Vegas, Baby!

Chris whisked me away to Las Vegas for the weekend! Okay, it's been planned for months, but we were so excited to get away without the boys for an adult weekend! Thanks, Grandma Toni & Grandpa Chuck for watching the boys! We had a fabulous time!
We stayed at the New York, New York Casino. This is a picture of it (through the car windshield as we drove down the strip. We were in bumper to bumper traffic for 30 minutes, but as soon as I wanted to take a photo of our hotel, traffic sped up and this is the shot I got.


This is our hotel room. For $30 more a night, you can upgrade to a deluxe suite. We decided to go for it. This hotel room was bigger than our 1 bedroom condo we lived in when we first got married. It took 28 steps from the bed to the bathroom (yes, I counted). And I only tripped on the seat at the end of the bed four times before I committed it to memory that it was there.


Did I mention that the suite had a bathtub jacuzzi? This was the view from our room. We've never had a view of the strip before (it doesn't take much to make me happy). Friday night we gambled a bit, ate a late dinner and had some fruity drinks. We even got carded!! I thought it was because I just had a facial last week and my skin was looking luminous. Chris said it was because we're such dorks and we still don't know how to order drinks from the bar without acting like we're doing something that we shouldn't be doing. Whatever!! The bartender did look at our I.D.'s laughed and said, "OOOPS, Sorry"! I was totally stoked, though.

On Saturday, I got a massage (thanks, Terri & Mike). It was FAB-U-LOUS!!! Probably one of the best massages that I've ever had. Chris played poker in the Poker Room at the MGM. We met up for lunch, saw a movie, did some shopping, and then stopped at the Bellagio so that I could check out their atrium.

The atrium at the Bellagio is spectacular. They change it for every season (or holiday). A few tulips were blooming, but by next week, the place will be a blast of color! Below is a picture of a tulip bed that was in full bloom and it's one of my favorites.

We had a fancy dinner on Saturday night. I should have taken pictures (especially of the dessert), but I didn't want to look like more of a dork than I already am. I shouldn't have really cared because Vegas is full of some crazies. It's great people watching, which is one of my favorite things to do. We gambled some more, drank some more, and went to bed entirely too late! Thanks, Chris for a terrific weekend! Let's not wait too long before we go away again!

Snow!

No! Not here in California, but in North Carolina. My sister-in-law emailed these pictures last week when they got 6 inches of snow!! They moved to North Carolina 4 years ago and all three of them (Charlie, Bambi & Paige) are California natives. Boy, were they surprised to wake up to this much snow in their front yard.

This is my niece, Paige. She's Chris' brothers' daughter. Isn't she gorgeous? She's 11 years old and I know that her parents want her to stay this way FOREVER! We don't get to see her very much, but her family does make the trek back to California twice a year (summer & Christmas). Every time I see her, it seems like she's grown 12 inches and she just gets prettier & prettier. She's the whole package..smart, athletic, funny & outgoing. Watch out, Charlie! You're going to have to scare a lot of boys away!

AYSO State Semi-Finals

This past Saturday, we spent the day in Bakersfield for the AYSO League Team State Semi-Finals (yep, it's a mouthful). We were up at 4:00 am and hit the road by 5. Brian's team had to arrive at the field by 7:00 am to check-in and be ready to play for their 8:00 game. Did I mention that this was just the first of three games that they had to play this day? It was a great day weather wise. Not too hot and not too cold. In fact, it was a little overcast and we all got our faces sunburned.

If you're into soccer, you should check out the soccer fields in Bakersfield. I know, your thinking Bakersfield? But seriously, the complex has 25 soccer fields!!! It's HUGE! Games are played from 8 am until 4 pm non-stop. Somehow, it all works out smoothly with games, traffic, parking, food stands, and restrooms. I'm not really into soccer besides that I like watching my boys play. After the eight years that my boys have been playing, I still don't know all the rules (like "off-sides"), but I was impressed with the fields in Bakersfield and in awe of the family and community support that all of these children have.

The team was a little nervous starting out. This is the big-time in AYSO standards. Brian played hard and was always where he should be. He plays mid-fielder, which means he's trying to move the ball forward to the strikers to make a goal, but when the other team has the ball, he has to run back and support the defenders. In short, the kid is constantly running back & forth. He has asthma, so I'm always a little anxious when he plays. He did great, but the team lost all three games. Oh well, everyone had a great day absorbed in soccer!


This is what he looked liked after the third game when I said, "Brian, turn this way and smile!". I got the death look. You'd think that the kid had been running all day or something. I always think it's hysterical when parents yell, "Run faster! First to the ball! Get your head in the game!" 99% of the parents on the side-lines (me included) couldn't run for 5 minutes, let alone for an hour and 10 minutes! I understand this and I try to just yell things like "good job and "way to hustle", but I just wanted a cute picture of him smiling. Whatever!

But he always has a smile for Grandma! This was taken after the third game (and 3 losses). Grandma Toni congratulated him on playing his best and he gave her a smile. Congratulations Brian on a great season! Now we only have practice two days a week instead of four. Yippeee!!!

I Heart Faces

This week's theme is "Black & White". Click on over to I Heart Faces and check out all of the cool black & white photos.

How Cute Is My Blog?

I know that there's still a week left in February, but I wanted to change the wallpaper on my blog and the next holiday is a BIG one!

March is a special month in my family. One, my family is Irish. Two, my birthday is in March. And three, my sister's birthday is also in March AND on St. Patrick's Day!!! Lots of reasons to celebrate! (Sidenote: doesn't Sean look like Terri?)



Actually, my mom went into labor with me during my sister's third birthday party. It was on a Saturday, a few days before her "real" birthday. Right in the middle of the party, my parents had to leave for the hospital. Tons of people at the house, presents still had to be open, and the candles still needed to be blown out on the cake. It was a good thing that my mom left when she did, because I was born a half hour later. Family & friends stayed and kept the party going, but I guess my sister was still a little upset. It took a few years for her to forgive me for ruining her party, but now she's my best friend! Every year we celebrate our birthdays together and every year we have shamrocks on our cake (or leprechauns, or rainbows & pots of gold).

Anyway, March is also a month of lots of rain, but towards the end of the month you can start to feel spring in the air. I'm so looking forward to Spring! Happy March (next week)!

Did You Watch It?

I'll admit it. I'm a reality TV junkie. I've been trying to limit my TV viewing, but there's just one show (okay maybe a few) that I just can't give up. I love The Amazing Race! The new season started last night and I actually watched it "live" (as in not waiting for Tivo to record it so we can fast forward through the commercials).

If I wasn't such a big chicken, I'd send in an audition video. I love that these couples get to travel to places that they normally never would have AND THEN they get to do these amazing tasks that the average traveler would never think of doing. Last night, the teams traveled to Switzerland, bungy jumped off a dam, and then had to carry 200 lbs of cheese down a mountain. If you traveled to Switzerland, would you get to do that?

I love this show so much that my husband gave me the Travelocity Gnome two years ago as a one of my Christmas presents. Yep, this little guy sits in my front room by the window. I walk by him every morning and he just makes me smile. This picture was take during Christmas. I don't change his hat for every holiday, just during Christmas.

If you haven't had a chance to watch an episode, I highly recommend it.

Silly BOY!

This is my SON, Sean. I entered this photo in the weekly contest at I Heart Faces. This week's theme is "Silly". Click on over and check out all of the "Silly" photos. They're sure to make you smile!



This photo was taken about three years ago. My mom was fed up with doing her hair everyday and was into her "wig phase". Sean looked at my mom and said, "Grandma, your hair looks longer and poofier than yesterday". She said, "Oh, it's just my new wig" and then proceeded to whip it off her head and throw it in the air! The boys thought that this was the funniest and coolest thing ever. I guess they never knew anyone that actually wore a wig, let alone someone that would whip it off in a mili-second.

Sean asked to try it on. I took one look at him and thought, "oh my God! He looks like my sister"! I had to get a picture. This is what a girl of mine would look like. The picture is silly, but just thinking about the look on my boys face when their Grandma took off her "hair" makes me smile.

And, YES! I did ask Sean for his permission before I posted this.