What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
Just got back earlier this evening from a quick 2 day trip to Las Vegas. It was actually very relaxing and enjoyable. We stayed at the Stratosphere --made reservations online. I was a little nervous cuz some of the reviews on tripadvisor.com were not good at all but decided to give it a try due to really cheap price --$49 per night! Con: had to wait in line 30 mins to check in then clerk told us our cheap rate room was not available but we could "upgrade" to another room for $10 more per night. Bobby told them to get the manager, 30 seconds later we had the "upgraded" room for same price. Pro: the room was great! It had obviously been very recently refurbished with all new furniture, drapes, etc., was extremely clean, and was really big! View left a lot to be desired but overall a fantastic value.

Next morning woke up early and went to the new Wynn Hotel. OH MY GOD!!! Can you say Gorgeous?!?! Really a beautiful hotel. The decor is so fun and at the same time unpredictable and classy. I was really impressed. We had the buffet breakfast there, yum!!! Then off to the Sands Convention Center I went.

My original purpose in going to LV was to attend the Memory Trends convention, that's scrapbooking folks. This is not a retail event, its for distributors to try to sell to the retailers. Lots of fun to see what's up and coming, got some freebies, made some neat little make and takes. Bobby went gambling on his own for about 4 hrs!

Bobby picked me up and we had a quick midday snack of chips and guacamole in the cafe at the MGM. Food was really tasty, service sucked. Another table of customers actually yelled to get the attention of our server which earned them merely an over the shoulder glance. I quickly waved both arms as if stopping traffic and he slowly trudged over. Like I said, service sucked!!!

Then, that evening, we went to the MGM to see KA!! Again, the show received mixed reviews on tripadvisor. However, we saw Mystere last year and so enjoyed it that I was willing to plunk down the $125 per ticket to see the show. We absolutely loved it!!! and from the response of the audience, we were not alone. Really a must see.

Dinner at the MGM buffet was not as impressive. We spent almost $60 for the two of us and waited in line for about 40 mins! When we were finally seated, we found the dining room to be only about 1/2 full. Uh, hello, what were we waiting for? The waitress sucked, couldn't get a refill on the soda to save my life even though she didn't look at all busy or in a hurry-- and the food gets an unenthusiastic B-/C+. A huge disappointment.

Next day, was our last. Decided to head over to the Paris hotel buffet. That hotel is really pretty. Kind of a long line for breakfast but it was worth it. Service and food both get an A. The crepes are to die for!!!

After breakfast it was time to come home. Not a bad drive --3 hrs, 15 mins. Would have been quicker if it wasn't for the construction traffic signs. Please note, I did not say actual construction traffic, couldn't see any real construction or workers, just the signs. That seemed to be enough to bring the traffic to a complete halt for over 1/2 hr. In any event made it home safe and sound, fun trip.

Overall pros: hardly thought about adoption, ate some really yummy food, enjoyed hanging out with Bobby, saw some REALLY cute little asian girls there in restaraunts and stuff. Dream, dream, dream. Cons: sucky service at MGM and having to come home. Could have done one more day, no problem.

Well I did it!!!!
After feeling really pretty depressed about the whole adoption "thing" for about the last 2 months, I think I finally dragged myself out of the murk. I had stopped making plans and doing things with the sad belief that maybe the adoption would never happen for us. I've decided to have a more positive outlook (not sure how long this will last) and wanted to started "doing" something. So, I did what I'm good at, I shopped!!! I'd been eyeing the beautiful iron cribs by Corsican for quite awhile but they are oh so pricey --more expensive than either my first or second cars LOL! I did find what I believe to be a much more affordable option, extremely sturdy, beautiful and you can take the side off of it and use as a toddler bed for those in between years.

When I went in to the store to purchase, I found that they were discontinuing the crib and so it was on SALE!!! My favorite word! So I bought it!!! Decided to get the additional pieces to finish out the room. Two bookcases and a small chest and the beautiful doll cabinet. The chest is going to be placed between the two bookcases to create a single unit arrangement to house books, toys, etc. The doll cabinet was a splurge and she can use it for whatever little keepsakes she wants.

So there you go! The wood pieces were ordered and should be at the store in around 3 weeks but they have this great layaway program where they will hold onto the furniture for up to 6 months!

I'm excited to do something that is forward thinking and will eventually need to be done but a little apprehensive. What if something happens? I cannot even imagine anything more depressing than having a finished nursery and no hopes of a baby to put in it. I can wait a long time if need be and I'm hoping that there is a glimmer of light at the end of this apparently very long tunnel.

This is the crib, its by Childcraft:


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You can't tell really well from this pic but on the scrolly parts, the silver is rubbed with gold which really gives it that aged look. The great thing about going with a metal colored crib is that there is basically no concern with bedding having a white or cream or other color background. Metallics go with everything!
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All the wood pieces are from Stanley's Young America line. Really nice quality and super well made.

These are the bookcases:
(I will post the pic soon, Blogger buggy again)


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Not too fancy but fancy enough. They're flat on the sides so they can group with the little 3 drawer chest to create a single unit. I tried to post a pic of the chest but Blogger's being buggy. Anyway, the chest is only about as high as a desk and will fit between. I have this neat really old mirror from like the 40's that I'm going to hang about the chest. It should be placed so that Baby Girl can stand up and look at herself in it from her crib!

...and the doll cabinet:

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I adore this piece of furniture. Again, not over the top girly or so ornate that it will be too precious in a couple years. I'm not sure if she'll even want dolls. I sure didn't when I was a little girl. I was pure tomboy and its sure ok with me if she is also. But, all little girls (and boys for that matter) have little keepsakes.

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The Amish School shooting:
The senseless violence in the last few days has gotten me thinking. It has created much soul searching for many, I know.

The world can be and always has been a very violent and dangerous place. There is no time in history when people have not expressed their concerns at the violence in society and question whether children should still be brought into the world, etc. Read the history books, these discussions have taken place since the middle ages, in colonial society, through the industrial revolution, flapper days and certainly in the heyday of apparent safey –the 50’s. There has always been tremendous violence committed upon the weak in our society including women, children, handicapped, mentally ill, and the poor. Murder, rape and abuse is a condition of the human race.

Small towns, big cities, doesn’t matter. A person can be the unfortunate victim of a crime anywhere. That’s the part that is so frustrating and scary. What bothers me is the fact that we are all so plugged in to the media that sensationalizes everything that we live with a constant undertow of terror.

Yes, you should definitely take reasonable precautions to protect yourself and your children. You should wait with them at bus stops, you should walk them to the bathroom, you should utilize the buddy system, etc. You should also teach your children to recognize a potentially dangerous situation and provide them with some tools for protecting themselves. But if the Amish school shooting can teach us anything, it should be that no matter how insular your community and how great your efforts are to close yourself off from all that is potentially bad, the bad people can still come get you. Sad, I know, to be so out of control of the evil in some other people. But a fact.

All you can do is protect yourself and your family the best you can and hope for the best. I know that seems awfully passive and I’m not a passive person by nature, but “safety” for the most part is a perception.

It is a world filled with danger but for the most part, we’re safe from the most extreme forms. Most people will live their whole lives without having a crazed killer come into their personal lives. But we will not be immune to all crime. Almost everyone at some point in their lives will be affected (either personally or familialy) by an act of violence.

But, you can’t live your life waiting for it.