Las Vegas, take two

 Gordon enjoying the map on the drive. 

We got there a bit early, and so we found our way to the monorail and Ben led us over the Bellagio to check it out. 

 This was so, so, so, cool. From a distance, it look like a fancy glass sculpture, but upon getting closer, I saw that it was a very fancy chocolate fountain. 

 Gordon was trying to figure out how he was going to get into all that yummy chocolate. 

 The fun botanical garden. 

 Gordon's favorite Chihuly glass sculpture in one of Bellagio's many little shops. 

 Shortly before we arrived at the main entrance to Bellagio, I figured out why Ben had wanted to come here. I really like the glass sculptures and he remembered the large one contained within this hotel. :)

 On the monorail.

 Gordon wanting to pose with the glass but not wanting to look. 

We got two fireworks shows right outside of our hotel window at the LVH. Very cool. It made up for the fact we waited in the hotel check-in line for an hour. (Ben waited, I entertained the kids). And then there were the 7 year old exhibitionist dancers in the swimming pool. That was not awesome. We think we've had our fill of The Strip for a little while!

June Remnants

 Grandma Chickens had some business to take care of in Southern California about two weeks before we left on vacation, so we headed to the beach as an after-dinner treat. 

We saw a small pod of dolphins that played quite close to shore for a few minutes, which was fun to watch.  

Soon it got a little too cool to be wet and sandy, so we headed home.

Ben was gone for about 10 days on a trip to Mexico during the middle of the month, and I was busy with all the usual stuff, like the garden. 

I was a little sad to leave it while on vacation. 

Dad came home, and we were all happy. He took Jilly and Gordon on a shopping trip while waiting for the new tires to be put on the van. It took quite a while. 

 This is at Lowe's. 

 Giant Costco pizza. 

Giant Costco hot dog.