Vegas Recap: Flirty 30 Day Three

Our last day in Vegas was bittersweet. We both agreed that we could have gone home that morning and been happy. Since we weren't leaving until the following morning we decided to venture up the strip to check out some of the sights. 

I kept the look for the last day very natural and relaxed. Here I am dancing on one of those moving floors. We realized that Bellagio had one that puts you right on the strip. Very convenient.

I can't get over how amazing this hair color is. Gorg! If I do say so myself...

We ended up spending a lot of time in the MGM. I actually flipped a dollar into $20 in there. I was excited, LOL! I really liked the MGM. The vibe there was so young and fun. We have LOTS of photos from this trip. I feel like a photo dump would be slightly offensive and too much to bare. I think I'll occasionally slip some of my favorites into some upcoming Thought Bubbles posts.

Sunday morning when we woke up the view was so peaceful and serene. The sky was so many different colors. It was beautiful. Our shuttle picked us up (a little tardy) and we were on our way to the airport. In true Vegas fashion one of the other passengers had to throw up so the shuttle driver obliged him at a red light and opened the door. It was gross.

My husband was like, "Don't touch anything. He's either drunk or contagious." 

My view from the plane on our way home. Gotta love Southwest….

And my last footage round up from our trip…

I hope you enjoyed my Vegas trip as much as I did. I have a lot of fun and exciting things coming up on the blog in the month of March. Thanks for reading!

Vegas Recap: Flirty 30 Day Two

Day Two got off to a great start. I had read lots of reviews about Hash House a Go Go and I really wanted to eat breakfast there. We got dressed and headed over to the Quad to get in line for a table. 

This was my look for the day. I am in absolute love with my sweater coat. It was perfect for the chilly temps. My scarf is a gift from my Mom. I've had it for years and I thought it was a nice touch to the coat. What do you think?

On the way to breakfast (It was like a five minute walk) we passed by a star that said "Diva". My husband spotted it first and pointed it out to me. Was he trying to tell me something about myself? LOL! I had to take a pic next to it!

During our wait for a table we chatted it up a bit and hung out. There were tons of people waiting. The restaurant was cranking people in and out though. I don't remember our wait being extremely long, maybe thirty minutes or so. When you don't have kids with you a wait doesn't seem that bad. 

At breakfast I ordered the The Tractor Driver combo. I am a sucker for pancakes and potatoes. This was so amazingly delicious. Do you see how big that pancake is? I couldn't eat the whole thing but I wanted to. I enjoyed a mimosa with my breakfast. Our server was great. He let us know that it would be a longer than usual wait for food because everything is cooked from scratch to order. Yum!

At the table next to us there was a girl celebrating her 21st birthday. I told her it was my birthday too. She must've told the waiter because before he gave us our check he bought this out to the table. Nothing like an ice-cream sundae to start your morning on your birthday...

After walking around the Forum Shops in Caesar's Palace and doing a little shopping (mainly at the Nike store. Jeanette Jenkins has me obsessed with Nike gear. I blame her for my recent addiction) it was time to head back to the room to get ready for dinner.

We (I) took a little bit longer than expected getting dressed. I can't believe it but I didn't get one pic of my entire birthday dinner look. I did manage to get a quick pic of my handsome hubby though...

Here I am from the torso up at dinner...

I wore a skirt and crop top sequin number with some strappy shoes. It was cute. The food was even better than what I had on though. I got the lamb. He got a porterhouse steak. Our sides were brussel sprouts and truffled mash potatoes (i would smack somebody's mama right now for some of those). This is the best dinner we've had in a long time.

We had an amazing view of the Bellagio fountains at dinner. You'll see a bit of that in the video below. Before leaving our server gifted me with a birthday dessert...

After dinner I changed into something more comfortable for gambling, dancing and drinks. My husband took the pic below and he cropped it to oblivion before sending it to me. Sorry about that...

More random footage from day two in Vegas is below. I am living this trip all over again in these posts.

Vegas Recap: Flirty 30 Day One

We arrived at the Bellagio after taking a shuttle from the airport. The shuttle was $13 roundtrip per person. Not too bad. The driver was friendly and we didn't have to make many stops. It was actually nice getting to see some of the other properties before being dropped off. 

Once we were at our hotel someone took our luggage and invited us inside. It was beautiful. Just like in the movies and online. 

I thought this silver horse was gorgeous. It's the year of the horse and that seemed to be the theme in just about every property we visited. No one did it like the Bellagio though. Stunning. 

Here is a pic of the famous ceiling. It was even more captivating in person...

And a view of the front desk...

Overall I think the Bellagio made a good first impression. After we got into our room we went down to Café Bellagio to have lunch. It was good. The service was nice. I ordered the Greek Salad with shrimp and was a little disappointed. I think there were maybe three shrimp in my salad. I was not wowed by my lunch at all and left wanting something else to eat. Y'all know I'm a salad girl. While I left no longer feeling hungry I certainly wasn't happy about my meal. Luckily, all of my meals after that made up for it.

Here is a little vlog I did while there. It's random clips from our first day. Enjoy...

I'm not a fashion blogger but I did my best to document all of my outfits. I tried to remember to get pics of them all. Here is what I wore for travel. I was suppose to change my clothes once we got there but I never did. I ended up really liking this laid back look...

My cute little blue dress for dinner that night…

And a close up of our food at dinner. We ate at Noodle in the Bellagio. It was banging. It's a tiny little restaurant so we had to wait some time for a table. It was worth it though. I got the Pho. I can't remember what my husband got but it was good. We shared a chicken dish that was amazing. Great customer service. 

I hope you're enjoying my recap so far! Stay tuned for Day Two...

30th Birthday Countdown: Vegas Hit List

Well. Here we are. It's my Flirty 30. Finally!! My actual birthday isn't until Friday but I will be beginning my celebration tomorrow. I am beyond excited!

We have never been to Las Vegas before and I am looking forward to the trip. I've been trying to research things to do and places to see. I've been on Trip Advisor reading forums and learning some interesting tidbits. Like apparently there's a twenty dollar tip trick you can do at the front desk of most hotels to get an upgrade…

We won't be trying that. I signed up to receive emails from the hotel we're staying at months ago. I booked our room after receiving a promo code for twenty percent off the room and a $100 food credit. I'm all about a food credit. Or any credit or discount for that matter.

Our day starts very early tomorrow morning. I thought it would be fun to make a "Hit List" of all the things I'd like to do while there. This isn't a schedule or strict checklist. More like a "this would be nice/cool to see/do" kind of list.

Dance until my feet hurt…

Dine at a celebrity chef's restaurant…

Eat at a Vegas Buffet...

Play the Slots...

See a show...

In & Out Burger...

Eat some really good Sushi...

Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate...

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

Spot a Celebrity...

Conservatory & Fountains at the Bellagio...

30th Birthday Countdown: What I'm Wearing in Vegas

I have finally narrowed down my options for my trip to Vegas. I didn't want to spend a lot of money shopping before our trip. Mama wants to make sure she has money to spend in Vegas you know what I mean?

Just when I thought I was going to have buy one of the dresses I showed you before Jesus smiled down on me with a 50% off sale at Express. While checking out the sale I saw that they had restocked my initial birthday outfit that was previously sold out. So happy that I'll get to wear sequins on my birthday and it cost less than dinner for two at a Vegas buffet. Win.

Party Looks by thechicsahm featuring a blue dress

Now y'all know I love black. I have said that many many many times here on the blog. So it's no wonder that almost all of my night looks are black. I can't help it. To switch things up a bit I am taking this blue dress with me. It's cute, comfortable and it has an exposed back zipper which I love. I'll be pairing the leather skirt with a sheer black top. So cute and sexy. 

I have this whole strategy for packing and doing a carry-on bag. It can be done. (i hope) What do you think about these looks?

Kid Free Anxiety

We are now a little under two months until my Flirty30 celebration. Time is flying a little too fast for me. I didn't think I would have so much anxiety about leaving the kids for a couple days but the closer we get to my birthday the more nervous I become. I have never been away from them for more than an hour or two so this is a big step for me.

I know that they'll be in good hands but I'm still having a hard time with thinking about being gone for a few days. Maybe it's because I'm still a relatively  new mom and still somewhat of a Smother Mother. I would like to think that it's hard for any woman to leave her kids for the first time. Today while talking to a friend I admitted that I'm not even that excited about the trip because I feel bad for leaving the kids.

I know I need to have some time away. I know I need to relax and have some fun kid free but knowing that doesn't make it any easier. My goal is to slowly begin to get excited. I can plan fun things for us to do, think about my outfits and know that the kids will enjoy being spoiled by their Grandmother.

After all, a Flirty30 isn't going to be all that fabulous if I'm a nervous wreck the whole time. How did you handle being away from your children overnight for the first time?

30th Birthday Countdown

While I was mopping the floor just now I realized that in about 93 days I will be thirty years old. I'm excited. Not even mad or dreading it. What I am struggling with though, is how to celebrate. My husband has thrown around a lot of different ideas about me possibly doing a girls weekend or a four day getaway with just the two of us.

I am so undecided. I can't even think of where I want to go. He seems to think that Vegas would be perfect. We could get direct flights and apparently Vegas has something to offer everyone. I have never been but from what I've seen it's gambling and a lot of partying. Which I'm cool with. Just not for four days. I want to leave this little getaway feeling refreshed and rested. If I'm in the club every night for four days I'll need a vacation from my vacation.

I want my Flirty 30 to be memorable, fun and exciting. Not exhausting.

So. Who's been to Vegas? What did you do other than club that you found to be very entertaining? I'm open to just about anything. 

Hello September...

I can not believe it is already September. This is a very fun month for our family. I spent the majority of Labor Day weekend laying in bed fighting sinus pressure and shopping online. I got some great deals! Very excited about getting all those shipments this week. 

All of Savannah's activities start back up this month and I could not be more excited. It is going to feel so good to have a scheduled activity every day. We'll be out and about Tuesday thru Thursday. On Mondays and Fridays we'll do more "Preschool at Home" activities, run errands, clean and do whatever else the house needs. Savannah will also be turning three in a couple weeks. This year she wanted a trip to the beach for her birthday so we'll be having a family party/getaway. I'm not even mad or sad about her not wanting a party. That's one less thing for me to plan...

We'll probably at least have cake and ice cream with her girlfriends though, but that's it.

I've been trying to gather things for our beach trip and plan my outfits. I found a cute outfit on Pinterest that seemed really easy and comfy. Since it was repinned over 200 times I decided to recreate the look. Cute, right? Can't wait to share my finished look!

I also want to try something different with my hair. I'm not sure if I want to put in some marley twists or if I should invest in a good flat iron and wear my hair straight or blown out. I would really love to do the twists but from the reviews I've read they don't really last that long. We'll see.

I'm so ready for this much needed break. My husband's birthday is at the end of the month so we'll be celebrating all month long. As I've said before Fall is my favorite season. I'm looking forward to this season and all the changes that will come with it!

Summer Vacation Tips for the Family

5 Tips for a Summer Vacation Every Family Can Enjoy

Between the planning, packing, and getting everyone else ready, family vacations can get a little stressful before the trip even begins. However, with the right preparations, every family trip can be smooth sailing and stress free. The key, as in all matters of motherhood, is to plan ahead, but not over-plan so much that you have to hand out a daily newsletter.  

• Tip 1: A family travels on its belly.  The key to avoiding cranky kids (and parents) is to make sure everyone is eating frequently and eating the right things.  Plan ahead by packing portable snacks like pretzels and fruit.  This will help avoid some impulse buys and too many sugary snacks along the way. Even if you have to take stops and grab something on-the-go you should still make healthy fast food decisions to avoid the repercussions later!

• Tip 2: The next key to a successful family vacation in making sure everyone gets enough rest.  This may mean paying a little bit more, but it is more than worth it in the end.  Typical family destinations, such as many Orlando hotels, are rife with family-friendly packages (including quiet hours policies!)  However, if you are traveling more off the beaten path, be sure to pick lodging that is not too low-budget.  While the cost may seem too good to resist while you are planning, it is all for naught if your room faces the pool bar someplace with no quiet hours.

• Tip 3: Don’t forget the hand sanitizer.  What mom worth her weight would travel without it?  You bought it and packed it, now don’t forget to use it.  Did you know airplanes don’t get a real thorough cleaning until their last stop of the day?  If your flight leaves at 4:00pm, then that plane has been a sort of germ incubator all day.  Don’t be paranoid, but be prepared.

• Tip 4: All the good done for our spirits while we are on vacation can be undone so easily with a bad “reentry” into real life.  Consider coming home a day earlier.  Let the whole family rest, sleep well and eat a couple normal meals before having to get back to school and work.

• Tip 5: Finally, remember to take some grown-up time.  Take turns with the kids to give each other some alone time or get a bottle of wine and some plastic glasses to enjoy on the hotel balcony after the kids pass out.  

So, after all the prep work is done, remember the most important rule of family vacations: slow down and enjoy the time together!  (That and use lots of sunscreen.  That’s one of the most important rules too, of course.)  

*This post was written by Kendra, former Orbitz Director of Communications and promoted into full time position in the care of Motherhood.

Thank You Jeanette Jenkins

Let's face it. I'll never be 18 again. Or 21 for that matter. But I have to say that I felt pretty good last week at the beach 19 months post baby. I guess I have Jeanette Jenkins, Green Tea and Biotin supplements to thank for that. I can also thank my toddler who provides me endless amounts of cardio on a daily basis. Looking good is more of a feeling than a physical description. I don't have a goal weight or size. Just a feeling.

Swimsuit - Target by Merona, $34.99
Fedora - Aldo, Let's say it was about $20, can't remember the exact price. ;-)