Summertime: VEGAS BABY!

321 Days have passes since we arrived in sunny California. This time last summer we were busy winding down from Mission Possible and getting ready for the madness of July: VBS, MC2 Camp, Game Nights, Bowling Trips, Mission Nights, softball games, and all the spontaneous fun that summer youth ministry brings. Parts of us still deeply miss those things. We miss the known. We miss the youth. We miss the families that we grew to love so deeply! However, we are continuously grateful for our West Coast adventure. Since we have come all this way, we decided early on to make the most of our time out here. With such a decision in the forefront of our minds, we decided to kick our summer off with a couple trips. Allow us to fill you in:


My (Megan) classes ended June 15. After completing my first year of doctoral studies I was ready for a break from the reading, studying, and researching for a bit (I have summer assignments to do). With a break needed we headed off to San Diego on June 17. We spent the day at the San Diego Safari Park Zoo. It was so nice to spend the day together. We rode the tram around the animal park and saw tons of cool animals. It’s the closest thing to an African Safari we’ve ever been on. We also walked around the park and checked out all the exhibits. It was a great day!

Shortly after our zoo adventure we packed up and headed east to Vegas. Since Chris had to work on our 4th Anniversary he planned the whole Vegas trip as an Anniversary surprise. Those of you that know me (Megan) well know I HATE surprises. I have to have a plan and I have to know the plan. However, he was relentless and would not divulge details. I knew we were going to Vegas but knew little more than that.

Upon our arrival we checked into the Luxor Hotel (it’s the pyramid shaped hotel) and changed to head down to the strip. We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant at the MGM and then saw the Jabbawockeez perform. It was awesome. (They are a dance crew if you’re not familiar with them).

The next day we got up early and walked around Vegas. We visited the Venetian Hotel and rode the famous Gondola ride. It was nice. (Side note: the couple that rode with us was celebrating their 25th Anniversary). We also walked around the Bellagio Hotel and toured an art exhibit in the hotel. That hotel was HUGE! We then headed back to our hotel for lunch and some down time before the big surprise.

Around 3pm we got ready and Chris informed me that we would be going to the Grand Canyon---via helicopter! I was so excited! It was an amazing trip. I’m convinced it is the only way to see the Grand Canyon. We flew over the Hoover Dam and right into the Canyon. It was awesome. God truly is the artist of all artists. It was a sight to see. I could have stayed there all day enjoying the beauty of it all! After taking a million pictures we enjoyed a picnic and then flew back to Vegas.

Our final evening in Vegas we walked around the strip, visited some additional hotels, and saw the Bellagio water/lights show. We concluded our evening with a ride on the Vegas Monorail. That was an experience. We have a really funny story of a lady we had the pleasure of accompanying on our ride back to the hotel. But words on a page just won’t do it justice. We die laughing every time we hear the word “monorail” now.

Wednesday morning we made the 4 hour drive back to CA. The rest of our summer will include Chris going to a conference, taking classes, Megan’s family visiting, Haley and Jay’s wedding in OH, and surely plenty of other adventures. We’ll keep you posted! What are your summer plans? We’d love to hear from all of you.

--Megan

Lights, Camera, Action...

One of the joys of being here on the west coast in Los Angeles is Megan and I have an opportunity to do things that are unique  to here, that otherwise, we may have never been able to do.  We've already driven a good section of the Pacific Coast Highway, gone to San Francisco, drove through Malibu, and rode down Sunset Boulevard.  Last night, we went to a taping of the sitcom of Mike and Molly, which even in its first season, has quickly become one of Megan's favorite shows on TV.

We left our apartment at 3:30 to drive to Burbank where Warner Brothers Studios is located.  Traffic wasn't too terrible, and we finally saw the "Hollywood" sign.  Megan's attempts at taking a picture failed, but we'll get one soon.  We arrived at the studio around 4:30, and found the place where we were to wait in line.  After about 40 minutes, we headed towards the lot and went through security.  We finally arrived at the studio where Mike and Molly is filmed around 5:15.  It is the same studio where Friends and Full House was filmed, in case you were curious. 

We waited in the studio until 6:00, when they began by showing us a previous episode.  Apparently, there were a lot of people there that had never seen the show before.  I guess they just wanted to see any show filmed.  Once the show completed, they began with the introduction of the cast.  I must say, while there are no "big names" in the cast, it was very cool to see people that you typically only see on TV only a few feet away from you.  They were filming their Valentine's Day show, and the show was filmed in the order that the scenes will go on the episode, which I had always heard that they bounced around during filming.  The scenes that they didn't film, they reenacted for us. 

During all of the breaks, there was an emcee that tried to keep the audience engaged.  What normally happened, was they would film one segment, reset, and film it a second time.  It was interesting, at least to me, to see how the writers altered the lines in between takes.  If we, the audience, didn't respond like they wanted, they would change a line.  It typically resulted in a much bigger laugh the second time through.  (They may do that intentionally to get that big laugh.  I will say, the laughter was not as genuine the third or fourth time you heard a line, but whenever it suddenly changed, and they said something you weren't expecting, it made the line that much more hilarious)

Filming an episode is a long process.  They started at 6:30, and we left right around 10:00.  At least in the middle, they did provide pizza for the audience.  Megan and I both had a great time, definitely a unique experience.  I think we are going to try and go see a couple of other shows filmed.  I personally would love to get tickets to see either The Big Bang Theory or Two and a Half Men be filmed, but those tickets are hard to get due to the popularity of the shows.  Also, Megan wants to get tickets for the Ellen Show (which had a huge crowd and line for it).  Those tickets are all "sold out" into March.

If you haven't seen the show, you should definitely tune in Mondays at 9:30 on CBS.  The show is hilarious, and maybe in a few weeks, you will hear our laughter in the background.

Mike and Molly

Tomorrow, Megan and I will be crossing another item off of our "West Coast Bucket List", of things we want to do while we are on the west coast.  We will be going to Warner Brothers Studios to watch the sitcom Mike and Molly be filmed. 

This show is "the funniest show on TV" according to Megan.  Should be a fun and interesting experience!  If it goes well, we will most likely try and get tickets to see Big Bang Theory next.

These are a part of Megan's birthday present, except I messed up, because initially, she thought they were expensive tickets.  I shouldn't have told her they were free... haha oh well.

Check back to see how it was.