What Happens In Vegas...

PART ONE
...yeah, whatever!  Sorry, but I wasn't THAT bad!  But it really was a fun time.  I have never stayed in Vegas for 6 days straight before.  That is a VERY long time.  But every day was fun and different.
We arrived on Wednesday afternoon.  We checked in to our room which I absolutely loved!  It was huge and so comfortable.  And it had a doorbell.  I loved the doorbell.  It's the little things in life that make me happy!  The pool area was really nice.  There were several pools although I only tried out 2 of them.

Green Valley Ranch Resort



The first night we never left the resort.  Ate dinner at the buffet and then looked around the casino and hotel.  First night...in bed by 10!  Yep, living it up in The Vegas!
Thursday the 18th was Luigi's actual birthday.  No one from our group had arrived yet so we decided to just keep it low key and stay close to "home".  We spent a few hours at an adult only pool called The Pond.  Comfy beds to lie on and I loved the waterfall going into the pool.  I guess I could have removed my top there?  Uh...NO.  For starters, this girl does not wear a 2 piece and it's kind of hard to remove a top when it's connected to the bottom.  Let's just say I enjoyed the pool fully covered.
That evening we actually ventured into Las Vegas.  We headed downtown and met Christina, our sister-in-law, for dinner at Ricardo's (on Flamingo and Decatur).  It's a Mexican Restaurant for locals.  Love their food!  I always make it to Ricardo's no matter what.  After that we hit Fremont Street.  They had an 80s band out there and it was fun.  The Fremont Street Experience show that we saw was KISS.  Enjoyed it and with that...I am really dating myself!  At about 11:00, it was time for bed.  Headed back to the resort and I was out like a light.  Slept until noon on Friday!  On Friday, everyone started to arrive.  I realized that I had forgotten my camera so a quick trip to 2 different Targets was in order.  I bought a Nikon touchscreen Coolpix.  I love it!  Aunt Mickey/Uncle Mike and Aunt Caroline/Uncle Phil were supposed to arrive Friday night but according to the hotel's limo driver, their planes did not come in.  As it turned out, they all got caught in a storm and got delayed.  Big time.  Mike and Mickey made it at 1:00am but Phil and Caroline didn't make it until Saturday night.
Friday night we had a delicious dinner at Hank's Steakhouse compliments of Rob and Jan.  It was delicious.  I loved the chandelier over our table..

Just like me to go to a restaurant and my favorite thing in there is a light hanging from the ceiling!  Like I always say...the little things do it for me.  However, this chandelier was was pretty darn big!
Oh, and I found out that after my Fast, a steak settled quite well with me!  Very yummy Filet Mignon, esp after "borrowing" Jan's blue cheese sauce!
Jeanette, Esther, and Lucille had arrived so the 3 J's (Jan, Jeanette, Julie) decided it was time to have a girl's night!  At this point...I go back to the "What Happens in Vegas"...and leave it at that.  It was so much fun.  And if you want to know how I got to hang out with the lead singer from the Goo Goo Dolls - just ask.  Everything else - a tad embarrassing.  Pictures have been erased.  NO WORRIES, we did not do anything illegal, immoral, or of the criminal persuasion.  J3 Girls are good girls!  I know...we aren't THAT much fun.  The next morning we were all poolside and enjoyed our day!

TO BE CONTINUED...

Missing my babies

I just finished watching an extreme couponing program.  What in the world do people do with all that crap that they buy?  Sure, it's great to use coupons and save a bunch of money but I really think that the women who do the extreme thing are a tad disturbed.  Maybe it's just me but I had to mention that.

Leaving for Las Vegas the day after tomorrow.  I am already missing my Roxie and my Zoe.  I just hate to be away from them even for a day.  Now that I think about it...that makes ME a bit disturbed.  I think that's called extreme pet mom.  I miss them so much.  They bring me such joy.  I remember when I adopted Roxie, I was really fighting some serious depression.  I feel that dog saved my life.  In turn, I saved hers.  We are completely bonded - I can't describe it.  And then Zoe.  What can I say about Zoe?  She is the smartest cat I have ever had.  Scary smart.  She just the most crazy and bizarre things.  She loves to hang out with me.  We have a good time together.

Going to the Padres/Mets game tonight.  We bought the tickets to benefit Big Brothers/Sisters.  $25.00 a piece but we will get a meal pre-game catered by Phil's BBQ.  Taking mom and dad.  My only gripe about going to Petco park is the parking.  It's expensive and inconvenient.  Besides that, I love a trip to the ballpark. 

Have a good week! ♥

Tired!

I have a list of Blogs that I read and when I read one of them I realize how insanely boring my life is!  I can't think of a thing to tell all of you that would be of any interest.  Sad.  Well, I am going to Vegas next week but isn't there a rule that I can't share about that?  Something about "What Happens In Vegas..."!  But knowing me as well as I do, I am very certain that whatever happens there has no business staying there - I don't quite carry the wild and crazy Vegas gene!  So by all means, I will post stories and pics when I return.
I was so tired today.  Beyond tired actually.  I came home and had a lot to do but instead crawled into bed and I didn't get up until 8:30!  I have been up 3 hours and it's time to head back under my covers.  Just a tired girl this week.  I didn't even get out today to jog.  And the worst of all, I didn't take Roxie on her daily walk.  I hope she forgives me!  She will - she's a dog.  My dog.  She has a heart bigger than all.
Tomorrow I am joining a bible study group that meets on Thursday nights from 7 - 8.  I hope I like it!
I have a friend who is going in for a second interview tomorrow morning!  He really needs a job so I am wishing him the very best.  He is very intelligent, a hard worker, and very personable.  I'm sure he will get something very soon - he deserves to have a good job to go to.  Heck, if we have to work, it does help if it's good!
My Roxie and I are headed to bed.  Nite all! ♥

Frozen Pizza Empire

Zoe just ran away.  No worries, she came back.  She is getting quite adventurous.  I have been enjoying my outdoor space every night and she likes to go out there too.  However, she is slipping through the gate and wandering.  Tonight she wandered too far.  I need to put up a barrier on the gate so she can't get out.  Granted, she can jump the wall but she doesn't know that yet!
Been having trouble getting to sleep at night.  Someone gave me some relaxation tips.  Reminders, actually.  So I hope that my nights will be a little more restful.  My PA prescribed sleeping pills but I am very hesitant to try that.  I take enough medication and really don't want to add another pill in the mix.
I am excited that I will be cat sitting in September.  Just for two days.  Will be feeding Arteen's cats.  All 5 of them!  Whenever I think I am having a memory lapse, I go through the names of all 5 cats and realize that I'm ok.  Phew!  Calico, Smoky, Romeo, Morris, and Princess.
So I have started eating some food.  Now it's a whole new issue to deal with.  You feel as if everyone is watching what goes in your mouth.  Obviously my mom does because she noted that I had 6 chips with my taco salad the other night.  Grin and bear it, Jules!  I've got a long life ahead of me...not sure if I'm lucky or not!
Speaking of eating...I now do a little grocery shopping.  I haven't really paid attention to food since February.  But I do have a comment.  This probably happened way before February but tell me...since when do frozen pizzas come with appetizers and/or chocolate chip cookies?  Is that what this culinary world has come to?  We go buy a frozen pizza meal that includes spinach dip and cookies?  Seriously?  I was shocked!  The garbage that people eat is incredible.  Granted, I eat garbage too but I never paid attention to it until now.  Awful!
While I was in the grocery store, something kept happening to me that I'm sure happens to a lot of us.  Colliding carts with the same person time and time again!  This guy and I kept meeting in the most awkward of situations.  Everywhere I went, there he was.  And this guy was a real duh.  He was rounding the corner from frozen into produce and we collide once again and he mumbles under his breath (to himself, not to me) "all I want is a damn onion."  Well then go get your damn onion, buddy!  And that is the last aisle in the store.  I figured I was done with him.  But no....I had to go back to aisle 5 to get some Barilla Pasta and guess what?  There he was.  I ran like heck!
9 days until Las Vegas.  What happened to my 4 month window?  I think I worry too much.  I just don't want anything bad to happen.  And where there is Guadagnis, there very well could be a surprise.
Off to bed for me.  Relax, relax, relax. 

On Birthdays and Falling Underpants

One day down - four to go.  I can already tell this is going to be a very long week.  Keeping busy and eagerly waiting for Summer to end.  I was never meant to live in humidity.  It sucks.  Can't wait for Fall...love it.
So last Wednesday was mom's 71st birthday and Thursday was Zoe's 1st birthday.  We celebrated both on Wednesday.  Actually, now that I think about it - every day is a celebration for Zoe!  I gave her a paper grocery bag tonight - it gave her endless fun.  Hours and hours were spent playing with it and sleeping inside of it.  That girl can turn anything into gold.  I often look at her and realize how simple life could be if we were happier with the smaller, cheaper things in life.  I think I might take a paper bag to work tomorrow and place it on my desk and see if I have the best work day ever!  I just might...one never knows.
For the birthday I made my very first chocolate cake from scratch.  It was soooo easy.  Here I have been relying on Betty or Duncan or Dough Boy all these years.  No need for them anymore!  Here's a picture of the cake.  The first picture is better but the second picture shows that it had yellow frosting...

We had a good time.  Mom's fabulous friend, Arteen, came over for the birthday supper.  We had fish tacos, avocado salad, black beans, corn relish, fresh fruit, and of course...cake!

We also had fresh tortillas - both flour and corn.  The beauty of living in Southern California is that you are most likely a 5 minute drive from any tortilleria.  Why anyone would buy tortillas at the grocery store is beyond me.  You pay half the price and they are always hot and fresh.  I sure do love being Mexican.  Hee hee...I just eat like one!  I tan like one too.  Ok - not.

Arteen is not going to appreciate the following picture because she wasn't looking at the camera but I will promise that I will take another pic of her if she wants.



Arteen and Mom - 71st bday





Zoe - 1 year old on 7/28/11!



And last but not least...Roxie was there (of course) and got to wear her brand new sundress!  Spaghetti straps and all And here she is...my pretty girl...

The toilet in the master bedroom got fixed.  Yay!  We girls want The Luigi out of our bathroom!  We got it back!

And...big news...I got a brand new microwave and stove/oven.  Love them!  They are not fancy by any means but they are brand new and so much nicer than the antiques that were in there.  And now I can actually turn on my oven and not smell up the house with a horrible gas smell in addition to a loud BANG!  Not good.

Learned a lesson today.  When you are in a hurry, don't just grab the first pair of underwear out of your drawer.  Actually a better lesson would be...THROW AWAY THE OLD STUFF!  So I just grabbed some today - probably because of the turquoise color.  It was deceiving.  This afternoon I stand up at my desk and...drum roll please... the darn undies fell right off of me!  They were too big for one and second they were old and the elastic was starting to go.  I am so glad that I can usually get such a laugh out of myself because I am certainly wacky sometimes!  It was hilarious - these undies bunched up around my feet.  I needed a laugh today!  And with that embarrassing secret I will say good night all! ♥

Quick Post Much About Nothing

Today I am thankful for my dog, my cat, my friends, and above all...my sweetheart.

Been a busy week of birthdays.  Will post pics tomorrow.  Beverly (that would be Mom to me) turned 71 and Zoe turned 1!

Have a good week everyone and I will catch up with you soon! ♥