Las Vegas 2012

Cyntha and Sean got my mom and Garth plane tickets for Christmas.  When Jonathan ended up with a conference overlapping that vacation--it became a family reunion. Jonathan and Todd collaborated so Kaylyn and I could crash the party.  Kaylyn did so well on her first flight.  But I didn't want to complicate my life at all by pulling out the camera.  Cyntha cooked so many fun dishes for us. And she often cooked a different dish for her kids than she did for us.  We even had one morning she made us all different breakfasts.

 I got to meet my newest niece: Aleaha.  Kaylyn loves baby Aleaha.  And she is beautiful.  She is the most social baby I have ever met.  I think Todd needs to give Sean a shot gun for Christmas before this little one becomes a teenager!! 

 We had to do Cafe Rio salads for lunch one day.  So good!!

 We had an improntu soccer match out front.  It was fun to watch everyone get involved.

 Of corse, the boys played lots of video games--or as much as the mom's would allow.  Jonathan brought Mario party.  This is one of my all time favorite wii games--and I've been wanting to give it to Garth for years now.  But it's never on sale.  So us girls even got in on the fun.  Jaimie, Dot, and I with Ben having the computer character--played two or three games.

 Us girls made one night a Dragon Masters night.  After mom went home, we played again with Jonathan.  It was fun.  Usually we get very silly as we don't start till after the kids are in bed--so we don't finish until midnight or so.  This time we actually had a very serious conversation on canadites and voting issues and such.  And then we got silly.  It was fun all the same to be together doing something we love.  The one thing that never changes--mom won.

 Mom made Thai food for us one night.  I'll tell you, I haven't gained any weight in the last few months because I'm eating better again.  I also gained way too much in my first trimester.  But in the week I was in Las Vegas--I gained 5 lbs.

 The kids watching Phineas and Ferb before bed.

 Kaylyn showing everyone her baby.

 Mom found this shirt for Dot when we ran to get diapers for Kaylyn.  I wasn't going to fly them from Washington.

 Aunt Dot playing with her Nephews and Neice.  I even ogt in on the fun after I took some good pictures.

 Pretty Aleah!!

 This is my favorite sound in the world--to hear my children laugh.  And ofcorse, I start taping  when Cyntha asks them to hush so she can practice.  But I helped after I turned off the camera.

Beyond eating a lot of really good food.  We ordered Pizzookies one night from BJ and then we figured out how to make them!!  So good.  I have misplaced my picture.  But we ate a lot of really good food.  Other than that, we didn't do much.  We got pictures of the original Mann Family Clan while we were all together.  And then we just talked, laughed, played games, and hung out.  It was wonderful. Next time we make it Las Vegas--if we make it before Sean graduates and hopefully sets up shop in Tri-Cities, maybe well make it to the shark tank and do some fun things like that.  Maybe, but I saw the part of Las Vegas I had been dieing to see--my best friend and sister!!  And her family.  I really enjoyed getting to see Sean in a smaller group setting and on his own turf.  We love you Brady's.  Can't wait to see you this summer in July!!