viva!

I spent this past weekend on a super short trip to vegas with my family! being that my dad, stepmom and younger brother live in japan it is difficult for us to get together often. in fact, its impossible. so we do it about once a year.  this little reunion normally takes place in hawaii (one of my very favorite spots) but this year, due to scheduling conflicts and the realities of a big girl job, we had to settle for vegas. which is fine with me, because i am a HUGE fan of vegas. 

growing up in Las Vegas had its perks- amazing amusement parks/water parks/attractions, always something to do and it was so fun to climb to the top of the hill at the park and watch all of the lights turn on downtown from my Sunrise Mountain house. My mom was a blackjack dealer at the Golden Nugget, so i'm partial to "old vegas" (freemont street area) and i reccommend that anyone to hang out around there if you're visiting. its where the locals are, so much culture, where all of the movies/tv shows are filmed and its my childhood.  i could spend hours under the freemont street experience, watching the light shows and more importantly watching the people. 

This trip was spent in "new vegas". right in the middle of the Strip.  my brother and cousin flew in from LA and we all met up at the hotel.  we gambled, ate nice dinners, walked, hung around the pool party, gambled more, walked even more, attempted to see a ke$ha concert, went to the pool again, ate a lot more and then the last day was spent enjoying my favorite past time- shopping with my step mom!  that woman can spend hours in a mall, as can I.

                                     

i loved every second of my weekend, even if that meant leaving on a red eye flight, not returning to atlanta until 6:30 am and driving straight from the airport to my office for a full work day! it was totally worth the jetlag, the exhaustion, the aching feet, the money, the awkward step-mom-is-trying-to-give-me-the-sex-talk converstaion and yes, even the extra pounds (all you can eat buffets. woof)

it was the first visit with Courtney since 2009 spring break, my younger brother grows a foot taller every year that passes, and my dad gets funnier and funnier each time i see him.  i am so blessed to finally have found the relationship with my dad that i always wanted growing up.  i would give anything for them to live closer (the US would be great!) but until then, i will settle for summer vacations.