Viva, Las Vegas!

My birthday was last Wednesday. April 7th. It also happened to be the first day of my girls weekend in Las Vegas. Perfect timing. I actually arrived 24 hours prior to the girls, so I had the entire room to myself.

We stayed at "The Gateway" which is a little resort south of the strip. Far enough away that without a car, I was left to provide my own entertainment. Which proved to be not any kind of an issue. I found the little poolside grill and ordered a burger, took it to my room, and lounged in bed with the TV on. It was only 5:30. I was completely ready for bed by 6 (it was 8 Missouri time). I managed to keep my eyes open until 8 Vegas time, and then I was out like a light. 4 am was when my eyes sprang open. (6 Missouri time). Habit. I watched TV for an hour until I was able to fall back to sleep for another hour or so. Something I always long to do, but am never given the opportunity. Fabulous. At 7 I ventured out and down to the workout room where I sweat away on the elliptical machine because all the treadmills were full. I would have gone running outside, but I just didn't want to. And this 24 hours for me was all about the don't want to's.

After my run I was debating laying by the pool. It was still pretty early for laying out. And there was a slight breeze outside. Would I be warm enough? Seem over anxious to be poolside that early? I figured I didn't care what others thought, but the lazy in me had me laying back in bed. I finally ventured out again around 10. Poolside, with a book. And nobody to whine about being to hot or cold. No floaties. No swim diapers. And no "watch me Mom" kids around. Well, there were some. But they weren't calling me mom. Which made my time that much sweeter. At noon I got hungry so grabbed some food at the same little grill from the night before and ate it poolside. Around 1 I decided maybe I was starting to burn so headed back to the room to take a shower and wait for my girls to arrive.

While staying alone in a place for 24 hours, I learned a few things about myself that I haven't ever known. (Probably because I don't know that I've ever in my entire life spent time alone in a room like that.) I'm not a clean freak by nature. I had clothes and papers strung from the front door clear back to the bedroom. Interesting. In real life I have to have everything in its place or I go batty. Maybe if I lived alone in my own house I would be a candidate for "messiest house"? I also learned that being naked all the time doesn't bother me. At all. Clothes became optional. As it neared time for Jessica and Natalie to arrive, however, I cleaned the place up and put some clothes on. My alone time was nearing an end. Which was okay. But only because I love the girls that I was expecting!

Jessica and Natalie. They arrived around 5. We headed to the strip, deciding that shopping and food would be on the agenda. We parked in some parking lot and headed into a shopping center that also had a cheesecake factory. What could be more perfect than that?

After we ate, we shopped a bit. Then decided to venture down the strip. I had never been to Vegas. I was up for anything. The Bellagio water show was amazing. We watched two. One on the way down the strip, and one on the way back.

The next morning we decided to shop. And shop we did. I don't think I've been in so many Gap stores in such a short time period. Perfect. And every shopping center had it's own unique style. In Fashion Show Mall we actually saw a fashion show. (I'm officially a true tourist).

All our shopping made us thirsty. And since Serendipity 3 was right there. How could we resist splitting one of these babies?

And since that just quenched our thirst, we needed to try out this place to stave off any hunger pangs:

It was midnight by the time we finished our burgers. Crazy. For the mother of 5 anyway. We headed back to our hotel and talked for another few hours before actually falling asleep. Saturday was a mild one. We found the LDS Temple and went inside for a bit. Then found a place for lunch that was perfect. Italian. And on the agenda for that evening?

I'd never seen Phantom of the Opera before. Neither had Jess. Natalie had seen it twice, but the guy selling tickets convinced her this theater was bigger, better, and she needed to see it. After we found our seats (which were amazing) we decided it would be okay to take photos since the show hadn't actually started.

Wrong. That is the only one we got before the little legged girl passing out programs sprinted up a flight of stairs and got all up in our faces. She meant business. No photography. So we had our own little photo session after the fact. In front of all the big signs. Just like tourists do.

What would be a show without dessert following? Ghiradelli's was just around 3 corners.

What this blog does not depict, nor can it truly depict, was how much fun was actually had by us 3 mothers. How late into the night (early morning really) we stayed up talking. How great the conversation was. What a fool I must have looked like flipping myself over in the pool lounge chair and then just laughing at myself. How many times Natalie put something on hold at one Gap to just try it on at another. How many fabulous restaurants we encountered and enjoyed. What great girls Natalie and Jessica are. True friends. Of the truest kind. And how glad I was that Shawn (and all our husbands) were willing to take on our duties at home so we could get together away from it all. Thanks girls. For letting me be a part of your lives. I'm one lucky girl to have friends like you two.

Easter with the McManus Clan....

Raquel's kids were on spring break last week. She lives way up north where the wind blows and it snows. A lot. Her husband is a resident. Which is code for "busy all the time". So. She opted to drive down south with her five kids and share their vacation with us. Perfect. It just happened to coincide with the Easter holiday. Double perfect. We decided an egg hunt was in order. Because there are so many kids between us, we split them in half. My backyard isn't that big. We had the younger 4 hunt first. These guys were so anxious it was hard to get them to stand still for a picture.

I only allocated 2 eggs for miss Presley. Who took it upon herself to open as many as she could get her hands on when she realized there was chocolate inside.

Then the older 4. They were just as anxious. But less wiggly.

Raquel is full of crafty ideas to keep kids occupied. Jelly Bean Bracelets were just one of the fun ideas she had swimming in her head.

The kids actually entertained themselves quit well. Playing light saber wars, barbies, Wii, house, legos, and everything in between. We ate a lot, talked even more, and caught up on the last 5 years since we've been apart. Thanks for being willing to sacrifice time in the car to spend a few days visiting. We had a great time. Come back. Anytime. We loved having you!

Rock The Parkway...

The last weekend in March my running girls and I headed to Kansas City to run a 10k. The weather had been fabulous all week so we were pumped. Also. Who doesn't love a girls get-a-way? We headed down Friday night so we could pick up our race packets, shop, and eat. We stayed in a hotel near the starting line so we could fully enjoy our morning.

When we woke Saturday at 6 am we could hear the wind howling. Not a great sign. I said, "I would so much rather run in the rain than in the wind". Famous last words. By the time we were lined up waiting for the gunshot, it was sprinkling. As we rounded the corner of our 1st mile we were in a downpour. Our shoes were soaked through from puddles by mile 2. And I LOVED it! Every. Single. Soaking. Wet. Minute. I felt like a kid again. We spaced ourselves out and into our own grooves. I was lucky enough to run with Michelle. We kept the same pace throughout. At the finish line we all looked like drowned rats. And then we started to get cold. We headed back to the car and drove to a fancy schmancy cupcake shop for a post-race indulgence. My teeth started chattering something fierce and they wouldn't stop.

But the cupcakery was adorable. Even with chattering teeth.

We headed back to the hotel for warm showers. Which finally stopped the chattering. We checked out of our hotel and headed to an up and coming shopping area to browse. Hunger pangs led us to a restaurant called "Ra". (Raw) As in sushi. Which none of us were brave enough to venture into except Julie. We ordered the teriyaki chicken. Delicious. Though we did receive chopstick lessons free of charge.

What a great race day. I've decided that 10k's are my new favorite thing. You don't have to train for them like a 1/2 marathon, but they are more than just a short run like a 5k. I love them. There aren't many of them around. Seems like others haven't found a passion for them like myself. I'm on the lookout. If you know of any good ones, you know where to find me. Thanks runner girls for keeping me moving. And for being great company even off the pavement.

Disney On Ice....

During spring break, I bought tickets to go see Disney on Ice. It's something we've never done before. We've been living so far from any location that has these kinds of events that it's been virtually impossible these past few years. Now that we are only an hour away from such a large city.....the world is at our disposal.

We left Presley home with a sitter. Had she been our 3rd child, and maybe even 4th, the guilt of leaving her home would have been too much. Since she's our 5th? No guilt necessary. The idea of paying money to chase her up and down the stairs didn't really appeal to me.

We started the evening by eating dinner at Chili's. The kids rarely have the opportunity to eat in an establishment where ordering somewhere other than the counter is an option. And after paying more money for food that ended up getting left on plates? It will be awhile before they have that opportunity again.

We parked in the very top of a parking garage and then hiked down to the arena. The whole while singing praises we had no need for a stroller.

After winding our way through crowds, security gates, and trying to steer clear of the 20 dollar light up toys, we found our seats. And they were fabulous. Row E. Closest letter to the alphabet I've ever sat in an event like this.

The kids loved the show. Landon laughed his little laugh so often it was contagious. Intermission kind of ruined it for me. Popcorn that cost more than my wardrobe, and lots of spinning toys that would halt any education fund were paraded around us non-stop. Thank goodness I had pre-packed bags of cadbury mini-eggs and licorice.

Good times. Good times.

New Things.....

My life has changed as of late. I'm in a new place (that I love), I have a billion things to do to organize this new place (it's going to take for-e-ver), and Presley can open every single door in our house. The last one is causing me serious issues. Because we have the fancy schmancy door handles that aren't your typical round ones, all she has to do is pull a little lever and the door opens. To the bathrooms. The kids bedrooms. The door to outside. And my most troublesome door, the pantry. She cannot be left unsupervised. Not for 30 seconds. It's exhausting me. And causing the #2 change of organization to be delayed continuously. Example. Saturday morning I decided I needed to run. I hadn't run for a few days, and because I'm supposed to be running a 10k in two weeks, I needed to run. Shawn said he'd watch Presley. Having no idea what our new life is like in this home, he felt she was fine playing with the others while he took a shower. I finished my run feeling fabulous. Until I walked upstairs. Presley had the pantry door open and the entire contents of a brand new bag of pretzels dumped on the floor in front of her. She was smashing them as hard as she could with her little feet. And enjoying herself I might add. Intermixed with the pretzels were a few banana peels and various other items from the garbage can. This is what my new days consist of. Every time I don't have her in my immediate sight I am on a mission to find her. I'm looking for baby locks for these particular doors. Tonight. Or these boxes will never get unpacked without her destroying the rest of my house in the process.

Other than the door opening issue, I looooove my new digs. I realize we need some serious color in this place, as everything is so brown that we own. That will come in time. We also need to learn how to decorate. That will also come in time. Even with bare walls, and neutral colors, we are happy.

My favorite things today?

My entire Kitchen....

Mostly because we can all sit up to the island and do things like this together......

And then bake them all at the same time because of this baby.

I also love gas stove tops. Have never had one before. Love at first use.

Maybe my girl Rebecca would like to come show me her mad decorating skills? I'll cook you up something in my kitchen while I watch.......

Things That Make Me Smile....

These are just a few pictures I've recently found on my camera. And finally actually loaded on to my computer. I smiled at every single one of these for different reasons. These are just a few things these days that make me happy to be alive.

Kennedy and her best friend Jenna. Two beautiful girls that are fun to be around.

Family activities. Even if they don't quite turn out as expected. It's all about the process.

Snow. And my kids playing in it. And actually enjoying each other's company while doing so.

Eating out at fun restaurants. Not for the food, but for the environment.

Presley climbing in the pantry. Every. Time. It's. Opened.

Landon playing video games. He's officially old enough to play with the big crowd. And he loves doing so. I love to hear him laugh when he conquers a level.

Kids content to lounge when trapped inside on a snow day.




Children's Motrin. For episodes where I get shown this face because of teething.

Homemade forts out of furniture and blankets.Bowling lessons. Through the city parks and rec department. My kids love it. I do too.





Jack reading books to Presley early morning.
Hair that is long enough to put in pigtails. And a (somewhat) willing participant.

Jack's "too short" pants. This kid has grown 4 inches since the beginning of the school year. Every time he gets dressed I giggle a little bit. (It's almost short season, so he's good)

How Landon writes his name on his school papers. And yes. He is now "Landon".



Bath time. With Daddy in charge.



And soon to be photographed? My new house.

A Day Worth of My Thoughts....(seriously condensed)

* Why do I sometimes jump out of bed when my alarm clock goes off at 5:50 am, and other times it feels like I've been hit by a mack truck and could use more sleep?

*Sometimes I get so angry at my body. Other times I am just grateful that it can function properly. I hope today is going to be one of the "appreciation" days.

*Running was so easy today. I felt like I could go on forever. But I've got to get the kids up and ready for school.

*How sad it is that we as parents spend so much time convincing and working to get our kids into bed at night only to have to wake them up intentionally in the morning. Ironic.

*Kennedy says her stomach is upset. Do I send her to school anyway? Or just keep her home? I'll keep her home. But. If in 1 hour she is playing wii like nobodies business, she is going to school.

*Good thing I kept Kennedy home. Having her puke in her classroom would have caused me much guilt. Good choice today.

*Presley sure does get into EVERYTHING all day long. She is wearing me out! I sure didn't realize how much I love Kennedy to entertain her in the late afternoon.

*Stupid school fundraisers. Why can't they just ask me for 10 bucks instead of enticing my kids with cheap, ridiculous toys?

*I should blog the pictures I took of the kids last night. Where did I leave my camera? Oh. It's in the car. That's too far outside to go hunting for. I'll get the camera when I pick up the kids from school. If I remember.

*I wonder if Shawn is coming home anytime soon. OR tonight at all. Is it worth making dinner to have him not show up? I guess I'll make it anyway and let the cards fall where they may.

*Dinner made. And Shawn made it home too. Another good choice today made.

*Why the heck am I so tired? Is there a carbon monoxide leak in this house? If there is, it sure isn't affecting Jackson. Maybe we should all sleep in his room tonight.

*I hope this housing fiasco works itself out soon. I'm getting anxious to move. I'm too afraid to get excited at this point. Should I call the movers yet? Or just wait it out?

*This house is a mess. It sure could use some serious deep cleaning. But. If I'm moving in a week or so.....is it worth it? I guess if we end up staying here longer I could clean it. I'll just wait until I know something for sure.

*Why do I feel the need to sabotage such a good morning run with chocolate chip cookies? ugh. It's close to swimsuit season. Before that comes short sleeve season. Maybe I should move to Alaska.

*Sleeping kids are the most peaceful little things to look at. Why is it that I can be so hopping mad, and then once they are asleep all I want to do is kiss their little faces. Quietly so as not to arouse them.

*Why do I waste so much time on the computer? If I had gone to sleep 2 hours ago then when my alarm goes off in the morning I wouldn't have to drag myself out of bed. And so the cycle begins. Again.