Summer Vacation Part 2

The next day we awakened with the sun in our eyes and a song in our heart (and in the case of Jackie, a burn on our back...).  We hit Zion's fast and hard-- we signed the girls up for Junior Rangers, went and learned about aquatic water bugs, answered all the questions in their Ranger packets, hiked to Emerald Pool (with about 6 breakdowns from Ellis along the way), grabbed some caffeine and we were out.
Off now to St. George.
We checked into our hotel (the pool was closed for cleaning which made the girls sad) and off we went to see How to Train Your Dragon 2 (really fun).  Back to the hotel for sleep.
The next day was swimming in the pool (great job Jackie-- I watched Bob's Burgers on the side) and a little outlet shopping-- followed by disappointment in the one place we wanted to eat in St. George was closed for 2 weeks (we're very sad about that still Poke Bowl).  But we ate at a great Italian place before we were off to Tuachan for The Little Mermaid.
It seems that this show is a little cursed for Jackie and I-- when we first went to see the Pre-Broadway try out in 2007 (to celebrate my Masters Degree), Jackie was sick as a dog and made the bathroom at The Denver Center a place where we cannot return.  This time, it was weather-  but it made it really fun.  Right as the storm began on stage, a literal storm crashed down on all of our heads-- but the performers kept going and nothing was cancelled.  Ellis was sad about a wet head, but the show was great (and it was really fun seeing one of my former RHS students as one of Ursala's electric eels!  See you on Broadway next year Michael Milkanin!)
The next day, a quick drive to Vegas and we checked in to The Palazzo Hotel-- quite a different between this property and The Abbey Inn in St. George...
The girls pronounced it a palace (and our suite was spectacular-- overlooking the Mirage volcano) and Jackie promptly fell asleep (after eating lobster fries and a lobster roll...).  The took the girls swimming at a couple of the 12 pools at the property-- but then it was off to Grimaldi's Pizza-- we've never been in Brooklyn, but there was no wait for the version at the Palazzo- and it was awesome (but we ordered too much salad).

We then took off to Treasure Island for the girls first Cirque du Soleil show, Mystere.  I love the show-- Ellis hid her face for most of it (not a fan of gymnasts...), but loved the baby clown (who was great).
We followed up the show with another New York institution, Serendipity 3 at Caeser's Palace for a Frozen Hot Chocolate.  At first the girls were sad that they had to share... but they ended up not being able to finish the one they had.
After watching the volcano erupt, it was bedtime followed by checking out-- but we couldn't leave Las Vegas without a buffet.. this time Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan.

It was amazing.  Millie went to the bathroom 4 times but we didn't care because they had 15 flavors of house made gelato- and the cool part was most of the food was served in small containers and small plates.  It was awesome and we rolled out of there and then rolled back in to Riverton-- just in time for the 4th of July the next day--- and the beginning of Hale Center Theatre Camp (which deserves its own post).