Vegas/Dallas Fun!

Wow! What an entertaining weekend!

This is only my third trip to Vegas, and each one has been a completely different Vegas experience.

My first trip to Vegas was ten years ago or more with some girlfriends for a weekend. My memory of that trip is a little fuzzy, but as I recall, we stayed on the strip in the newer part of Vegas, had a dinner at the Bellagio (I think that is where we ate?), did a little gambling at a roulette table while drinking $2 Bloody Mary’s, and enjoyed some really good people watching in the lobby of the MGM hotel. My jaw dropped open at many of the things that I saw. After all, I was a Vegas virgin.

My second Vegas trip was a work trip with my husbands company (8….9…..10 years ago?) and we stayed at a Golf and Spa Resort several miles off of the strip. Lake Las Vegas?? Anyhow, I loved that trip! I remember feeling very spoiled. The organizer of that trip did a great job of making everyone feel very catered to. We went to the strip one night for dinner and to see The Beatles “Love” (Cirque du Soleil) show. I think we took a limo to the strip? The rest of that trip, everyone was either poolside or on the golf course. Great trip, lots of fun, but I didn’t really get the “Vegas” experience.

This trip to Vegas was all about downtown Vegas on Fremont Street and celebrating the 60th birthday of a friend of ours. This trip was exactly what I think of when I think Vegas!

Mike and I and around 30 others went to Vegas for the big birthday party! We stayed at the Golden Nugget downtown on Fremont Street, and that was a whole new eye opening experience!! People watching Capitol!! I didn’t take nearly enough pictures and the ones that I did take, aren’t a great representation of all that we saw. I was too busy watching and enjoying to even think about pictures. You guys, lots of boobs. I’m not sure what I found more shocking, all of the nipples with painted on pasties, or the amount of small children and babies on Fremont street at midnight for a family vacation! Here is what I do know, we had a blast and I am so happy that we went to celebrate our friends birthday!

Loved the sign in the Cabana at the Pool!

Golfing for the boys. walking, shopping, people watching, eating and drinking for the girls. Eventually we were all Poolside on Saturday. We had a great time with some new friends and we had a great time with some old friends. Such a great trip!

A few memories of Fremont Street!

Fremont lit up at night.

You can zip line over the street! I know this guy. (I stole this picture from his Facebook page!)

 

This is me and his wife. I stole this picture from them too! Look at all of those people!!

 

Fremont Street Old School

 

Casino here, Casino there, a Casino everywhere!

 

More Old School…

 

These girls came with tops on!

 

This is me on Fremont street late at night. Heck, I fit right in. (I am totally wearing a shirt, and a bra!!)

 

This is the Shark Tank Pool at our hotel. I had to steal this picture. I told you I was watching more than I was picture taking!

 

Check out the slide that goes right through that Shark tank!

 

 

 

Yes, also stolen. But look how cool that exit is.

 

We are getting in line to go down the slide! Loved it!

 

Some of the gang, Poolside!

 

Hanging out in the Cabana with this guy.

 

The perfect Vegas Breakfast. Bloody Mary, Coffee and Water.

 

For lunch one day, Mike had a burger the size of a house!

 

Oddly enough, he had that burger at this Mexican Cantina. This was a really fun afternoon! About 20 of us from our group ended up here, not realizing we were all going to be there. This was a great afternoon and we couldn’t have planned it if we had tried.

 

We walked a bit after lunch and checked out a part of the strip.

 

Sunday morning I was up early to catch a flight to Dallas while Mike came back to Kansas City. Tess wanted me to come out to celebrate her birthday with her, which was Monday, so I did!

We met a group of her friends for an early dinner on Sunday, and of course had a great time. She has met so many great people since moving to Dallas just three years ago. I love seeing her happy with her friends.

 

She wanted a party of Burgers and Beer….

 

Would you look at these Sweet Potato Fries? They are sprinkled with Cinnamon and have a honey drizzle. Yes, please.

 

Happy 25th Tess! Your mom thinks you are AWESOME!!

On Monday, her actual birthday, I slept in while she made coffee and read a book. Exactly what she said that she wanted to do.

When I woke up, we got dressed and took our traditional walk down the Katy Trail. We walked for about an hour and a half. The last half of an hour was all in the rain! We finally came upon a car port to hang out under for a few minutes.

 

Then, while still fairly wet, we stopped at the Katy Trail Ice House for a birthday lunch and beer. This is one of our favorite things to do in Dallas, walk the Katy Trail, then stop at the Katy Trail Ice House for lunch.

 

The rest of the day we spent doing exactly what Tess likes to do when I come to visit. We meal planned, then we grocery shopped, then we meal prepped. Yep, that’s what she wanted to do, get organized for the next 10 days of no time off from work.

She found herself an Orchid at the grocery store. She bought that with some birthday money that her grandma sent to her. She carried it around the store like a baby fearing that I would knock off a pedal! Oh, and we are still wearing wet clothes.

For dinner, we ordered take out from one of our favorite spots and sipped on a bottle of wine at her apartment. It was a great day!

Tess dropped me off at the airport Tuesday morning, and I spent the rest of the day trying to get in some veggies, lean protein and drinking lots of water!

Would you believe I’m leaving again Thursday morning for a trip to Nashville? Yeah, I can’t believe that either. It is kind of a spontaneous trip, but I love Nashville and I can’t imagine passing up a trip there!

When I come home, I’ve got some serious work to do! I’ve got some Weight Watcher Leader training sessions lined up and more online classes to take!

I’m also looking at a challenge for September. I was thinking about my 100 Mile Walking Challenge that I like to do, but I think I need to switch it up a bit.

I’m thinking about “30 Days of Yoga”. I was doing one day a week for a while, then I started trying two days a week once in a while. I feel so strong when I go to Yoga. I’m curious as to how differently my body would feel after 30 days in a row of Yoga?

Okay, I worked the food truck, and now I’ve got some laundry to do!

I hope that you all had a great weekend, and that your week is going just as well. I’ll be back on Sunday.

 

“love the life you live, live the life you love”