Las Vegas Invitation

The last five days of our Vegas trip have been somewhat of a blur. There was so much to see and do that by the end of it all; the days seemed to run together as one. I knew that I would want to write about our experience, but I wonder where to begin. First, I should say that my perception of Las Vegas is very different from what I remember from my last visit ten years ago. I thought about our stay in Southern California last year over the summer, and remember the culture shock that we faced while we were there. We also seemed to be in a state of shell shock upon arriving in Las Vegas, even though there was a mixed diversity of people. The livelihood of such a city is beyond overwhelming, yet full of exciting sights, sounds, colors, and just plain fun. I guess that is why it is known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World”. Many people, including tourists are often lured to Las Vegas for the gambling appeal, but our visit consisted of activities of a different sort. The main reason for our trip was my brother-in-law’s wedding held at the Caesar’s Palace, which ended up being a beautiful ceremony. Aside from the most important part, the highlights of our trip included several walks up and down the main strip of Las Vegas Blvd. where we walked through several hotels and casinos of which had their own unique architectural structure and theme, with many shops, restaurants, and beautiful displays. We took advantage of as much of the free entertainment we could, since we couldn’t justify spending money on the astronomical prices of many of the shows, let alone food and drinks. My favorite attraction was the Fountains of the Bellagio hotel. The way the music synced up with the dancing fountains across the entire lake was breathtaking. We also enjoyed many of the aquariums we saw, as well as the Lion and Flamingo habitats. Our last night in Vegas was spent on the “old style” strip of Las Vegas, where we saw the Fremont Street Experience Show. It is best described as the biggest television screen over a wide dome the length of the street, showing concert videos, with designs and pictures featuring a summer of 69’ theme. Now, I won’t say that Las Vegas was all pudding and pie when it came to entertainment. There were still the usual vulgar images of what is familiar to the Las Vegas scene, but we managed to overlook a lot of that to the best of our ability. I just have to say that I’m thankful we don’t have kids, as we would have had to hide their exposure to such things. However, Las Vegas is also a family-friendly environment with many activities for the kids too. We have talked about returning to this lively city again, so we’ll see what brings us back to the entertainment capital of the world in the future. Until then…here are some photos you might enjoy from our adventure.

Eastside Cannery Hotel

This was our hotel for the first two nights at the Eastside Cannery

Our Comfortable Pillow-Top Beds

This was a view of the swimming pool from our room on the 8th floor
Pro Shop Sports & Aquarium at Silverton

This was a great display of hanging salt water fish and boats in many varieties

A Big Brown Bear

A Couple of Moose

Diver Feeding the Sharks

Jellyfish Tank

Ethel M Chocolate Factory & Botanical Cactus Gardens

This is supposed to be the cactus plant you can make tequila with...who knew?

We saw a lot of lizards while on our trek through the garden

Jack Rabbits

Other Hotels and Sights on the Strip

We stayed at the Excaliber Hotel for the last two nights of our trip

The Luxor Hotel

The MGM Grand Hotel

The Lion Habitat

M&M's World & Coke World

Eifel Tower at the Paris Hotel

The Flamingo Habitat

A Couple of Mime's Entertaining the Passer-by's

The Treasure Island Ships

The Venetian Hotel

A Lady Posing as a Statue

Gondala Rides Through the Venetian Canal
Joe & Heather's Wedding at Caesar's Palace

Fremont Street Experience

That Birthday Feeling

Just as another year goes by, so does another birthday. I used to consider this to be one of the most exciting times of the year. Over the years, it has now become somewhat depressing to say the least. We only get older with each passing year, and while there is nothing we can do about that, we can live it up to the fullest extent. I turned twenty-five years old a couple days ago. That is kind of hard to imagine. Many of you would argue that that is hardly an age to fret about, but just the idea that I’m getting older every year, sends a whirlwind of emotions through me. It seemed like just yesterday, that I was living the carefree days of a child. However, I won’t get on my soapbox about that any longer, but I will say that I cannot think of a year that’s gone by when I haven’t relished in the festivities of my birthday. My family and friends are always so gracious in wishing me a ‘Happy Birthday’, that I should be so grateful. The parties and celebrations are always a reminder of how much the loved ones in my life care about me. It is such a wonderful feeling to feel so loved! Thanks to everyone for making me feel so special on my birthday!

A Few Birthday Photos

My Animal Friends

I have worked at my job now for three years, and since there is not always a lot of activity here at the office, I often find myself observing everything around me. Here at the mini storage, there are a combination of sights and sounds to engage my senses, even on the many quieted days I spend here. I don’t like to spend my time in front of the computer all day, so to occupy my time, I have included in my daily routine, a leisure walk on the property. Over the years, I have seen stray dogs and cats, and occasionally, I might even spot a few groundhogs (informal term for the lack thereof). But every day I see the usual birds in many varieties chirping their tunes to each other, and the horses and cows, grazing the pastures that surround the property grounds. You may be asking why I would take random photos of these animals, and my answer to that is simple. I find joy in the little things, and when I spend many lonely days here at work by myself, I find company in other ways. I seem to have made a few friends. The cows and horses featured in the photos above, like to walk up to the fence line for a visit every now and then. I have a passion for animals, and seeing them day to day has me reminiscing of my days on the farm as a young girl.

Major Discount Bargains!

Many of you may know that I love a good bargain, but it is rather, a secret obsession of mine. One look at a “reduced” price tag, and I get all giddy inside, grin from ear to ear, and tell myself I’m the luckiest girl in the world. Over the weekend I had an experience just the same. I have many favorite stores to shop, but Old Navy tops my list at #1. I browse the whole store, admire the new styles that have just arrived, but always find myself migrating to the clearance racks, where I can usually find a steal or two. That’s just what happened. I was actually looking for a few summer tops, when I came across a couple winter sweaters for just .97 cents! I couldn’t believe my eyes! My husband didn’t share the same excitement I did, but could see that it was in fact the best deal ever, and that I couldn’t pass that up. So, although I cannot wear these sweaters for several months, I will look forward to the opportunity when the weather becomes cold again…but I’m not wishing for that anytime soon. I’m going to enjoy this beautiful warm weather while it lasts.

Life Updates and More

Who knew that two and half months would go by before I would write my latest post? It seems I have some catching up to do. I used to think of myself as an avid blogger, but that doesn’t seem so true anymore these days. It is pouring rain outside, and as I listen to the roaring thunder, my mind has started to wander. I am elated at the thought of the additional free time I have gained over the last couple of weeks. The decision to work our business in Primerica on a very part-time basis has significantly reduced the amount of stress that has been weighing me down. As I take a break, I have reflected on the amazing opportunities that the company has allowed me to further my growth as an individual. I had taken the plunge with a great leap of faith to make a difference in my life, and more importantly, the lives of others. I’ve conquered my fear of public speaking to some degree in Business Expansion meetings, developed more confidence in myself, and acquired a few leadership qualities. Primerica is a company of Integrity and principles molded around the service to others and the quality of business. Since Primerica has set the standard with a system designed to succeed and fulfill the hopes and dreams of many who desire to have it, I shouldn’t say that we’re putting our business on the back-burner. However, I seem to be discovering more alleviation in other activities of which I have a greater passion for. I am letting the creative juices flow from my mind as I embrace the pleasures of writing and art. That is where my focus lies. Aside from business, I should update all of you on the other daily happenings in our lives. My husband is currently studying for a health insurance license for another company, and is excited to be working a regular schedule again. Oh, the mayhem of one company to another. Will it ever end? It’s the story of our lives. Other exciting news… we are seeking rabbits! We’re looking for a large, docile-type rabbit breed that can roam freely in the backyard, and can be cuddled and loved as many furry animals like to be. We recently planted about twenty-five strawberry plants, and our fruit trees are growing more proudly every day. We are enjoying the warmer weather, and our time outside in the yard. My husband has finally started working out with me every day, and even does stretching exercises with me after we run or play tennis. That is a big commitment coming from him. Also, I found my dream car the other day. I never thought I would want any kind of car, specifically, but when I saw the Subaru Tribeca, I was in love. In conclusion of this recent update, I have to share a quick story I find to be both humorous and a bit sad. This event took place at the families’ cabin in Donnelly, ID. My husband and I wanted to get away last weekend, and spend some quiet time up in the mountains. Nothing too exciting took place while we were there, since it was too cold outside to go on a hike and even too windy to start a campfire. We made the best of our trip there, so to create somewhat of an extra “rugged” camping experience, we decided to make tin-foil dinners. They can be made of a simple concoction of ingredients like ground hamburger, carrots, potatoes, and of course onions. As I was peeling and chopping the onion, my eyes began to burn and sting, producing tears of pain flowing down my cheeks. Now, I’ve always known that the enzyme properties that make up an onion will cause this physical reaction on a person, but this time it was worse than I’ve ever experienced. I couldn’t help but jokingly, think that the onion had hurt my feelings. I really didn’t expect to be sobbing over a splendid weekend away from the suffocating routine of daily conflicts and demanding responsibilities. Sure, I had dismantled it out of its perfect onion form, but really, what did I ever do to it?