Las Vegas Surprise

One of my biggest fears in life is forgetting—forgetting experiences, forgetting people I’ve met, forgetting feelings I’ve had, etc. This, you see, is one of the biggest reasons I created this blog. I want to be able to archive the memories I make, so that in my old age (or even two years down the road), I can read these posts and be reminded of how blessed I am. Several years ago I kept a blog (www.andistriparoundtheworld.blogspot.com) while I studied abroad in Austria and China. At that time, the purpose of my blog was to keep my family and friends informed of my travels, but I have found myself returning to this old blog from time to time to remind myself of the exceptional people I met and the many memories I made. So, although I don’t plan to write many retroactive posts, this one really deserves a page in the memory book!

My Mama’s Birthday Surprise

March 2012:

My dad, being the wonderful husband he is to my wonderful mother, started pondering what we should do for my mom’s 50^th birthday. After discussing the options with me and my two siblings, we all decided that a trip to Las Vegas was in order. We also decided that our entire extended family should be invited to help us celebrate and that the birthday girl (my mom) should know nothing of this trip we were about to plan. We all thought it would be nearly impossible to pull off a surprise of this magnitude, but we were up for the challenge because my amazing mom is completely deserving of a surprise like this.

March 24, 2012:

We sent a mass invite to both sides of our extended family to join us in Vegas. Holy cow….A LOT of people were officially in charge of keeping this secret for a ridiculously long amount of time (six whole months!)

April 3, 2012:

Plane tickets were purchased!

August 2012:

By chance, my mom had already requested time off of work for Thursday, September 13^th and Friday, September 14^th. Her flight, however, wasn’t returning until Monday, September 17^th.  So our solution? I (nervously) called her boss (whom I have never met), filled her in on this little surprise of ours, and she was happy to secretly tack on an extra vacation day for that Monday! Everything was falling into place and we were all so (secretly) excited!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012:

We went out for dinner in celebration of my mom’s birthday with both of my grandma’s, my uncle Mike, my siblings, and our significant others. My mom thought we were celebrating early because my grandma had a conflict on Friday (her actual birthday)—however, no such conflict existed.

After dinner, we went home for cake and presents. My dad’s present was by far the best…my mom was expecting a new storm door as this is what she had asked him for. However, tucked inside a birthday card were two boarding passes to Vegas for their flight that left the very next day! (novice blogger problem: I attempted several times to upload a video of her opening the gift but can't get it to work) Anyway, she was so surprised! And the best part? There were more surprises to come….

Thursday, September 13, 2012:

My parents (my mom still in shock) drove to the Des Moines airport and took off for Vegas. On the way, my dad pulled out another card and gave it to my mom. Inside were two tickets to “Jersey Boys” for that night’s show in Vegas.

The tricky part: My Uncle Macy, Uncle Kris, Aunt Krista, and family friends of ours, the Flickingers, were already in Vegas—and staying in the same hotel as my parents (remember, my mom still has NO IDEA that anyone else is going to Vegas). This required a significant amount of stalking on my part. Thanks to the “Latitude” app that my mom and I both have on our phones, I was able to see EXACTLY where she was (based on the GPS function of this app). I was constantly tracking my mom via this app, taking screen shots each time she changed locations, and sending them to my family that was already in Vegas…this way they could avoid any runins with my mom.


Screen shot of my mom's location. Very stalkerish, I know.

After “Jersey Boys,” my parents headed back to the hotel, had a few drinks, and headed up to their room. Not long after, my Uncle Macy (who was already at the hotel) sent a text to my dad and asked him to come down and visit the blackjack tables. So, my dad gave my mom the "I can't sleep" excuse and said he was going to the lobby to look for some sleeping pills. Instead, he searched for the blackjack table where my Uncle sat playing. Once there, my dad discovered that he and my mom walked right past my Uncle's table on the way up to their room just a few minutes before. WHEW! Talk about a close call!

Friday, September 14, 2012:

In an effort to avoid any runins with the fam, my dad gave my mom another surprise card which contained two Hoover Dam tour tickets. The tour was a half-day excursion. Whew. I could finally relax knowing that—for at least a little while—my mom would be away from the hotel (and the family that was already there) and the ultimate surprise would not be ruined. My dad, however, could not relax, because throughout the day my mom would pull out her smart phone to check the "Happy Birthdays" posted to her facebook and all the other exciting things that showed up on her newsfeed. My dad was so paranoid that one of our family members might slip up on facebook and mention how they were "headed to Vegas" or write something else that might clue her in. So, my dad expressed how he "felt ignored" while my mom was on her phone. Of course, this made my mom feel awful, so she stayed off of her phone for the remainder of the day. Problem solved. :)

Meanwhile, myself, my siblings, and all of our significant others made our way to Vegas.



Me and Trent waiting in the DSM airport.



Dave, Abby, Dane, and Jenna on the flight!

My parents were set to arrive back at the hotel around 5:00 PM. Around this same time, two additional groups were scheduled to land and arrive at the hotel. Oh. My. Gosh. I was beyond stressed. To relieve this stress, the entire clan (or at least the ones that were currently at the hotel), sat around a big table at one of the hotel's restaurants, Kahunaville, and enjoyed several alcoholic beverages. Around 7:00 PM the original plan was set to begin....

The original plan: My mom had always talked about wanting to go to Margaritaville. So, we were hoping that she would suggest going there for her birthday dinner (if she were to make the suggestion on her own, she would be less likely to suspect something might be happening there). If not, my dad had purchased a gift certificate for Margaritaville and was going to give this to her and suggest they go that night. The rest of the family would show up during their dinner and the ultimate surprise would happen there.

This original plan would have been great, except that everyone was thoroughly enjoying their drinks at Kahunaville and we were dreading our upcoming incognito walk to Margaritaville--and worried that after six months of waiting, she would spot us and it would all be ruined. So, we came up with a revised plan...

The revised plan: The fam was staying put at Kahunaville and my parents would come to us.

The first problem with this revised plan? We had to tell my dad this plan without my mom finding out. So, after several very odd, cryptic phone conversations (my uncle spitting out the revised plan while my dad discusses the weather and tablesaws), the revised plan was finally known to all (except my mom, we hoped).

The second problem with this revised plan? My mom and dad were already at Margaritaville (my mom did end up suggesting it on her own) and my mom was STARVING. So, now my dad was stuck with the difficult chore of convincing my famished mother to just have a drink at Margaritaville and head back to the hotel for dinner.

This was not an easy task. So, in an effort to make my mom feel bad for him, my quick-thinking dad said, “Gosh, I just can’t do anything right…I bought a gift certificate to Margaritaville and forgot it at the hotel. I don’t want to waste it, so I was hoping we could eat here another night.” This statement, along with my dad's earlier attempt to get her off of her cell phone, made my mom feel quite bad for my dad (who was just trying to be a good husband), and she was finally on-board to head back to the hotel for dinner.

The Ultimate Surprise:

Back at Kahunaville, I continued to stalk my mom using the Latitude app. When it looked like they were getting close, all twenty of us jumped onto the stage (that the restaurant conveniently had) and awaited her arrival. Once she walked in, we all bursted into song. My mom looked at the stage and stared right at us for several seconds before she realized what was happening--she later described this feeling as an "out of body experience;" she was confused, and thought that she was so hungry she was seeing things. Once it all registered, she ran to the stage and hugged and kissed each and every one of us while crying and smiling all at once. It was perfect.



Here we are on the stage--my mom in the middle and the surprise crew surrounding her.

And that's that. The rest of the night was spent drinking, eating, and dancing.

My Uncle Steve and Aunt Donna made the trip from Wisconsin.

 

Our family friend, Deb, Aunt Suki, and Aunt Nancy.



My dad, Uncle Macy, and Uncle Kris.



My Aunt Krista and our family friend, Susan.



We had these koozies and buttons made for everyone that came. They turned out so perfect.

The rest of the weekend was also spent eating, drinking, and dancing. Along with swimming, gambling, and site seeing. My camera was pretty well MIA for the rest of the weekend as I spent the majority of my time sitting around the blackjack tables (luckily, I went home a winner), but below are a few of the pictures I came home with.   

Me and my ma lounging around the pool.



We enjoyed dancing in the pool for a couple of hours.



My brother and his adorable girlfriend, Jenna.



In a limo on the way to another casino.

 

Walking the streets of Vegas.

All in all, the weekend was a major success. The end.

My Book of Cards

HI!



I have recently jumped on the Pinterest bandwaggon and this new obsession of mine led me to an adorable, and incredibly easy, DIY keepsake. I have a few hoarding tendancies (but not the gross TLC kind), and I can honestly say that I cannot remember ever throwing away a single one of my birthday cards, graduation cards, Christmas cards, or any other greeting card that I've received during my entire 24 years of life. This little project gave me an excuse to finally sort through a couple shoe boxes full of these cards and after the sort was complete, I created a book of birthday cards.

Let me break it down for you.... :)

Step 1: Find yourself a piece of cardboard (I used a shoebox), cut it into a rectangular shape (a little bit taller and wider than your biggest greeting cards), and decorate it however you please. Cut a second piece of cardboard (the same shape and size) to use as the back of your book.

Step 2: Use a hole-punch to make two holes in each card. This step was very stressful for me as I felt like I was ruining these precious keepsakes with each squeeze of that tiny puncher. But, remain calm! In the end, your keepsakes will be enhanced (not ruined!). Also, it is VERY important that the holes are the same distance apart on each card--I made them 4 inches apart. Note: your cardboard cover will probably be too thick for your hole-punch to handle. Instead, I used a hammer and nail to create the hole and it was easy as pie.

Step 3: Cut two pieces of ribbon (the thinner the better) and string your back cover and all of your cards through. Make sure to cut the ribbon plenty long so you can add to this book as your card collection grows.

Step 4: String your cardboard cover through last, add a button to the end of each piece of ribbon, tie the ribbon ends together to make a bow, and waLA--you're done!

I plan on making a book for each holiday--Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween, etc.--and will set them out as a coffee table decoration (someday when I have a coffee table, that is) during each holiday season.

Happy Crafting!

Number Six?

About a month and a half ago, I finished my fifth marathon. About two months ago, I swore I would never run a sixth.

Welp...

I have already changed my mind. Somehow, I have forgotten how utterly miserable I was after week fourteen of training (with another four to go), and how I had no time for anything but lacing up my worn out shoes and running the same stinking road I did the night before, and how much I hated the inconsiderate drivers who enjoyed playing such unfair games of Chicken, and how raw my poor skin would get if I failed to lather on a healthy dose of Body Glide.

The fact is, I am so bored! With no kids, no hubby, and no friends within seventy-five miles (excluding my wonderful family), my nights have recently consisted of reality TV, a large variety of unhealthy snacks, and of course, a large glass of wine and/or a delicious beer or two. And, since I cannot think of any other (productive) hobby (staring at pinterest for hours on end does not count as productive) to occupy my time, I am reverting back to the--Lord, have mercy--marathon training.

So the search begins....which one should I run next?! I found this AMAZING website which lists tons of marathons all around the world and it allows you to filter by country, state, month, etc. Check this sucker out:

http://marathons.ahotu.com/calendar/marathon/usa

I haven't narrowed it down yet, but I am quite sure my lazy days are limited.

Vampire Season

I am currently stuck in the middle of my second Vampire Season. No, this season has nothing to do with the new Twilight movie that just came out or whatever vampire series is on TV these days.

Let me explain...

I work in an office where I am allowed to work 10 hour shifts (and only 4 days a week). Monday through Thursday I start work at 7 AM and end at 6 PM. Here in the Midwest, between the months of September and February, the sun doesn't rise until after 7, and it sets sometime during the 5 o'clock hour. So, basically, it’s dark when I get to work and it’s dark when I leave. 

In addition, the nature of my job requires me to be setup in some make-shift offices--tucked under a stairwell somewhere or perhaps in some tiny, 5x5 foot janitor's closet with a step-stool for a chair and a three-legged table (if I'm lucky) for a desk. I'm not sure how many of you have stepped foot in a janitor's closet or spent any time underneath stairwells, but it's not likely that one would find a window in such a place. Not likely at all. In fact, the two places that I spend the majority of my work life in are two of the nicest "offices" that I have worked in, and they don't even have windows. The point of all this, you see, is that during the eight or so hours of daylight that we get every day, I see none of it. Thus, the Vampire Season.

Today, however, I had an 11:30 AM doctor appointment. So luckily, I enjoyed a few minutes (I made sure to walk extra slow to and from my car) of the beautiful sunshine today.

This nocturnal girl is about ready to head back into the darkness. Hehe :) Goodnight!

MY PERFECT THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving break is over and now I am back at work, sitting at my desk, and daydreaming about how perfect my weekend was.

Perfection Reason 1:
Thanksgiving was held at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Hampton, IA. All four of my Aunt and Uncle's kids (my cousins) were there, and all four of them have BABIES.  To be exact, two 7 months olds, two almost 2 year olds, one almost 3 year old, and a 4 year old were in attendance. I was in heaven. Just look at this little guy...



I love him so stinkin much.

Basically, I spent the entire day with either a baby or some sort of food in my hands. I don't think it could have been any better.

Perfection Reason 2:
90% of my Christmas shopping was started and finished this weekend. My mom, aunt, cousin, and I started shopping at 9 PM on Thursday night and didn't return home until 4:30 AM on Black Friday morning. Woah.
Then, I spent the entire day on Saturday and an hour or so on Sunday shopping. Double woah.

Perfection Reason 3:
This one wasn't realized until this morning....

After spending the ENTIRE weekend constantly eating, drinking beer and wine, and not working out at all (aside from carrying all my shopping bags around--which my biceps are still sore from), I only gained one pound! ...which on the down side, is more justification for skipping my workouts this week :/

Alright. Lunch break is over. Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

Hello Blogging World!

This is my first. ever. post.

I have spent the last two hours trying to figure out how to select background colors, design my layout, and think of a name for my blog. The latter of the three was by far the most challenging. I have been reading many blogs as of late, and all of them have such cute little names that describe their wonderful marriage or the joys of motherhood. I cannot base the title of my blog on either of those things because I (unfortunately?) have not yet experienced either of the two.

Nonetheless, I chose "The Narrative" as I believe this blog will be just that--a narrative of my everyday experiences and thoughts (or at least the filtered ones)--that I choose to share with whoever visits my corner of the net.

So welcome, dear reader, and please be patient with me as I learn the ins and outs of the blogging world.

<3