Viva Las Vegas (Jan 31 - Feb 5th)

Mom and Dad rented a big 15 passenger van so we could all go together to Las Vegas to see Reid and Laura's baby blessing on Feb 3rd.  Chad Howard was born Dec 4th 2012.  Scott didn't go because he didn't want to use one of his personal days from work and then he got sick anyway.  Dad and I did all the driving.  We went almost half way on Thursday Jan 31st and stayed at Wells at the Super 8.  Lets just say at least we had a warm bed to sleep in and we will leave it at that.  I think we made it to Reid's around 3 or 4 on Friday.

I finally got my hands on this little cutie!!!

and we even got a smile...so cute!

Brady was so happy to see his cousins...

E.J. and Rosie made it in around 8:30.  It was so fun to see their family also.  I love this picture of Caleb with Dad.

Saturday Mom and Dad took the four oldest grand kids to Walmart to pick out Valentines for all the kids.  They are amazing and always like to spoil the kids.  Kacie picked out nails and make-up.  Here I am helping them with their nails.

Brady got some bubbles and a car.  The bubbles were a huge hit with all the kids

Such a cute baby!

Three generations of Howards.

Van Howard Schulthies

Reid Howard Schulthies

Chad Howard Schulthies
If I remember right the Howard name came from Lydia Howard who was married to Henry Schulthies who would be Dad's Grandpa and Grandma.

I absolutely love this picture!  I love what Dedre said on Instagram...

"Priceless pic! Frame worthy!"

Loving their gifts from Grandma and Grandpa!

The weather was so nice.  We were all loving the outdoors!

Beautiful picture of Mom and sweet Chad...We couldn't get enough of him!

Pretty, Pretty Girls!!!

Once again we couldn't go to Las Vegas without a trip to the Bellagio garden and water shows.

This time it was the Chinese New Year!

Brady's favorite place on earth!!!

We saw six shows and only two of them we had seen before.  But then Brady informed me that he had seen the other ones on YouTube also.  Too funny!

Cute picture of Joshua and Teniele with Luigi and Mario.  Brady wouldn't get near them.

This was everyone that went.  Reid was a good sport to drive us down.

Photo bombed by Kyle!  Reid wanted me to do it to a couple that were taking engagement pictures.  It would have been funny but I wasn't daring enough.

Chad's big day...  Reid did an awesome job with his blessing.

Photo bomb by Brielle...

What handsome boys...

I think this is everyone that was there.

What a beautiful family!

All the grand kids except for Brandon and Chad! (He was hungry)

Here he made it for the picture..still missing Brandon though ):

Brady was upset in this picture because he didn't have one with just Grandpa and Grandma.

now he is happy!

Brielle's beautiful artwork...

Man of the hour!

Chad's Grandma Connie Berrett made the cute blanket.

So after our yummy dinner we just relaxed and visited, played games and watched a few slide shows.  Monday morning Dad, Reid, Ruben and I went over to Dave and Connie's at 6am to watch the Super Bowl.  It was a good game and Connie feed us a nice breakfast but we were sad that the Baltimore Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers and it gave us a late start going home.  Then around 5:30 pm I was driving and hit a deer about 10 miles south of Jackpot.  I was so mad because it was going to make it even later to get home with the kids for school the next day.  Little did I know that it wouldn't be until 11pm the following day that we get home.  As we were waiting for a tow truck to come and the highway patrol, the Elko Sheriff drove up.  He was a God send...so nice and helpful, much more so than the State Police officer.  So Ruben, Dad, Kacie, Brady and I rode in the tow truck and Mom, Teniele, Joshua and James rode in the Sheriff's car to Jackpot.  Joshua was in heaven riding in a cop car but Mom not so much.  She got to ride in the cage.  The Sheriff went ahead of us to get a room in Jackpot at the Four Jacks Hotel.  The Sheriff went with Mom into the hotel and told the owner that he had totaled five cars hitting deer and that he knew what we were going through and asked if he would cut us a deal and he did...he charged us nothing. Rosie told us later that Blake prayed before FHE that we would be safe and warm and make it to a safe place without it costing too much money.  Then they were shocked to hear that the hotel didn't charge us for the rooms because of the nice sheriff that took care of us.  Prayers are answered...especially from cute five year olds.  Once we finally got the van emptied and to our rooms it must have been around 9pm.  I didn't realize how shaky I was until we were in the room.  Mom and Dad went down to the restaurant to get us all some food then we all crashed I think except for me.  It took me a while to unwind.

It was a total nightmare waiting for a vehicle or two vehicles to get home with.  The crazy rental agency kept changing its plans.  They finally decided to haul a 15 passenger van out of Idaho Falls and it didn't arrive until almost 6pm our time.  This is Kacie and I begging for a car to finally come.  Once we got to Twin Falls we figured it took us 24 hours to get from Jackpot to Twin.  Crazy!  Then after we got some stuff out of the van that we left, filled up and ate, it wasn't until 8pm before we left Twin Falls.  

It was a fun trip but I could have done without the last twenty-four hours. It took me a couple of days to recover from that one. It was a good thing Scott didn't go because then he would have lost the only two personal days he has.  As we were leaving Brady said, "Are you excited to see your husband?"  It is so funny some of the stuff he comes up with.