Spring Break Picture Fiesta!

We took a little jaunt for Spring Break this year, which was a much needed diversion from the wasteland that is Hyde Park, Chicago. What? What's that you say? You thought I loved it here? Oh, I did. Until the winter sucked every bit of joy out of my life. So now, everything that's unpleasant gets blamed on Hyde Park. And we are enemies. At least until the leaves return to the trees, along with my summertime endorphins.

Anyway, we began our trip in Utah. There are going to be so many pictures in this post that you may have an aneurism... This includes several nearly the same action shots of the Turkey Sub and her cousins. I couldn't pick the best ones so I just included all of them. So consider yourself warned. And be prepared for some of the cutest canoodling you'll ever see. Ever.

Ahem.

The Turkey Sub and her pocket sized cousin, Veggie Delight, are so obsessed with each other I don't know what to do with myself when they are together. Lucy assumes more of the "pursuer" role... buttering Leah up whispering sweet nothings and compliments in her ears. Leah tries to play it cool, but she'll do ANYTHING to make Lucy laugh. Anything. I can't handle it. Seriously. Settle in...

LUCIA AND LEAH: A love story

Lucy: I was wondering... if you liked anyone sitting on this window sill... more than a friend?

Leah: I don't know what you could possibly be talking about...

Lu: Don't you toy with me! You know how I feel about you.

Le: Don't do it! I'm going back to Chicago in a few days! It's not worth it! We'll only get hurt!

Lu: Silence! Just let me whisper in your ear. There's so much I want to tell you!

Le: Yes. Yes. I like what I'm hearing. Tell me more.

Le: Wait! Wait! Stop! That tickles!

Lu: Hold on... just let me... err... muah!

Le: You kissed me!

Lu: Damn straight.

Noticing they're being filmed...

Lu: What the crap are you looking at?

Leah trying to get a laugh by hurling herself off the window sill... Lucy looking on, pleased.

Leah whipping her luscious locks--to make Lucy laugh, and to make her a little jealous. Leah is a very complex woman.

"Goochi goochi gooo!" Creepy cat alert.

You'd think this would have been hurting Leah but she was belly laughing the entire time.

We laughed for nearly an hour after seeing this picture. I don't think I need to explain why...

They really yuv each other

Carson, Jesse's boy, decided to finally join in. These two little ladies are too hard to resist. Lucy showing off her gangsta style.

Leah and Carson enjoying a little tube together. Carson asserted his dominance by claiming the closest spot.

We decided to take a little trip to the park to quench some cabin fever. Immediately following this next picture, Meradith, who is currently bursting with child, looked over at my mom in disgust and barked, "Mom! Stop trying to get your face in the shadow of my head!" Then her glare fell on me, "Vanessa! Take your freaking sunglasses off!" Then she turned her rage on Sam, "Sam, take another picture! Closer up this time!"

She smiled innocently for the next shot..

You can see a little bit of the fear showing through on my face. Or it could have been the sun blaring into my eyes...after she smacked the sunglasses off my face. Either way, I was terrified.

After these shots, she witched at my mom for tilting her head to the side in all of them. We like to call outbursts like that, "Pregnancy Beasting."

(the mom-head-tilt-witching may or may not have actually been me, but for the sake of consistency, we'll say it was that pregnant beast, Meradith)

"You see, dad? This line here says I will have a long love life. With many boyfriends. And three children."

She was laughing like a maniac on that confounded swing.

I really love flattering candid shots like this of me. They really warm my heart. No, but seriously, doesn't my skin look all porcelain-y in this? I had to post it for that reason.

I don't, however, share the same sentiment about this one. I've titled this one, "Serenity."

Sam decided to show Leah how to go down the slide and got all wedged in the curve. Sucked the wind right out of his sails. Leah laughed and mocked him...

...and showed him how it's done.

After a couple days in Utah, Sam and I left the Turkey Sub with my mom and Mera and headed off to.... duh duh duh... LAS VEGAS! (don't be jealous)

We stayed at the ARIA-- a new resort on the strip. I must say, it was bomb diggity. I loved every second of our trip. It should be known there will be no rhyme or reason to the order of these pictures.

Sam contemplating his first move after we checked in.

This was the lovely little ice cream shop we frequented in our hotel. We went there no less than twice a day. We love you Sweet Chill. Stay cool forever.

So this chocolatier that worked in our hotel named Jean Phillippe made this entire cake out of chocolate. I stared at it for 15 minutes straight. No blinking. Just staring. Look at the iphone! I will freak out right now!

Sam was so excited about our hotel's grandiose buffet he could hardly contain himself. ORRR he could be faking that smile and actually be really annoyed with me for making him go because he hates buffets with a passion. But you see I love love love a good buffet. You be the judge.

We went to the Lion King and I proceeded to bawl my eyes out during the very first number. We snapped this picture on the low... which was a pretty bold move considering the imminent danger lurking behind us in the form of a rather large usher. You can see him turning our direction at a startling speed. His stink-eye was especially menacing due to the shade of his beet red face.

After this picture Sam was like, "Why did you make that face?" I said, "To look like the poster, duh." When I saw the picture, I understood his confusion.

Sam tickling the ivories for a few blue hairs at the "dueling pianos" lounge.

Note: Las Vegas makes me stick my tongue out in a lot of pictures. Don't be judgy.

Enjoying the sights...

While exploring the Wynn gardens, Sam scampered off to the bathroom and I seized the moment to take an impromptu self-photo shoot. Immediately following this shot...

...this lady approached me and, in a voice all dripping with pity, was all, "I noticed you taking a bunch of pictures of yourself. Do you want me to just take some for you?" Wow. Me. Big Loser Alert. What did she expect me to do? Hand her the camera and keep on vogue-ing? Even though she was trying to be nice, she made me feel retarded so I'm sure she was a big wench in real life.

I told her, "No thanks."

I was too ashamed to tell Sam.

We ate at the Capitol Grille and I must say, this coconut creme pie was twinkled straight from heaven to my little plate. I had to really reel it in to keep from rubbing it all over my face.

Sam's dessert was delish but not quite so delish as mine. And he was jealous.

And we feasted. And were satisfied.

We spent a lot of time at the pool. It was gloriously heated and perfect in the 75 degree weather. I tried to get Sam to go with me to the "Adult Only" pool, thinking it just meant that no splashing kids were allowed to annoy us. He refused. And I was wrong. Perves.

I'll spare you all of the pictures of me flailing around in the water. My swimsuit and the camera and the pool and the towel I was using kept making me look fat.

What you can't tell about this photo is that it is taken in the elevator. And what you also can't tell about this photo is that Sam isn't merely posing, but dancing up a storm, in a little game we like to call "danceyourheartoutintheelevatoruntilthedooropensandthefirstpersontostopdancingloses." This game is especially invigorating when the elevator stops at another floor and you know other people will be getting on. Your dedication to dancing is really put to the test.

This may or may not have been me setting up the self-timer on our camera to capture my moment of pamperedness while Sam was in the shower. And there may or may not be 15 or so similar shots. And maybe a few with my head thrown back in fake laughter. Maybe.

We also went to see Mystere by Cirque Du Soleil. The show was AMAZING. It would have been a real treat while indulging in any of the various hallucinogens you can find on the market these days. The show in and of itself was an acid trip.

Bellagio Fountain

Posy

Posy Two

Kisses for the King.

We also went on the Big Shot two times--pictures of that to follow. And we ate a lot. And we walked and walked around to the point where one night we were both crying while rubbing each others feet with lotion. And we slept in. Until 7:30AM! And come Wednesday morning, I was so anxious to get back to my little Sub that I became very crotchety and resentful towards Sam for, what I perceived to be, his lolligagging while getting packed up and ready. And this caused me to give him the silent treatment for no less than 20 minutes of our drive home. Because he was "trying to keep me from my daughter!!" And it was a glorious trip, indeed.

Oh, you thought I was done? Forget it! Here's a couple more pictures of what the Turkey Sub was up to while ma and pa were out of town...

She enjoyed fine dining...

"She did it."

Pretending her spoon is a microphone and really hamming it up

Again, Leah hurling herself around to make Lucy laugh

She enjoyed some gambling of her own with Grammy. Just look at the glee on Grammy's face.

She enjoyed some WWFing. This is what happens when you unleash two rabid babies on a preggo.

And some time with rubber ducky.

I have to thank my excellent mama so so so much for watching little Le. And my sissy, Mera, for hosting and tending the munchkins. We were in desperate need of a little escape. Nothing a little Vegas can't fix!