It Was Just So Weird

So going back to homecoming for Jackson was just so weird, surreal, strange, nostalgic...

My first thought was wow how many laps did I run around this track,

how many good memories I had here. And to think it all really is a moot point.

Those experiences I had in high school were important and helped shaped who I am today

But I just remember how it was all so SO important then.

and now it really seams kinda funny how heart broken I could get or how hurt by friends, or how a lost football game was the end of the world.

I think Ill have a hard time not telling my kids oh, he/she wont matter in the long run, that heart ache, hurt feeling, lost game wont last forever.

But at that age it feels like the end of the world!!

 

It was so weird to be taking my kids back to my old stompin' grounds.

I always think about the girl I was and the girl I am now, with 2 little boys, and I think

 "I don't even know if I would recognize my old self"

 But I suppose I'm not really that different than I was,

 just seems that way when I'm put back in that spot.

I also thought about how some day Ill be sitting in the stands of some high school watching my kids make memories, make friends, break hearts, get broken hearts, fail test, learn hard lessons, and it makes me a little sad because I don't want to go through all that again.

 I think it will be harder as a mom.

But I was excited about the thought of sitting in the stands together with Ean cheering on our boys as they run (hopefully) the 4x4 and 4x8 relay! I think that will be such a full filling thing no matter what sport/event they are doing. and I cant wait to experience that with Ean.

 

Then I got to thinking about jaxie.

How is it that he can be a senior in high school!?!

where does the time go?

Then he posted this

an acceptance letter to Doane College

how in the hell can this little guy be going to college

he will forever be 11 years old to me

sorry bubbah, but these photos just aren't real

Homecoming

I didnt get around to posting about homecoming....the whole reason I went home a couple weekends ago ALONE with the kids. Which was fine cause they were actually good.

It's just a lot of work!!

We went for Jackson's senior homecoming, he was up for homecoming king!

Lily made him a sign

Jackson AKA coon man singing the national anthem

and below Dashtyn sporting the blue and gold. It's always weird being back at my old high school with my kiddos, Never would I have imagined Id have 2 boys that Id be bringing back to my old stadium.

I mean, it was just 10 short years ago that i was attending my senior homecoming!

 teaching grandpa to fist bump and blow it up!

chasen ara and lily watching jackson walk out onto the field

some family photos!

we all came out to support Jackson.

That's one of the things I love about our family, EVERYONE comes for everything!!

I remember everyone being there when I was on homecoming court :)

Jackson dresses up like this for every football game! He used to play until he hurt his back a couple times and it didnt really get better.

They call him coon man

after the game they had the dance and we went back to my mom's.

Chasen DID NOT want to go to bed until Jaxie got home.

He did not want him out dancing :)

Last Day In Vegas

so after roller coaster riding and lots of walking I went to a sports book and placed my $10 bet on Nebraska!!! and of course lost it all :( I blame Martinez....

But we had reservations at a bar called blondies and had a ton of fun cheering with 2 bachelor parties from Nebraska and some really rude Ohio State fans. We were high fiving and cheering for a touch down we made and this girl flipped me off and told me to sit the F down. Just further proves that Nebraska has some of the most well behaved, classy, nice fans in the bizz :) None of the boys in the bachelor party acted like that. And they guys she was with were worse than her.

our reservation was at 4pm and our table wasn't ready right at 4 so they gave us a free bucket of beer!!

After the bad loss I changed my clothes and we went to the fountains and then back to our hotel and listened to a band at the indigo lounge before heading to bed around 11:30 since we had to leave the hotel at 5am

chasen FREAKED when he saw this pic lol

 

 

here are some videos of fremont street

so Im sure most of you heard about my AWFUL plane/traveling experience a month or so ago when I went to Syracuse......well Im cursed.

We took off from vegas were in the air 40min and the captain comes on and says a fire extinguisher accidentally went off and we had to turn back for safety reasons there MUST be 2 working fire extinguishers..... so back to vegas we went to board another plane.

meanwhile my mom was 30min from des moines w/the boys and we were still 2hr away:(

but they played at the mall and all was well when we got there!

Fremont Street

so firday night after the dinner theater thing we went exploring on Fremont street.

we wanted to do the zip line but the line was like an hour or so long and inside a building where people were fanning themselves and you couldn't drink...so we decided no on that. 

 Fremont street was probably my favorite there were so many people and lights it was overwhelming!! Id like to go again and go in some of the bars/hotels/casinos.

Chasen about died when he saw this his eyes bugged out of his head and he said "are you kidding me?!!"

 Not sure what time we got home night 1am-ish.

Saturday morning we woke up this time Leigh woke us up! and we went to a buffet for brunch then walked the strip exploring New York New York, the Eiffel tower, MnM world, hard rock cafe and the really expensive shops like Prada etc.

paris hotel

  

 we went up to the Eiffel tower which is 1/2 the size of the real one. I wish we could have gone at night because the lights would have looked amazing!! The picture below is of the bellagio fountain, kinda cool to see how it works

we played arcade games in NY,NY then rode the roller coaster, we didn't buy the pics of us going on it but instead reenacted our expressions. Ean looked sick and I was holding my breath. It went upside down and was 3 1/2min long! tons of fun!

 after walking the strip for several hours we had to head back to the hotel so I could place a bet and change my clothes to cheer on the huskers.........

What Happens In Vegas...

You drink, walk lots, drink more, gamble, don't sleep much, and pretty much just look at people and thigs :)

We left Thursday afternoon from Des monies after dropping off the kids with my sister at McDonald's and picking up our friends the VanDee's.

One of the coolest parts of the trip happened as we were in the plane waiting to take off 2 fighter planes took off, they were so loud it shook the plane and then they flew straight up into the sky!! We also flew over the grand canyon.

We arrived around 3pm I think, dropped our stuff off in our room and started walking the strip in search of food and drink

and we stopped at Cabo Wabo and enjoyed some  beers, margs and mexican food!

Oh, and people watching and the fountain at the bellagio

after eating we went shopping at miracle mile we came around a corner and it looked like we were outside!

 below, a view from our room at bally's

 Thursday night we went to a night club called 1-oak. A girl leigh is friends with is friends with a girl who worked there so she got us in for free and free $15 mixed drinks all night.
It was a little to much for us, lots of dancing, confetti, bubbles, and a real DJ mixing beats.
This pic was taken before all the crazy "young" people showed up!

 we took some pics on the walk home around 3am or so

 we slept in a little on Friday, I was up at 8am and woke up Leigh and Tyler and we went for breakfast at a  restaurant in Paris, I think. then we looked in some shops and Leigh, Ean and I went to the pool for some great people watching...WOW!! While Tyler won $50...he later won $400 I think that was on Sat. morning though. After that we ate a quick lunch took a nap and got ready to go to Fremont Street to the D Club for a murder mystery dinner theater show.

we went past Trump towers on our way to the show



 It was an interactive murder mystery dinner theater, called Marriage can be murder

 we had a 3 course meal and drinks while people were murdered around us.

clues were given and Tyler and I were part of the show. They asked if anyone in the audience played an instrument and I was just gonna stay seated but Leigh and Tyler started pointing at me so I to stand and tell everyone what I played (oboe) so she gave me a kazoo and I had to get up on stage and play a song, then every time someone died we had to get up and play as a band....Abby and the Misfits

 they had all service men and women stand up and Tyler was picked to guard the clues that were set at the table. He was told to ware these shorts lol..

after the show we headed out to explore Fremont street

more on Vegas later....