Well, we're back from Vegas!  We all made it back ok.  Some of us are more tired than the others but we all made it back in one piece and ON TIME!!!!  Alex has some photos to take with him to school tomorrow (he's too tired to go today).  When I asked him what he thought of Vegas he said it was AWESOME.  I totally agree.

 

Here's an overview of what all we did when (sorry I didn't get to update as we went along):

 

THURSDAY= Nellis AFB (saw the Thunderbirds and other airplanes that are stationed there).

 

FRIDAY (AM)= Timeshare sales pitch (we got the hotel so cheap since we agreed to see one of Hilton's timeshare sales pitches, it was actually FUN...actually our sales person was really nice and once he realized that we never take vacations and with all of our changes going on this year (retirement, college, etc) he realized that it didn't make any sense for us to get it.  What a change!!  So worth the time and the Hilton Grand Vacation Club itself was AMAZING).

 

FRIDAY= Prince concert (since it actually started at midnight, was more like Saturday event!).

 

SATURDAY (PM, Rachel/Michelle)= Thunder From Down Under (Rachel and I went to see them, can't really say much because as they say "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"....but just ask Rachel about the 'butt in the face' and that should give you some idea!).  ;-)

 

SATURDAY (PM, Robert/Nicole/Alex)= Tour of the strip at night (went to watch the Volcano at The Mirage and the pirate show/Sirens of TI at Treasure Island).

 

SUNDAY= Shopping! (went to M&M World, CocaCola World, and also Gameworks--kids had the most fun there).

 

MONDAY= Timeshare sales pitch #2 (we had to switch hotels since our package deal was only until Sunday so we moved to Circus Circus hotel and then heard the Westgate Resort sales pitch, MUCH HARDER sales pressure but we still said "NO!".  Westgate is part owner of the new Planet Hollywood Hotel/Resort that is being built where the Aladdin hotel is/was.  If we had the CASH it would be worth it but to pay 17.99% interest on it and finance it for 10 years--NO WAY!  We got $200 in casino money which Robert won $125 in REAL money within a few minutes!!!!!)

 

MONDAY (PM)= Planet Hollywood (went to planet hollywood in Ceasars for dinner....wasn't that great but it was FREE due to going to the timeshare sales pitch #2! :).

 

TUESDAY= Flew back

 

I will start uploading photos tonight. 

Just a quick post on the show in Vegas last night...obviously one word to describe it--AMAZING.

I was really hesitant about getting general admission standing room only tickets but we got there early enough to grab a corner (near the stage) and have a place to sit while we waited...and it was worth the wait!!

I can't even begin to list all of the songs he did, my head is pounding right now and I'm still barely awake from staying up til 5:30am for the aftershow (guess I'm getting too old for this!).

I do remember "Kiss", "Purple Rain", "Lolita", "Housequake", "3121", "Black Sweat", "Shy", and many more.  There were quite a few that DJ Rashida played before the show that if I listed any others I'm not 100% sure if he actually played them or I heard them being played by the DJ! %-P

Oh, and he also played "Love Bizarre".  This was my absolute favorite song of the entire show for two reasons:

1-  Wendy Melvoin and her sister, Susannah, where at the concert and both of them came on stage.  Wendy played guitar and Susannah provided backing vocals.

2-  This was the song where Prince came out onto a smaller stage that was right next to me and sang and danced.  He was literally inches away!! 

After the show we headed to the jazz club and waited in line.  Shelby walked by and was talking to/with some of the people in line.  We heard her mention that Prince could play all night long (or something like that).  It was already after 3am and I wasn't sure I could stand in line for much longer.

We finally got in but there was no more seats in the main dining room where he performs.  We sat in an adjoining room but you could still see him through an opening in the wall (large opening).  His band played for about 45 minutes while Prince sat in the back area behind the other room and ate (a salad, if anyone is really curious).  Shelby also sang 2 songs and was amazing. Prince played the guitar or piano for a few of these songs but would run back and sit down to rest/eat before heading back up again.  He finally settled down and started really getting into it with "Sweet Thing", again by this time it was about 3:45-4am and he was going into one song after another.  It reminded me alot of other aftershows from previous concert tours.

Well, my headache is getting the best of me now so I had better go ahead a post....  Just saw a note on the 3121.com web site with something about "Planet Earth, coming summer 2007", new album or better yet CONCERT TOUR!?!  :)

Well, we all made it in one piece.  Thankfully none of our flights originated in Chicago...the rest of the people traveling to/through Chicago were SOL.  All of our flights were pretty much on time.  Rachel and I even lucked out on one flight where there were 3 seats so we should have had someone sitting next to us but they were't there (probably didn't make it from Chicago!).  Even finally got to see DREAMGIRLS on the in-flight movie.

 

We're not impressed with Dallas Forth Worth airport.  Talk about confusing and BORING.  We got there right around 9pm and everything was CLOSING.  I don't think even Tampa airport resturants and shops close that early.  The only interesting thing there was a IPOD vending machine.

 

We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott hotel Wednesday evening (more like Thursday morning by the time we got there).  It wasn't too bad, it was SOUTH of the airport and that area looks totally new.  In complete contrast to Vegas, there was NOTHING open when we got there except for a 24 hour diner across the street.  I went to bed, everyone else ate. 

 

We got up this morning (Thursday) and went up to Nellis AFB.  We stopped by the Thunderbirds museum which made Alex very happy.  The girls were amazed by the mountains that surround Vegas.  Something totally new to them (they can't remember the mountains in Germany...too young).  We bought discounted tickets to the wax museum at the Ventian, Nicole can't wait to go there.

 

We just checked in to the hotel that we will be staying in until Sunday, the Hilton Grand Vacations Club (on the strip).  NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The girls acted like they had never seen indoor plumbing before and were running from room to room checking it out and screaming.  It's a 2 bedroom suite.  The master bedroom has  a king bed with it's own bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and separate glassed-in shower.  The center unit has a sofa bed a large HD tv with Bose DVD/speaker system.  Also in the center unit is a dinning table and a full kitchen (full size fridge, dish washer, stove/oven, microwave, toaster, etc) and a small washer/dryer.  The 2nd bedroom/unit has a king bed with it's own (smaller) kitchenette (microwave, mini-fridge, and toaster).  The pool outside is BEAUTIFUL (w/waterfalls), not that big though.  I'll try and take pictures when I get the chance.  We have an SD chip in the camera but haven't figured how to off load them on to the computer (the computer at home has the SD slot but not this laptop).  Oh, and obviously the room has internet access (free wireless!).  Yeah, I could live here!

 

Well, just trying to rest up and figure out what all we are going to do for the rest of the time we are here.  Have to prep myself for the Prince concert/show tomorrow (aka, take a major NAP in the afternoon.....oooh, I miss the good old days when I could just stay up for 24 hours+ straight).

 

Believe it or not.....haven't even gambled yet!  ;-P

 

More updates later.

Getting ready for our family trip to Vegas.  We're flying on 2 separate flights so it will be interesting to see which one of us get there first.  One flight is going via Dallas the other flight is going via LAX (yikes!).  Hardest part so far is waiting for work to be over.  While in Vegas we plan on going to Nellis AFB (Thunderbirds won't be there though), Thunder from Down Under (Rachel and I only--of course!), checking out the hotels on the strip, and seeing PRINCE at his 3121 club at the Rio!!!!  I'll try and update our adventures as we go.