Viva Las Vegas!

It's official...

Dad, little bro, KR

 plus

Me and my Momma

ARE OFF TO LAS VEGAS!!!

We officially booked our tickets for the beginning of March.

My parents always wanted to take my baby bro when he turned 21.

However, football season always interferes with big plans for his birthday since he is a September baby.

The plan was to always go in the Spring after he turned 21.

I feel like we have talked about this trip for years and it is really happening.

It's sad to say, but this is the first vacay my family has went on together since I was in high school. My brother and I were both so involved with cheerleading and football/basketball that we could never get away. Plus my dad coached the high school and middle school b-ball team. There was just never enough time for us to all go together. Now don't get me wrong, I have definitely done my fair share of traveling over the years, but to have us all together and with KR is gonna be special.
I am super excited!

I have been to Vegas twice, both times with KR.

Me and Kev my first trip to Vegas in 2009. I feel like we both look like babies .

Last April '11 in Vegas

Kev has been over a dozen times...literally. Guy loves him some Vegas.
Both of my parents have also been before, but not little bro.

We plan on eating at mine and Kev's favorite restaurant, Joe's.
It is located at the Caesar's shopping area.
Two words...fresh crab!
I am talking table side service to do all the messy work for you while you chow down on ENORMOUS crab legs.



Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay is another must for us. If ya'll ever go, do yourself a favor and go get the best hamburger you will ever eat in your life. I mean finger-lickin good!



KR and I want to also take them to a Cirque du Soleil show.
I am hoping we see O.



My dad INSISTS we have the breakfast buffet at Paris. He swears it is the best buffet on the strip.



 And let's be honest, it sure isn't a Vegas trip without hitting up the buffet.

The fam, Kev and I also have a little competition going on for our Vegas trip.
Have you seen the show Pawn Stars on the History Channel?

 

Well, we are each going to take one item to the pawn shop. I know we are major nerds, but I love it. We have all been brainstorming for months on what item we will take. Whoever gets the most for their item gets a prize that has yet to be determined. My family is pretty competitive, especially my daddo. He won't even discuss his item with us. This could get interesting :-)

And of course we plan on hitting the roulette and black jack tables as well as the slot machines. Maybe it will also be warm enough in March for me to get my tan on by the pool.
Regardless, I absolutely cant wait!!!

Have ya'll been to Vegas before? Do tell your favorite spots!

Back on His Feet...

Or should I say paws?

That's right my bailey boy is back at 100 percent.

After a full day of IV fluids, oral meds, chicken noodle soup and white rice with lean meat, we have a healthy little boy again.

The only things suffering are my wallet and the carpet at Kev's house.

Never been so happy to see him smile, bark, beg, chew and play.

This weekend was AHHmazing here in the bluegrass.

We got to give the doggies some extra play time outside in the not-so-winter weather

Kev playing referee for Tug-O-War

Bailey is a gentleman and always lets Uggie win.

I don't think he has much of a choice.

I wish you all could see the way he prances around the couch with this mega-bone.

He even cocks his head sideways to get through tight squeezes. It is pretty darn cute.

I was so happy to have him well again.

I will never survive a sick child...clearly that is a longggg way off.

Thank you all for your sweet comments and emails.

Bailey says thanks too :-)

Ringing in 2012

Hey ya'll!

Hope your enjoying your first full week of 2012.

We had a quiet New Year's Eve with our friends Megan and Justin and it was perrrrfect.

I got a phone call from my mom earlier on Friday with bad news about my grandpa's health. Long story short he finally got to come home a few days later and all is well for the moment. We almost had a big scare to kick of 2012, but God is good and always makes things fall into place. 

I give you my NYE 2011.

My sweetie and I before going out for din-din.  

KR tries to be quite the comedian around these parts.

Rocking my boot socks. How did I live without these in previous fall and winter seasons?

Me LOVES them.

Bangles, Bangles and more Bangles.

Arm candy is my favorite.

Being silly with KR's guitar. Yes, he plays and it is pretty darn hott!

I was ready to rock and roll and bring in 2012 the right way.

We met Megan and Justin for a late dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Sal's.

Love this girl!

Her blue eyes were sparking that night.

We are so blessed to have this couple in our lives and that they live in the same city as we do.

Two words: Sock Bun :-)

Megan gave the boys a tutorial on the sock bun.

Kev was intrigued that she had an actual sock in her hair.

We sipped several glasses of wine over sharing our New Year's resolutions.

And although I am not a big resolution person, I did make a few I thought would be realistic to stick to this year.

We pigged out at dinner on fried calamari, the famous Lexingtonian salad, fillet medallions done Oscar style  and even dessert. I thought I was literally going to bust out of my tights. Total food coma.

Kr and I came home around 11 and i immediately had to grab some pants with elastic in them.

I rang in the new year on my favorite part of the couch with a fuzzy blanket, laying on my sweetie's shoulders, with our sweet doggies.

I may or may not have fallen asleep before midnight, but KR woke me up in time to watch the ball drop and for a new year's kiss.

I am not a huge New Year's eve party animal. I always think the big parties and going out is sooo overrated. I think it is because I grew up celebrating the holiday at home with my fam and a hundred of my mom's homemade appetizers. This NYE was perfect. I am so glad I was in one of my favorite places to ring in 2012.

Feeling very blessed for a new year...I have a feeling it is going to be a great one.

Happy 2012 Ya'll!!!

Poor Bailey Boy

Today's post was supposed to be happy and about ringing in the new year. However, the last 24 hours have been a nightmare.

Back story: I took Bailey to school, aka doggy day care, on Monday. That night his school had a status update posted on facebook saying that there were a few dogs at school who had came down with a stomach bug with intense vomiting and diarrhea. Great huh? I thought what moron sends their dog to day care with a stomach bug. That is like sending your kid to school with the flu. Ugh!

Well my precious 4 legged child got the dang bug going around town.

I am so thankful KR works from home and keeps the doggies because Bailey boy started vomiting around noon yesterday and was still going strong at 4am this morning. It was just plain pitiful. Him and the way the carpet looks. KR has been such a trooper helping me every step of the way.

I didn't rush him straight to the vet yesterday because  # 1. my specific vet was off work and I am so particular when it comes to bailey (yes - i know I am one of those pet owners) and # 2 - i was making sure he was staying hydrated and thought it would eventually pass. Boy was I wrong.

Poor guy was just pitiful, pitiful, pitiful.

He literally laid on me all evening and last night just shivering.

It was heart breaking.

I felt so horrible for him.

We got up 1st thing this morning and went straight to the Vet.

He was still throwing up and having diarrhea.

By the time we got in this morning he was definitely dehydrated and they started him on IV fluids immediately.

The Vet says he probably just picked up some type of Bacterial infection. Bailey has a sensitive digestive system which tends to make things worse for him. They kept him all day today for observation and to administer fluids.

My sweet boy had to come home with an IV catheter that is all taped up with "no chew" bandages.

And he is on a strict, limited, clear liquid diet.

I never thought I would be feeding my dog chicken noodle soup, gatordae, and jello tonight.

To make things worse, he broke one of his front nails pretty bad while he was caged up at the Vet's office :-(

I have never crated Bailey. He only gets crated when boarded on the occasion when  KR and I go out of town and my parents aren't able to keep him at his country home. The vet was concerned and gave him some pain meds and I think my dog is officially on a medicated high. Bless his little heart.

He is so loopy and lethargic which she said was to be expected.

It has been an awful day. Work just made it even crappier.

I can't stand for something to be wrong with my fur baby.

If you know me at all you can imagine what a wreck I have been today.

Hoping there is no more vomiting and he keeps everything down tonight. I am crossing my fingers for a good checkout in the morning and that the catheter will be removed.

Say a lil prayer for me and my bailey boy.

(clearly I could not handle a child at this time in my life)

I sure hope tomorrow is a better day.

Christmas Morning Ya'll

Christmas day is usually pretty laid back at my parent's house.

Santa still comes and visits baby bro and I. Yep we are those kids....still.

Late Christmas Eve, after the extended family leaves us for the night, just the 4 of us exchange presents. It's one of my favorite parts of Christmas. Not because of the gifts, but the intimacy and love surrounding those moments when it is just daddo, mama, baby bro and myself.

The night is never complete until my dad says his famous words. "Guys, it's been a good Christmas" and my brother would always say as a little boy, "yeah dad - and santa hasn't even came yet"

It has always, always just been the 4 of us.

 Last year, KR is the only other person to ever be part of that tradition. And I hope he is the only one that ever will be. Sorry little bro - you aren't allowed to ever get married or engaged. Your mama and I just cant take it.

We typically spend Christmas day in our PJs eating leftovers and playing with all our new toys. Santa doesn't wrap our "santa" presents and my brother and I don't enter the living room without waking the other up first. It's a rule. No matter the time, Mom and Dad wake up and watch us go through our gifts. I remember when we were little, there was a rule we couldn't get up before 5am. Now I realize we had to give Santa plenty of time to get all the Barbie Dreamhouse decals on as well as assemble matchbox car racetracks.

Mama usually makes a big country breakfast and we spend the day just soaking  up each other's company.

This year was a little different since Christmas day fell on a Sunday. It was a family must to attend church that morning per mama's orders. Jesus is the reason ya know. We still managed to find our way into our pjs late afternoon with a full belly. It was all perfect.

This is Mom and Dad's tree. They always get a real tree that is full of colored lights, homemade ornaments, memories and one of mama's original big red bows.

Oh if you all only understood the comments that take place before family photo's like these.

Let's just say daddo and baby bro may not understand the bloggin bizznass or the need to just capture all of life's moments via the camera.

I asked dad and baby bro to pose for a quick shot....and of course this is what I got.

And it is a guaranteed laugh every time my dad gets behind the camera.

At least he got some of our bodies in the photo. Usually it's head shots only because of my dad's 6'9" height. He is getting better....slowly.

OK lets be clear....my mama is not this tall. She barely comes to his chest. Mama hardly leaves the house though without her 4inch heels. Gosh I wish we had the same size shoe.

Oh baby bro....and that ever growing chia-pet on his head.  I can't even talk about it.

This is the baby Jesus in my mom's nativity scene. She handmade it years ago. It is my favorite Christmas decoration.

Growing up, there were many fights between baby bro and I over who would place the baby Jesus.

I am pretty sure there were tears at times.

And every year mama buys me and baby bro an ornament.

This year she had them both on the dinning room table until I got home for Christmas. It was only then that we were allowed to hang them on the tree.

This is baby bro's

and of course I always have the holiday Barbie

I snapped some other photos of a few of my favorite ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Little me and itty bitty baby bro

It kinda breaks my heart that this was Bailey's 5th Christmas.

Oh why that would be me. i think this was the 3rd grade.

of course this ornament refers to me

I had to look really hard for this one....but i found it.

That wraps up 2011's Christmas posts.

I have loved reading about all of your holidays and traditions so much. How did I live without you in my life before???

Cheers to 2012 ladies...it's gonna be a good one!!