Vegas, Yeah!

Oh yeah, it was my annual trip away from my 3 men! The planning for this trip starts back in October: dates, location, outings, saving money, etc. It's 5 days of fun, relaxation, and not being needed for anything, by anyone. Some people think this is selfish. Nay, nay. It's as essential as Date Night, if you ask me. If you don't invest in yourself, you have nothing to give to anyone. And no one wants to be be around some sorry, depressed, drained, grumpy housewife. I don't want to be that example for my kids. I don't want to be that partner for my husband.

Sooo, my wonderful and supportive husband took time off work to stay home with the kids (did I mention wonderful and supportive? Seriously.)while I headed to VEGAS with my two girlfriends, Lisa and Angie. We all became friends while our husbands were stationed in Alaska. Angie is now living in Virginia and Lisa is in Florida. Needless to say, we don't see each other often.

Of the mountain of clothes, accessories, toiletries, etc. that we brought, none of us remembered a camera. Brilliant, I know. So all of these pictures are via a camera phone.

This is me poolside on Day One. Notice the palm tree reflected in my sunglasses?

Sooooo relaxed.

With just a smidge of guilt in the back of my mind.

Can't ya tell?

This is the three of us that first night at The Hofbrauhaus with our giant beers. Lisa isn't much of a beer drinker, so I finished hers after downing mine. Yep. I still had a headache at 2pm the next day. Someone forgot to remind me I'm not 25 anymore. Ouch. Don't worry, I rallied. ;)This is on St. Patrick's Day at the Flogging Molly concert. We asked this guy to take a picture with us and his girlfriend was like, "It happens all the time." I looked at him and thought, Yeah this look works for one month out of the year, but then you just look silly the rest of the year. I dunno, to each his own, right?This is Lisa, me, and Angie on The Strip on our way to PURE nightclub. We had just had a day of retail therapy (read: shopping) and my most beautiful new pumps had me wishing for a chainsaw to cut off my feet below the ankles. That's how bad they hurt after walking endlessly in Vegas. Someone tells you, "Oh yeah, that place is in the hotel next door" somehow managing to forget to tell you "next door" is 400 yards away. Chainsaw, machete, safety scissors...any would have done the job. It was a hard reality check: I am not meant for this lifestyle.

But they are HOT shoes. HOT. And I will stupidly wear them again.

We ate fantastic food, saw Flogging Molly, danced, drank, shopped, went to a comedy show, laid out at the pool every day possible, stayed out until 3am (I swear, it's a time warp there) and slept in past lunch. We chatted until there was nothing left to say and laughed until we nearly cried.

It. Was. Awesome.

I am rested and refueled. For me, 5 days was enough. I was honestly ready to get back home to my men. If you are a lucky and blessed person (as I am, Thank You Lord), an added bonus to such a trip is a reminder that the grass is NOT always greener on the other side and that there's no place like Home.