Happy National Puppy Day!

I see it is National Puppy Day!

Happy Puppy Day to Macy, our labra heeler one-of-a-kind puppy.

Thanks for looking out for us already.

Viva Las Vegas!

I can't believe it's already been a week since we landed in Las Vegas for our Eureka friends' adventure.  We had a truly FABULOUS time in FABULOUS Las Vegas and it all went way too fast.  (Unfortunately, I am not yet at the age where I can spend the rest of my life walking down the Strip with a Fat Tuesday daiquiri in my hand, so I had to return home.)  Here's to more memories made than I can count with some of my oldest (even though we're still young!) and best friends.  

After a trip to Walmart for snacks and spirits, (where we rode around in the back of a mini van just like our high school days), we shared our first meal together at Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill, inside the MGM Grand.

We had to pose in front of New York! New York! as Tina, Amy, and I (and Rachel, who was unable to join us in LV), traveled to NYC in 1999 to spend three days with Tonya.  Whenever we are together, the question is always asked, "What were our parents thinking???  We didn't even have cell phones!"

The fountains at the Bellagio was one of my favorite stops. The are choreographed to music, ranging from opera to Bruno Mars.  If you haven't seen them, be sure to look them up on You Tube. :)

Three of our couples returned home on Sunday, leaving Ted & Amy and us.  They were nice enough to drive us to Hoover Dam, which is pretty amazing.  I just read since we returned home that it will take another 40 years for the concrete inside the dam to completely dry.

On the way back, they took us to the famous Las Vegas sign, since I wanted to get a picture with it.  (I'm a nerdy tourist that way.) :)

David & I spent out last night in Las Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel. We walked through the gardens and watched the fountains from our room after dark.

I'll be honest--Las Vegas was never on my top places I wanted to visit.  But, despite the fact that smoking is allowed in the casinos, I would definitely return--not to gamble--which I didn't do any of on this trip, but for the food and entertainment options alone.  And I would definitely return this time of year.  The weather was PERFECT!

My top tip for would-be travelers is don't ever pay full price for a show.  We were able to find deals online and at a Tickets for Tonight on the Strip (there are several of these around.)  We liked the shows we went to, including Blue Man Group, but thought even the discounted tickets were plenty of $$ for the show.

Any--this is very important--every tourist in Las Vegas should know that drinks are allowed on the monorail.  So grab your favorite flavor daiquiri from the Cherry Berry-esq Fat Tuesday shop, hop on the train, and find your own favorite stop! :)

That's my girl!

While it remains to be seen which university will receive most of our money some day, I have one possible future NSU Wolf at least. :)

March snow

The snow isn't over yet!

I'm thankful for little footprints from kids and a puppy who still enjoy a spring snow.

Baby Shower

Happy Baby Shower and One Month Birthday to Gabriel!

We are having so much fun with this new little guy in our family. 

5th grade basketball

The 5th grade boys completed their season on Saturday!

Oh, my Rachel!

Rachel:  I wish I was a baby again.

Me:  Oh, it's fun to be a big girl!

Rachel:  I think you just don't want to change my diapers.


Smart girl! :)

FFA, CDE's and welding

Landen is in his first year of FFA, or Future Farmers of America, at our school.

Actually everyone at Northwestern School is in their first year, as it is a new program. I am super excited about this opportunity for our kids, as we really are encouraging them to explore agriculture and find what interests them most.
Tomorrow is Landen's first CDE, or Career Development Experience.  (I am learning all of these things as I go along!)  He will be competing in the Agronomy portion tomorrow.
They will have another next week in which he signed up for Ag Mechanics.  Great, right?  I thought so!  Until he came home yesterday and the first words out of his mouth were, "I need to learn to weld by Tuesday."
Hmmm...
I can produce a large amount of salt and flour to make a model volcano at a moment's notice.
I can play accompany your tuba solo and help you practice.
I can turn a cheese stick into a ghost--or maybe even a snowman

But, welding?  Um, no.

Thankfully Dad can come to the rescue on this one and show him some basics this weekend. He actually doesn't need to be a welder by Tuesday; the basics will be fine for now.

Whew!