VEGAS BABY!

Errr Vegas WITHOUT baby!  Left Blaine overnight for the first time in his life for not one night, but THREE nights. 4 days and 3 nights with Nick and without Blaine.  It had been since MARCH 2010 since I've seen mountains [UNACCEPTABLE] and this trip was long overdue.  We went hiking in Zion National Park, in Red Rock Canyon, went to an International Pumpkin Seminar in Vegas [very international this year with growers from UK, Germany, Canada, and Italy], and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the elaborate hotel / casinoes of Vegas.  Jaw dropping things for sure!  Favorites included the fountain show at the Bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage, and the gondolas at the Venetian. 

Blaine had so much fun he didn't miss us and we had so much fun we didn't miss him.  Maybe a little but not as much as one would expect!  The babysitters [grandma / grandpa / grandma / aunt] did an awesome job and Blaine had too many adventures to realize mommy and daddy were gone. THANKS BABYSITTERS!  Now planning on "Europe Minus-Baby" in 2014! ;)

TMI AHEAD: On a side-mommy-blog-note, I spent waaaay too much of the trip attached to my dumb breastpump!  I had to get that thing out of retirement for the trip.  Sure Blaine still nurses, but I had no idea I was still producing so much; I had to pump at least 4 times every 24 hours just to avoid a boob explosion. I definitely was suprised and if you had told me in July 2010 that I would need to pump on a vacation in 2012 I would have thought you had gone mad. My new goal is "weaned by 3". :)


Angel's Landing Trail in Zion.  So cool!

Ray Villafane, famous carver who has been on The Weather Channel and Food Network.  He carved this pumpkin that they saved since October!  Crazy that it kept good that long!

Red Rock Canyon, just west of Vegas: