It's ok......LUKE WILSON!

We headed south on I-15 in the morning hours on Sunday.

Purpose:  Family vacation/death wish experiment

Destination 1:  Vegas

Destination 2:  California

Vehicle:  The Bourbon

Passengers:  Randy, Jolie, Riv, Jax and Maddie [Riv's sister from anotha mister]

We pulled into Vegas that afternoon with the temps showing 111 degrees.

Just the perfect time for the air conditioner to blow a hose in the suburban.

We had just enough time to buy tickets to the Excalibur dinner/entertainment show,

 "The Tournament of Kings".

This was the boys' fourth time seeing it, and they were still excited and thoroughly enjoyed participating to show Maddie how it's done.

After the show we loaded in the shaggin-wagon and drove to our hotel.

The Golden Nugget is on Freemont Street and has very nice accommodations.

The kids LOOOOOVED the freak show parade and the ceiling light shows honoring Queen, Heart, Bon Jovi and many other rock bands on Freemont.

The next morning, while Randy found a local mechanic to fix the a/c, the kids and I went to the swanky/amazeballs swimming pool on the lower level of the hotel.

There is a large shark tank that is a pillar in the center with a tube slide that runs through the center of that.

We spent hours laughing, naming the fish/sharks [we named them all Randy....except for the starfish who was pegged as Patrick], and swimming in and out of the sun's rays.

My attempt of sliding the shark tube wasn't without an owee.

Apparently you are supposed to keep your arms by your side at all times as you sit and ride.

I failed by flailing like an octopus,  and causing a good goose egg on my forearm.

Ya know, I try......I really, really do try to be cool.

Backfires every time!

Oy vey!

Randy's passionate request was to visit the "Pawn Stars" pawn shop.

 It was eh...OK.

It was more like a souvenir store with as seen on TV shit to buy.

Randy walked out with his head hung low.

Poor dude was disappointed and continued to bitch about how these guys sold out.

I told him he would too if it meant he would be a bazillionaire!

The next day we drove to Los Angeles.

We stayed on Ventura Blvd.

We caught the hotel shuttle to Universal Studios.

The ride throughout the city was one of the most attractive moments for me.

Vin Diesel was calm as I groped his arms.

Most of the rides are 3-D motion.

This is a captured pic they took during the Simpson's ride that I was too cheap to buy.

Jaws....I'm sure you figured that out

Self explanatory

Bates Motel

Dr. Suess' Who-ville

War of the Worlds.

The set was overwhelming.

It took many thousands of dollars and months to complete.

The entire scene was in the movie less than 10 mins.

 Water world was so freakin awesome!!!!

Real jet skis and boats and fire and explosions and actors and you get wet!

Universal Studios is perfect for teens.

They understand the attractions, and it's more 'adult' like than Disneyland.

The lines are between 30-90 minute waits, but they have something entertaining going on the entire wait time.

The tix were $110 with shuttle ride and the food was around $10/pp. 

They don't nazi check backpacks, so I would throw some water and snacks in the pack next time.

The kids couldn't wait to swim in this state of the art cold pool at our hotel.

[Hotels in L.A. are old, yet expensive.  You take what you can get]

I call this scene the "master of puppets".  

Maddie was always center of the boys' attention.

Maddie and Riv's 15th bdays are days apart from each other.

We utilized calling them the "twins" to get the free bday desserts!

While dining, we looked out the window to see the L.A. parking patrol ticketing the bourbon.

Randy ran out to find out why, since we had put enough coins in the meter.

We hadn't noticed that we were a FOOT onto the red fire zone.

Thank you California for keeping a close eye on people violating the law by a foot!!!

$70 ticket.

We spent the next day at Venice Beach.

I love Venice Beach!

The water and sand may not be the echelon of Cali beaches, but the entertainment around you is worth it all.

Jax couldn't wait to build sand castles

River couldn't wait to jump waves.

Maddie was a trooper and tried both.

After hours of beach pruning,

we walked the boardwalk, which is one of my favorite things.

It reminds me of being a teen and visiting my Aunt Tracy in L.A.

She brought me to Venice Beach and showed me a world that I didn't know existed.

I was happy to see that 'Muscle Beach' is still in full swing, and there are plenty of meat heads ready to give a muscle show.

There are many acts that keep you entertained along the boardwalk along with fun shops full of t-shirts/backpacks/swimsuits/marijuana.

Yes, I said marijuana.

About every 4th store had a "Weed Doctor" that would give you a prescription for a year.

Not our thing, but we could tell it was other people's thing since the air smelled of skunk.

Randy bought me the best 20 minute massage I'VE EVER HAD from an Asian man with arms like a machine.

His massage chair smelled a little bit like cheena, but I got past that once he took his elbow into my inflamed shoulder tissue.

We are now at the end of our trip.....

and I have saved my best for last!!!!!!

While walking the beach along Venice, I noticed that they were filming a movie.

Not because of their OBVIOUS signs that they posted that I was OBLIVIOUS to, but because I could see tents and camera crews.

As I walked the beach I am looking to my left where there are scuba divers for the movie, and to the right are cameras, a director chair that said "Helen", and EZ-ups.

As my head is rapidly turning in each direction, I walk face to face with two surfers alone on the same part of the beach I am walking.

Immediately I can recognize the profile of HELEN HUNT!!!!!

As I am catching my breath in disbelief, I almost get smacked with the next person's surf board as he turns around.

I hear, "OMG, I am so sorry".

HEY!!! I know this voice!!!!!

As I look toward his face I said, "it's ok......LUKE WILSON!!!!"

My expression must have shown the shock and excitement I was feeling, because he laughed and moved out of my way.

Let me tell you something ladies!!!!

He is MUCH more attractive in person!

His eyes are ocean blue and his smile is soft and comforting.

Yes, I know all this in the 1.2 seconds of our contact.

Me and Luke had a moment.

I'm pretty sure he felt too......

I'm just sayin.

[I googled the movie they are making.  It's called "Ride" and will be premiering in November 2014.  Helen Hunt directs it too.....hence the chair!]

After many days of fun, driving, and money spent, we headed back to SLC with the bourbon packed to the skins.

This was a needed and well deserved family vacation with all the Hollywood special effects included!

Although a smart family knows when to call it before someone is purposely left behind at the Bate's Motel!

I love Californication!

Hey Luke Wilson ;) wink, wink.
Call me maybe