Las Vegas!

Our 20th wedding anniversary was on December 29th and Michael and I decided a vow renewal with Elvis Presley was in order, so we rented a huge car, packed my parents and the kids in it, and headed to Las Vegas.  

We drove up on Tuesday the 28th. It was about 37 degrees outside with snow flurries.  Elliott and I somehow ended up together in the back back of the car. 

We stopped for a big lunch in Kingman, so we made it to Vegas around 5 pm.  First things first, my vow renewal dress needed to breathe to allow some wrinkles to fall out. 

The kids had never been to Las Vegas before, so we headed out on the strip for a little nightlife.

We ate dinner at a NY Deli in New York, New York.  Then we had gelato somewhere else, but I can't remember which hotel.

This tree was right by the gelato, but still.... I don't know.  Maybe it was Excalibur.

The next morning Michael and I ventured out on our own for brunch at Mon Ami in the Paris Hotel.  We sat outside and watched all of the people walking the strip.

We were right under the tower.

And across the street from the Bellagio.

Yummy French breakfast.

Mixing bowl-sized cappuccinos.

We got a free dessert for our anniversary.

I loved this wine bottle tree inside.  I'd like my Christmas tree to look like this. 

Our plan after brunch was to go to the Venetian and take a gondola ride.  We went to Paris and Venice on our honeymoon, so we had a whole little thing planned for the day.  The problem, though, is that you couldn't make reservations for the gondola, and by the time we got there they were sold out for the day. 

So, instead, we went for drinks at a bar in "St. Mark's Square".

My parents and the kids had gone out for breakfast that morning and then the battery for the door to our room died, so they had to wait for HOURS for the repair guy to come to replace it.  They were finally able to meet us at the Bellagio that afternoon. 

Up next: the vow renewal and dinner!