Day 1- 7/12/10

We got up early and loaded the kids into the car and headed out on our Family Adventure.












Our first stop was Barstow, California for breakfast. We have stopped here before. We eat in the McDonalds that was built in an old train coach. Kind of neat, but unfortunately very expensive!

Then we were off to Vegas to spend the rest of the day. We stayed once again at Circus Circus. A very kid friendly hotel that we have stayed at a hand full of times since we have been married. Unfortunately this time it wasn't a pleasant experience. The rooms were dirty, smelled bad, and the air conditioners didn't work right. We still went down to the circus tent and played the kids arcade where Nicholas hit the jack pot on one of the games. We watched a circus act and then we got in the car and headed down the strip to the M&M Factory. We went there two years ago and had a blast. It is a 4 story store filled full of M&M's and a museum and 3D movie. Our kids had a blast. You have to park in the MGM GRAND parking lot and walk a long distance out to the street. It was hot but we made it out to the street to find that the M&M Factory is under renovation construction so there was no movie or walk through museum. DANGIT! Another Las Vegas disappointment. Grandma bought the kids each a bag of colored M&M's and we made the trek back to the car in the heat with whining kids and a frustrated mom!



When we got back to the hotel the kids were complaining they were hungry so we headed back to the circus tent for some dinner. There was a new restaurant in the tent and they were passing out coupons that said "Kids free meal with a purchase of an Adult Entree" We decided that would be a good deal since we had three adults, three of the kids would be free. We got to the restaurant got seated and they brought us the menu. We handed our server our coupons and began to order to be told that the coupons were only good if the adult plates were ordered off their signature section. $27.00+ a plate. YIKES! My mom and I both pointed out that the coupon said "adult entree" not "signature meal" He told us that was how their coupon worked. We got up and left! By then the kids were really hungry and tired and this mommy was fumming! We went for pizza and finally got dinner ordered and sat down. While waiting for our pizza my kids were being a little loud but I would not say they were acting bad. We had the woman sitting at the table across from us with her two teenage kids and husband say loudly to them, "That is why you only have two kids. That way one parent can take care of one, while the other parent takes care of the other." Hmmmm I think our day in Vegas needed to end!