Loving Lake Mead, Loathing Las Vegas

As all Shullenbargers will, we fell in love with a National Recreation Area reminiscent of our beach at Harpers Ferry. The Hoover Dam harnesses the power of the Colorado River by controling its flow it. The dam also creates Lake Mead, which has a surrounding recreational area maintained by the NPS. Translation: free to those with a Park Pass. This being "straight down" from the Dam we oooo-ed and ah-ed over it and promptly decided to picnic and play there. Gloriousness! All the fun of Harpers Ferry with no current and an equally breathtaking view. Rebekah and Caleb and Eiljah were excited to go "way out" into the water. Haddie was happy to splash in the water unless speedboats had made waves. Just to note, Hadassah is quite the smiler now. Many, many things on this trip have absolutely thrilled her, and she has displayed a winning and beautiful smile. We have also found her mischievious side that has its own smile.

Dinner in hotels round something or other. Chris found a suite with a kitchenette in it in Henderson, NV just outside Las Vegas. Meals consumed, enchiladas and beef stew. Meals made for the San Diego hotel: spaghetti and cream tuna.

We went back out that first night there looking to navigate "the strip" planning on seeing Bellagio's fountain, the Mirage volcano, and Caesar's Atlantis show. Treasure Island's outdoor show had been redone and we did not consider it family friendly. We know many people that like Vegas and stay there for pleasure but mostly for work. Perhaps being in the hotels and never having to leave them (think The Lotus from the Percy Jackson series) is fun and enjoyable. Being a pedestrian at night in a crowded city was not. We got free parking at MGM which placed an .8 mile walk before us. We didn't bother with the camera. We took Grover just in case. Oh misery of the 6 Shullys! Well really 5 because Hadassah slept in her stroller the whole trip. We saw things we never want to see again and wish we never had. We learned that you can't survive in Vegas if you have asthma because there's so much tobacco smoke. Let's not talk about their sewer system. We can say we tried and walked a long way for water jets set to music. No one wanted to go any farther. There was a corner evangelist at the Bellagio we passed before going to the fountain. Rebekah in particular was so happy to hear a familar message that after the fountain show her sweet spirit compelled her to walk up to him and thank him for sharing about Jesus and to encourage him. This is the kid that likes someone to go with her when asking questions or retrieving something. What an awesome little Barnabas we have! The return trip was even worse as the hour was later. We did stop in the M & M store but that's all it was--a store. We got back to the hotel feeling "ew".