Viva Las Vegas

Jill's Journal: We have been having such fun wandering the Strip and meandering through the themed mega-hotels/casinos. We even took an organized double-decker bus tour of both old and new Las Vegas, which the girls really enjoyed and so did Rob and I. It was great to be reminded of so many of the old casino hotels that no longer exist (Stardust, Dunes, Desert Inn, and so many more), while seeing some of the mob spots (seriously, how many bodies must be buried out there in the desert?) and reminisce about past visits (anyone remember the water park that used to be on the Strip?).

Supposedly, as per the tour guide, if you wait 10 years or so between trips to Vegas, you won’t recognize the place because it changes so often. How true that is. Rob and I used to come here a lot, way back when. While he’s been back multiple times for everything from bachelor parties to poker tournaments, I haven’t been here since a decade ago with my Dad and sister. How it has changed. Mega-hotels I remember have been imploded and replaced by luxurious properties like the Wynn. Properties that have remained, like Caesars Palace, have completely reinvented themselves with new towers and a new entrance and are almost unrecognizable from the original. Even little things struck me; for instance, there’s no longer a “Nile River” cruise at Luxor.

The fun thing is that it’s all new to the girls and we have gotten a kick out of them taking in all the supersized glitz and spectacle that is Vegas. And while, yes, Las Vegas is really an adult playground and not so much for kids, it’s a heck of a lot easier to be here with little ones than it is to be in Atlantic City, where you’re barely even allowed to check into your hotel if you have a child in tow (we learned the very hard way several years ago that AC has got to be the least-child-friendly place in the whole U.S.).

I don’t even know how to explain to the kids about this make-believe, over-the-top, surreal, glittery city with pretend pyramids and volcanoes and pirate ships…so I just tell them we can’t take anything seriously in Vegas. There really is no rational explanation for anything here, but it sure is fun to see. Viva Las Vegas!

There’s an Elvis (or two) on seemingly every corner.

The MGM Grand lion is the largest bronze statue in the U.S. at 45 feet tall and 50 tons.

The girls, in their love of Ancient Egypt, thought the faux sphinx and pyramid at Luxor were ah-ma-zing.

I get a kick out of all the wedding chapels. Vegas is the “Marriage Capital of the World” while Reno is the “Divorce Capital of the World.” Oh, Nevada.

Drive-thru weddings…only in Vegas (surely only in Vegas?). There was a couple tying the knot at the drive-up window at this place!

There’s something about this random building in the Arts District that is really cool.

The Stratosphere is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the U.S. at 1,149 feet.

There’s almost as many pawn shops in Vegas as there are Elvis impersonators. This is the one featured on the reality show “Pawn Stars.” Look at that line of people waiting to get inside (in 110 degree heat, no less!).

The canopy-covered four blocks of the Fremont Street Experience is classic old-school Las Vegas. Situated downtown, quite a ways from the Strip, this is what Vegas used to be. Once known as the Glitter Gulch because of all the neon signs, this was the site of first paved street in Vegas, the first hotel, the first gaming license, the first casino designed from the ground up, the first high-rise, the first telephone, etc. Now it’s part pedestrian mall and part old-style casino fun. And yes, those are zipliners! Up to four are whizzing by every couple of minutes.

The Golden Gate was the first hotel in Vegas. Built in 1906 as Hotel Nevada, this is sort of where it all began.

A million dollars on display at Binion’s, where the World Series of Poker began in 1970. Although no longer held at Binion’s, the WSOP’s Main Event has come to be the most coveted prize in poker. Rob and Gary, the guy from Lexington whom I jokingly call Rob’s poker BFF, have attended as spectators two of the last three years. This year, Gary is living his dream and coughed up the $10,000 entry fee to actually play in the Main Event. Rob is here as support and the two have been preparing since Gary arrived yesterday. Play starts tomorrow. Go Gary!

Grandparents are the Best

Jill's Journal: We’ve had so much fun being with my parents during our time in Tehachapi and have gotten a million things done, including steam cleaning our carpets, defrosting our fridge and freezer, and all those satisfying things that take a ton of time and effort but can be hard to find room in the day to do.

But if Rob and I have enjoyed being here, it doesn’t compare to the happiness it’s given the girls as they’ve pretended to be farm girls and soaked up time with their grandparents.

A ride with Grandpa…

“Farm” chores for Grandpa…

Photo by Beppy

And more work for Grandpa. These girls are trying to earn money for some big purchases they have planned and caught on pretty quickly Grandpa pays more generously than anyone else when it’s his granddaughters. Boy, oh boy, has he been popular as they’ve clamored for their turn to “work” for him!

Photo by Beppy

The girls have had an equally wonderful time with Beppy indoors. Just look at this fruit salad Beppy and Erika made for dinner one night. Isn’t it the cutest thing?

Ahhhh, grandparents. There’s not much better than grandparents.

Fallbrook Memories

Jill's Journal: About 50 miles north of San Diego is the sleepy little town of Fallbrook, which just so happens to be where Rob and I got married 15 years ago. We thought it would be fun for the girls to see it for themselves.

To the left of the girls, in the far background, is the pond and gazebo where we officially tied the knot.

Our reception was held inside this adjoining mansion.

The girls were very intrigued and wanted to see pictures of the actual day, so for fun, I’ll share a few here too. Oh, memories!

This has always been one of my favorite photos. My parents are on the left; Rob’s are on the right. I absolutely love this picture! Sadly, Rob’s Dad passed away two years later.

These leggy ladies, from left to right, are Rob’s sister Wendi (now in Kentucky), Bridget (now in Arizona), Jennifer (now in Texas), and my sister Kristi (still in, or actually, returned to California).

Not to be outdone, but sporting slightly hairier legs, are my baby brother Adam (who was truly a baby at only 15!) and Rob’s longtime friend Pat, whom we recently got to see.

I will forever love my friend Elizabeth for capturing this shot of all our surviving grandparents at the time. Those are my Dad’s parents on the left, my Mom’s mother in the middle of the three ladies, and Rob’s maternal grandma (Great Grandma Lili) on the right. My two grandmas have since passed away, but I’m so thankful our girls have gotten the chance to know my Grandpa and Rob’s Grandma on this RV journey.

Last Days in Hemet

Jill's Journal: Our girls sitting in one of my high school classrooms (W-2, for other fellow former students). I don’t think the desks have changed since I was there! How surreal to see it again.

Our last days in Hemet were so sweet. In fact (I can’t believe I’m about to say this as I couldn’t wait to get out of the town when I was a teenager), the time went too quickly. We came into Hemet with a list of nine people I very much wanted to spend time with and we literally ran out of time. We never had a chance to see two of those nine people at all, including a cousin. But, on the bright side, we really got quality and quantity time with the others. I’m so thankful for that.

We’ve gotten spoiled by wonderful time with my brother over the last month+. First in Yorba Linda and then in Hemet, Adam, Rob, and I have spent many an evening laughing and just hanging out after the girls were in bed. What a gift. The girls have gotten their share of Uncle Adam time during daylight hours too, although they would argue it wasn’t enough. I have to agree – I’m so thankful for Adam and am going to miss him so much. What a blessing to have not one, but two, fantastic siblings whom I absolutely love spending time with.

The girls and I got to spend one last day with Tammy, beloved Tammy. We met for a tour of the school and lunch…and when I first glanced at the clock, I couldn’t believe six hours had already passed. What a blessing to have such a lovely friend where time slips away so effortlessly…I’m thankful for Tammy too and I’m going to miss her also. There is something so special about old friends.

Then there was another entire day with Betty Ann, my early career mentor and self-proclaimed “big sister.” This is a darling, special lady who considers us family. First just she and I met for a long lunch to catch up uninterrupted and then she gathered troops together for a party at her house. She surprised me with people who I hadn’t seen in 20+ years and even produced kids for our girls to play with! Saying goodbye to Betty Ann (and Tammy and Adam) was hard.

I never dreamed our time in Hemet would be so delightful, truly. We are blessed.

Childhood Friends Revisited

Jill's Journal: When I was a kid, I wanted a big brother sooooo bad. I never had one of those, but these two guys were pretty able substitutes. Humorously, I didn’t even know they were good friends themselves until recently.

Viddle – or Mike, if you prefer to be more formal -- and I go way, way back. We went to the same tiny school and the same even-tinier church and we both have so many memories that each other are in. School functions, church functions, common friends…we’ve probably spent hundreds – no, thousands – of hours together over the last 30 years. Last time we saw each other was 17 or 18 years ago in Phoenix. I love this guy and his wonderful wife Toni, whom I would like to be my BFF if we lived in Hemet!

Another 30-plus-year-long friend is Gary. We were friends as kids and ran in some of the same circles as teenagers and young adults. Oh, the adventures and fun we’ve had! We haven’t seen each other in 20 years, but it was so easy to pick up right where we left off. Like Viddle, he is just a super, super guy. Congratulations are in order as he just got engaged over the weekend. His fiancé, Kim, is a sweetheart.

After some great time with each Viddle and Gary over the past few days, the guys hunkered down in Viddle’s man cave yesterday…

…while the gals bonded…

…and the kids did too. From left to right is Victoria, Erika, Aidan (Gary & Kim), Joey (Viddle & Toni), Madelyn, and Nick (Viddle & Toni). Not shown is a super-cute 10-month-old, Jordan (Gary & Kim), although I think he would have loved the brownies too.

Unfortunately, our girls now desperately want guinea pigs (as if there weren’t enough other animals they’d like already). Gee thanks, Viddle. We’ll send you the bill.

Another dear, dear friend we snuck in some time with was Tammy. Again, we go back over 30 years. My first-ever slumber party was at her house…she and I went to New York together for two weeks with her family at age 16…we were roommates during our senior class trip to Hawaii…the adventures we’ve had, the secrets we’ve shared…we've just always been a part of each others' childhoods and lives! Last time we saw each other was in 2004, so much more recently than Viddle and Gary, but it was just as sweet to see her again. We’ve got more time planned for later in the week and I can’t wait.

Tammy and David have been together since they were 15 or 16 and he’s like family too. That’s their sweet little daughter, Skylar…

…who my girls would like to have move in with us.

And finally, we’ve gotten more precious time with the girls’ Uncle Adam, including an unprecedented lunch of ice cream. These girls are thinking Hemet is a very wonderful place, indeed.

The Old ‘Hood…sort of

Jill's Journal: It’s been so fun to be back in the old ‘hood. Well, sort of. I didn’t grow up here, but I did live and work in this area 20 years ago. My Mom, on the other hand, did grow up just west of here in the Artesia area, which is officially part of Los Angeles County. My now-deceased grandparents and a few other family members remained in the area, so I can’t even guess how many days/weeks/months I spent in the general vicinity as a child/teenager/young adult. It’s been wonderful to revisit so many memories, as well as many of the physical places, and share them with the girls, just as we did with Rob’s family’s area on the other side of L.A.

Other than memories, another of the biggest benefits to being here in Yorba Linda has been its proximity to my brother, who lives about 75 miles away in our hometown of Hemet. In the past two weeks, he’s passed through this area a few times and three or four of those times he’s stopped and just hung out with us. We’ve loved it and so have the girls. I’m not sure if Uncle Adam is reading Madelyn a bedtime story or if she’s reading him one in the picture above, but he’s awfully good with his nieces and we appreciate that so much. (His nieces, by the way, think he can practically walk on water. Oh my, do they adore him.)

April

Jill's Journal: Me and April, Paris, March 1993

I think once you travel with someone, especially internationally, you’re either friends for life or you never want to speak to that person again. Happily, with April, it’s the former and not the latter! We were both top producers at a company we worked for many moons ago right here in Orange County’s Anaheim Hills, and we were both rewarded with a very memorable trip to France. Spoiled with luxury, we were treated to some of the best of Paris, including the equivalent of a state dinner and a picnic with a real, live prince. Ahhhh, Paris…but I digress.

April and I have seen each other several times over the years, including multiple times in Kentucky, where, oddly enough, her grandparents lived. She was kind enough to have me and the girls over to play at her home in Foothill Ranch this week and we had a ball. I know this is off-topic, but I just love her hair. She asked how I dealt without a regular stylist on the road and I just had to laugh. I told her this is my “casual time in life”…no make-up and hair thrown into a ponytail because I haven’t had a truly good haircut in two years. It just suits the lifestyle and that’s okay. I’ll take the trade-off!

The little one on the left is April’s adorable daughter, Cat. She and my girls played together in Lexington a few years ago, but none of them remember it. No matter, because they were all fast friends all over again.

After spending the day before with boy playmates, the girls switched gears completely as Cat generously shared her princess dress-up clothes with them. Look at those smiles! These were some happy, happy little ladies. The grown-ups were happy too -- what a huge treat it was to see April again.

Katie

Jill's Journal: See these adorable little babies? This was them in July of 2004…

…and here they are today. What’s truly amazing is that Benjamin and Erika were born on the EXACT same day, making my dear friend, Katie, and I first-time mothers on the exact same day. What are the odds?

And how neat to see the birthday buddies playing together so nicely!

Little siblings did just fine together also.

Here I am with Katie, so many years after we first met. We first bonded over softball and boys in high school and after she pulled out a photo album during our visit at her home in Trabuco Canyon, I’m convinced that we must have spent nearly every waking moment together in the year immediately after high school. We packed a lot in and always, always had fun. I love that no matter how long between visits or emails, we always catch up right where we left off. She is a warm, wonderful person and I suspect she hasn’t met too many strangers in her life.

Here’s a happy group! We snapped nine pictures on the self-timer and this is the only one where we’re all looking at the camera. Maybe one out of nine isn’t bad when there are five little people involved…sadly, on more than one of the pictures, it was me or Katie not cooperating!

I like this shot even better. Catching up with old friends and seeing our kids play together is one of the great joys of this trip.