The last time Jason and I were in a casino, we had to ask where to put our quarters. We did not realize that the days of inserting actual coins were long gone and that everything had become digitalized. In addition to this naiveté, we were also the first of our group that night to find a “quiet” bench to wait and hope that the others would soon be done. We are 9pm to bed kind of people. We accept our lameness.
So when planning what to do on this lovely long weekend, imagine our own surprise when we thought, let’s try Vegas!
Here’s how my initial brainstorm went down:
What’s close to Denver?
What’s warmer than Denver?
What’s a cheap place to fly to?
Vegas!
Jason’s initial response: Vegas? No.
Jason’s second response to me: Why on earth do you want to go Vegas?
Here’s how the rest of my brainstorm went down:
Vegas has super cute fun hotels. Wouldn’t the kids love them?
Vegas has M&M AND Hershey’s World. We love chocolate.
Vegas has a pretend Eiffel Tower. I’d really like to go to Paris. Could we do that instead?
Isn’t Vegas super family-friendly now?
Jason with skeptical eyes: Okay, let’s try it.
Fast forward to Valentine’s Day! We had the day off in our school district, so we decided to head out Friday morning. Harper and Jameson were thrilled to be going on a little airplane getaway and had their bags packed and ready to go. Jason and the two of them had made me a special valentine that they put on my seat in the car … junior mints, sticky notes, sharpies, and magazines rolled up with homemade flowers on top. It was pure love.
I snuck a few Valentines goodies into the kids’ bags when they weren’t looking. They got settled into their seats and discovered that they had a few things to open.
We arrived in sunny Vegas and hightailed it to the Paris Hotel where we would stay. The outside was stunning. The mini Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel charmed and got us all excited.
Inside, I was delighted with the sweet details and the Paris street scenes, but then I looked down at Harper, whose face was twisted and confused. In debriefing with her later, she was taken aback with the overwhelming noise and smell. The music blaring! The smoke in the air! (We did not realize how many people still smoke – who knew?!) Ahh, sweet daughter, welcome to a casino.
#illprepared
We left our bags with the bellman and headed down the strip. The sun felt sweet, and we were ready for our visit to the chocolate shops. It was crowded! And loud! And there was lots of … entertainment! Repeat Harper’s twisted and confused face. Enter Jameson’s wide eyes and blushing cheeks. You can use your imagination here.
We enjoyed M&M and Hershey Worlds, made a stop at Eataly for fresh mozzarella (yum), and visited the Bellagio. The Chihuly ceiling in its lobby was treat enough for the entire afternoon. It is beautiful. The kids happily cruised the strip until they ran out of steam and were ready for an afternoon snack.
We got settled, took a little rest, and geared up for the buffet in the hotel. It was touted as being unique and specifically French. Oui, oui!
However, we decided that this was not exactly true (what region of France is sushi from?) but had a good meal nonetheless. We wrapped up Valentine’s Day with a peek at the Vegas Eiffel all lit up. Not quite like standing beneath the real deal, but sweet, too.
Interestingly, Harper and Jameson had had enough for the day. They were ready for a book and bed, their initial excitement having fizzled and the day’s travel having caught up with them. And so was the beginning of the end.
Jason and I lay awake at 2 am (cue the Jameson snores), and our conversation went a little something like this:
K: Jason, what are we going to do for the next day and a half? The kids are over it already!
J: Go to the aquarium.
K: We can do that in Denver.
J: I agree.
K: I wonder if we could get a refund for our second night.
J: Yes!
K: Maybe I should look for plane tickets home for tomorrow instead?
J: Yes!
K: So, I think maybe Vegas isn’t for us right now.
J: Oh honey, it was worth a try. Has Jameson always snored like this?
And so it was that after just 23 hours of Vegas, we came back home. We do realize that there is much more to do there and that we barely scratched the surface. And yet, sometimes you just need to read the family vibes and recognize that not all experiences are meant to be. Maybe in a few years, we will head back for a good show and some major gambling with quarters credits. But for now …
Vegas bust.
Wishing you a happy and sweet week ahead, no matter how lame or exciting you are.
