Lainey and I just returned home from a fun-filled week in Las Vegas. We are exhausted! But we survived Vegas! :) We hung out with some fabulous friends, had an all-around good time, and made some great memories. And we basically never left the hotel. We went to Walgreens, and that was an experience (because it's so big!), but that was about it! Lainey did a lot of dancing and I did a lot of supervising!
Walker and Ben went to the lease the day we left for Las Vegas...isn't this picture that Ben took incredible? It's gorgeous. Like beyond gorgeous. Wow.
Lainey and Ava, Day One
Lainey and the Martin girls playing their own version of "Hot Potato"
We were attempting to get them to sit down instead of running around the ballroom. :)
Lainey loved the hotel...minus the casino. She isn't a fan of cigarette smoke.
Morgan and Lainey, walking hand-in-hand (this happens often) through the casino after lunch one day
We figured out a way to bypass the casino about three or four days into our trip. :) Ha!
our view
a little pool time with friends
Walker also had a little pool time with friends while we were in Las Vegas. :)
Lainey competed her solo "Spanish Rose" on July 4th. Thankfully, it was late afternoon and she had time to properly wake up and warm up before she competed. (She looks little bitty here in this picture.)
Walker, at home, watching Lainey on the live webcast!
Our sweet friends Kaitlyn, Camryn, and Brayden also watched the live webcast!
This girl LOVES an audience. The bigger the audience, the bigger the performance (one of her instructors said that...and I think it's true!)
This girl dances full-out. She told me that her face hurt from making so many "faces" throughout the performance!
And...Lainey placed first in the "PeeWee" Division! Technically, in the dance world, Lainey is still seven years old (even though she turned eight in April). She competed with about 32 five-, six-, and seven-year-olds for the title. And she got it! We were so excited!
She honestly didn't think she was going to win anything.
So fun! What a great memory!
AND - if anyone wants to know what it's like to try to take a picture of your child with several crazy dance moms...this is it. People literally stepped in front of me to take the photo. And kept getting closer and closer. This was the best I could do. :)
Lainey with her incredible instructor and choreographer, Miss Annie
with Ms. Jamie (who basically runs the studio and is one of my great friends)
and with our studio's owner, Ms. Christy, whom we love and respect so much
Faith and Lainey, warming up before class one morning
Lainey also performed "Brave" (a Lyrical piece) and "Tell Him" (a Musical Theater piece) while in Las Vegas. She is pictured here with her "Brave" group. (Far left.)
far left, halfway back
photos from "Tell Him"
Look at that face! :) She was giving it everything she had.
a view of our hotel
Walker's new toy from Emmy. It's so fun to drive!
Lainey and Faith got a picture with Travis Wall
All of Lainey's friends came to Vegas with us. :) She and I both LOVED our hotel room. It was huge! So fun!
the Awards Gala on the final night
Lainey, Kali, and Ella
Lainey's eyes were blinded by the flash over and over again! :)
with Kalani, a dancer on the TV show Dance Moms
(Lainey does not watch this show...but she does know some of the dancers' names and has seen clips of them dancing.)
Walker had fun with his grandparents and dad while we were on our trip! :) But by the time day 7 rolled around, we were all very ready to see each other. Lainey and Walker gave each other a huge hug at the airport. (They actually hugged each other immediately...Walker then hugged me and Lainey ran to Ben!) A week was a long time for us all to be separated...I'm thankful for the experience but oh-so-thankful to be home! :)
