Watson Wednesday

I'll admit - I'm a helicopter "parent". I'm fiercely protective of my little pup and my little pup is fiercely adventurous. Before we moved to Virginia he was used to a life of roaming free on the acres of land that surrounded our house...and while he's adjusted just fine to the leash lifestyle, he still longs to break free.

Front porch sitting...

My Mom is convinced that he can be happy relaxing in the sun on the front porch - but I know better than that. I know his spirit is wild and he wants nothing more than to get off the porch and investigate life. We tested my Mom's theory yesterday...

Creeping closer to the front of the porch - under the guise of smelling the plants.

Mere steps from the edge...

After about ten minutes - I was proven right. I'd been going back and forth, back and forth...you know, hovering - like a helicopter. Sure enough, I returned to peer our the door and he was gone! I ran out in the yard yelling his name and after FOUR calls, he came racing around from the backyard...quite pleased with himself.

In short - he's a rascal and I'm a helicopter parent. And this time I was right - he can't just sit still.

Even Though There were Airplanes, It was Still A Success

I'm back on the East coast once more and as my post would lead you to believe; I had a wonderful time with my little sister in Las Vegas, even though airplanes were involved for the to and fro. The beginnings of last week are barely worth mentioning - at work I felt like I was non-stop and both Monday and Tuesday night when I got home, I also felt non-stop.

Something tells me plenty people completely understand - and I don't even have a spouse or children to contend with (woe is me - seriously...but that's a whole different subject, moving on....). You'd think getting to have almost five hours of uninterrupted "me time" would be a thrill - but when it comes in the form of being crammed in an economy class seat with no leg room and a seatmate who is wearing strong perfume...but shared her gummi bears...well; not as much a thrill. I digress... the end was worth the means. Tenfold.

I'll try to keep this from being an utter photo dump - but that's not a promise.

It's not worth being on the west coast (sort of) without getting In - N - Out!

I arrived in Vegas shortly before 8:00 PM (PST) on Wednesday night and besides longing deeply for a bed, I was longing deeply for some supper - and I figured In - N - Out was the obvious choice. Luckily my little sis indulged my fancy and within thirty minutes of arriving in the western parts of the US, I was devouring a delicious double-double. And don't you dare judge me - I ate every bite.

I "slept in" on Thursday; at least to my body clock. I actually woke up around 5:00 AM and finally gave up the good fight and got up around 7:00 - I mean; that felt like 10:00 to my internal clock and I'm not one to waste the day! Lindsey had to go to work for the morning, so I visited the gym at her apartment (she's never been...), took a bath, watched a movie and waited for her return. 

When she came home, we loaded up in her car and headed for Red Rock Canyon to take in some nature for the afternoon. It was surprisingly not that warm this week/weekend in Las Vegas...in the desert...but we managed to pick the warmest day to explore the outdoors. I don't know, we're crazy like that. We did the thirteen mile scenic drive after perusing the visitor's center displays and I took too many pictures to count because the desert landscape was both beautiful and completely alien looking! 

Red Rock Canyon

Hugo the tortoise - one of many species that make their home in the canyon.

Goofing off on a stream of "desert air"

Sister picture with the Red Rock Canyon in the background!

Red Rock Canyon

Fun fact for you - a suburb of Las Vegas is called Summerlin. I'm not kidding. And if you're thinking that too much fun could be had of that, you'd be completely correct. Lindsey and I went to one of her favorite outdoor malls to peruse some shops and grab dinner...it was located in Summerlin. So of course; let the hilarity ensue. 

A downtown Summerlin - if you've never seen one before....

"One" Summerlin - looks just like this...

The amusement is never-ending...

On Friday I joined my little sister while she took care of some work-related business and once it was all said and done, we had dinner at Mimi's Cafe. We relaxed for the afternoon because the main event for Friday was dinner at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill and Celine Dion live at the Colosseum! We teased and twirled, stuffed and tugged, made sure we had on just the right thing and our hair looked just so before venturing (with half of Nevada, no doubt) onto the Strip for Friday night.

Our meal at Mesa Grill - I cannot recommend enough! Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill is located in Caesar's Palace; the atmosphere is very relaxed while still having an upscale feel, the service is top notch and the food...where do I even start with the food? Everything we ate was absolutely divine and delicious, from the first bite of bread they brought as a starter to the last crunch of Churro that we had for dessert. If you're ever in Vegas and looking for a place to eat - look no further! And whatever you do, be sure to get the street corn - if you don't, you've wasted the whole dining experience. 

Sixteen Spice Chicken with Pesto Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Lindsey with her Ancho-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Tamale

The BEST thing on the menu - the Mexican street corn. To die for!

Absolute joy = churros for dessert!

Excited to finish the meal with churros!

Once our bellies were good and stuffed with delicious food, we made our way across the casino floor (gag - so much cigarette smoke and pathetic people) to the Colosseum. Long...long ago when I was a wee thirteen year old, I first heard the song It's All Coming Back to Me Now by Celine Dion and that was all it took for me to be hooked. It didn't matter that I had absolutely no idea what the song was really about at the ripe old age of thirteen, I knew that it was a great song and the person singing it was incredible! Don't even get me started on how much I wore out My Heart Will Go On - on both Celine's album and my copy of the Titanic soundtrack.

Friday night was my sister's third time seeing Celine in concert since she moved to Las Vegas - less than a year ago. I felt like the fact that she agreed to go a third time was a sign that the concert would be spectacular - and I was right. I don't know that I honestly even have words...except to say, my gosh the woman can SING. Nothing about her performances have ever been tweaked or auto-tuned; that's for sure! I have never seen someone in concert that was such an all around, consummate performer and entertainer...and have I mentioned...HER VOICE? To say it was unforgettable would be an understatement. Behold some of my less than stellar cell phone pictures of the awesomeness...

Celine!

Sing it woman!

Wearing yellow (of course) to sing Beauty & the Beast

Near...Far...

A mind-blowing concert experience!

We cruised out of Las Vegas and home on Friday night discussing the awesome concert experience and I fell into bed humming...what else, Celine Dion!

I'll pause here and get back to the Vegas recap on Thursday! Just know that it includes climbing a mountain, afternoon tea, floral displays and gluttonous amounts of pastries. I know - I can't wait either!

Five on Friday

This week's edition is coming to you from the big city of Las Vegas! I hopped a plane on Wednesday afternoon, winged my way across the country and arrived just in time to see the Strip start to light up for the night.

One. Flying - Definitely not my favorite thing; to say the least. My flight from DC to Vegas wasn't so bad...but there were definitely some spots along the way where the plane hit some turbulence and I was not having it! My seat mates were nice enough and even shared some gummi bears with me, but at just over five hours...I was ready to run off that plane when it landed. And man - the landing - everything seemed fine and then when the back wheels hit the tarmac, the whole plane fishtailed. It was nuts and I was so very happy to see solid ground...and my little sister!

Two. Celine Dion - I'm seeing Celine in concert tonight at The Colosseum at Caesar's Palace! Not going to lie, I'm pretty excited! I've been listening to Celine Dion since I was about thirteen; the song It's All Coming Back to Me Now was the first Celine song that completely hooked me and of course, who can forget My Heart Will Go On? Lindsey and I will be having dinner at Mesa Grill ahead of the concert and then we'll no doubt be blown away by the awesomeness that is Celine Dion!

Three. Tea at the Mandarin Oriental - Saturday's treat; I read a review on Town and Country a few months back about the Top Ten places to have afternoon tea in the US and the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas was one of them. My sister and I love a good afternoon tea and so we decided we'd give this one a try! I can't wait to see how it fares, what delicious teas they have to offer and the tasty treats to try too! It should be wonderful!

Four. Time Change - I know this one seems out of place...but bear with me here, I've made the jump from the Eastern time zone to the Pacific time zone and it has messed with my sleeping a bit, ha-ha! I went to bed on Wednesday night at 10:15 (1:15 to this East Coast girl)...and I woke up on Thursday morning at 4:54 (7:54 in my confused mind)... I finally feel back asleep and woke up again at 7:05. Crazy! At least the bed in the guest room is super comfy! 

Five. Nationals Baseball - Another week of baseball has come and gone. I'd have to say the highlight of the week was Matt Wieters' ninth inning single that allowed for a walk off win against the Orioles. The Nationals are still hanging on to one of the best records in the MLB and I can't wait to get back to the park for another game; Star Wars Day is just a couple weeks away and I'll be in the park for that one! 

And that's all I've got for today...and not a picture one because I'm using my little sister's MacBook Air and y'all...I cannot for the life of me figure out half of it. Copy & Paste has not been my friend and so this week's edition is picture-less. Oh well. 

Watson Wednesday

I'm sharing this picture again - because right after I snapped this, he took the entire cupcake right out of my hand & inhaled it!

Lately...

I realize it has only been since Friday that I blogged...but I find myself getting so behind and bogged down with all the things I haven't posted and I like to think of this space as a place I can chronicle all my adventures, goings and comings, ups and downs...

I love my blog and I love spending time on it - but recently my work life has gotten more hectic and there are days when I think about the things I want to blog about and it feels...draining! *gasp* If there is one thing I don't want my blog to be, it's draining. I honestly really enjoy "writing"; if that's even what you'd call this? Sassy journal-ling? I don't know...but I know I like to document it all here, through the highs and lows.

All this to say - you've arrived at what amounts to a massive photo dump from the last...week and a half. Enjoy! 

Flowers abloom in Williamsburg, VA

Colonial Williamsburg

Gorgeous blooms everywhere!

Let me jump in here and say that last Sunday (April 30) we were in Colonial Williamsburg in what was; most assuredly, an insane April heatwave. It was in the mid-90's and the humidity was akin to the weather I (thought) I left behind in Mississippi. I suppose I can't complain though; I always joke the other two times I have visited Colonial Williamsburg it has been pouring rain... The only thing pouring this time was the sweat off my brow. Sorry - is that gross?

Greenery everywhere - in spite of the sweltering heat!

Gardens around every corner!

Hoping for a breeze on our carriage ride through town...it worked; sort of...

The Governor's Palace - I honestly can "see" the heat rolling out of this picture!

Town troublemakers...

All the streets in Colonial Willamsburg had directional markers with arrows...and I couldn't help but notice that the symbol for West looked a lot like the symbol for something else... I don't think it's a coincidence that the Nationals won their game against the Mets (gag) on Sunday, April 30th 23-5. I mean - come on...

Everyone in Williamsburg cheers for the Nationals - right? This means nothing else...

Little houses...all in a row...

That's a long (hot) walk across the grass...

I'd say "when can I move in"...but it's probably haunted!

I mentioned elsewhere on the blog that my little sister was in town last week and on Tuesday afternoon, my Mom, my sister and I hopped on the Metro and headed for Nationals Park to catch a game. It's likely the only game Lindsey will get to see this season; she lives a little ways away out west and so we decided to seize the opportunity for some Nationals baseball.

Riding in style...sort of...

A Murphy - Scherzer combo; talk about deadly...ha-ha!

Such a gorgeous night for baseball!

En route to the game, wearing our Nationals gear!

Unfortunately the Nationals didn't best the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night - but then again; they were coming off an absolutely walloping of the Mets...and you can't win them all! I learned where the First Aid Station at Nationals Park was when I made a visit during the 6th inning to get Ibuprofen. The crazy weather and pollen have really been doing a number on my sinuses...and that translates to headaches! I also learned that you have to sign your life away for two measly Ibuprofen. Yikes!

So - this happened & it was good. It was SO VERY good.

My epic water bottle collection in the basement "gym"...ha-ha!

The work week last week (and so far, this week...eh...) was hectic and when I got home in the evenings, all I really cared about doing was getting in my exercise, having supper and being completely lazy! I don't know why, but last week really had me dragging my feet - I'm sure the late night return from the baseball game mid-week didn't help (in the sleep department) and by the time Thursday night rolled around, all I could think about was sleeping in and relishing every second of the three day weekend!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II with my Marvel movie bestie (and his Mom). 

I am Froot milkshake - it was delicious!

Friday night skies...

Saturday...well on Saturday I was unusually lazy. I laid around on the couch and binge-watched TV all morning! I finally got myself together and went out shopping for a couple things for my upcoming trip to Vegas, but I was more than content to be back at home, wearing my comfy clothes and watching Harry Potter movies all evening with my pup. So yea - Saturday was incredibly lazy - and I kind of loved it. Plus - it rained almost the entire day and the weather dipped back into chilly territory; no one really wants to do much more than be warm and cozy in that kind of weather!

Pupcake for One!

Acting like he's a gentleman - don't be fooled, he destroyed this cupcake!

Who doesn't love a good dressing room selfie?

Sunday I was a little less lazy - I did church, I got in my exercise and even did above and beyond by vigorously walking my little beast around the neighborhood - by the time we got back to the house, I couldn't feel my face! This crazy weather! I returned some things to Target, went to the movies and picked up delicious Panera soup(s) for supper - I love to do the Pick Two option and get two cups of soup, because I just love me some soup! 

I was in the bed by 9:30 on Sunday night - because sometimes I'm an old lady and sometimes I just want to read in bed. Either way, it was lovely to be curled up warm and toasty in bed and I cannot believe it's already Monday again! Whoosh!

Five on Friday

I completely bailed on this last week - I started the post and even had three of the five points outlined and I just bailed. Oh well, these things happen I suppose. This week I'm typing this up from the comfort of my desk...at home! 

As always, I'm just sharing five things that are on my mind as the weekend starts. If you're a blogger, feel free to share your five too and link up with the ladies at Carolina Charm and Smidge of This! 

One. Apple Blossom - You've got to love a regional festival; especially when it affords you a paid day off, am I right? Every year in this neck of Northern Virginia, the town my office is located in has Apple Blossom Festival - it lasts a week and on "Apple Blossom Friday" tons of businesses have shortened hours or are closed completely! My office is one of the lucky ones that closes for the day and so I had the glorious luxury of sleeping in this morning - which was especially nice since it was also pouring rain!

My one & only experience with Apple Blossom - with my sweet Em.

Two. Guardians of the Galaxy II - Friday night plans that have been on my calendar for over a month! My friend Jennie snagged the tickets for us at the beginning of April and so I'm headed over to the Alamo for the evening to watch the Guardians save the galaxy once again. I was really surprised by how much I loved the first Guardians of the Galaxy (not sure why; I love all things Marvel) and something tells me this one will be great too! Plus - I just love going to the movies!

Three. Shopping - I will preface this by saying I'm not in desperate need of anything...but I do have a desperate want for a couple new pieces to take on my little vacation to Las Vegas next week! I'm hoping I can spend some time on Saturday perusing two of my favorite places; Loft and Old Navy, and just maybe I'll find a couple cute things to throw in my suitcase! I'm looking for light and airy, spring and summer...I mean; I am going to the desert! I'd really love to find a cute top to put with black jeans to wear to the Celine Dion concert... I'm crossing my fingers.

Four. Time Flies - I have been poking around my pictures on Facebook and it's been almost six years since my family packed it up and moved to Virginia and I purchased my first home in Mississippi. It's crazy just how much my life has changed in just six years; there have been some good times and bad and I honestly wouldn't want to re-do a lot of it, but it got me to where I am today!

May 2011 - Packing up my parent's things...

Five. Nationals Baseball - The Nats are headed to Philadelphia for the weekend and are headed there with one of the best (it may actually be THE best) records in baseball at 19-9. My Mom, little sister and I went to a game on Tuesday night and watched the Nationals take on the Diamondbacks; unfortunately our game wasn't a win, but the Nats did win the other two games against the D-Backs and so they secured a series win. The bullpen still desperately needs to get things together, but so far this season it's pretty nice to be a Nationals fan.

My goofy little sister at the game on Tuesday night!

That's all I've got for this Friday! I'm about to go finish watching Catastrophe (do y'all watch that on Amazon? It's not family friendly...but it's hilarious and I'm so glad my little sister turned me on to it) and then get ready to go to the movies! Happy Weekend!