Christmas Break/Holiday/Vacation 2013

by karen | Jan 13, 2014 | Non-Fitness

This past Christmas, my family took our 1st ever Christmas Vacation (going to Grandma’s doesn’t count). So where did we go…VEGAS! While yes, 5 days was a LONG time in Vegas we had a good time. We stayed in New York New York and walked EVERYWHERE…which was fun!

Tuesday, Dec. 18th – I drove to Houston and met the family at at hotel close to the airport. Our flight was leaving at 7am on Wednesday so we decided to stay there and not have to get up quite as early.

DAY 1: 7am flight  out of Houston (PS Spirit airlines has a 40# limit on bags, so needless to say we had to purchase an extra bag to unload some stuff from most everyone’s suitcase so we could make weight. This meant NO shopping while in Vegas) which meant an EARLY check in to our hotel (New York New York) breakfast in Vegas (Aria Buffet…OMG, yum!) followed by LOTS of walking around, margaritas at Margaritaville (duh), dinner at a fun Irish Pub AND drinks at Minus 5 a fun bar that is in a room where EVERYTHING was ice…including your drink cups! Then it was back to the hotel…2hrs difference really wears on you when you start your day with a 3:45am alarm clock!

DAY 2: We woke up “early” this morning, took a cab/taxi to the rental car place so we could rent a car and drive to Hoover Damn and the Grand Canyon. Man were each of these breath taking and very beautiful! It was also really cold. In fact, we got caught in snow on the way home. Returned the rental car and took a taxi/cab back to our hotel. We got home late this day, ate diner and went to bed!

DAY 3: Of course mom and I wake up and headed to Crossfit Las Vegas for a workout which was much needed after sitting in a car for a bazillion hours the day prior. There was lots of walking around this day before we went to see Zarkana in the Aria…CRAZY what those people can do. Makes me want to go do yoga!

DAY 4: It began with Open Gym at Crossfit Las Vegas for Mom and me, next was some site seeing and shopping before we took a bus down to Freemont Street…aka where Vegas 1st started. It was WAY different than where we were 1st staying, but it was good to see how  far “Vegas” has come.

DAY 5: This was our last day in Vegas and I had somethings on my list I had not yet accomplished. After a great night’s sleep, mom and I got up and went looking around (bags were to heavy to “shop”). I finally got to go to the 4 story M&M store where I purchased 2ish handfuls of 3 different kinds of M&Ms…but they didn’t last long after that. Dad had gone walking that morning and discovered some fun things in the Cosmopolitan Hotel and wanted to show us. After that I made everyone…minus mom…ride the rollarcoaster that was ATTACHED to our hotel and it was awesome! We showered and got ready to go see Zumanity (aka the naked show) that night, which was cool because it was in our hotel!

HOME! Our flight got pushed back to later in the evening so mom and I caught one last workout at CF LV before packing up and headed home. Once arrived in Houston it was back to the hotel to get our cars and then DRIVE to BMT. We arrived in BMT after midnight…which for me is LATE!

All in all Vegas was a lot of fun even for my family who are not really into gambling, shopping or heavy drinking. We would play a computer version of Black Jack at night which was fun. I wasted a whole $20 all 5 days which was fine for me, but I can see how it can create a very dark hole for people without control of their life.

Christmas Eve: Christmas Eve was the next day and in true Pierce fashion, we still had some shopping to do. I knocked mine out before headed to Crossfit Beaumont’s Open Gym. I slept that afternoon before we headed to Christmas Eve service at Wesley UMC and then our tradition of Waffle House. We opened a few gifts that night and saved stockings for the next day.

Christmas Day: No lie I didn’t wake up till after 11am on this day…think I needed some sleep? After stockings (I’m WAY to spoiled), a mimosa or 2, sweet potato casserole, I took a much needed nap and spent the rest of the day relaxing, reading and eating.

Dec. 26th ATX BOUND! I left BMT at 7am on the 26th with my dad in tow. He wanted to secure my deck/patio’s roof. I came home to a FROZEN AC which means my AC got turned on some how while I was gone (even though my nest said I was away). Long story short, Daddy braced the roof in no time and then spent the next few hours working on this AC unit. However I think I’m going to have to call someone…any recommendations.

Sadly shortly after returning to ATX, Bubba Kitty Cat passed away at the age of 18 years old. He was a grand old kitty that will be missed.

Christmas was a wonderful time with the family I was happy to be back and see my ATX family and then welcome the new year by hosting an AWESOME party with AWESOME people! 2013 and I didn’t end on the best of terms so I’m looking forward to what 2014 has to offer!