Las Vegas, Nevada

 Las Vegas, Nevada

November 2013

There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe Las Vegas. Through out my early twenties I had envisioned the ultimate girl's weekend in Vegas full of fancy drinks and big wins at the casino. It never happened.  It wasn't until I was twenty-eight that I took my first trip to the Sin City and not with my closest gal pals, but instead my newlywed husband.  And although the fancy drinks and big wins turned into free, cheap wine and many loses, I still would say that Vegas offered me a weekend of partying and excitement that I had been yearning for back in the Midwest.  

Even outside of the booze and babes, Vegas offers what I would describe as "Disneyland" for adults.  Even if you're not a drinker or gambler, you will still be in awe over what awaits in Vegas.  Amazing architecture, street performers, eye catching art and trying food prepared by some of the top chefs in the world are only a few reasons to spend time in Vegas at some point in your life.  You would need a year to see it all and when that year was over you would need to start again because so many things would have changed.

Here are a collection of shots from our trip to beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada.

 The Chihuly ceiling at the Bellagio

Bellagio fountains at night

 

Vegas' version of Paris

 

  

Most memorable part of my trip was a Friday night on Fremont St.  

  

 Street performers are everywhere!

 

Kiss mini golf was fun to look at but not so fun to play.

 

Ceiling at The Cosmopolitan 

 

Decoration at Caesar's Palace

 

Vegas is famous for it's delicious hotel buffet dinners...bring your bib.

 

The newlyweds enjoying a ride around town.

To sum it all up, Vegas, we will be back!

Enjoy!

~Bell~

Deer Park

Deer Park

Olympic National Mountains

Port Angeles, Washington

Looking for a breathtaking view, an uphill hike and personal encounters with wildlife?  

Deer Mountain has all those things and more.  By far one of my favorite spots in the world, Deer Mountain is a small campground at 6,000 feet elevation in the Olympic National Mountains.  The best part of Deer Park is that the campground is off the beaten path and first come, first serve; therefore many people opt to go the bigger campground nearby, leaving Deer Park quiet and private.

 View from the campground.

 

Walking into the clouds.

Found the highest point in the campground.

 

 The look down.

A chance to be as high as the clouds.

 Watch your step for wildflowers below.

 Snow in July on the hike up to Blue Mountain.

  Deer are everywhere and will kindly approach your campsite, even with a dog "on guard". 

By far my favorite campground in Washington.  I hope to be back someday soon!

Enjoy!

~Bell~

Tulip Festival Mt.Vernon, WA

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Mt.Vernon, WA      April 21, 2012

 Bringing in more than a quarter of a million people from 49 states and 53 countries each year, this bright festival is a wonderful way to welcome Spring.

 Festival Information Here

Meet Ladybug

Ladybug

Meet Ladybug, also known as the head, little-big head, the bug, Bill, grunty pig, pinkerchin, the list goes on and on.  We rescued Ladybug on May 2, 2012 in Seattle, Washington.  She had just had puppies and had an erupted mammary gland that had gotten infected while at her foster home.  Prior to her foster home, we do not know much besides she lived in California and was beaten with a baseball bat.

When we first got Ladybug we were shocked to discover she was unfamiliar with many of the simple things in a dog's life, how to walk up stairs, how to climb onto the couch, even running seemed a bit foreign to her.  She was terrified of just about everything and didn't seem to come much more than two inches off the floor at any given moment.  If it were not for our other dog, Wowie, Ladybug might still be glued to the floor.  We may provide the discipline, the food, the attention, but it is Wowie that has taught Ladybug how to simply be a dog again.

It has been eight months now that Ladybug has been a part of our family.  After a summer in Seattle, we decided to spend some time in California before making the big trip and move back home to St.Louis, Missouri.  We took a risk putting Ladybug in that situation, but now that we are settled in St.Louis we know that the road trip helped her grow faster than we ever could have imagined.  She was faced with new challenges and surpassed our expectations every time.  Her and Wowie continue to entertain and awe us each day and I am thrilled to say that I am a PROUD owner of two loving and well-behaved Pit bulls.