Vacation Part 3

More? Why yes.

We left Utah on a Wednesday and made a long, long journey through snow and freezing rain to Reno.

Last time I was in Reno was Thanksgiving weekend my freshman year of college. I stayed with my friend Laurie at her house in Sparks and I made her take me to the Reno strip. Her dad drove us around and I asked if we could see some real, live prostitutes around here. Or maybe I said "hookers." Either way, he showed amazing self-restraint in not telling me to shut up (though I do think he rolled his eyes.)

Did he show us the wonder that is Circus Circus? I don't remember, but I do have some photos of me pretending to play a slot machine. Actually, I slipped a quarter in one, much to the horror of Laurie, who looked at me like I'd just lit a cigarette and ordered a beer.

Anyway, back to Wednesday. We finally made it through the bad weather and checked into the kiddie-gambling capital of casinos, Circus Circus.

The first thing the kids wanted to do was go to the midway downstairs, of course.

Well, you know what they say. The family that plays together, stays together.

Even if it's against their will.

The hotel rooms were only $35 a night and so we spread out and got two. That was awesome, because the kids could watch a movie in "their" room (Madagascar) while Bryce and I watched LOST in the other.

I would have liked to stay at Circus Circus another night. Really.

But we were on the road the very next morning, to see David, Brooklyn, Cambria, Maya, and Evangeline in Mountain View.

Our new hotel room was significantly less thrilling.

"This place is boring. All it has is elevators and beds," Cameron observed, sadly.

And we could only afford one room. Six people is a lot to cram into one room, especially when there are only two double beds. And all four kids want to sleep on the floor.

But that's the beginning of a chapter for another day.