Las Vegas, Friday--Day 4 (My 30th Birthday)

So, as I said, we stayed up late celebrating the first two hours of my 30th year. Then we slept for a bit...we had our alarm set because with it being our last day, we needed to not sleep all day. Just minutes before our scheduled alarm I actually got a birthday call, but I got confused and wasn't sure if it was the alarm (which we set on the phone) or the phone ringing...so I hit "ignore". But thank you for my call, Jessica!

Once reality set in a little more we got up and ready and went to our buffet once again, we tried to give away our coupons to others in line but hardly anyone was without one! A woman saw us with them and ran up to snatch ours...only because she didn't want to go back to her room to get hers. Guess they're pretty common. Oh well. We really did like that delicious and filling buffet. We sure saved money on food this trip 2 for 1 breakfasts that kept us full till dinner? Score. So we had to take a picture to commemorate. Notice how Jason is holding a spoon so we know where we are or something:


We went over to buy souvenirs after that so we could pack them in our bag. And we stopped in MGM to cash out a ticket J still had. We wandered over to Rainforest Cafe only because Easton talks about it allllll the time. We took a couple of pictures just for Easton to see later, but I'm sharing them with y'all anyway:




And this one with the camera phone:

We knew he'd recognize the talking tree so we sent that to Lauren's phone...but she wasn't with the boys anymore. So they never saw it.

This one was for Easton too...us in front of the hotel he had seen:


And Jason barely had time to catch this one of me being the Statue of Liberty before the escalator ended:


After that we went back to our room to pack and check out by noon (we asked for a later check-out). I also got to open a birthday present from my wonderful friend, Jessica. I packed it in our suitcase (annoying Jason slightly) but I knew that was going to be the only thing that would make it feel like my birthday on my birthday. Know what I mean? So I was glad I packed it...and thank you so much again, Jessica!

Our flight wasn't until later in the afternoon so we left our bags with the bell hops again. I was determined to see a Bellagio fountain show that we'd somehow missed the whole time we'd been there thus far. We also wanted to go up the replica Eiffel tower. On our way we took this silly pic:


Luckily, just outside Paris we found this woman to pose with:

And then she gave us a BOGO for going up in the tower IF you joined their players club. Which I did, because it was free, and we got a free backpack to boot! At that point we were free to buy our passes to the top of the tower.

Jason surprised me with this as I attempted another self portrait while we waited for the elevator:

I know it's blurry, but it was so spontaneous (to me) and special. I like it.

The ride to the top made me uneasy. I don't love heights and you can see out as you ride up. But once we got up to the top I was mostly okay, and see my new backpack too?




I was bummed we couldn't time our trip to the top for just an hour later when the Bellagio fountain shows started. I mean, look at the view we would've had:


But, we were planning to leave for the airport immediately after the show and therefore didn't want to risk being up in the top of the tower with others with the same idea of seeing the show from there. So, instead we went inside Bellagio for a bit to pass the time till 3 when the first show starts. We hunted for more souvenirs and played more video blackjack and sipped "free" drinks. About ten till 3 we headed outside...and the show had already started!!!



What the heck? We watched the fountains finish dancing to Frank Sinatra's "Luck Be a Lady" and then the voice announced the next show would be "at the top of the hour"...in just a few minutes! Woo hoo! Jason wanted to leave (I'm certain) but said it was up to me if we wanted to watch. So we went to the front of the hotel for the more "traditional" view and it started with Whitney Houston's 1991 Superbowl rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" and I thought we were done, but nooooo...there was more and the fountains launched immediately into Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's "Time to Say Goodbye" which I found so fitting for our last act in Vegas. And I love the song. Just beautiful. Even standing there in the 100+ weather in the shade I know I somehow still got goose bumps.


And then we were done. We stopped at the bus stop for The Deuce and there was a dude there selling bottles of water that just had Jason rolling with laughter. You won't find them funny because you weren't there to hear him, but for our own record, he was saying things like, "Ice cold water. One dollar! Half the people here are already refreshed...because of me. Arrowhead!" It was funny. To us anyway.

So we rode the short ride to our stop, got our bags, and caught a cab to the airport. The line for Southwest was insane. Again for our own record because it was a first (and hopefully last) Jason actually got into a brief "exchange of words" with a fellow traveler. Eek! Finally we got through security and the long walk to our gate and wouldn't you know it...our flight was delayed 50 minutes according to the monitor.

Super!

Jason wandered around awhile while I parked myself in a seat with our stuff. After awhile Jason showed up...he'd stopped for pizza. Due to a misunderstanding about me not being hungry he showed up empty handed. Then turned right back around to come back with my birthday dinner:


The closest thing I had to birthday cake was the $3.50 bag of peanut M&Ms we bought in the airport that I downed on the plane. Once it finally left over an hour and a half after it was supposed to.

I felt horrible for my mom. The boys didn't think we were going to be back till the morning anyway so it's not like they were waiting up or had to go to bed without seeing us...but my mom was planning to drive home still that night. And we didn't arrive in our house till after 11.

But when I arrived I was greeted with more things that helped make it feel like my birthday again:

Easton's art project, my new Wonder Woman Pez, my chocolate flower, my two Russell Stovers samples, and some purple flowers in pots that had drawings Easton had colored a little bit on. Perfect! I guess I wasn't supposed to disturb it at all because Easton knew exactly how it was set and was going to rush to show me when he woke up in the morning. Cutie.

I also found this beautiful arrangement sent by my sister Jessica. Thanks, Sissy!

During all my time waiting at the airport I got to chat with her a bit which was nice.

I also got to dig into a pile of mail, some of which was birthday cards from loved ones. The one from The Alabamaws was particularly touching. And I loved the gift they sent: accessories for my new Blackberry! Thanks you two! Very much!



After all that, my birthday was literally over...it was after midnight when we went to sleep.

Good to be home though! Good to be home!