Truck, Trip, Work, Vegas, Fun...and NO KIDS

Last week was our annual trip to Las Vegas with Namifiers for the ARA Trade Show. I was nervous and excited to go all at the same time. Nervous because my 8 1/2 month old stubborn girl was still not taking a bottle, but excited to get away with Brad and have a break from my darling children, whom I love dearly. Can I just say my mom is the best mother EVER and I owe her BIG TIME. I'm so glad she is willing to come and babysit for us so I can have peace of mind while I am away for 4 days. I never have to worry about my kids when they are with grandma, she is so good with them and they love her so much! In fact, Daylen was practically kicking me out the door as soon as she got here. Kate on the other hand...I was sure that the first day would be hard for her, but when she realized that the bottle was all she was going to get, she'd give in, right? WRONG! She is a stubborn little girl. She fought it the first day, and the second day, and the third day, and FINALLY on the day I was coming home, she took it without a fight. She would drink it the second and third day, but not without a fight. Luckily she eats lots of other food so she wasn't starving, but she was not happy in the early morning when she wanted to nurse. But now, thanks to my mom's hard work, she will take a bottle from me without a fight! THANK YOU MOM!!!

We-Brad, myself, and Kevin (one of the sales guys) left for Vegas last Tuesday so we could set up the show. Bryan, the CEO, and his wife, Jenny, were there cause Bryan was giving a seminar, so after the show was set up we all went to Jonny Rockets for dinner, yummy hamburger place, and then went to see "Phantom of the Opera!" It was an absolutely amazing show with it's own Vegas flare. The talent was awesome, the staging and props incredible, and the music...aahhh the music...pretty much right up there with "Wicked" for me. Shows like this are what it means to experience Vegas. You can find the good in everything if you just look for it!

Wednesday was the first day of the show and it was also my birthday! Which I totally forgot until I called my mom mid-morning and she wished me a happy birthday. This was most of our booth, we didn't get super great pictures...

I nominated myself as the designated "put orders in to the computer" person so there woudn't be a huge pile for the account executives to do when the show was over. I used to be there...and it made the time go by faster. I was a little slow with the first one trying to remember how the use the software, but it all came back to me. It was fun this year to have my sister at the show, she has been working at Namifiers for almost a year now and is one of their top sales people. It was also kinda strange being the only "wife," besides Jenny, but they left early from the show. Usually everyone brings their wife, but I'm afraid that tradition is ending due to that darned IRS.

Wednesday night for dinner we went to Behni Hanah's, (not sure on the spelling) a Japanese tepanyaki style restaurant. I had been there once before, but I enjoyed the food so much better this time! I think my taste buds have matured in the last 2 years, it was delicious! Expect the shrimp, I still can't manage to make myself like seafood.

Thursday night after the show we went to CozyMel's for some yummy mexican. We saw this while driving out and about...only in Vegas do you see a taxi taking someone through fast food drive thru...and then see someone taking a picture of it! I don't know why we found this so funny.




After stuffing ourselves with mexican we headed to the Stratosphere for some thrill rides! This was the first year I could actually go on them. In past years when we've gone I've been pregnant so I couldn't actually ride. But not this year, we all rode the Big Shot which is like the Rocket at Lagoon if you've ever been, except that it's on top of the Stratosphere. Then Kevin, Rachel, and I also rode Insanity, we couldn't convince Brad and Nick to join us. Insanity is the mechanical hand swing thing you see here that circles around 60 feet off the side of the Stratosphere. I was a little nervous about it, more because I was afraid of getting sick from spinning, which I didn't, it was so much FUN! I actually liked it better than Big Shot. We got pictures from the Big Shot, if I can find a scanner I'll put it on my blog, Brad's face is hilarious!



Here is Rachel and I getting ready! I admit the thought crossed my mind briefly as soon as we were over the edge waiting to start spinning, "if this thing broke right now, that is a LONG drop..." but I cut it off there, pushed it away quicky, and enjoyed the ride!

Friday after the show we packed up and headed home! I was very anxious to get home to my kiddos again, even if they would already be asleep by the time I got there. It was an awesome show overall with great food and entertainment. I think I went out with a bang, since this was most likely the last show for me. It was my funnest trip to Vegas overall. Although my pump broke the second day I was there, which was not good, so we had to find a Walmart so I could buy a new one. I bought an electric one this time, not the one I would have wanted if I had my choice and time to find it, but it still works good. I'm glad to be home again.