{Fun conversation over yogurt}{Trains, trains, and more trains}{Homemade playdough}{Playing in the snow}{Bubble bath to warm up}

It’s days like these that you don’t want to end; however, nap time sure is nice.

Some friends invited us to join them at a production of, “How I Became a Pirate,” based on the children’s book. It was adorable and marked Little Man’s first, of many, official plays.

He did great. It was a 45 min. play and I broke snacks out half-way through. I call that a success for this busy body. We checked the book out at the library yesterday so we could get RRRrrrrready for the play.

The aforementioned Girls’ Trip was a huge success: friendship, yummy food, great shows, relaxing and coming home feeling rejuvenated. I went with Husband’s high school girlfriends, that I’m glad I can call my friends too. We lived up Vegas the best way that three, Mormon, married moms can.

Day 1

{Fly in and check into the Paris hotel}

{Dinner in the ghetto at a yummy Thai restaurant. I’m now hooked on Tom Ka Kai soup.}

{Explored the strip}

Day 2

{Savory & Sweet Crepes for Breakfast}

{Spa Day…worth every shiny, little penny}

{More Strip Exploring}

{Dinner at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill…a MUST}

{Explored the Bellagio}

{After a night cap of steamers & hot coco, we hit the sack early and got the best present the next day…}

Day 3

{…we all slept in, albeit until 8:15am. We grabbed some pastries and went poolside.}

{Got all dolled up for a fine dining experience at Aureole. That’s the place with the wine cellar they repel to retrieve the bottles. Yes, the one that was on the Bachelor.}

{The highlight was the French Onion Soup with Fois Gras that the waiter asked if I wanted to take a picture of before he cut into for me. We were that obvious with our cameras. No shame.}

{Front row seats to Mystere by Cirque du Soleil. First 5 minutes, ca-razy, then I jumped on board and loved it. This was the closest we came to using my book of $1 singles.}

{Frozen Hot Chocolate nightcap at Serendipity 3}

Day 4

{Delectable pastries at Jean Pierre in the Bellagio}

{Farewell Vegas, you were good to us.}

Oh, and meanwhile Husband was being his amazing self, and he and Little Man had a blast together.

*Many photo credits in this post belong to Meili. Thanks for sharing.

Husband is witty. I know this. But there’s times where he has me peeing my pants.

He surprised me with a Vegas Survival Kit for my girls trip this weekend as well as a playlist. Pure hilarity.

There were about 15 items each with a sticky note. Here are some of my favorites:

(gambling tips “if you’re feeling lucky”)

(hand sanitizer “let’s be honest, Vegas is dirty”)

(my personal fav, a book of fresh $1 bills “for tips, not for strippers. I can’t emphasize enough that this is NOT for strippers”)

And as if that weren’t enough, he and Little Man made a surprise video for me on the iPad where C is shaking his finger and says, “no thunder from down under.”

Love my men! And now…Vegas Baby!

Last night, the ladies came over for a night of Bunco. It’s a great, diverse group, so it’s a lot of fun when we all get together.

{Individual Cherry Cheesecakes}

{Veggie & Pita  to go with two types of Hummus}

Yes, I did host the Love Party and Bunco on the same day and I leave this morning for Vegas. Crazy, crazy…but it’s ALL good crazy! Plus, I have great friends who were constantly asking to help out.

Little Man hosted his annual Valentine’s Party today. He was under the weather for the original scheduled date of Monday, so we bumped the party to today.

We had 11 of his friends and moms over for a yummy lunch followed by cupcake decorating. The kids did great. The boys had too much fun wrestling one another. I looked over at one point and poor little Luke, with a broken collar bone, was stuck at the bottom of the dog pile. Little Man loves his friends and gets so goofy-excited when they come over.

{The host getting a pre-party snack}

{Love Library & Jell-O cups with submerged chocolate hearts…my mom did  this at my Vday party when I was a little girl}

{Balloon Garland & “Love Potion”}

Love You Little Man!

I Love Valentine’s Day. I think everyone steps up their game just a titch more. Husband sure did.

I awoke to homemade Nutella hot coco and a brand new pasta machine (I’ve been wanting one for years). Husband made a gourmet breakfast pizza, really was yummy. Little Man even got to open a present, a new Vday book. Husband brought home flowers (I love roses but I request not to get them on Vday because I hate how “they” jack the prices up just for the holiday) and then we made dinner as a family.

We put on some Parisian & Italian tunes and got cooking!

The pasta turned out fantastic. Definitely a 2, sometimes 3, man job. Totally worth it.

Little Man and I made Husband Thin Mint Truffles and I got him tickets to the touring production of Green Day’s American Idiot.

Husband ended the evening with surprising me with a “Las Vegas Survival Kit” for an upcoming Girls’ Trip this weekend. More to come on that later, it was hilarious.

Behold the proof that Husband not only finished (although touchy at times) this project, but the crown molding looks fab and adds so much to the room:

I got myself a witty and talented one.

Act 1

The curtains open on a bright eyed, excited young man. He’s dressed well, handsome and, judging from his mannerisms, EXTREMELY handsome.  He speaks to someone off stage.

“Why of course, honey, we can do crown molding on the first floor. You’re right. I think it’d look great too. No I don’t think it’ll be hard at all. I mean, I don’t mean to toot my own horn but, I DID go to an acclaimed university and got a college degree. So cutting two pieces of wood to fit together in a corner should be no problem at all. I’d say I’ll be done in two, maybe three days? No problem. I’ll get started right now and be done before you know it.”

With a confident, rakish smile, the lights dim.

END OF ACT 1

INTERMISSION

ACT 2

The curtain opens to our hero. His jeans are torn, hands are bandaged. He’s splattered head to toe with paint. The floor is strewn with pieces of molding and a stepladder is in the center of the stage. He slowly ascends the ladder, gripping two pieces of molding. Trembling, he raises them up and tries to fit them together. First one way, then another. Switching pieces, flipping them upside down, backwards, anything to make them work. He throws them down in disgust.

“@#$$ YOU, YOU PIECE OF @#$@#, YOU THINK YOU’RE TOO GOOD TO GO UP ON THE CEILING? @#$#$!  I SWEAR I WILL FIND THE FOREST YOU CAME FROM AND BURN IT TO THE GROUND. AND I WILL TAKE THOSE ASHES, PRESS THEM INTO MDF MOLDING AND SET THAT ON FIRE TOO! @#$@#%@#%@#%@! WHAT’S THAT HONEY!?!?! OH REALLY? WELL IF YOU’RE SO SMART, WHY DON’T YOU COME UP HERE AND DO IT???!?!?!! THAT’S RIGHT! I @#$@ING QUIT!”

He stumbles down the the ladder and collapses in the corner. The scene ends with him clutching two pieces of molding and sobbing. In the midst of the sobbing you hear

“Upside down and backwards! Upside down and backwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaards!”

Fade out.

FIN

Inspired by true events

Thanks to a babysitting swap, Husband and I had a night out last night.

We grabbed an “umwich” at Jimmy Johns and then saw The Vow. Anyone remember Scott Speedman from Felicity? Him and Channing Tatum in the same movie…hubba hubba!