Marley's Birthday Vegas Adventure

The drive from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas takes about five long hours. At one point, we had a brief panic when we unexpectedly crossed into Arizona. With no cell service or GPS, we weren’t entirely sure if we were heading to Las Vegas, Nevada... or Las Vegas, New Mexico. Once we regained coverage, Faith called Annie, who quickly set us straight. Crisis averted.

But Vegas wasn’t the only highlight of the day—it was also Marley’s birthday! Turning five in Sin City might raise some eyebrows, but as Faith said, “We’ve celebrated his birthdays at breweries before, so Vegas seems… fitting.”

Our first stop at Mandalay Bay was the pool. I’d been holding off on telling the kids what to expect, so they were blown away. Mandalay Bay has an 11-acre pool complex complete with multiple pools, a lazy river, a beach, and a wave pool. The kids were in heaven.

After cleaning up from pool time, we headed out for some Vegas fun—kid style. First up: Circus Circus. I’ve stayed there before and had a very different impression, but with three kids in tow, it was perfect. We caught a circus show and spent the rest of the night riding rides and playing games in the Adventure Dome. It was a fitting way to celebrate Marley’s birthday—for the fifth time this trip.

On the way back, we cruised the Strip so the kids could see the lights, buildings, and general sensory overload that is Las Vegas. Faith summed it up best: “This is… a lot.”

As we tucked Marley into bed, he asked if we could do it all again tomorrow. We told him no, it was a special birthday treat. His reply: “But it’s my birthday tomorrow too.”

Honestly, at this point? Why not. We’ve been celebrating all week.