don't knock it till you try it

I'm talking about camping!
Up until the last year, camping was one of those things I did with my parents a few times and it was alright but I was also at an age where I wanted to be at home with friends on weekends and not packed into the back seat of the truck, with my brothers, heading off to who knows where just so I could camp. Once I was able to stay home for the weekend alone instead of going camping...I did!!
It was never really anything Brian and I discussed either as our lives blended together. Until last year that is...
You may or may not remember that I blogged about attending a family reunion last year and how it was a camping thing etc. Overall, it wasn't the greatest outdoor experience as the mosquitoes were really bad, the noise from the Trans Canada highway and those dam "Darth Vader" bugs. However, there was something about it that made me want to do it again (Brian not so much lol).
Fast forward to this summer...Zack was going to go stay with my brother for most of the summer and said brother had just bought a trailer so he suggests we meet part way and camp for the weekend. Sounds good...so we load up and go camping for the weekend. It was great fun...sitting by the fire, poker night in the screen house, just hanging with my family away from all the distractions of doing things around the house/yard and the techno world. I come home and start talking and looking at trailers...lol I enjoyed it so much! Brian decides he'd like camping more if we had a boat...I know the boys would love that so I'm good with the tenting and getting a boat instead.
Recently, the boys and I took a 6 day camping trip with my friend and her 2 kids...it was awesome! We went to this campground a couple hours from home...small, clean and quiet. There is a lake there and the boys spent hours floating in inner tubes, building sand castles and playing beach volleyball. We sat and played full card yahtzee while watching the kids play, had picnic lunches and laughed...A LOT!! It was incredibly relaxing and almost therapeutic for me. My boys had a blast too and now...we are hooked! I came home, started looking at trailers again as it would be nice to have a space always set up...especially the kitchen area. And having a place to go when the weather takes a turn for the worse is an added bonus. Brian's big reason for not liking camping is the poor sleep he gets on the air mattress so having a bed for him might get him to come along. Either way, the boys and I will be camping a whole lot more...with or without a trailer or my husband!

leaving Las Vegas

Vegas day 6 (sort of)
We had a late flight back so it was kinda like an extra day...
We went for breakfast, back to the room to check out, left our bags at the hotel and then walked around doing some last minute things and some things one last time. Gambled a bit at Bills, walked over to the Bellagio and splurged on these...


it was a tough choice but finally we settled on Key Lime Pie for Brian and Carrot Cake for me

seriously, I have never tasted anything sooooo delicious in all my life!
Took the Tram to the Monte Carlo where Brian played some blackjack and I hit a few slots. Once our luck (and our money...lol) was running low we walked back to catch the Bellagio Fountain show one more time...

Wandered our way back towards Margaritaville late in the afternoon for one last plate of nachos...these are the yummiest nachos on the planet I swear...

It was time to walk back to Bally's, get our luggage and grab a cab to the airport..both of us a little sad but also feeling that it was time to go.
We arrived way early, not sure what to expect as far as line ups at security etc...turns out they aren't near as thorough when you leave their country as they are letting you in. Needless to say, we had lots of time to kill...I pulled out my ipod touch taking advantage of the free WiFi and hit facebook, blogs and forums while Brian put the last of his cash here...

In looking back, I see our last day (and a fair bit of our trip this time was bout food and drinks...thankfully I only gained 5 pounds!)
In discussion on the ride home, we realized we should have done 5 days the first trip and 3 this time. We jammed so much into last years time there that there were times this year we weren't sure what to do. We could have spread out all we did last year over a longer period of time. Oh well...ya know what they say about hindsight...lol
Not sure if we'll make it back next Spring break as we would like to take a family holiday before Zack graduates and maybe leaves home next June...we'll see!