I watched Ocean's 11 on tv last night, twice. :)

• 8.6 is the number. Not quite ready to share online, but have told close friends and family
• did the annual school shopping trip with my daughter and her friends. by how full my truck was, I think they did well
• while they were shopping, I was visiting. Got to see my dear girlfriend and her beautiful twin 1 y/o girls. We all went out for dinner and they were so good. Growing so fast. Had lunch with my bmf and then coffee with a girlfriend that I went to college with, back in the 1980's!
• bought "fall" dishes at Ikea. very nice light green.
• am actually reading a novel!
• looking forward to a long weekend of scrapbooking!

• worked last night, an OT shift, as they can't cover the empty part time lines. Did quite a bit of stocking and organizing. The ER can get so messed up, so quickly.
• had my girls over Friday night and it was great; awesome martinis' Loving Pear Vodka! Sat out on the deck (guess I should have washed it down this past week - I was out there twice this year and was thinking it was time to pack it up) and visited.
• Made a big committment to something on Thursday. Not ready to share it with everyone, but, when I do, I will need support from my friends and family.
• Lucked out on a 40% sale at one of the LSS; could choose a company and get all of their products for 40%. Got some great new Christmas stamps!
• just about have settled back home, most of the laundry is done and most of the stuff has been put away. I can't believe how exhausted I was after this trip.
• LOVE the new SU Winter Mini catalogue!

My birthday treat to myself. :-)

My parents gave me US$ for my birthday and this is what I bought with it. Went to http://www.vivalasvegastamps.com/index.html which had hundreds of fun unique stamps.

Las Vegas

August 12th

Our travel day went fairly well. When I was loading the truck up with the suitcases, Gunnar jumped into the back twice. I felt so bad leaving him. He was so sad. DD and I had bought forgotten to sign passports, so that caused a slight delay at the airline counter. Got through all the checks fine and then had a nice meal at Milestones near our gate. Flight was an hour late getting to the airport. Arrived in Las Vegas to find we had to walk to another terminal to catch our shuttle. What a shock the heat was. Checking into our hotel went well and it was amazing to see. LUXERY all the way. We wandered around for awhile and then went to bed.

August 13th

Met our travelling companions at the breakfast buffet. It was FABULOUS! Everything tasted so great; you know how some buffets are just mass produced food and lack taste? Not this one. My favorite: cheese blintz. Too die for! Afterwards we walked through Fashion Show Mall, through the Venetian hotel and Caesar's and the Forum shops. Spent the afternoon at the pool; now this is the life! Gorgeous setting, perfect pool temperature, poolside drinks. Had a nice dinner on the Terrace, overlooking the pool. Saw Spamalot, which was quite funny.

August 14th

Up early to start the grand adventure of the bus trip to hell, no I mean, the Grand Canyon! Ruthie was the Grandma, curb riding, dirt road 4x4in bus driver, who in a previous time was Lola the showgirl. Stopped for a quick photo opportunity at the Hoover Dam. Wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. Impressive, but now, been there, done that. There were 18 miles of dirt road getting us to the Canyon; I just couldn't get over it. World famous destination and here we are bumping along a dirt road. Oh, did I mention, no a/c???? The Canyon itself is amazing. Words can not describe accurately. All four of us did the Skywalk. Scarey but we did it. I made sure I walked down the middle, over the glass, looking down the whole time. I really did. No cameras allowed on the skywalk but of course they took a picture for us. Yes I bought it. Went to a second area of the canyon and again, spectacular. It was a long drive home again. Total of 7 hours on a bus with no a/c. And the heat for the day? 50C. After getting back, we went for a swim in the pool and that felt like heaven. Had a deli dinner and then one of my friends and I stayed out and played slots, winning a little here and there and losing again. Enjoyed the "free" drinks that came our way.

August 15th

Slept in til noon. DD went to the mall shopping and I decided to go on my own little adventure. I had found a stamp store online, that was in Vegas and did a mapquest search and saw it wasn't too far away so I cabbed it to the address. Well, it was in an area that I don't think tourists should really go, especially alone. And of course it wasn't where it was supposed to be, but on a quiet side street with heavy metal door, guard dogs and two bells. I guess their business is 95% online so they do not get many people to their door. Turns out their power and a/c had just blown. I waited a few minutes, felt quite uncomfortable, so decided to go across the street to the uniform shop. But that took half an hour because you can't just jaywalk across most Vegas streets. They are five laned each way; I can't run that fast. So hiking down to the nearest light and then back down again. Very excited to find myself a LEOPARD print scrub top. Bought one set of scrubs and asked if they would call me a cab to get me back to my hotel. No. Walked down a block to a mini mall. Went into Albertsons. No. DQ. No. Gas station. No. So now I'm panicking, freaking out that I'm somewhere I shouldn't be, it's unreal hot and I don't know how to get back to the hotel. So I decided to make the trek back to the stamp store. Thankfully, they had power with a/c and was a delightful shop with hundreds of unique stamps. And they were happy to call me a cab when I was done. So in the end it worked out ok. Met up with our friends and went to the Cheesecake Factory. My salad was so delicious! No time for cheesecake though as we had to hurry to the Bellagio for the surprise: my friend had bought tickets for DD to see "O". We had fantastic seats and it was awesome. The water stage in itself was a wonder; how it lowered so quickly, came apart at the sides, loaded back up. The performers are true atheletes. Afterwards we watched the fountains, which I absolutely love.

August 16th

Slept in til 10, then went down to the pool for awhile. Really enjoyed my time at the pool. DD and I then went shopping at the mall where I ended up with three new purses and three pairs of Crocs. Met our friends for dinner at the Buffet and again, another awesome meal. So much to choose from, and so good. I had a chocolate martini that was decadent. We then went and saw La Reve in our hotel and again, awesome seats and awesome show. Afterwards we went up the Stratosphere and my friend and daughter went on the Big Shot. Unfortunately, their camera was down so no pics to prove it.

August 17th

Travel day again. Spent some time at the pool in the morning, packed up and checked out. Had a filling lunch at the Venetian. I even was crowned princess! Went down to the Luxor and wandered around there for awhile; over to Mandalay bay to check things out there and then it was time to get ready to get to the airport. Checked in and then spent a few boring hours in a very boring terminal. Flight home was fast and we were at my friends before midnight. I was so exhausted, I immediately passed out.

August 18th

My 41st birthday. Woke up to have coffee with my friends and then we made our way to my favorite scrapbooking store, Photo Express. Did a little birthday shopping for myself and then it was home. Dropped DD off and I immediately went to the hospital, where my dad had been since Thursday with a pneumothorax and chest tube, post failed lung biopsy. Visited awhile and then came home to unload. Gunnar wasn't especially over happy to see me so my g/f must have done an awesome job caring for him. DD went out with her friends and I spent a second birthday alone, no cake, no celebration, no family, no husband.


That's the "coles notes" version of the trip. I've been printing out pictures since yesterday; took 450 all together! I am really looking forward to scrapbooking this trip; it was so much fun.

stunning REAL floral arrangement near our elevators at the Wynn

ceiling at registration in the Venetian hotel

a few views of the Grand Canyon. Simply amazing; Mother Nature at her best. The colours simply do not do it justic. One of the scarey things was there was no safety fencing anywhere to prevent you from going over....

On the way to the Cheesecake Factory, then my friends surprised my daughter with tickets to "O", which was breath taking

poolside at the Wynn. Misters were on, music was playing, pool perfect temperature. Yummy drinks.

windy times at the Hoover Dam. Very quick stop here for pictures. They are building a huge bridge in the background to avert most of the traffic that goes over the dam right now.

We started Prom Dress shopping! Fun to see all the different gowns on my girl. This one is a knee length, just to have for one of the parties I'm sure she'll be going to during the grade 12 year.

We drove through one of the famous Joshua Tree Forests in Arizona. Thousands of them.

Yes, we are on the famous Grand Canyon Skywalk. $27 US each to go on it. No cameras or personal property allowed on. Brown slippers to put on your footwear. Official photographer available for $30 photo. Hey, I'm a scrapbooker, I can't pass it up. It was something else to walk out there on glass, looking down...way down the grand canyon. I was pretty freaked, but I did it!

a late impulse purchase, felt pretty exposed, but loved the colours. On our way to having dinner on the Terrace, poolside

DD standing in front of the fresh REAL floral display in the registration area

One of the foyers in the Wynn

living in the good life, poolside at the Wynn

on our way to La Reve, which was fabulous!

one of the stunning views at the Grand Canyon; the colours do not do it justice.

gelato at the Venetian

the yummiest chocolate martini, at the Wynn!

We are home!!! Had an awesome fabulous time. Pics to follow soon....

Viva Las Vegas!!!

A goofy self portrait, trying to show my new haircut. It's chin length and lots of blonde highlights. I hope it will be cooler for Vegas.

SO stressed; been trying on clothes and trying to pack. I have somehow gained 20 pounds in the past few weeks; nothing fits. Certainly minimizes what goes in the suitcase. No leopardprint swimsuit!!! :( Tomorrow DD and I are going to do our last mind errand shopping and hopefully I will be able to get the packing complete. Then it's just tidying up the house. I can't believe, in 48 hours, I will be in Vegas.

So, here are a few things I've been thinking about. 1. I will try a new martini every day 2. I will go on the Grand Canyon Skywalk 3. I will ride the rollercoaster at NYNY. Other things are in my mind but I'm too chicken to write them down.

Think I can do it?

I'm on vacation!!!

I just love these fountains. One more night and then I'm on vacation!!!

The European pool at the Wynn. European = topless.

Closeup of the hotel we are staying at.

We have tickets for this musical.

I want to try to get a picture of this sign. It's in the middle of the strip, five lanes each way. I think they should built a little parkin area in there so people don't risk their lives trying to get that shot. Cars do not pay attention to pedestrians in Vegas!

Going to go on a bus tour to the Hoover Damn and Grand Canyon.... photo opportunity!!!

Spa day with a girlfriend. Can it get any better?

A view of the pool at the Wynn. I think this is not the European one...

I'm feeling so burnt out about work right now; I need something to cheer me up. SO.... how does a daily Vegas picture countdown sound to you??? :-)

Vegas at night is spectacular. I doubt I'll end up with any shots like this; maybe if I get the nerve to go up the Stratosphere....