On Friday, June 22nd we packed up the minivan and headed south to Vegas where my brother and his wife live. The previous day my father had arrived from Minnesota, where he lives. He drove the thirty-something hours non-stop, more or less, to meet up with us here in Northern Nevada. On Friday morning, after breakfast, my mother and father hopped into his truck while Scott, Keirra (my niece), Sammy and I piled into the minivan - we were off! My father would have been lonely in his truck the whole way down, so it is real good that he and my mother get along. Plus, it was less crowded in the van since she was riding with him. We also bought walkie-talkies to keep in touch, so no one felt left out.

We made a pit stop in a town not too far from us to get sandwiches for the trip because there is no good place to stop and eat along the long dull drive through Nevada. What we didn’t know was there are only a few oddly-placed rest stops along the way. So what should have been “lunch time” came and went as we searched in vain for a picnic table to stop and feed at. We just kept driving, and the little bun in my oven started to demand food - it wasn’t as pleasant as we had planned. Finally, out of pure desperation, we made it to Beatty and stopped at EddieWorld where there were small tables in front of the candy store there.

It was 106 degrees and I was beyond starving! I had brought salads, but no one was really in the mood so we simply scarfed our sandwiches. Sammy had awoken from a half nap all cranky, and all the poor little fella wanted to do was run around. Can’t blame him too much, we’d been in the car most of the day. So, hot and annoyed, I piled everyone back into the cars and we were off once again! Or so I thought… It wasn’t until I looked up and saw the posted speed limit of 25 did I realize I was driving a steady 45 through this joke of a town. A cop car going in the opposite direction was waiting for a traveler such as myself to screw up. I did not disappoint him, but I did try to explain that I had just pulled out of EddieWorld and mistakenly sped up to 45, but as soon as I realized my mistake I corrected my wrong. He asked if I had any warrants out for my arrest - completely disregarding my little plea for not guilty. He took my information - license and proof of insurance, and realized my insurance card was no longer valid. It’s 106 degrees out, I am obviously not comfortable in my enlarged state of being and the bastard wants to drill me about my insurance card! All I am thinking is to just give me the damn ticket and I’ll mail it in later. Finally he walks back to his patrol car, and for a moment there I thought for sure he was going to take pity on me and not write me a speeding ticket. I was wrong and he came back with a packet - yes, a packet - of information for me along with my big fatty ticket. I grabbed his metal clipboard that you sign the ticket on, and the damn thing burnt my pinkie finger! I said, “ouch!” but it failed to phase him. It wasn’t a bad burn, just a little bee sting - but I tried for that one last bit of pity with “Oh look, you’ve burnt the poor overheated pregnant lady.” No deal.

We decided to take the road through Pahrump, Nevada on our way to Vegas. We had never been to Pahrump and thought it might be a little more interesting than the endless desert drive had we gone straight. We soon realized our mistake and the endless desert drive through the desert would have been a lot more fun. Oh well, live and learn - right? We got through it and headed down into Las Vegas!!! I could feel the excitement running through my veins as the Strip came into view. It would have been more awesome of a view had it been dark outside and the glow of the strip welcomed us with warm (hot) open arms. We headed straight for our hotel and my father went off to find his. It was first things first when we got into our room - give the kids a bath! Poor little Sammy had bedhead, and then mix that with all day in the car-seat head and we had an emergency bath on our hands! My niece hopped in too - might as well kill two dirty birds with one bath. They got dressed and we were off once again to my brother’s house, conveniently around the corner from our hotel (plus a couple blocks). You know that feeling when you’ve been out all day and you feel beat up and exhausted and all you want is the warm yummy hug of your bed? When I pulled onto my brother’s street I felt that warm at-home feeling. Sure it was warm because I was in Vegas and it was still like 106 with the sun down, but it was that welcome back to where you belong feeling. We all gathered at my brother’s house, my mother, my father, my brother, me, Scott, my Sister-in-law, Sammy and Keirra (my niece). It was one small family reunion that only happens when the moon is full and purple. It was nice to have everyone in one spot and gathered together. We all went out to dinner and we had a great time!

Saturday my mother went to hang out with a friend, my brother and father went to look at some groovy old cars and Scott, Sammy and I went to Caesar’s Palace to do a little shopping in The Forum. They have this huge center structure with statues up on top and an aquarium around the bottom (back side). Every hour on the hour they have a show where the statues come to life and do this little show. We arrived just in time for this show and Sammy had two minutes of amazement before deciding that it was too loud and scary and he didn’t want to be near these loud freaks of nature! We went inside Nike Town and when it was time to leave the store - and the show was finished - the poor little fella didn’t want to go back out to where the scary was. It didn’t take long to convince him that the scary show was over and it was time to check out the fishes!

We had to hit Baby Gap next where I got Sammy and Jack matching (red) shirts - so cute!!! After shopping it was time for some grub, but we first needed to run into the casino gift shop to grab a little naked man (statue of David) for my mother. We had gotten her one once before, because every woman needs a little naked man in her life, and figured she needed another one! On our way to the gift shop I kept having to get out of Sammy’s way because he was going to trip me, and I really didn’t want to - Oops! There goes Mommy! Smack onto the floor a hard thud and without a hint of grace. I got up quickly and continued walking toward the gift shop, and I am sure my face was beet red! We finally got mother’s little naked man and went via a different route to the food court for some grub before heading out.

My brother and father weren’t totally finished with their car show so we went back to the hotel where Sammy went swimming - we all know how much he loves that! There were a ton of people at the pool! It was hot and the water was cold, so I guess that combination was perfect for like every guest staying at the hotel! Sammy was his normal goofy self and with total disregard for other people’s property he gently picked up a lady’s shoe and tossed it into the pool. Scott got it out quickly, but didn’t think to drain out the water first, threw it back towards the wall with its mate. We were all over Sammy with a, “That’s not nice!” speech. The lady didn’t even notice - but I don’t doubt when she went to put her shoes on she figured it out real quick! We took Sammy back up to the room right away… Okay, there was laughing, but how could you not?! We got back to the room and changed for the BBQ at my brother’s house! The BBQ was fun and Sammy had a blast in the pool with Daddy and the pool slide! My mother and father were there and we all had a good time. Sammy kept breaking into a room no one is allowed into, but there he went time and time again. It was Sammy’s day to show the world that he was here and in charge! First he trips Mommy in public, then he throws a lady’s shoe into the pool and now he wasn’t going to be stopped by a simple rule!

Sunday had us headed for Hoover Dam to check out the historic site in the 106 degree weather. I, personally, had never been to the dam and kinda wanted to see it. My brother and father drove together in my father’s truck while my mother, Scott, Keirra, Sam and I went in my minivan. There was a lot of traffic as we were getting ready to drive through the security checkpoint. They would rather not have exploding cars crossing the dam - go figure. The checkpoint was a joke as one guy waved cars through and then did a quick look over to see if he could spot any bombs strapped to your undercarriage. My father has Minnesota plates and the guy put up his hand to stop him for about two seconds in order to double check his undercarriage - I guess people from Minnesota are at a higher risk of car bombs. Where we, with our Nevada plates, drove through without a second glimpse. We then drove down through construction towards the dam itself. They are building a bridge going across the dam so that folks who are simply heading into Arizona can just get there without having to deal with the dam people. My brother thinks that there will be massive accidents as people driving across the bridge will want to slow down and look at the dam - I’m sure he’s right. We drove across and passed the clock with Nevada time and then passed the Arizona time - it was a whole minute different! We parked and everyone but Sammy, my mother and I got out and walked down to the dam. Sammy had fallen asleep and I am just too damn pregnant to walk across a dam in 106 degree weather, and my mother just didn’t want heat stroke. I didn’t mind though, I knew I’d see the pictures after and that was good enough for me.

My brother lost his hat over the edge of the dam - it was a sad moment as he watched his old pal drift down into the water never to be worn upon his shiny head again. He took it in stride, and was okay with his loss after a moment of silence. It was funny because I was watching them walk back and I saw his hat fly off, thinking it was a bird or something, but then all four of them in unison leaned over to watch it fall into the waters below.

After they got back to the cars we headed back into Nevada and went to lunch. I am super picky about where I eat and forced everyone to head to TGI Friday’s for a little lunch. I felt badly that my father ate a couple cups of black coffee and then picked up the check - a little unfair to him, but super nice of him! He was on a real tight budget and I felt like we robbed him with that one. It was my father’s last day with us as he had to be on the road to Arizona by 2 in the morning. After lunch my brother and father headed out to see a few last things while the rest of us went back to our hotel to have one more swim - and no lady shoes went into the pool this time! After a bit my brother and father arrived at our hotel room for a final “good-bye” and get ready to go out to dinner. My father decided he wasn’t going to go to dinner with us as sleep was probably more important - who can argue with that? We chatted for a little bit and then with a sudden pop my father stood up and rushed out of the hotel room with the “good-bye” trailing in the wind he had created. I just looked around like what was that? My mother explained it was probably because he had never been good at good-byes, and I can understand that. Who knows when we’ll see one another again, and it’s never a happy thing to have to part with your family.

My brother, mother, Scott, Keirra, Sammy and I all walked across the parking lot of our hotel to the Hofbrauhaus - apparently modeled after the original Hofbrauhaus in Germany. My brother said when they were building it people were protesting because the Hofbrauhaus in Vegas was being modeled after the original and that’s where Hitler more or less formed the Nazi Party. People will freak out over anything - I mean I can understand the anger still lingering from Hitler, but to a point. It was a fun place to eat, with live music and communal seating. Poor little Sammy had to go back to the hotel room with daddy and get plugs for his ears - it was really loud in there, but it was part of the ambiance and was a lot of fun. The menus were in German, but the description of the food was in English - yay!

Monday was going home time - the saddest part of the whole trip. I always hate having to leave my brother behind and come back to this place. I guess I would hate to live in Vegas - but I have learned through life that it doesn’t matter where I am because as long as he’s there everything is fine. We met at this yummy bagel place for a bite before we hit the road and that’s where we said our “good-byes” until who knows when. I just hope that one day we can end up living in the same town again…

This post is filed under Jumkins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.