Tales of Travel and Not Saying Anything Dumb

Has it really been 2 days already? I got back from Vegas on Monday and suddenly it's Wednesday...huh.

So this was an unusual trip to Vegas, as it centered around our very first Vegas wedding, and we stayed at the Red Rock Resort, which is way off the Strip.

The entire weekend was lovely. The couple getting married had planned activities for the guests on Friday and Saturday night (wedding was Sunday) and it was all just fun.

I must also note that I found myself in the same room as Kristen Bell, on whom I have had a crush since Veronica Mars. But since I never got the opportunity to speak to her, I didn't make a fool of myself. I should also mention that she was with Dax Shepard. Had I had the opportunity to speak to him, I would have quizzed him on where they're getting the autism story line on Parenthood. My husband assures me that as a mere actor on the show, Dax would not know such things, but it wouldn't have stopped me from asking...so, yeah, it's probably good that we were never introduced.

But oh, the wedding. You know when you go to a wedding and you're just so incredibly happy for the couple? Not just happy in a "good luck!" kind of way, but in a I'm-so-happy-you-two-found-each-other way? That's how I feel about this couple. The wedding was pure them, which is to say it was classy and entertaining and fun. It made me want to have another wedding so I could steal some of their ideas.

And yes, I wore the dress and it was fabulous. Not so fabulous was the sinus infection I seem to have acquired as soon as our plane hit the ground in Vegas. I started out the evening strong, but by 10 p.m. my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls and I just wanted to go to bed. A real bummer as I think that's the kind of dress that likes to stay out late.

As for the Red Rock, it convinced me that off-Strip can be better than on-Strip accommodations. I missed some of my on-the-Strip favorites, but it was really nice not to have to weave through hundreds of people every place we went. Plus, the place is gorgeous, there are lots of good dining options, and they had a bevy of Irish-themed slots (Gettin' Lucky, Emerald Eyes, Reels O'Dublin), which became my new focus for this trip. There's something particularly nice about hearing an Irish jig while gambling. I might even (gasp) consider taking the boys to this place someday, as they've got a movie theater and a bowling alley attached to the casino, which means that once the kids are old enough to do such activities on their own, it really could be fun for the whole family.

In short: Vegas is still fabulous.

Now we must shift our focus to the upcoming birthday bonanza. On Saturday, I will turn 34 and on Sunday, my babies turn 8 (and I cry). The weekend is full of festivities, which I will enjoy extra hard, as on Monday I am beginning what I am dubbing "The 10% Challenge," during which I will work to lose approximately 10% of my body weight. It's no Biggest Loser or anything, but it's a big deal for me and so, I will drag you along with me, dear readers. More on that next week.

Now I must rest up for this weekend.