Hide and Seek

Maya could tell from the laughter in the hall that she'd been found ...

Ice Cream Truck

It took five blocks of chasing ... BUT WE CAUGHT IT!!!

I came down from getting Maya through the tub to Owen and Amy standing on the front lawn. The ice cream truck had cruised by, and there was at least one little boy who thought this was a pretty marvelous addition to an 80 degree night in mid-April.

I threw on my shoes and Owen and I ran for it! We stopped occasionally, listening for the electronic bell chorus of Scott Joplin music rising through the air and echoing off the neighborhood houses.

Then there it was! We spotted it at the top of a nearby street and made a last heroic dash. The driver saw us coming and turned the truck around, saving Owen a puff past two more driveways.

Owen got a Watermelon Popsicle. We bought a bubblegum one for Maya and hustled back home.

It was very satisfying!

Best T-Shirt EVER!!

Dad Turns 40

Owen was ready to stow away in my suitcase as Amy and I got ready to go to Las Vegas. Amy surprised me with the Joel-turns-40 trip when we celebrated Maya's birthday a couple of weeks before, working through the details with her parents (who came and watched the kids) and my boss (making sure I could take an unannounced day off).

It was a wonderful time!

We stayed at the Paris Hotel at the recommendation of my boss, who had just been there for a long weekend himself in January. The hotel was perfect, right in the middle of the Strip and close to the shows we saw and some excellent shopping.


The funny thing about our vacation was that it was actually 20 degrees cooler in Las Vegas than it was in Central Illinois that weekend. We left from the Peoria Airport on an 85 degree day, and landed on a sunny but still 58 degree day in Nevada. Temps hovered in the low to mid 60s most of our time there, but it did spike up into the mid 70s on our final day, allowing us a short, but satisfying time sunning at the hotel pool (below).


Vegas is like Disney for adults. The Paris Hotel did everything it could to recreate the feel of metropolitan Paris (right down to it's own Phantom of the Opera, Barry Manilow, performing twice weekly).

We also had a great time checking out the other hotels, including the Bellagio ...

... The Venetian ...

... and New York New York ...

And we saw two AMAZING shows by Cirque du Soleil. The highlight was definitely their show "O," which may be the most amazing theatrical experience I've ever had.

And, as you know, I've seen lots of shows.

It was a birthday to remember. Thanks so much to everyone who made it possible. We missed Owen and Maya tremendously, but it was wonderful to have that time just for Mom and Dad.