LAS VEGAS OR BUST!!

Heard that phrase before?? We'll we lived it.

We were headed to Las Vegas this weekend for my Nana's 80th birthday. We were really excited to go. So Friday morning, we packed everything in the van (this was our first real road trip with the van since we got it a little over a month ago) and headed north. We were just getting started with the trip--got about 65 miles, so just north of Casa Grande, when our transmission went out! We were cruisin' down the freeway when all the sudden, the van had no power. Luckily, we were right by an exit ramp, and we were able to pull off and get safely off the road. We tried to mess with it a little, but it was obvious that the van was done.

Now what???

We have never broken down like that before, so we were not really sure where to even start! Zak and I both just kind of stared at each other for a minute. (While the kids calmly kept watching their movie in the back, oblivious). Luckily we found that we do have roadside assistance through our insurance (never needed to know that before!), so we were able to call them to arrange for a tow truck. The boys were a little disappointed that it was a new fancy truck, and didn't look more like this guy!

Then, what else could we do but call our best friends?? We were actually not far from the Mitchells, since they live on the north end of Casa Grande. We were so glad that Katie could come rescue me and the boys, while Zak went with Jim, the scary, smoking tow truck driver back down to Tucson. They got the van into the shop, where we found out we get to buy a new, shiny transmission. Yea!! That is just what we want to spend money on!
Then Zak drove our car back up to Casa Grande to get us. It turned out to be a pretty good excuse to hang out the the bright lights of Casa Grande. Zak even got to go downtown with Jeff and see the strip. I'm so jealous. It is almost as exciting as Vegas, and we had a really hard time deciding what to do first with all the fun things there. (Sorry we love to make fun of your home town Jeff. You know we think it is Grande! And thanks again Katie for rescuing us! And for sharing your leftovers! You're the best. It would have been a really bad day without you guys!)
So, we never made it to Vegas. The transmission did bust. We're sad we missed out on all the fun and family there, but with the luck we were having, Vegas is probably the last place we want to be right now--we have enough money going out!

We hope you had a Happy 80th Birthday, Nana! Sorry we missed it! We love you! We'll have try to make it out there again soon!