Las Vegas, NV

Dear Travel Diary,

Fair warning – as I write this, I’m fully caffeinated.

It’s helping pull the frenzy of Las Vegas to the surface. It’s that confounding. From the time I landed at McCarron, I lost track of time. I lost sight of what day it was. I was overstimulated the entire duration of our trip, as it is literally an assault on the senses. In the end, it was one of those experiences I am thankful to have but not necessarily ready to repeat anytime soon. I would need a very specific reason to return.

(The Flamingo Hotel)

 (With live Flamingos in its habitat area)

Still, there were a few firsts achieved:
-We stayed at the oldest hotel on the Las Vegas strip – The Flamingo.
-I saw the Hoover Dam.
-I stood in two places at once, as I “straddled” the state line between Nevada and Arizona.
-I explored one of the most beautiful state parks – the Valley of Fire. It reminded me a lot of Garden of the Gods in Colorado, but we were at Fire at sunset. I was completely astounded with the beauty of this place.
-I sat front row for a comedy show at Planet Hollywood.
-We ate at Wahlburgers, and if you’re aware of my childhood New Kids On The Block obsession, then you know this was a big moment for me.
-I tried Roulette, and walked away $5 ahead so I was satisfied.
-And I received my first exposure and early tutorials to Craps.

(The Fountains at The Bellagio)

***

Story Time!
I swear if Nick didn’t witness this, he nor anyone else would believe me – I was reverse pick-pocketed.

Do you know what that entails? It’s like pick-pocketing, but instead of taking something from someone, the picker gives something to someone.

On our last full day in Las Vegas, Nick and I took a walk through The Venetian. It’s a beautiful hotel, but that’s beside the point. The time had come to make our way back to our hotel to dress for dinner and a comedy show we had tickets to. Suddenly, this 4-person crowd starts hollering behind us.

“Ma’am! Oh my gosh, you have money literally falling out of your pockets!” (They all scored points for their dramatic performances.)

Confused, we turn around and I was not shy about the WTF expression on my face.

The $20 bill that was literally falling out of my back pocket was then pressed into my hand. Even Nick was like, What the hell?! Uhh, thank you?”

Still speechless, I put the bill in my travel wallet … where I kept my money the entire trip … because you know, THIEVES … so I know there is no way I would have put anything in a pocket or someplace that could be easily taken from me.

I never felt anything.
I never saw anything.
I have no idea what happened, other than I walked away $20 richer without having to play a game of chance.

***

Though I couldn’t call in to work “rich” on Thursday, at least Las Vegas didn’t live up to its other nickname – “Lost Wages.”

I did however, receive one of the best payouts on the planet. After landing at MSP, I picked up the kids from school after not seeing them since Saturday afternoon. Their smiles as they ran to me for a hug (even too-cool Landen) was the most rewarding part of the trip.

Through the Airplane Window

Dear Travel Diary,

 

We're back with more #photoginflight cloudscapes and views from above! I flew MSP-LAS on Saturday afternoon (Nick met me later that evening) and I scored an upgrade to Delta Comfort. My seat and experience lived up to the name of the cabin. And since I had a window seat, I ignored the questioning glances of my fellow passengers to snap these pictures -

Departing a snowy MSP ...

 

 

RELATED POST: Scenes From 18D en route to Newark

 

The cotton candy-colored sunsets seen from an airplane are incredible.

 

Not sure what state we were flying over when this came into view, but I was struck by the color and texture of this landscape.

Touchdown at LAS - see the Strip in the background? The gentleman seated beside me finally commented on my picture-taking and asked if it was my first time to Vegas.

I admitted that it was.

Stay tuned for my Las Vegas recap!

Five "Through the Airplane Window" Pictures for ...

 

The Mary Tyler Moore Statue - Minneapolis, MN

Dear Diabetes Diary,

Maybe you don't follow her career, or haven't watched something she starred in, or consider yourself a fan - but you know her by name: Mary Tyler Moore. Everyone knows this actress. She's also involved with JDRF as their international spokesperson, as she's lived with diabetes for years.

What I didn't know, however, was that Minneapolis was home base for the television show that bears her name, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

On May 8, 2002, a bronze statue was unveiled to honor this connection.

Located in the Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis, the statue depicts the iconic hat toss she'd perform in the show's opening sequence.

Mary Tyler Moore was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was 33 years old. On January 25, 2017, the iconic star passed away at age 80.

The Ice Castles - Stillwater, MN

#icecastles

Dear Diary,

Love it or loathe it, winter is something we all must contend with in the upper Midwest. (And obviously other regions but I can mostly speak for the one I call home.)

Personally, I loathe it. I am a "warm-weather-and-sunshine" kind of girl, and I could totally decorate palm trees for Christmas instead of pine. A life in Minnesota found us however, and as much as I complain about the cold, this state beautifully embraces all its seasons.

I decided to follow suit, for better or worse.

One cold January weekend day, while Nick was instructing, I bundled the kids in their "marshmallow" gear and drove up to Stillwater. We were going to check out and explore the Ice Castles.

It was as though we were cast in a real-life depiction of Frozen, and the song "Let It Go" was stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

Speaking of Frozen ...

If you go: 

Purchase tickets online. This schedules a 30-minute window for you to arrive, but you can stay as long as you wish. They recommend bringing a sled instead of a stroller, and cameras are allowed (leave tripods and lights behind). 

Dress like you're going sledding! Boots, snow pants, hats and gloves are a must.

Location:

Ice Castles at Lowell Park

201 Water Street N, Stillwater 55082

Web site:

http://icecastles.com/stillwater/

 Sliding down the ice chute ...

Bourbon Butcher - Farmington, MN

Dear Diary,

Nick and I don't go out on day dates often, but when we do, we check out new bars in town.

(Nick sampled a Maker's Mark while I had a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.)

(I snapped this for no real reason other than I liked the light fixture.)

Recently opened, I really liked the ambiance of the place. There was a cool pallet wall and exposed brick. I admired the light fixtures, and the bar was definitely a showstopper. There was a large booth that could be curtained off for privacy, and a Throwback Arcade with a cozy fireplace, skeeball (!!!), pinball machines and shuffleboard. It's a cool hangout place.

The drink menu is extensive, and there is a basic food menu of expected bar foods. We were impressed the kitchen has gluten free buns. We shared a plate, and the food was delicious.

While there were families with children there during the day to eat, I wouldn't describe it as such. It certainly shines brighter as the setting for a Happy Hour, a meet-up with friends or the first stop for Bachelor and Bachelorette festivities. It is more of an adult playground, and hopefully Nick and I can return in the evening.

They offer drink flights - beer of course, but they also offer whiskey and wine flights. We were curious about Beer and a Bump, which is essentially a well-stocked beer and bourbon flight. We both agreed that a few of our good friends needed to experience it.

The staff was friendly, and I really hope Bourbon Butcher is here to stay.

(From The Bourbon Butcher's Facebook Page)

Location:

20700 Chippendale Avenue

Web site:

bourbonbutcher.com

Nerf Gun Wall Storage

Dear Renovation Diary,

 

Landen has taken up quite an interest and amassed a large collection of Nerf guns. In fact, the entire family has gotten involved - we are known for the occasional battle. Those are fun. Tripping over Landen's armory is not. They're kind of awkward and difficult to put away neatly, and the darts and muskets were hard to keep organized. Landen was getting frustrated.

We (Landen) decided to utilize wall space in his walk-in closet for storage. First, Nick installed anchors into the studs to secure a peg board in place.

Then, using hooks, Landen got to work hanging his guns on the peg board.

We also found hanging plastic storage buckets to help corral his darts and balls.

The final result? A simplified way to store a favorite collection, and a solution to help prevent the accessories from getting lost. We have one happy kid!

All of the materials for this project were found at Home Depot, and for the total cost of less than $50. This set-up could also be used to store accessory collections of scarves, jewelry and handbags.

Hawaii

Dear Diary,

Let's be adventurous.

Let's show up at the airport without confirmed seats and fly standby halfway across the world with two young kids.

And when people tell us that we're nuts, we're crazy and there's no way, let's just smile.

Let's allow our experiences tell the story.

Like the one that just happened.

On Thursday 12/29, we flew into Orange County and then Uber'ed our way to LAX. We slept at an on-site hotel during a 7-hour layover, then successfully caught a flight across the pond into Honolulu. The kids tolerated the 6-hour flight better than expected, and their reward was a weekend in paradise.

Greeted with a traditional lei and cup of pineapple juice, we were so grateful to thaw our chilled Minnesota skin with the warmth of the Hawaiian sun.

We walked.

We swam in the ocean. I don't think Madelyn left the water for three hours - she loves it so, so much. Meanwhile, when Landen took breaks from the water, he examined coral, built moats in the fine sand and explored natural lagoons.

We ate fish tacos in 80-degree weather by the beach. 

We had no real itinerary - just let Hawaii happen.

(We watched the sun rise and set on the same day.)

Celebrating and counting down to the New Year in the one of the most beautiful settings in the world, with the love of my life and my two babies at my side, surrounded by lit tiki torches and the twinkling stars as waves crashed into the shore - I cannot think of a better way to both close and open new chapters in a life I am so proud to have built with the man I met when I was 18.

Back then, I took a chance on a country boy who attended school 3 hours away.

This past weekend, we took a chance on a standby flight to Hawaii. 

Even with the unknowns, and against all odds, I am so thankful for every chance I have taken.

Because I could not ask for anything more. The biggest takeaway here, is to be scared. Flying standby halfway around the world is scary! Do it anyway.