Las Vegas 2014: Part 3

Now where do I even start with The Heartattack Grill? In fact, I had never heard of this restaurant prior to this trip to Las Vegas. We were finished with the pawn shop and hungry, so we figured, why not? Once you go into the restaurant you are given a hospital wrist band and quickly place into hospital gowns for the duration of your stay. We were ushered to our seats and ordered our food, now they made it clear that you will be spanked in front of the entire restaurant if you do not finish your meal, you will be spanked. For this reason, Katie and I decided we would share and Nick ordered his own meal after just eating at the local hot dog stand, oh boy! They do not have an diet coke, only real coke in the bottle - my favorite. The fact that everything is cooked in pure lard really grosses me out, but whatever. They also serve personalized shots in prescription bottles. The messages were both hilarious and inappropriate.

We had shots - lot of shots. Drinking for me is rare to begin with, but to be drinking at 2pm?! It may have been the best part of the whole trip. Seriously, it was that much fun. The food was okay, nothing special - but the experience was great.

We all actually finished our food, but we were up for spankings anyway! We figured we better get our money's worth and go all in all. Those spankings were hard - okay, Nick's was hard. Hahaha. Mine left a little sting and Katie said her's didn't hurt. It was pretty fun!

actually video record the spankings and you can go back and watch them online. Ha!

After we left we made it our mission to get some beads from the Mermaid Casino and, of course, we wanted Seahawk colors to match our jerseys! We had a few more drinks, gambled a little bit and high-fived a few random Seahawk people while obnoxiously running up and down Fremont Street. 

At this point Katie thought that getting a (fake) Mike Tyson face tattoo was a good idea. Luckily, she had her other two musketeers to tell her that was not a good idea. Even in our drunken state we knew face tats were a no no . . . Hahaha! :) She thanked us later!   

Hawk Beads!

We stopped by the Golden Nugget again because I wanted to see the famous "Shark Pool.: How cool is this?! It's almost like you are actually swimming with sharks AND the Golden Nugget pool is open YEAR ROUND. That is rare for Las Vegas. 

After awhile we decided that we better head back to our hotel, rest up, and get getting for dinner and to see BRITNEY SPEARS!

We had dinner at PF Changs that night, which is not only our Las Vegas tradition, but also a Portland one too! We love it! PF Changs is inside the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino, which happens to be where the show was also. We made it JUST in time - service was a little slow and the casino was a bit busy!

Side note: I saw Britney at the Rose Garden in 2011 and was really excited to see her again. Katie couldn't make it to that concert, so I was excited to see Britney with her!

I didn't feel very well before or during the show, we were sitting around really annoying people and the seats were not as great as we had hoped. 

People has their phone out the entire time and it really obstructed the view. People treated it more like a concert - phones out, pictures, recording rather than a show and it kind of killed the vibe. 

Britney didn't sing live. Not even a little bit. It was expected, but still disappointing. Even her dancing it not was it used to be, of course, she's older and it's been 10 years, plus two kids. I would like to go again though if I happen to make it to Las Vegas for my 30th next January. 

This was a good day in Las Vegas - one of the best!

Las Vegas 2014: Part 2

Photo Credit: ME! :)

I have always wanted to stop at the Stratosphere, but it never happened on my 5 previous trips. This time I did my research and knew how to get there and what all there was to do, so on the way back to the hotel we stopped. It cost $18 a person to get to the top and then an extra $5 if you want to do one of the rides. Now these are not just any rides, they are really scary ones - I blogged about them HERE! Nick ended up doing the Big Shot, which is the one that is on TOP on the Stratosphere and shoots straight up. It actually didn't look very scary when he was on it and I probably could have done it. I did get some pretty sweet pictures while up there though. 

Check them out . . . 

These pictures really don't do this view justice. It was seriously beautiful. 

After the Stratosphere we stopped at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. I have always head awful things about it, but I still wanted to see what the big deal was. It was pretty much a smoke filled arcade that has some circus acts upstairs. I guess it's the place to stay if you go to Vegas with kids (I have NO idea why anyone would do that though) if you don't mind them taking in smoke? I wouldn't recommend it, but I had to see for myself! ;) 

Our room at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino

Sweet Dreams! 

Day 2:

  We made it a point to not get up super early on any day of this trip, so we slept in a bit and then wandered down to our hotel's buffet - the Treasure Island Buffet. They have SO many breakfast choices... ok, I will stop now. I seriously LOVE Las Vegas buffets. 

After breakfast we hopped back on The Deuce and headed North towards Fremont Street. We got off a stop before Fremont and walked over a few blocks to Gold and Silver Pawn from the History Channel Show, Pawn Stars. On the short walk there we met this roofer who wanted to talk to Katie and I alllllll about how the Superbowl was going to play out. Honestly, he was right on about most of it. LOL

    

The wait to get into the store was less than a half-hour and more than worth it. None of the guys were there, but it was still fun to see nevertheless. The shop is actually surprisingly small. They must use an incredible Macro Lens or something for filming. 

Next, we got back on the bus and got off at The Heartattack Grill. 

Oh Boy . . . Just you wait!

25 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me

Ugh . . .  I have been horrible about blogging again. I was so good at it for so long and then school happened and I went into a hiatus. Once I actually had the time to blog again, I did it like crazy and burnt myself out. Ha! In my defense, I have been working like crazy, planning a baby shower and doing some projects around the house, so I have been busy. Those posts will be coming in the near future!

Now, onto this post . . .

1. I tried being a veterinarian three times, and I failed miserably.
2. My first career choice was a lawyer or a veterinarian. I decided I didn't like money all that much, so I became a teacher.
3. I am no fun to be around when I am hungry.
4. I never got to go to prom or any high school dances.
5. I often take photos of my food, ya know so people can see what I am eating.
6. I always wanted to be a contestant on The Price is Right - I am still holding out hope.
7. I am an avid recycler.
8. I don't like wine.
9. I could put soy sauce on most every food.
10. I am so OCD that is bothers me that the letters are not in alphabetical order.
11. I never go a day without taking vitamins and supplements- I take more than 10 a day.
12. I DVR Judy Judy everyday and the People's Court, too!
13. I have never seen even an episode of the show "Friends."
14. My favorite restaurant is PF Changs.
15. I absolutely love to bake.
16. I think of myself as an expert on dog breeds.
17. I love riding roller coasters - the scarier, the better!
18. I memorized several Britney Spears dance routines as a teen and still know them all to this day.
19. My first car was a classic- a 1974 Chevy Nova.
20. I am addicted to online shopping.
21. I wore braces from age 9-11 years old- they were off by middle school. Whew!!
22. I really wish I lived through the "Roaring Twenties."
23. I enjoy documentaries.
24.  I love take-offs on airplanes.
25. If I could vacation anywhere I will choose Las Vegas every time. It's my MOST favorite!

Las Vegas 2014: Part 1

When this trip was booked back in September 2013 I had no idea just hoe epic and magical of a trip this would be!  

This trip was meant to encompass a celebration of my graduation, my birthday and, of course, to celebrate my favorite weekend of the year, SUPER BOWL! We flew out of Sea-Tac International Airport on Thursday, January 30th.

I was so excited to fly Virgin America Airlines, since it was on my bucketlist!

I took a few pictures from the flight. . .

It's dark, cozy, and sexy! The flight was smooth (all 4 of them!) We flew into LAX for a short layover - just enough time for lunch and then off to Las Vegas. Oh, did I mention Virgin offers FREE drinks on all flights into Las Vegas? How cool is that?! I got to kick back, watch some ESPN and read the whole way. Their channel, movie and music selection was awesome!

We got to our hotel around 4pm on Thursday night. We stayed at Treasure Island on the North side of the strip, the same place we stayed in October 2012. We immediately decided to get the party started by buying a 3 day bus pass -- The Deuce, and head on up to Fremont Street! I don't remember the ride being a short one, but this time around we were up there in about 20 minutes, which was not bad at all!

Isn't Las Vegas just BEAUTIFUL with the crisp winter sunset?! I have actually been there three times in the summer, once in the fall, once in the spring and now once in the winter. This was the first time I actually had to wear a coat, but I did enjoy my fall/winter attire! 

Let's go to FREMONT! 

Once arriving on Fremont Street we had dinner at the famous Golden Nugget Casino and then walked around. Fremont usually has an older crowd, but we enjoy it a lot! It has an entirely different vibe up there. If you didn't know that is Downtown Las Vegas or Old Vegas or the Old Las Vegas Strip. I really had my heart set on zip-lining down Fremont Street, yes, you CAN do that normally. That is also on my bucketlist, but they were reconstructing, so it was CLOSED! SO bummed. BUT, that just means that I will have to go back in the near future to do it!!! 

By the way , I think that the Golden Nugget is the best dinner buffet there is. Some people go to Las Vegas to drink, I go to eat and shop! ;) Some of the other fun things here are Mermaid's Casino (they give out Mardi Gras beads) and all the live music and entertainers!

It was a long day of traveling, so we decided to head back towards the hotel around 9:30 or so, but before we could do that we had a stop to make. . .

Stratosphere

. . . 

Stay Tuned!

Scentsy Basket Party

Alright, so I just had a few people ask what exactly is a "Scentsy Basket Party" here is how it works . . .

The “Basket Party “

I’ll loan you a basket filled with everything you need to hold a “mini” party, including all 80+ Scentsy fragrance testers, catalogs and order forms.  All you need to do is show the bag & its contents to everyone you know; your family, friends and co-workers!  Outside orders can also be placed on my website listed on front page then by clicking on your name, you will receive credit toward your party for all outside orders!  You will soon see that Scentsy products sell themselves! 

Hostess Rewards

For hosting a qualified show*: 

      For the first $150 in sales
Receive 10% of your party total in free product and
1- ½ price item of your choice.

      For $250 in sales:
Receive 10% of your party total in free product and 2- ½ price items.

           

      For $400 in sales:

Receive 15% of your party total in free product and 3 – ½ price items.  

      For $1000 in sales:
Receive 15% of your party total in free product and 4 – ½ price items.

Pinterest Wins and Pinterest Fails

Now that I am done with school (only to be starting back this summer again- more on that later) I actually have some time to do so of the MANY projects I pin on Pinterest! I decided I would choose a few at a time and here are two that I did this weekend. One of them was a WIN and the other a FAIL. Oh well, you win some and you lose some! 

Pinterest Fail: Garbage Disposal Bombs

Now how could I mess something like this up?I don't know, but I will blame it on the humidity or something!

 Ingredients: 
3/4 cup of baking soda
1/2 cup of salt
1 lemon
3 teaspoons of dish detergent
2 sheets of parchment paper

*All you do is mix the salt and baking soda in a bowl, then add some lemon peel by using a zester, next squeeze lemon juice into the mixture from the zested (is that a word?) lemon. I think next time I will skip the "zesting" and just pour in some lemon juice I already have in my refrigerator. Next, add dish soap and then scoop into balls on the parchment paper. Let dry overnight and then put bombs in an airtight mason jar and store. 

Now, I consider this a "fail" because mine tuned out rather crumbly. I actually let mine sit for almost 2 days and they still didn't quite harden enough. I think I am going to make a drier mix next time. I may have overdid it with the lemon juice! It was a fun and cheap project, nevertheless! 

Pinterest Win: Paint Mason Jars 

If you are like me you have a lot of paint cans sitting around your house and you can't get rid of them because you might need them someday, right?! Maybe yours look a lot like this. . .

In the past 5 years I have moved my cans from shelf to shelf to shelf in the garage trying to find a good place for them and when I have to bring them in the house for touch ups, it's awful. They are dirty and rusty and, well, just gross! 

One day I was reading my magazine and came across this article:

 so I hopped on Pinterest to see if I could find this idea to "pin" - surely I did and there are link to labels as well! Friday night I decided to get started. 

Here is what I needed:

*A case of 12 wide-mouth mason jars (Walmart $12)

*Paint stirring sticks (Home Depot- FREE)

*Paint Sample card for labels (Home Depot- FREE)

I labeled each jar with the color, brand, type of paint and what room the paint was used in. I mixed the paint really well before transferring and it worked really well! 

 
Now, my garage shelf is MUCH more organized and when I need to touch up paint it won't be so hard lugging around a little mason jar vs. a bulky paint can! 

Operation Kitchen Backsplash

I FINALLY, yes 5 years after buying my house, have a backsplash in my kitchen!! After buying my house in 2009, a kitchen backsplash was on my top 5 things I wanted to go along with panting, fixing up the yard, new carpet and new bathroom lighting- of course, all 4 other projects got done and the little old backsplash project was left on the back burner for 5 years. Well, not anymore! It's done and it's beautiful!! I finally got serious about getting this gone after the new year, so I proceed to make a few phone calls to see if I could hire someone to get it done, only to find out it's CRAZY expensive even if you buy your own supplies. I finally decided to text my friend Lindsay to see if her husband, Jon, knew anyone who would do it for a reasonable price. Little did I know... Jon was willing to take on the project himself and for his first time doing a tile job I would say he's a natural! It looks amazing!!! It really sets off the downstairs and is now my favorite part of the kitchen. Check out some pictures. . .  

Kitchen in 2009 after moving it. Got a fresh coat of paint, but no backsplash! ;)

Isn't this color beautiful! ♥

Here is the kitchen in 2014! It looks SO much better!!

Hmmmm.... next project is Operation: Guestroom Makeover! 

Stay tuned! 

Birthday Girl

Well, another birthday has come and gone. Can you believe I am in my final year of my 20's? I sure can't. I honestly don't know what 29 is suppose to feel like, but I seriously feel like I am in my late teens or early 20's. 30 sounds old. I don't want to be 30. I feel so unaccomplished - and no, I am not fishing for complements here! ;) It is just time for me to change my idea of "successful."  
I will just say that if you asked me 10 years ago where I would be at age 30 I would NOT have said single and living a few hours away from my family. I always thought I would settle close, but not too close to home. I would have thought I would have been married with a couple babies by now. It seems that life had different plans for me. 
I will say the fact that I had my Bachelor's degree at 22, Master's at 28 and I became a homeowner at 23 is still pretty exciting! Everything I have done in life I have done on my own, so that gives me some degree of accomplishment. I am successful when it comes in my education and where I have gotten myself financially. I really hope that this next 10 year chapter in my life brings me all that is missing- a life partner and a family! Only God knows and only time will tell! 


On a lighter and happier note, I went North for my birthday weekend (last weekend) and it was wonderful. I arrived to my party on Friday night. It was my last birthday party at "home" so that was pretty bitter sweet. I will talk more about that in an upcoming post. We had my favorite dinner and mom and Katie made me a Kit Kat cake that I found on Pinterest and have wanted for the last two years. 

       I also got some awesome new gifts!
I got a fully magnetic clipboard for my classroom, decor for my new guestroom I am designing, clothes (lots of them!!), some Fridge Binz - I am in the process of a total kitchen reorganization project, beautiful fresh flowers and a Chromecast, so that I can watch Netflix (and Hulu, YouTube, etc.) from my tv vs. my iPhone or iPad. It was just a quick visit, but surely a good one! 

And, the countdown to my 30's begins  . . .