The day continued to the Hoover Dam, where we had a blast, even though we found out that to even step foot in the museum (it used to be free) it was going to cost each and every one of us, including kids and babies, $11 each, without a tour, without a free cookie, without a swift kick in the pants. Sooo, we passed, but enjoyed ourselves anyway.
Apparently if you rub this guy's feet he brings you luck, maybe if you rub your computer screen some will rub off on you too!
Outside of the chocolate factory is a huge cactus garden which is full of.... you guessed it.... cactus'. (Cactie?)..... (HUH?) It is actually very pretty and smells wonderful, like aloe and pink flowers... whatever pink flowers smell like...
So there's this Chocolate Factory in Las Vegas, and who doesn't want to see that? We had a big day on the 3rd and this was one of our many stops. Unfortunately most of the windows were curtained off, and the free chocolate area was boarded up, but we did get a sample at the end of the hallway (that the tour is supposed to be in). Despite the set backs it was super fun!
This is the boys checking out one of the sculptures made completely from chocolate. Yummmmm!
Another cool sculpture, and it's friend, the other sculpture.
The boys begged me to buy them ice-cream so when I was letting them pick out their flavors I said Ezra's name and the guy serving up the ice-cream got all excited and was like "Oh, I've only ever heard that name one other time!" and so I decided to take the bate and said "Oh ya, you know an Ezra?" and he's like "Well, he was a leader in my church." and I just smiled really huge and said "Really? There's a leader named Ezra in my church too!" And he just started busting a gut laughing, so I took his picture. His name was Ben, probably short for Benson.....
Apparently my little sis Mattea is a budding artist when it comes to playdough. She asked if she could borrow some the other night and this is what came out of it! It was too cool to take apart so it's still sitting in the middle of my kitchen table on a plate!
This was our hardest hike of the day. It was only 1 mile, but it was up hill the whole way there. Just Mattea, Ezra, Liam, and I went and it was sooooo cool. Definatly the number one spot to take all my friends.
Today we learned where 20 Mule Team Borax comes from. Apparently Borax was mined in Death Valley, and they would fill up these huge wagons with the rock and it literally took a 20 Mule Team to pull it!
Our first day trip was yesturday, and we went to Death Valley. I've lived here for almost 2 years, and for some reason I've never been there, even though we're less than 2 hours away. It is absolutely gorgeous there, and it's a great learning experience. There are so many different things to see, from castles, to ruins, to mountain hikes, to 5000+ foot valleys, to bare desert. It's amaizing, I'm so glad that we went. Beware though, if any of you come out to visit I'm definatly taking you there! You better hope you come in the spring though, because Death Valley is one of the hottest places on the planet in the summer time. They don't call it Death Valley for nothing!
Our first little trip was up to a little peak just as you come in the park. It wasn't very high and the boys did it with no problem. I'm sad Mo couldn't make it today, but at the same time it would've been near impossible to keep track of 3 crazy kiddos.
Liam took a little snooze on the way out (only after I promised to wake him up in the dessert) and he was so cute. By the way, Liam kind of sleeps with his eyes open, don't be alarmed, he was not a casualty of Death Valley.
On this far peak you can see a white thing, it is a boy. I tried to take another picture with 2 people in it but I couldn't get my camera out before the other one took off. They both had their arms up in the air in the "I made it!" stance and it was super cute. 
