Vegas!
Christmas kind of sucked, plans didn't go as planned and we ended up with nothing but walking the dog to the coffee shop. I was disappointed. But New Year's was better- we went to Vegas! Husband's mother lives in Henderson, a short drive from the Strip, and his sister would be in town as well with her youngest kid (he's 15). So lots of time with family, which is nice since I'm so far from my own. And this is the sane part of his family, so it's nice that this is who is closest to us.
We saw Evil Dead: the Musical, and sister-in-law and nephew came with us. We learned the "splash zone" is larger than advertised. Luckily, the "blood" is easily washed out in the laundry. Fun show, though, and nephew had requested that the next time they were in town, that they go to see a show. So he got his wish! Was a fun show, too.
Mother-in-law got to use her coupons for the buffet they like just before they expired. Husband and I took everybody to lunch to celebrate my birthday at a little German place that we found on Yelp (which is useful on occasion in spite of what seems to be their intentions). The trick was finding a place that was cheap enough that husband's stepdad wouldn't gag on it (he hates having money spent when he knows he could get it cheaper; never mind the idea of quality, he just can't stand the price) and that he would like, as well as being something different that I would like. Everybody else will be fine anywhere. And it was delicious!
We took nephew to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay, which I like a lot. We asked a few questions about the program where you can go dive in their big shark tank..... how awesome would that be???? Expensive, but still within our means if we plan for it.
New Year's Eve on the Strip, in the crush. Not quite the evening I had planned: the casinos close the doors to the public, only hotel guests and players' card holders are allowed in, and all the alcohol vendors on the street had crap that I didn't want. The one bar we found mixed my drink badly. But we got to ride the little gondolas in the Venetian, there were fireworks at midnight, and that was awesome, and afterward we found a stall in a casino that sold tequila shots, so I got my drink in the end. And the food court at the Venetian is open reeeeeeeeeeeally late, so even at 1:30am I could get a snack.
Got to do a little gambling, even, which is fun for a little bit.
Little bit of panic, since a girl's monthly "friend" was late this month... researching getting pregnant while having an IUD in, and finding stories from women who suddenly decided they were panicked about losing the pregnancy that they previously were seemingly trying to prevent and that confused me.
So now we're home and it's a new year and so let's go make it a good one!
We saw Evil Dead: the Musical, and sister-in-law and nephew came with us. We learned the "splash zone" is larger than advertised. Luckily, the "blood" is easily washed out in the laundry. Fun show, though, and nephew had requested that the next time they were in town, that they go to see a show. So he got his wish! Was a fun show, too.
Mother-in-law got to use her coupons for the buffet they like just before they expired. Husband and I took everybody to lunch to celebrate my birthday at a little German place that we found on Yelp (which is useful on occasion in spite of what seems to be their intentions). The trick was finding a place that was cheap enough that husband's stepdad wouldn't gag on it (he hates having money spent when he knows he could get it cheaper; never mind the idea of quality, he just can't stand the price) and that he would like, as well as being something different that I would like. Everybody else will be fine anywhere. And it was delicious!
We took nephew to the aquarium at Mandalay Bay, which I like a lot. We asked a few questions about the program where you can go dive in their big shark tank..... how awesome would that be???? Expensive, but still within our means if we plan for it.
New Year's Eve on the Strip, in the crush. Not quite the evening I had planned: the casinos close the doors to the public, only hotel guests and players' card holders are allowed in, and all the alcohol vendors on the street had crap that I didn't want. The one bar we found mixed my drink badly. But we got to ride the little gondolas in the Venetian, there were fireworks at midnight, and that was awesome, and afterward we found a stall in a casino that sold tequila shots, so I got my drink in the end. And the food court at the Venetian is open reeeeeeeeeeeally late, so even at 1:30am I could get a snack.
Got to do a little gambling, even, which is fun for a little bit.
Little bit of panic, since a girl's monthly "friend" was late this month... researching getting pregnant while having an IUD in, and finding stories from women who suddenly decided they were panicked about losing the pregnancy that they previously were seemingly trying to prevent and that confused me.
So now we're home and it's a new year and so let's go make it a good one!