Vegas, part 3

The WEDDING DAY!
We spent the day at the pool, lounging, catching up and generally being completely lazy... it was everything you would hope a day at the pool to be...

When we were all toasty and ready for some a/c (115 degrees the whole time we were there.. .and no. dry heat is no different than any other heat. 115 is hot, people.) we headed in and got ourselves ready for the chapel.

Before heading to the chapel, KKH and our guys decided we needed to get a cocktail at Mix... the bar at the top of THEhotel. The view was amazing... I'm sad I didn't take a picture of it!
(All of the indoor pictures are from the Bride's Stepmom unless noted.)

Ready and waiting!

Man and Maid of Honor

The bride!

Toasting the new couple!

Mr and Mrs D!

College doesn't seem that long ago when I'm with these girls! I hope that feeling lasts forever!

No Elvis appearances, no disco ball, no shenanigans. But nonetheless - everything I could have hoped for in a Vegas wedding.

After the wedding we had an amazing tapas dinner at Firefly and then we fanangled our way into Tryst at Wynn. Stay tuned!!!

Vegas, part 2

The views in Las Vegas are to die for -- on one hand you have the mountains. And on the other, the Strip. Oh, that Las Vegas strip.









Whenever I think of Vegas I think of two things. Ocean's 11 (et al.) and The MGM. It's iconic, I tell ya!



And NYNY is like a chameleon. It changes by the second!
And this doesn't even scratch the surface. I was overwhelmed by the Bellagio, totally smitten with The Tropicana, mesmerized by Ceasar's and fell in love with Mandalay (especially THEhotel... swoon!). I could go to Vegas and stay in a different one every night and be just as happy as.... a showgirl in Vegas?
  
The outsides of the hotels are theatrical and over the top. But the insides - those are just opulent... more on those later.

Sad Day

I got a car when  I was 16.

A gently used red Ford Escort.

The first place I drove it? To pick GAR up from middle school band practice. He played trumpet. It was raining. His exact words were something like, "Mom and Dad finally got you a car? Cool." Oh the insight.

I drove it up and down I-35 a million times, back and forth to College Station a million times, religiously had my oil changed. Learned where all of my vital fluids... how to change my air filter...

Friends learned that they better put their Cd's in before we left wherever we were or they would be crawling into the trunk from the back seat en route since the CD changer was stashed in it's far corners.

My friend ANT bought me a teacher's pointer to reach the key pad to her gate because I was too low (and my arms too short) to reach it from my window (it came in handy at Sonic, too).

I only got one ticket in the car. I was backed in to once and I rear-bumped (seriously. We got out to look and the girl just laughed and said her Dad would never notice so we went along our merry ways) someone once.

I loved driving it in Dallas - the spots are so small and everyone else's cars so shiny and new (or just too big) that it made my car easy to park.

I loved that whenever we were going somewhere in college no one ever (veeeeeery rarely) asked me to drive. And I thought it was funny that during recruitment week I was asked to park in the back of the house.

Whenever I was asked when I was getting a new car I liked to reference Warren Buffet and my low car payment ($0 a month!).

And now my sweet little red car is dead.

The last place I drove it? To get pizza and go to Jojo's house with Brie. It died at a stop light (of course I was first in line) about half a mile from Jojo's and 200 yards from my mechanic. Literally.

I had to get it towed (after some nice guys pushed me into a parking lot on the corner) and after it was all checked out it was pronounced DOA. My mechanic said other than the issues it looked good. Apparently metal filings in the oil will do an engine in. And he commended me on milking over 150k miles out of my 4-cylinder engine.

I'll admit it. I cried when we went to clean everything out. My little red car gave 11 good years. I'll miss it and its amazing ac.

Bye bye, Red Car. I love you!!!

Vegas, part 1

I've determined through very thorough and scientific research that attending a Vegas Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. I can now count myself among the lucky few who have been privy to the privilege.

CLD and DD invited FMG and me - along with many of our favorite college friends -  to be with them as they wed in Fabulous Las Vegas.

We started the festivities with a Bachlorette dinner at Lupo by Wolfgang Puck.

Where we caught up with friends from far and wide.

KJC, the Maid of Honor, set the tables (and the mood) with precious bling for everyone.

After dinner we had a little Lingerie Shower for the Bride and shared more memories and fun.

Funny coincidence. These two fabulous girls have the same first name (with a slight spelling difference) and for a few years shared the same last name. Now that CLF is now CLD... well. This was the last night we could call one name and get two C's to respond!

We went out to catch a cab and found out it would be less expensive to just use a limo service... Only in Vegas!!!

But no girl here ever turned down a little luxury!

We had a fun night out, enjoying the views and the view...

And then we remembered that we weren't 18 anymore. This is what I call "get low... and get stuck". Thanks, KKH for embracing our "oldness" with me.

Stinky Plant and Beautiful Butterflies

Have you ever heard of a Corpse Flower?
No? Really?

Me either.

Until Jojo called for one of those once in a lifetime, carpe diem, have a moment, moments.

(my reenactment of the conversation)
Jojo: "Lois is blooming. Do you want to go to Houston and see her?"
ARG: "Lois? Is blooming?"
Jojo: "Her blog says she's blooming. It only happens every 40-or-something years and she stinks."
ARG: "um. Yes? And Lois has a blog? You follow it?"
Jojo: "Yes. Miss Hathaway has it bookmarked and updates me."

I give you Lois:

A six foot tall Amorphophallus titanum aka Corpse Flower. Because she stinks. Bad.

Her blogger lied. She wasn't blooming. Well. She had started to bloom. But since it only happens like every billion years and there are only like 5 of these plants in the universe I can see how there might be some wiggle room around her blooming status.

Lois didn't stink while we were there. Which kind of made me sad. I wanted the full experience. Here is some info about the Loises of the world from Wikipedia.

Lois has paparazzi. No wonder she feels pressured. (Pardon Emerson's head. I wasn't about to let him miss out. Oh? You don't know Emerson? http://www.deweyandemerson.com/)

Because Lois shared space with the butterfly habitat I had to take pictures of them, too!! I didn't identify them... and I'm perfectly fine with that. :o)

GAR and CCT came with us to see Lois!

Lois (dubbed Slow-is by a witty Twitter follower) finally bloomed the other day. Here is a picture from the Houston Museum of Natural Science's Flickr stream:

If your Miss Hathaway doesn't already have it bookmarked, you can read more about Lois on her blog.

Now you can say you know about Lois. And that makes you pretty special!

Indulge me...

Sachi was being particularly cooperative - she usually does the "see-a-camera-and-give-it-my-"good"-side" routine.

and so Turco doesn't feel left out (he's ALWAYS cooperative... good kitty!):

Have a great weekend!

new fonts!

hi. my name is arg and i'm a font junkie.

my latest fix is from the new kevin and amanda "fonts for peas" line.

click here to indulge.



thanks for feeding the beast, amanda!

New Bed!

Brie quickly outgrew her tiny bed she was borrowing from the cats and I didn't want to buy a new bed for every phase of her growth. I also didn't want to spend and arm and a leg - and most big beds are SUPER expensive!

Lara told us about her friend Molly who designs and manufactures chic dog beds. The company, Molly Mutt, is obviously a "made with love" operation and we love their beds! The moment I finished stuffing her first bed ( I bought the two-fer package), Brie drug it through the living room and dining room and deposited it under the cat tree in her favorite place to lay. The second goes from the kitchen to the living room. She pulls it around to be wherever we are.

Happy dog, happy me, happy couch. :o)

If that face doesn't say "This is the life", I don't know what does!

(Don't fret feline friends, Molly also makes kitty beds in her Molly Meow line.)

Visit Molly Mutt here: http://www.mollymutt.com/

And Molly Meow here: http://www.mollymeow.com/

Lake Livin'...

The cup says it all!

I'm thankful that my favorite spot on the lake has been spared through so many floods - including the one that tormented the San Marcos/New Braunfels area early this summer.

After one failed Guadalupe toobing trip (because of torrential downpours and devastating floods), FMG and I were so happy to meet GAR, CCT, Jojo, GWR, and my grandparents (MER and RNR) for a "kids'" toobing trip and weekend on the lake.

It was nice to just sit and catch up!

This was Brie's first trip to the lake and she loved relaxing with everyone!

She was extremely interested in the boats and skiiers!

Porch to dock, dock to porch, back and forth for hours!

Until the ducks came... then it was all about the ducks. Who, quite frankly, could have cared less about the annoying canine barking at them. They had fresh bread to fish out of the water!

Look how serious she is about chasing the ducks away!

GAR is serious about feeding the ducks and is not loving the barking dog by his side.

Then we decide that it will probably wear her out (as if sprinting up the hill from the dock to the porch wouldn't do it!). So we feed them more bread in spite of the constant threat that she'll fall in (and there isn't a way to get out of the water once you get in...).

Finally she decided she's had enough and would just like a lovie and a cool place to lie down.

As dusk started to settle in, the water got calm and the dock had a cool breeze.

We got a little suprise rainbow!

I love going to the lake. Not as much as I love going ot the beach. It think its because there is more ionic action on the coast... :o) But the quiet tranquility of the lake really soothes the soul, doesn't it? :o)