viva las vegas(temple)!

i actually wasn't planning on going to las vegas for heather's wedding. with the BIG MOVE and the new job and packing and unpacking all happening around the same time, it just wasn't going to be feasible for us to do it all. i had contented myself that i would be able to attend her reception in kansas city the week after. about a week before her wedding date, i received an impression. i was blow drying my hair, minding my own business, and i felt like i just needed to be there. come hell or high water, i needed to go to las vegas and be at the temple for my sister's wedding. being that my husband is wonderful and understanding, he made it happen. i hopped the 6am flight to las vegas a few days later. it was surreal being by myself on a plane. what a treat! i was so keyed up that i talked the whole way to dallas to the perfect stranger sitting next to me. i was like a homeschooled kid going to public school for the first time. then i made a lifelong friend at the food court in dallas and talked her ear off too. that's what happens when the majority of your time is spent talking to children. and wiping orifices. i finally arrived in the desert and immediately felt my face crack. it's not an easy adjustment coming from the humid swamp of alabama and landing smackdab on the face of the sun in nevada.

here's the breakdown:

i enjoyed lots of time with the fam. we even took a 3 generations scarf picture with grandma bonnie, sandy and myself.

we rode around town in a miniature van and my dad fell in love. with the GPS. we girls were stuck in the back. which makes NO sense. girls are hippier than boys, yet we are forced to squish together on a van bench in the way back whilst they luxuriate in bucket seats with arm and headrests. all because they are physically unable to squish together.

since we were in vegas, we did things vegas style. el pollo loco for dinner.(not that great). my dad and grandma got cut off in the picture, lucky for them. the rest of us are looking pretty rough after a day of travel. incidentally, i could NOT get that lame katy perry, "that's what you get for waking up in vegas" song out of my head. it was almost becoming a threat. that's what i get for waking up in vegas? a cracked face? squished in a van? mediocre mexican food? is that what she's singing about? and furthermore, call me a prude, but there is a TON of almost nudity on the billboards out there. it was like flipping through a plastic surgeon's catalog. my eyes were assaulted! it was almost a relief to see the carrot top billboards. almost.

that night, heather, linz, heather's BFFFFF and i had a sleepover. linz revealed what she looks like without makeup.

we all slept in the same full size bed. a giant spoon fest. with no HEAT(HEATHER!). that's what you get for waking up in vegas. if one person moved, we all had to move. and el pollo loco didn't sit well all night. (do gas jokes ever get old for you? me neither!)

in the morning we ventured to IHOP for a pre-wedding engorgement on homefries, nutella crepes and blueberry pancakes. and greasy faces.

linz topped off the meal with a travel size edition of trivial pursuit. i didn't know they made those. (my birthday is coming up soon. )and i performed exceedingly well, natch! i was almost a perfect meal. now THAT'S what you get for waking up in vegas.

afterwards, the beautification brigade arrived. i had my beauty treatments the day before and had my self-confidence deflated at the same time. a two for one special. the lady who threaded my eyebrows treated me like the wolfman. she said, "you want the rest of your face done too? it needs it." thanks, add a few cyanide capsule while you are at it. cause that's what you get for waking up in vegas.

and we ate a lot of food at the wedding luncheon. which was only about 2 hours after i left IHOP. because that's how my stomach rolls. PUN!

i had never considered las vegas to be one of the "pretty" temples, but !WOW! ay carumba! it was amazing! with grass and everything. an oasis in the desert!

picture stolen from somewhere on the internets*

i documented the first family fight:

thank goodness for a zoom lens.

when i see pictures like this, i kick myself. because heather's dress was so beautiful and i am jealous. it is common knowledge that i didn't like my wedding dress. wedding dresses with sleeves have certainly come a long way in 8 years. i promised myself that on our 10th anniversary, i would buy myself my dream wedding dress and have a huge party. a boy/girl party. start making your reservations to visit now. only two years away!

i wish i had taken my shoes off for this picture because she is actually a little taller than me.

linz and fam. they were heather's surrogate family in college.

mark the MAN.

my aunt marie and my mom. this is what i will look like when i am a youthful grandmother.

daniel had to restrain heather from snorking down the whole cake. not really. they tastefully fed each other cake like civilized adults. it may surprise you that i do not enjoy watching people smash cake in each other faces. that's seems right up my alley, right? destruction and food? but no, it bothers me to no end. cake in the hair and messing up your professional make-up job? no gracias.

the view. casinos are rather pretty from far away.

the traditional father daughter dance. it was sort of a tear jerker.

the untraditional and somewhat uncomfortable brother/sister dance. for families like ours.

during the reception, whilst i was snorking down half the cake, i had to opportunity to chat it up with my uncle bob. everyone should have an uncle bob. bob is pretty hip. quite the edgy guy. i wish we hung out more. he could really help me turn my life around.

many of my male relatives hung out here while they were not-so-covertly checking basketball scores. i hate basketball. every one of these guys except for steve, second from left, is available. well-groomed, return missionaries, hygienically aware, college-educated single males. aged from 23 to 29. take your pick ladies. do you enjoy foosball? these are your guys.

and the highly outnumbered beck women. we are small in number, but strong in spirit. expert at listening to and cutting through bloviating and bluster.

after the reception, i never went to bed. i headed to the airport where i took the redeye back to birmingham. it was a delight. people watching has never been more enjoyable at 2am in the las vegas airport. almost as good as the billboards. i arrived at noon to my awaiting loving family. it was a great trip indeed. i spent time with relatives and still want to see them all again. the end.