Cabela's in Reno

After Circus Circus we drove to Cabela's.  Cabela's is like a the "costco" for any outdoor adventure involving hunting, fishing, camping, etc.  It's actually a really cool place to check out.  It has everything you need for an awesome camping adventure & then some.  They have 2 really cool displays of "stuffed" animals...exotic jungle type & animals that hunters get from around the states ( I guess).  It was fun to finally check out this "Great Outdoors" store (I have a few coats I received as gifts from there).  We took some pictures & had lunch there.  They serve meats that you wouldn't get at a local place but I stuck with the roast beef & the boys had hot dogs but Brad (as adventurous as he is) got a buffalo burger.  The food was great!!

The lion & his prey...but we all know he didn't kill it...the female lions did.

If you know me...

you know that I ♥ elephants...

so of course I took this picture.

Here's a Lynx...Brad says he wants one of these....

yeah....right!!!

If you're ever in the Reno area & you have kids that like looking at animals,

make a stop at the Cabela's...it's really a cool place.

Circus Circus in Reno

Sunday morning we all ate pancakes in my parents room.  It was fun & sure was nice to not have to eat 1 more meal out.  While we were packing up Blake went downstairs with his older cousin Austin & played games.  When we went to go get him Austin was teaching him chess.  Kind of a big game for a 7 year old but I thought it was nice of Austin to hang out with Blake.  Then we drove around a little bit & then Amelia called to say that everyone was going to Circus Circus & to meet them there.  So we went to go play at Circus Circus.  It was fun & there were lots of games to play...kind of reminded me of the State Fair.  I think my faves are the mini skee ball race where your trying to get your horse to move the fastest & depending on what whole the ball goes in it moves a lot or a little & any of the squirting gun games.  We won lots of little prizes.  But man does it put a damper on things when you sit down with your 2 boys to play & nobody else is there & then bigger kids show up & they win.  Jerks!!!  J/k....sort of.  Sonny got upset at 1st because Blake got a prize 1st but & then Brad took him to cool off but then Blake was so sweet & whenever he won another prize he would say, "this is for my brother".  He is a sweet boy.  Sonny finally realized that we had prizes for him too & finally came to join in.  It was fun & I'm glad we went.

Games, Games, Games

April & Gabreal

Sonny with some prizes

Now it's off to Cabela's to look at the "real" stuffed animals & eat lunch.

Aaron & Jen's Wedding......Tahoe/Reno

!!!WARNING!!! 

!!!THIS IS A LONG POST....BE PREPARED!!!

!!!WARNING!!!

My step-brother Aaron & his Fiancee Jen decided to get married in Tahoe & then have their family celebration in Reno.  The wedding was a little over a week ago.  We decided to drive up on Saturday morning to attend the wedding while the rest of the family drove up to Reno on Friday & then to Tahoe on Saturday for the ceremony.  I know...kinda crazy but it wasn't my wedding.  My parents are part of Worldmark so we were able to stay at the Timeshare in Reno too.  Well....we left to head up to Tahoe but we had to make a  few stops on the way.  1st...the clownfish Brad got for the tank was not doing so hot so he took it to his brother's to see if his tank was a better environment than ours.  Then off to McDonald's for breakfast.  Then we were finally off.  The drive was nice & the boys were sleepy & quiet pretty much the whole time.  We got up there way early so we decided to walk around.  It was beautiful outside & a bit on the chilly side & I was so glad I took my coat & the boys had their sweaters. 

It was fun seeing all the people walk around in their snow clothes & snowboard/ski equipment while I walked around in my nice outfit & High heels.

So...I should've brough 2 pairs of shoes because walking in heels is seriously no fun after a while.  My feet were killing me!!!!  Lesson learned!! 

We took the kids to play games in Harveys/Harrahs (I can never remember which one it is) & we played too.  I love getting tickets.  It's so fun.  Then we ate lunch at Cabo Wabo's which is funny to me because the last time we ate there it was actually in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico  about 8 1/2 years ago on our honeymoon.  Lot's of memories but I won't go there now.  The nachos we got were really good too.  So now it's time to go to "Chapel of the Bells" & we need to get there a little early because my dad forgot the camera he was supposed to take the wedding photos with.  Well.....needless to say we were there before anybody else.  I guess they put an earlier time on the invites to make sure everybody got there ON TIME!!  Since we had some time to kill.  I took pictures of....what else...my cute boys.

Ye olde outside chapel.

The boys kept wanting to play with the snow even though it was really dirty.  I know that they were tasting it too...bleh!!!  But what was I going to do...chase them down...NO!!...it was cold out there.

Sonny came to me & said my hands hurt...my hands hurt.  I asked him if he was playing with the snow & he said yes so I took his hands & warmed them up in my (cold) hands so they wouldn't hurt anymore.  He got better...it was cute.  Guess I need to take them to a snow park to really play in the snow.

And here's Blake just making a goofy face.

Ohhhh...LOOK!!  There's the Bride running in to put on the finishing touches!!!

She looked so pretty!!

There's my Step-mom Dawn & my Step-brother Aaron the Groom.

Now this chapel was on the small side.  It was quite cozy to say the least but it served it's purpose for Aaron & Jen.  I'm just glad they didn't invite more people than they did because then the chapel really would've been bursting at the seams!!!

(Here's only a couple pictures I took.  As you all know I'm STILL trying to figure out my new camera & the other one is MIA for the time being.  Thank goodness I wasn't the professional.  I'm learning that it doesn't really take good inside pictures & it was really crowded so it was hard to get a GREAT picture, but I still wanted to share a couple.)

Lighting the Unity candle.

AND.....they're FINALLY Married!!!!!!

Congratulations Aaron & Jen!!!

After the ceremony we all went outside to wait & blow bubbles & pop streamers as they headed to their car.

Erick, Mason & Amelia with the bubbles

Brad blowing bubbles.  The bubbles were fun for everyone.

Then we all took family pictures & we were off to meet everyone in Reno at the suite Aaron & Jen had at the Peppermill.  On the way there we stopped at Johnny Rockets so we could eat.  It was fun to hang out there for a little bit.  Then we got to the Peppermill & in their suite is where they did their toasts & had appetizers & cut the cake.  It was nice & cozy!!  Their suite was actually really nice & the bathroom was soooo awesome!!  I like when the bathroom is really nice.  Then we went to the timeshare & checked in & went with everybody to the "hot pool".  That was so nice to sit there & relax & play with all the kids.  No pictures for that one...don't have a waterproof camera.  When we got out it was funny to see all of our "white as snow" kids with their legs so pink from the water.  I really need to make sure my kids are in swim lessons this summer. 

I think we all had a nice time relaxing & thank goodness I took our bathing suits.

~Shannon

Our Trip to Monterey

We decided we needed to get away with the boys. 

 I mentioned to Brad that I really wanted to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium...so that's where we decided to go.  We got our tax refund & Brad booked us a hotel in Monterey & we left on a Saturday morning.  It was quite the adventure driving there because it was sooo stormy!!  I'm am definitely a passenger driver....especially when it's raining & I'm not in control.  Now let me just say that Brad is a really good driver....I just have a harder time in the rain.  It poured so hard in some areas.  It was CrAzY!!  We saw at least 3 accidents going in the opposite direction.  It was a little scary...but we made it safe & sound.  We stayed in this really nice hotel.  I loved the simplicity of the colors & the furnishings in the room.  The bed was just a little bit small for us but it was only 1 night so we survived.   The 1st night we checked out the Fisherman's Wharf & walked around & ate dinner.  It was sooo good.  I loved my Shrimp Louie salad with fresh shrimp & crab.  Delicious & Brad liked his selection too (can't remember what he got because I would never order it).  And then we got some ice cream.  The boys loved that!!  After ice cream Brad took the boys to the "hot" pool for a little bit while I relaxed by myself.

On Sunday morning we got up & got ready, went to "Red's Donuts" (they were good) & headed over to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  We got there early so there was plenty of time to look out at the ocean.  While we were taking in the ocean we saw some sea lions & there was even a girl there that was observing them for her job & was telling me about them.  It was so cool & I REALLY actually saw them out in the water.  For whatever reason I never see cool stuff like that & just say "oh yeah...I saw it" even if I didn't.  I think Brad's catching on that I'm not exactly telling the truth.  But I did in fact see them & there was one swimming close enough that I was able to get a semi-decent picture.  The weather was amazing too...not like the day before!! 

Then we were off to get in line & boy were we glad that we bought tickets in advance. 

There was soo much to see & the boys had a blast!!  I think Brad & I enjoyed ourselves just as much as they did.  There was so much to see & do.  Fish, jellyfish, sea lions, sharks, manta rays, penguins & whatever else you can think of.  We went to the "petting" area & I actually touched a mantaray.  I say this because I have this weirdness with touching strange things.  I was lucky to touch one because I think they know that we are all trying to touch them & stay in the corners away from everybody as long as they can.  Blake's arms just weren't long enough but later on he did hold a crab & he thought that was really cool.

It was really a lot of fun!!

After lunch we went outside for a bit to take in the beautiful scenery.  There were all these seagulls outside so Brad & Sonny were feeding them their oyster crackers leftover from lunch.  All of a sudden out of nowhere a pelican flew overhead & all the other birds scattered like crazy & then all of a sudden (again) it landed!!  Like so close...it was crazy!!!  Now these are not the prettiest of birds but it was awesome to be that close so I took some pictures of this crazy bird.

It's like he was posing for us!!  It was cool that I got a picture of him in flight & then standing right there in front of us.  I'm so glad we were outside to witness this.  Who knows if we'll ever see a pelican that close again.  We had a wonderful day at the aquarium & I'm so glad we went even if it was just for 2 days.  We really needed to get away for some fun "Family Time".  Then we headed back home to meet up with Brad's dad for another Birthday dinner.  I can't wait to go back to Monterey when the weather is just a bit warmer & we can spend some time at the beach.

~Shannon~