Let The Craziness Begin

Now that Mike has left to go back to work, there are only a handful of days left before we leave for California. And as of last night, Mike and I redid the itinerary. We haven't booked hotels yet and I am thankful we haven't because our plans did an about face. When we discovered that hotels in Las Vegas are roughly $60 on a Sunday night (and that's for a room at the Excalibur - I can't imagine how cheap the seedy motels are), we decided to stay there one night. And, I really want to ride the Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere. This is what the ride looks like, but this is the view the riders get! Did I mention that the ride is on top of this building? Yes, that little needle on the top is what the ride is situated on!

In the next couple of days, here's what I have to get done:

- get four new tires put on the van (and, yes, Mike trusts me to do it!)
- organize the boys clothes (we're only packing five days worth and then we'll find a laundromat in Hollywood in the middle of the trip)
- create an "anti-boredom box" for the van (sudoku puzzles, find-a-words, hand-held electronic games etc).
- order Joel's birth certificate (Joel's mom just realized on Friday that she never ordered one for him when he was born - luckily, Regina can ship it up here in one day)
- book the hotels
- order tickets for Universal Studios and SeaWorld (can be printed off on our computer)
- find a place for Shandi to stay (I'm hoping one of my brothers can take her - Shetoby Kennels is all booked up)
- confirm our "house-sitter" and leave a detailed list
- clean the van
- buy a DVD video camera (and the all price comparing that goes with that)
- take both boys for haircuts
- buy Colby some spring clothes
- print off detailed maps of Hollywood
- print off lists of possible hotels to stay in on our way down (we're not booking for the nights of 'getting there' just in case we get a burst of energy and want to push through to the next city)
- organize my travel binder!
- break in my new runners - I do not want blisters!!

I love love love being in charge of planning (especiallly when I'm the only one on the committee!). It's like being a choreographer and orchestrating all these little bits and pieces that need to come together to create the dance. I let Mike know that he has yet to see how much of a drill sargent I can truly be. If he thinks I'm "bossy" and "loud" when I'm trying to get everyone out the door on time for a wedding or some other event, he is in for a big surprise!