Life Is Good!!!

Mark and I went to LasVegas the first weekend in November for a DRI convention. I know that sounds boring and quite frankly, it is! Who wants to go sit through legal mumbo jumbo when there is so much other fun stuff to do?! Really I'm not complaining, it's actually pretty awesome! Each year Mark's firm sends us to one of these conventions and we get to choose where we go. After going to places like Miami, San Diego, New York and resorts in Arizona (where I want to live-in the hot, hot sun!), I was quite disappointed when Mark forgot to book our trip and we ended up headed to Las Vegas. We can drive there any day!

As usual, when I have a pessimistic attitude, Mark proves me wrong! We had such a great time! We stayed at the Bellagio, which is absolutely amazing! The morning that we left, Salt Lake had it's first HUGE and unexpected (at least to us!) snow storm of the year. After sitting on the road for forty minutes in stand still traffic, getting the kids to my parents and the dog to the doggy sitter we missed our flight by ten minutes and had to buy new plane tickets! Needless to say, it was wonderful to walk into our executive tower suite that over looked the city from one side of the room and the pools from the other side. We even had a huge window with an awesome view over the jetted tub! Talk about relaxation!

Tim, another attorney at the firm, and his wife, Allison were there also. It was so fun to hang out with another couple and tour the city together! We had tons of fun shopping, eating out, sight seeing and yes, even a little gambling! Mark bet on the U football game and the Denver Broncos while we were there and I was totally stressed! Both teams played at the same time so we went to the ESPN Zone for dinner to watch both of the games, they were both losing for most of the night and finally in the fourth quarter they both came through for us and won. I think Mark will be betting on a lot more games in the future because for the first time I was actually into the game, yelling and everything! Football is much more interesting when money is at stake! We took $20 of our winnings and I learned to play 21, which I am not very good at - we played $2 tables and I lost, won and then lost all $20 within two hours! Allison, on the other hand, is a pro - she more than doubled her money! I am so happy to have made such great new friends! Thanks Tim and Allison for such a fun time!

We also went to dinner with one of my best friends ever! Danielle and I have been friends for over fourteen years and it was so great to spend time with her! She currently lives in Vegas and knows all of the "in" places to go! She even took us dancing at a club with a live band - way fun! We love you Danielle!

I think the best thing about this trip was that Mark and I were able to spend a lot of time together just talking about life and kids and all of that other stuff that we sometimes forget when we are trying to survive this crazy thing called raising a family. It was nice to refocus on all that we have and what a wonderful life it really is! Our children are amazing and Mark is absolutely incredible, he has to be, he has me for his wife! We truly have been so blessed with such an amazing family! I am so grateful to be surrounded by family and friends who are absolutely the best ever! I really have to say "Life Is Good!"

Our first day atBellagio



Tim, Allison, Mark and Jamie



Jamie and Danielle