Vegas Week One

I just realized it is Saturday, time to work on the weekly photo review. It's been a very different week full of new experiences.

Sunday, we had the annual picnic in the park with our church community. It was a new experience for the recently arrived Basque girls who said they would never have so many people at their outings, but one said she enjoyed this experience.

My first photo of the day was of Ivan and Kim who stopped by in the afternoon on their way back up north. I knew that some of you in Sara's circle of bloggers have missed Just a Southern Girl's posts and love to see them appear on my blog. It has been so much fun to connect with them this often during their stateside months.

Monday we had to finish up all the necessary tasks and be ready to leave by noon. For Mike this meant two major ones: the final number crunching with the contractor for the bid to turn into the insurance; and separating the tanks he built for our heating system so they could be pulled out to clean residue from the fire behind and around them.

Then we rushed to Stephan's and he took us to the airport in plenty of time for our flight only to wait five hours in Charlotte for the storm-delayed flight to Vegas. 

We helped a young mother with two little ones and became her 'family' on USAirways. When we said goodbye in Vegas, or even when Kayla walked away, little Brandon bawled.

Kayla, Brandon, Sharon and two-month-old Serenity

So that was our Fourth of July, devoid of fireworks. (Guess we've had enough for the next few years!)

Tuesday, after a very short night, Kayla began the ballet seminar and has been at it every day since. ( I wrote about that in a previous post).

That evening we started the South Strip tour after posing by the Welcome to Vegas sign.

Kayla had never seen palm trees before. However, the highlight for her was touching a stingray at the Shark Reef in Mandalay Bay resort. Here are some other amazing creatures.

Wednesday morning, while Kayla was dancing, we were inspired by Richard MacDonald's sculptures exhibited at the Bellagio in conjunction with the Cirque de Soleil.

Kayla, however, enjoyed the fascinating M&M and Coca Cola stores, several levels each, with every color and every flavor of chocolate candies and coke flavors.

A rainbow of M&Ms

Thursday afternoon Mike and I hiked the Red Rock Canyon while Kayla danced her feet off.

With Kayla we explored the famous Circus Circus.

Friday we checked out of the Ramada and came to stay with Paul and my nieces, Kathy and Elizabeth (http://zizziehappenings.blogspot.com/). They had a great meal prepared for us: gnocci, brussel sprouts with capers and salad.

Saturday

Today is 9 de julio, independence day in Argentina, so we celebrated by going to an Argentine restaurant for lunch.

Later, all the women were treated to pedi and manicures. Spoiled, indeed, by my niece Kathy, bless her.

"I feel like a princess," said  Kayla.

So that was our first week away in Vegas, away from all things house fire related.