over the the Paris for the Buffet there.  That is where we had our Wedding lunch.  After that it was back to the room and more napping.  The rest of the trip was less eventful but we did make it to Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay and we rode the Coney Island Coaster at the New York New York.  We had a perfect view of the Coney Island Coaster from our room and would sit there and watch it.  It was a lot of fun.  We had a good time but I am not in a hurry to get back.  It's a dirty city.  I have seen enough hookers pictures to last me a lifetime.  It was kind of funny, there was a street preacher there trying to save souls by shouting biblical phrases and preaching to the crowds.  He had a very large sign telling sinners, whores, gamblers, ect., to repent before the last days and in huge red letters at the bottom of the sign were the words AND MORMONS! I told Reed I have never been so sad I didn't have a book of mormon with me.  :)  

So here is what happens when you leave your car at Garry Goodman's house:

I told Reed it's officially time for a new car when someone feels safe putting bullet hole decals on your car.  I love you Garry!