Merry Christmas!

Greetings to everyone, We hope all are well! We would like to wish each one of you a very merry Christmas and give you our best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.

For us, today is celebrated like no other Christmas we can remember. So far away from all of our friends, family and everything familiar we reflect back and share stories of Christmas passed. We wish you weren’t miles and miles away, but you should know that you’ll be here in our hearts for the holidays…..and all through the coming year!

The month was a busy one for all! Preparing for the holiday in a city such as this is quite an "event". Personally, I’ve never had such a hard time staying focused before now! I’ll blame it on the newness of everything and the excitement that surrounds us here!
Shopping malls….oh my! There are so many! In fact, they don’t feel crowded in the sense that we’ve experienced in other places. We’ve decided that this may be because there are so many! Shopping was easy and actually relaxing in a way. There was lots of time left to actually gawk at the decorations! As I’ve mentioned before – there is a theme for every hotel, mall, etc… The creativity is amazing! Christmas is no exception!

Robert is experiencing some positive changes in his job this month. They have a new manager – a woman! She has put forth some organization that the company has needed. Along with this change, his hard work was recognized with a promotion and a raise! The company is definitely taking care of their employees! Robert is very happy with his job and it shows! Congratulations Honey!

My other "man" received a promotion as well this month! Randall is still employed with Allied Barton Securities and was given his own property! He looks after the business of Qualcomm. This company develops and delivers digital wireless communications products and services based on its CDMA digital technology (I copied that from the internet!) Anyway, along with his full-time status he was also given a raise! He has chosen to work the graveyard shifts…..much to mama’s dislike! (Scary stuff having your little boy out all night!) (Ok….so he’s 20 and not a LITTLE boy any longer!) He is such a night owl though – so this works out wonderful for him! Great job, Randall!!

Me – I think I’ve finally adjusted to being in a two-story home. Having spent the last 6 months running up and down the stairs and then forgetting why I did so are becoming far and few between! Great workout but I’d rather spend my time doing
something a lot more fun. The bird toy business is doing fine and I actually feel somewhat caught-up after the move. The birds enjoy the fact that I’m still working at home but are still somewhat perplexed as to why I disappear upstairs during the day. In fact, they’ve let me know that they don’t appreciate it by asking me "what’s yur name?" when I reappear. (We’ve kept the upstairs a secret from them as it is carpeted throughout!).

Away from Byrdbell Company, I’ve met a couple of new friends! With their help, I’ve enjoyed having a social life again!
An invitation has come about to join a group called The Silver State Ghost Group. The group tours old haunts in the surrounding area. It sounds like fun but I’m hesitant……as I’ve been reminded by my guys that I have a very active imagination as it is! We’ll see how that goes.
I did find a nice Beading group that meets once a week. The jewelry that they produce is amazing! Perhaps this is more my line of enjoyment. Time will tell.

We’re having a stay-at-home Christmas. I’ve been baking for the past three days so the kitchen is full of goodies! The guys insisted that that part not change and had their orders in before Thanksgiving! Both also submitted their lists for goodie exchanges at work.
I miss the sharing that we had in Beaverton! While I love to bake, it was always nice to sample the labors of love from others!
After looking over the requested menu and inserting MY favorites – the three of us will be eating Christmas dinner for a week! Should any of you be in the area – please don’t hesitate to stop by! There will be plenty of food and we’d love the company!

Oh – I can’t write a blog without mentioning the weather! We are finally experiencing what Las Vegas feels like in the winter! Sunny…yes! But the temps are now in the low 30’s at night! It does warm up to about 50 during the day so we can thaw out! No rain so far – although a cloud does drift by every once in awhile. I’ve actually caught myself looking up and wondering if that one passed over all of you in the Northwest!

We hope to hear from you when you have the time! Merry Christmas Everybody!
Love,
Robert, Crystal, Randall, Bindy, and the Flock.

Birthday, Pahrump, and Some Daily Doodles!

Hello Again!

Amazing - it REALLY is November already!! The three of us are adjusting nicely to everything here, except the whole holiday thing! We'd grown quite accustomed to SEASONS over the years and we sure don't seem to have that here! We are still experiencing sunshine and 75 - 80 degrees! We can't complain but I can tell you right now - our Christmas tree will be a palm with pink flamingos this year and Santa will be dressed for the beach!!! The snowmen will just have to stay in their boxes until another time.

Robert and took a drive last week....actually our first "long distance" drive since arriving in Las Vegas. We visited a small town called Pahrump. It is located about 60 miles west of Las Vegas. The name comes from the Southern Paiutes' language: pah means water and rimpi means rock. Flowing water emerging from rock. The population of the 20-mile long valley is 30,000. They host the only winery in Nevada.....the Pahrump Valley Vineyards. According to the Chamber - Pahrump is the nation's driest region, yet it sits over the third largest aquifer in North America.

While the Chamber doesn't mention this - the first thing we noticed when entering the city limits was the brothels! Sheesh.....huge billboards dot the street all the way through the town! Should you plan a visit - I'd suggest leaving the youngsters at home!

The drive was spectacular though! Huge mountains hug the pass most of the way there. The photo below was snapped from our truck window.

Today is Roberts 57th birthday! We are saving the "celebration" for next week when he gets a day off......yes, I said A DAY. If anyone wants to send him a greeting - his email address is byrdbellnv@embarqmail.com I'm sure he'd be pleasantly surprised!

Randall hasn't been home much with his new job and NEWER car! Not to mention the social life he has created! He's always off and running.......or as he put it this morning - skating! Apparently, with some new friends - he tried out the skating rink last evening. Around and around and around... He forgot that skating requires TALL socks - he has the ring around his ankles to prove that one! He sends his "HELLO" to everyone! You can email him at diesel87@easystreet.net

For all my bird friends - the FIDS (feathered kids) are doing great! Right this minute the wind is kicking up a bit outside and the tumbleweeds are rolling around the yard - NOT something that birds from Oregon are used to! Every time one passes by their windows a bit of screeching can be heard throughout the valley.
As you can see by the photo below - today was bath day. EVERY DAY seems like bath day anymore.... I appreciate the tile floor more and more!! This is what a wet amazon (MOE) looks like!

Well, the day is getting away from me again! We sure miss everyone and hope this finds you all doing well!
Love from all of us here in Las Vegas!

Fall, Batman, and that New Car "smell".

Ringing the bell to proudly announce my first car purchase!

This is what happens to salespeople when mom has a camera.

My first car! A 2007 Honda Civic Coupe.

Black with grey interior.

Hope this finds you all well and enjoying the fall colors and temperatures!

We are learning that fall is kind of comparable to spring time around here! The colors are beautiful with the trees and shrubbery in full bloom. The oranges and yellows of Oregon are now replaced with purples, pinks, and greens of Nevada! The temps are very mild - lows in the 50's and highs in the 80's. So far, I'm still not cold. However, I did put on a pair of long pants the other day - only to take them back off and put on a skirt. I know, I know, it is October! But dang, I just can't get over the fact that it still feels and looks like summer.

It does get dark earlier though. And the sunsets are amazing!

With fall has come the decorations for Halloween! I love this holiday! Folks in the desert must enjoy it too. The lighting is amazing - our neighborhood looks like Christmas only fall colors and spooky decorations! We are really behind in our decor compared to the rest of our street. My gargoyles are just going to have to suffice for this year as this really caught us unaware! NEXT year we'll fit right in!

Speaking of Halloween - I could have sworn that I saw Batman coming down the hall last night. LOL......I was corrected this morning in that it was Venom I saw.

Ok.........with his Halloween costume bought, the kid was ready to take on another achievement! Buying his first car! Randall has been driving our little SUV....(an old peoples car as he referred to it) for the last couple of years. With his new job going well, he wanted to start establishing his own credit AND have a car that fit HIS profile of "cool". (This thought alone was enough to give his mother a stomach ache.)

This day came about on Tuesday, October 16th 2007. With his "homework" in his hand, directions printed, we got into the old peoples car and headed for the Honda dealership. Several hours later, we were driven home (proudly I might add) by a very happy young man. I could detail the entire day but most of you know what is involved in buying a car so I'll just post some photos instead.

Love to everyone and we'll chat again soon!

September - Birthdays, Fall, and Fish!

SHARK!!!

These guys were so cute!! They would follow you around the tank and line up in a row where you stood!
LOL.....the "kid"!
This guy insisted on smiling for the camera too!

Hello again!

Hope this finds everyone healthy & happy! We are all doing great and enjoying the cooler weather! Apparently, the HOT is over for the year! As we apparently experienced the hottest summer on record in Las Vegas - all I can say is "piece of cake"! LOL.......ok.....it was a bit uncomfortable for the couple of weeks when the temps soared to 116 - 120! THAT was horrible! Felt like I was a prune in just the amount of time it took to walk out to the mailbox.

This morning we woke to 65 degrees and a nice breeze! I actually felt chilly! Imagine that... me .....chilly! The high will reach 85 - 90. The weather guy is saying that we will be in record lows this Saturday and Sunday??? Apparently, a storm system for the Northwest is blowing in and may bring us some rain. Oh goodie - rain! LOL!

WOW......can you believe that September is here already! My favorite time of year! FALL! One thing I don't miss - LEAVES!! Freakin' piles of them would blow into our yard in Beaverton this time of year! As we were situated on a corner - we were blessed with everyone elses leaves on the block! Then would come the rain......usually the weekend that I had arranged to rake them darn things! Wet, moldy, stinky leaves! Did I mention I don't care for yardwork? *sigh*

Randall and I celebrated our birthdays this month! He turns 20 today!! At this writing, I haven't had a chance to wish him a happy one! He's still sleeping!

He has been in Beaverton for the last week visiting friends and family. He arrived home last evening pretty late - apparently, his welcoming party took him out for a birthday dinner celebration! (He works the swing-shift today)

Robert and I got him tickets to see Blue Man Group! He'll be surprised! He's been wishing to see this show since we arrived.

My birthday was eventful too!! With Robert's schedule and Randall being gone - it was drawn out a few days!! My guys spoil me rotten....especially this time of year! Along with the dinner celebrations, cards, email, and phone calls from friends and family - Robert took me to see "Phantom of the Opera" at the Venetian! What a spectacular show! It was amazing to watch this production from a theater that was built just for this show. You really felt transformed back in time! Even my husband enjoyed it! I didn't see him yawn once!

Thanks bunches to all of you who sent me the birthday wishes!! They were very much appreciated!!

Another adventure we shared as a family - we visited the Silverton Casino! This place hosts the largest Pro Bass Shop in the US. Ok.....so I don't really enjoy the whole "sportsman" thing. LOL....most of you know that already. However, I must tell you this place is worth visiting! In fact, it was amazing! They have EVERYTHING for any type of outdoorsman. The place is two stories of incredible decor! Every outdoor animal and bird (taxidermy) tastefully placed in a true-to-life setting. They had a huge rock wall for climbing, ponds and rivers ran throughout the building. They contained live wildlife - freshwater fish....even sturgeon....(I've always been intrigued with these prehistoric creatures), ducks, etc... The most incredible sights were the saltwater tanks! Several of them...HUGE!!! They contained every kind of fish imaginable. (A few pictures are above) This was a fun way to spend a couple of hours and for the sportsman - a great place to shop!!

That's about it for now! Until next time - *HUGS* to everyone!

End Of August Already!

ABOVE - One of the many beautiful sunrises we see from our loft.

ABOVE - My handsome son as he leaves for work in the morning!

Ok, ok OK!!! I'm updating already! Where DOES the time go! I actually didn't realize that it had been nearly a month since posting! Lots has been going on - unfortunately, I don't have many new photos to share! Keep forgetting the darn camera when we go out!

Weather first! Apparently, we are nearing the end of the hot temps! I haven't noticed them as much as I noticed the "monsoons".......when the 100 plus degree temp is combined with the 100 humidity! Unbearable!! Now I know what it feels like to be a wet sponge :( Thank goodness we only had 3 - 4 days of that since we've arrived. A word of advise - don't visit in July unless you are from the south and love humidity.

Today, the weather guy thinks that we will get some leftovers from DEAN. Just the moisture.....and humidity part. Great!


Now Randall!!

My son has grown up! He'll be 20 next month! This move has been a good one for him. He's put his foot down and made some choices for his future. We are very proud!

First - he quit PetCo after only a week of work. He was hired as their "small animal specialist". THAT part was fine. Unfortunately, he didn't get to spend much time doing that job. Apparently, they were so short handed - he was shuffled around and ended up moving and stocking freight all day, every day. He is a strong guy - but the heavy lifting caused his knee (football injury) to inflame and swell. The pain was so unbearable at weeks end - he had to practically crawl up our stairs. Very sad! I told him he needed to make some decisions. He did......he quit.

Little did we know that he had already done some background work to pursue another job....something that he'd wanted to do when we got here but it fell through due to his age.

Randall attended a job fair hosted by Allied - Burton Securities. They snapped him up immediately! Because of the offer they made him - money, full benefits, perks, etc.. he insisted he work full time. In other words ....no more college, at least for now. The new goal....he wants to enroll in the Police Academy. He isn't able to do that until he reaches 21. Until then, he'll work in the Security field, gain experience, and save some money!

Randall works on a VERY nice property that is conveniently located just 10 minutes from our home. A condominium complex.....new and impressive to look at! He alternates as a Guard in the gatehouse and as a Rover....someone who walks the property making sure everything is tip-top! (I posted the link below to the complex should anyone wish to check it out)

http://www.manhattanlv.com/


Robert is finally receiving a "weekend" off! Since April, he has been on a one-day-off-a-week schedule! TIRED is how he was beginning to feel! With the extra day, we've been doing some sightseeing! LOL....must to the distress of both guys - we found a WONDERFUL mall! Located only a few miles from our home - it boasts something like 140 stores! All are OUTLETS! AND to make it even better - they are all located inside a structure that looks like any other mall.....so you don't have to be out in the weather! Took us over 4 hours to walk from end to end.....and that is with Robert dragging me so I couldn't go into most of the shops! I did manage to hang out in the Coach store! One can never have to many purses! I'll definitely make this mall a favorite hangout!


Well, the birds are letting me know that they wish to get up! I've been up here typing for awhile and rudely ignoring them..
Until next time!
Crystal

Bright, Noisy, & WET!!

Above - MY treat jar.

Above - the Statue of Liberty that stands outside the New York, New York Resort.

Above - This is the WALL. Located inside Red Square in the Mandalay Bay Resort. Interesting display... more interesting was watching folks "pose" in front of it for pictures! Their antics were hilarious...as you can imagine.

Above - The beautiful and magnificent Luxor pyramid! Rumor has it that they are doing away with the "Egyptian" theme inside. Very sad - as this is an amazing property!

Above - Mandalay Bay....at least part of it! It now has towers but I was unable to get them in the photo! A beautiful property! At night, it glistens in the middle of the desert!

Above - New York, New York Hotel! Amazing to look at and inside you can find most EVERYTHING associated with New York for a souvenir!

Above - my little garden gargoyle....enjoying the RAIN! He has his own "fountain" with the downspout flowing!

We finally experienced it - Las Vegas in the rain!

Like everything else around here - it definitely puts on a presentation! Our first "experience" was on July 24th around 10pm in the evening! I should know the exact time as it sat me straight up in bed! The thunder was so loud - it shook walls! (You were correct in your description, Bren!) The rain was coming down so hard that when it landed on the tile roof, the sound was incredible! The lightning......not one of my favorite things - it would come down in bolts from every direction of the sky all at the same time!! Overlooking the city - it was amazing to see! It would light up the valley for several seconds at a time.

This morning August 1st - we are experiencing the "orchestra" again....only this time it is daytime! I ventured out and snapped a couple of photos - the lightning scared me back in FAST! You could smell the sulfur from the atmosphere being so charged! LOL.......Robert just rang from work at the Mandalay Bay resort to let me know it was raining there too! He said he walked outside to get a good look and nearly slipped on his fanny! Apparently, the pavement is VERY slippery around here.

I never thought rain would be considered a festive event! Kinda like Oregonians when we would see the sunshine! ;)

Randall and I have been doing more sightseeing! This past week, we spent the day walking the strip! The south end is VERY pedestrian friendly with overpasses, footbridges and moving walkways that allow folks to get from one side of the boulevard to the other without becoming roadkill. I am NOT exaggerating - traffic is horrible on that road. We've experienced it in a city taxi too......not any less scary!

We visited The Luxor (pyramid), Excalibur (this one has a medieval them - actually one of my favorite places), New York, New York, (as close as I wish to get to the actual city), MGM Grand (nice movie props and paraphernalia), and then back to the Mandalay Bay to have supper with Robert when he got off work!

We also visited the Coca Cola and M & M factories. LOTS of souvenirs available at both for the collector! I came home with two pounds of black M&M's....as far as I know this is the only place you can purchase this color! They go great in and with my "treat" jar! (Thanks Kim!) I must admit.....the cost is a bit high - $9.00 a pound to pick out your favorite colors!

That afternoon, we discovered a Century movie theater just a few steps off the strip! Since we had the time and it was my turn to choose the movie - we watched the new John Travolta musical - HairSpray! I absolutely love musicals and John Travolta so for an hour and a half, I was in lala land! Randall.....he had NO idea what he was in for. I laughed so hard when John Travolta's character set foot in front of the camera for the first time - Randall had his hand over his face! He couldn't believe it. We had some great laughs during the movie! I very much recommend this movie to anyone who loved Grease, or musicals, or John Travolta. It was fast moving with a nice story line. Not to mention all the dancing! Girlfriends, your kids will probably have the same reaction mine did though!

Well.....that's pretty much it for this week! Hope this finds everyone enjoying the summer! Thanks for keeping in touch and let me know if there is something you'd like to see in future photos.....besides ME! ;)

Fifty Days and Counting!

WOW! We can hardly believe we've been here that long already! While everything is still new & exciting to us - we do miss our friends and family very much! We look forward to everyone starting their visits soon. LOL....we are told by a lot of you that "Las Vegas in the summer just isn't going to happen for you" due to the extreme weather conditions. In other words....HOT! Well....if you were planning on hiking or rock climbing or something like that - I will agree with you! Although, we are definitely becoming acclimatized to the heat. The last couple of weeks have actually been pleasant with morning temp (at 5am) being 8o to 85 degrees and afternoon temps (5pm) a high of 100 - 105 degrees. There is always a breeze and so far there hasn't been a day without sunshine!

Ok.....so what has happened since our last chat. Not really a whole lot! We've had some outings to check out the area around us known as Southern Highlands. BEAUTIFUL area. LOTS of new growth even since we've been here! A picture above shows the view from the front of our home. It overlooks the desert and a small development being put in near the base of the mountains. The one thing you can't see are the train tracks. They run parallel to us and that development. Yes, you can see the trains and DEFINITELY hear them when they pass by.....at 2 o-clock in the morning. Not to mention FEEL the rumble! Our first week here was amazing - shot me right up out of bed the first time I heard them slamming cars together to make a train. Yes.......slamming.

Randall and I were discussing this the other day - we don't even notice it anymore. I suppose you can become accustomed to anything after time...

We've completed the shop and BYRDBELL COMPANY is back up and running! Thanks to my impatient ;) customers, I have a stack of orders to fill! As usual, we'll be backed up for awhile. It sure feels great to be working again though.....especially doing a job that I enjoy tremendously!

Speaking of "work" - Randall is now employed again! Our local PetCo snatched him up! His official title is Small Animal Specialist. He'll be in charge of all the critters and help people to decide what pet would be right for them. He loves working around people and animals so this will be perfect for him while he attends college. LOL.....he is definitely appreciating the fact that it doesn't involve food service......to humans anyway :)

Time for me to get back to work! We look forward to hearing from all of you! Please write and let us know how you are enjoying your summer!

Beauty, the Beast, and Some Other Stuff!

Of course.....this just has to be BEAUTY! Right Rosie?
Oh my goodness, what happened to YOU!

Little BUG, without ONE pinfeather! Amazing!

I was reminded that I had failed to post a picture of our kitchen. Sorry!

Another week has gone by with more tales to tell! First, we hope everyone had a wonderful but safe 4th of July holiday. Our first in Las Vegas and while we stayed home, we were entertained for hours by fireworks over the city. (With the valley being so flat, we are able to see for miles in every direction from our upstairs windows.) Yes, hours. Last blurry-eyed look at the clock said it was 1:40am. Guess this is what you get from the city that never sleeps! It was beautiful though!
To my bird friends – are your birds in molts that seem heavier then normal this season? Most of ours started before leaving Oregon and as you can see in the picture, Tommy looks horrible! LOL….it won’t be long before he repeats "boy, are you ugly"…he’s hearing it enough! Ok…..shame on me. But he does look like a BEAST! Especially in contrast to little Rosie. She’s always beautiful J
Jenny, I included a picture of BUG just for you! Amazing, isn’t it…..NO PINFEATHERS! He looks like velvet for the first time in his teeny tiny life. Folks, don’t let the teeny tiny size fool you – he’ll guard his territory like a pit bull. I’ve the V shaped marks on my hands to prove it.
Can’t post a note without mentioning the weather! Ok……I give up – how hot CAN Las Vegas get? Today is forecasted for 117 degrees. Humidity is 2 percent. Wind is 7 mph. Oh…and SUNNY! Truth be told, this is to hot for being outside. Randall took a quick trip to the corner MacDonalds (sorry Jen) for a snack and said the steering wheel was to hot to touch. Ok……so exactly how did you get home? Mom doesn’t want to know.
Speaking of weather – apparently, July 1st is the start of Monsoon season. Yes, MONSOON season here in Nevada. I had to do a quick search online just to make sure I heard the news correctly. Crazy. So…later this month, we are told that the summer storms will roll in and with them bring lots of lightning, thunder, and rain…..and with the rain comes the flash floods. All the excitement usually only lasts 15 to 20 minutes but they are saying it can cause some major issues. I posted a link from an old news bulletin below. If you are interested – it tells of some past storms the area has seen.
Oh boy…..something else to look forward to!

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2000/jun/18/510399096.html
http://www.kvbc.com/global/story.asp?s=3620159&ClientType=Printable

Robert had this last Tuesday off and as usual it was filled with errands. We had to find a full service Ford Dealer as the SUV was up for his 5000 mile oil change and service. As usual nothing is as simple as it may seem. We dropped the car off and headed for the Medical Center for our consultations with our new family doctor. That chore is done and went well. We headed back to pick up the car, and with Randall in the SUV and Robert & I in the truck, we planned on stopping someplace for lunch/dinner. About 15 minutes into our trip, Randall waved us over. He had observed steam and leaking from under the truck. Great. Not wanting to take any chances, we pulled over into the nearest strip mall and got on the phone to Triple A for a tow back to the Ford Dealer. Lucky us, there was a little BBQ place in the mall. Long story short – the food was amazing!! We will definitely make this a regular favorite spot. Oh…and I can honestly say they convinced me (and Randall) that fried okra is YUMMY! Up till then, I’d gag at the thought.
Two hours later, no Triple A. As we were in this place so long, we were now on a first name basis with the owner and two of the employees. Lucky for us, one of the managers was a retired mechanic. He took a look at the truck and determined that we probably just had a leaking coolant hose and that we’d be able to make it home ok. Three hours later, we pulled into the driveway…….safely, without any alarms or red lights going off in the truck. Whew! (Robert left early this morning to take the truck in to the shop. We’ll get the good/bad news later today.) Oh…..about this BBQ place….its called the BBQ SHAK! The owner and his wife used to have a chain of pastry stores in California. Apparently, they sold out to Starbucks several years ago and are now (retired?) doing the BBQ thing in Las Vegas! Jerry’s wife does all the deserts for the restaurant and we can tell you that they look amazing! We were much to full to sample anything but we’ll definitely be going back again! VERY nice folks!
Amazing how time flies when I get to typing! Gotta run..Randall and I are heading out to do some errands and possibly take in an afternoon movie! Have a terrific weekend, everyone!

Saying Goodbye To June!

Our family room.

My workstation and Bindys space!

This is a front view of our home.

WOW...can't believe we've been here nearly a month already! Time has flown by! Yes, we are still enjoying the sunshine - the heat....well, since we don't play outside much - we haven't noticed that .....yet. The weathergal is predicting temps as high at 112 this weekend. THAT will be another "first" for us.

Since our last chat, we've been busy getting to know more of our surroundings. Randall and I have made a couple of trips around the Southern Highlands area (this is what our neighborhood is called). The construction is incredible with several more housing projects in progress as well as businesses galore! While our neighborhood is secluded, it is only a five minute drive to the nearest large shopping center. Very convenient! It includes a Smith's grocery (YES, that is the name!), a huge ACE hardware, full service salon, Subway, Chinese restaurant, Sushi (Randall's delight!), MacDonalds, Terribles Gas Station (Yes, that is the name!), Bank of America, UPS store, Walgreen's, and several more I can't remember!

Yesterday, we were able to cross off one of the important "to do" items off of our list. We traveled across town to one of the 4 DMV offices. Ok.....you wouldn't think that was a major deal... however, here in Las Vegas there are approximately 6000 new residents a month and only 30 days to get your vehicles licensed and drivers licenses updated or you'll receive hefty fines. We arrived at the DMV at 9:30 in the morning. I must tell you, a positive attitude is needed when you first see this place....not to mention what you first see as you walk through the doors. It looks like a large business complex with a parking lot that could pass for something outside a Walmart. The inside is comparible to a huge auditorium with desks that line the walls and LINES of people everywhere that extend throughout the building. VERY overwhelming!! Of course, there were no noticeable signs anyplace as to what to do first.....and we needed the FULL service - licenses for all of us and the cars too! The first line was apparently for customer service.....to TELL us what other lines we'd need to stand in. Once we got through that one, we went in separate directions. Robert and Randall took the car & truck out to a different building for a inspection of vin numbers and removal of license plates. I took all the forms and found a vacant corner to fill everything out. Once those jobs were complete - we met back up to stand in lines again (this time to make sure we had all of our forms, ID, etc.. in order) to receive a waiting number. Ours was A260. Oh my gosh! There were letters A through E and numbers up to a thousand for each!! According to the reader board, the A's were at 191. An hour later, we were called. Robert and I were done in approximately 30 minutes.... We didn't know ahead of time, but Randall would have to retake his written test (everyone under 25 is required to do this) before receiving his new license. So......over to the testing room, wait 20 minutes in line, wait for Randall to complete his test, (HE PASSED!), wait in another line for a new number, wait to be called, get the paperwork confirmed, then all of us head to the photo lab for a picture. Another line to get the photo taken, another line to receive the finished license (Randall looks like a gangster and my eyes are closed), and we are DONE! Half a day later! We are now official! Oh......and we have consecutive license plate numbers for the rigs! Pretty cool!

We stopped on the way home for Subway then spent the rest of the afternoon just doing domestic stuff at home.

One evening last week, we visited the Luxor resort. While we have stayed there in the past, they've remodeled a lot of the inside. The second floor now hosts a huge food court along with the arcade, IMAX theater, and several other attractions. After wandering around in awe, visiting the shops, and enjoying a sandwich from Quiznos, we separated. Randall couldn't decide if he'd do the IMAX or the arcade (ended up in the arcade)(better chance of meeting girls) and Robert & I headed downstairs to try our luck at the slots. We all met back up about an hour and a half later for root beer floats and then headed home. It was dark as we left the city so we were able to view all the lights up close!

The Loft

This is our LOFT. The room is at the top of the stairs and runs the total width of our home and half the length. Amazing space for "family" time! Above is Randalls corner :)

This is Robert in his "space". My desk is to his left.

Misc. Photos!

Moe

He hasn't decided if he likes it here yet - Dad hasn't been around much during the cleanings & feedings so there hasn't been anyone to torment. Also, running on the ceramic tile has proven difficult......so he has limited his guarding of the birdroom to barking from the top of his cage. Silly bird. Moes cage sits to the far left back of the birdroom.

Scully

Having her picture taken isn't something she enjoys. Actually, anything "I" do around her isn't enjoyed........as you can tell by those beautiful puffed up feathers!

Her cage is located to the front left of the birdroom.

Rosie! She sits in the corner to the right of the window. Due to her nervous behavior, we've never given her a window before. Since she seems to have calmed down over the years and did FANTASTIC during our move - we have given it a try! She seems to enjoy the change! Isn't she beautiful!!

BIRDROOM! A central room in the downstairs area. Originally, this room was probably supposed to be the formal dining room as it sported a chandelier type light that hung down the middle of the room....something we changed out as to all the "head bumping" that occurred. We haven't put up the bird lights as we used before but have instead opted for the full spectrum type that fit in a ceiling fixture. This room is VERY bright throughout the day which makes for more chattering and singing!

Viva Las Vegas!

The above photos are a few of the plants from our front yard.

This week has settled down a bit from last. Randall and I have unpacked and put away all the household "stuff", hung all the pictures, and even made the garage look half-way organized! We're basically ready to put up shelves out there, get my shop set up, and get back to business! I am definitely ready! My customers are starting to call/email as this is their busy time of year.

Poor Robert - he is exhausted from working everyday. Hopefully he'll decline any more overtime for awhile and take a break! He loves his new job and that it isn't a chore to get up and go to work! However, the move and then working everyday straight - he is feeling a bit on the tired side. He mentioned this morning that he was feeling a bit overwhelmed as there were things he WANTED to do at home and there just hasn't been time. )I used the

same comment on him as he has me so many times) "it will still be there tomorrow!"

Randall is still hanging out with me during the day. This will be his last week of "vacation" as job hunting starts! Unfortunately, the job he wants is not open until he turns 21. Most of the casino property jobs are like that unless you get into property maintenance (yard work) or food service......and we all know how much he ENJOYS that kind of work. NOT!

With school being the first priority, a job only needs to be part time and bring in his spending money. Hopefully, he'll not stress out on it and just choose something. It will get him out of the house a bit for the summer and give him a chance to meet new friends.

Speaking of summer - I'm thinking it has arrived in Las Vegas! Everyday has been sunny and warm.......however, yesterday it was 102 and today is forecast for 106! The house stays cool but dang, that is just getting up there in degrees! I can't imagine having to work outside in that heat. With all the construction going on around town - no wonder all them guys are so tan! (yes, I noticed).

We definitely have desert plants in our yard - the flowers have been in full bloom for two weeks now! I've posted pictures for you all to see! Amazingly beautiful for such a dry climate!

Haven't seen anymore of them ugly bugs - thank goodness! There was an article in the local paper a couple of days ago regarding this being ROACH season. After reading it, we will definitely use precaution to avoid inviting these gross inhabitants of nature into our home. LOL....even Randall is careful about leaving crumbs behind in the kitchen! :)

We did some brief exploring last weekend. First stop - a trip to the local WalMart for a few items on the list and discovered they have a NICE grocery store. We've never been Walmart fans as they tend to have the reputation of imported items. However, I was able to find "made in the USA" items for purchase. Even the produce was from California and Florida! The prices are extremely low compared to most markets so we may shop there from time to time.

Second stop - (with a lot of groaning from the boys) was a dollar store....or ($.99 Cent Store) as they are called here. This place was bigger then any I'd been in before. They have a full size grocery department that included not only the can goods but deli, dairy, frozen, and bakery foods! These were labeled local products - with the same brands as Albertsons and Safeway (Safeway is called something else here - I just can't remember what right now). There was also a nursery!! PLANTS!!! $.99 cents each!!! About a half hour later, I walked (or was gently pushed by my kid) out of there with an armload of cactus and a few other items we "needed". I will definitely be back. Oh.....the bill was interesting! We have tax here! 13 items came to $13.75. How strange after living in Oregon so long!

Third stop was a brand new casino/hotel that was only 10 minutes (at the most) from our home! Interestingly, all the hotels sport a type of theme or something that they are known for. This one is called South Point. It hosts a HUGE equestrian arena. Folks come from all over to participate in the action. This particular weekend, the events were sponsored by a horse breeders association. (Did I mention that there were cowboys everywhere?) The cool part about this was all the events are FREE! Apparently, this is the way some of the properties are attracting visitors!

They also host a wonderful buffet. We all had our favorite choices and took a brief tour of the facilities afterward to walk off some of our dinner.

This property has several movie theaters, a huge bowling ally, big arcade, a few other eateries, and of course the casino itself. While Randall checked out the arcade, Robert turned his $5.00 bill into $55.00 in about a half hours time. Lucky guy!

Well, it is time for me to get this posted, off my chair and busy! (In other words, run up and down them stairs a billion times). I'm behind in a few things as the darn flu bug hit me earlier this week. Took me off my feet for two days!! I'd sure like to know where that came from! Other then a raspy throat, I'm back to feeling great!

Thank you for all your comments! It is great hearing from everyone! Keep in touch and let me know how you all are doing! Sure miss everybody!!

We'll see you all in a few days via the "BLOG"!

Love,

Crystal

We've Arrived!

We arrived in our new home on May 30th about 6pm in the evening. Just in time for rush-hour traffic! THAT was not an experience I'd recommend for the faint of heart! Sheesh, you'd have thought that everyone was on their way to a fire the way folks drive out here! At one point, I asked Robert - do they have a speed limit on these roads?? His reply was (knowing where I was going with this) "sit back and close your eyes.". Like THAT was going to happen!
Well......we made it to our home!

The last few days have been spent unpacking and getting settled in. Robert went back to work on Monday the 4th so it has just been Randall and I during the day. We've actually managed to get everything from the garage that needs to be in the house unpacked and put away! This home has a ton of storage space compared to our last house......so finding a place for everything has been relatively easy. FINDING it again has been a bit harder! LOL......we're not used to three bathrooms and a laundry room PLUS all the storage closets so just locating a towel proved comical!

During one of our many searches for certain boxes in the garage, we ran across our first glimpses of "nature". A freakin' huge beetle looking critter! Bigger then anything we'd seen in Oregon! While Randall ran for a giant stick (like you are really going to find tree limbs in the desert), I jumped from my shoes and ran screaming into the house! Darn thing acted like it was following me!
The rest of the day was pretty much uneventful after that. Neither of us wanted to go back out there.
That evening, I passed by the door leading to the garage and heard some loud chirping.
After doing a search on the Internet for the local "critters", what we apparently have is a type of cricket. A BIG cricket. Anyway.......he hasn't been seen or heard of since that night. Thank goodness!

Birds have settled right in to their new environment! They did very well on the trip out here. We took the five bigger parrots in the back seat of the truck while Randall took Buzzy and BUG as well as Bindy (the guinea pig) in the SUV. Our gang road in silence for the most part.....maybe the occasional peep or screech from Rosie when a log truck got to close. Randall let us know during the first half of our journey - he wanted to trade passengers. Apparently, Buzzy insisted on singing, chattering, and whistling the entire time. Who needs an ipod when you have a tiel!!

The trip itself was uneventful. The scenery definitely changed once we left Bend and headed for Burns. You could obviously tell we were in the desert. There wasn't a tree in sight! Once we left Burns and headed for the Nevada border - we didn't see one piece of civilization for nearly an hour! Not one car, human, home, etc!!! We did see some buffalo and the occasional hawk though. That part of the drive was a bit weird....especially coming from the city! It was near dusk so being out in the middle of nowhere was spooky.

We spent the first night of our trip in McDerrmot, Nevada.....a small community on the border of Oregon and Nevada. It consisted of a casino, restaurant, gas station/7-11 type store, and a motel that boasted about 10 rooms! The rooms were actually quite large and comfortable. We had a good night sleep and were headed back out on the road by 8am the next morning!

The rest of our day was spent driving. We made excellent time getting to Las Vegas. The roads are scarcely traveled and in great shape! The speed limit is 70 most of the way. Not much to look at though.....lots of cactus, beautiful mountains, and sage brush. I actually enjoyed being able to see where we were going....for miles and miles...

Well......now that we have arrived and we've nearly finished with putting the home together - we are ready to start adventuring out! Randall and I did a MapQuest of a couple of places nearby and will set out today to visit Goodwill (drop off stuff we don't need) and a Whole Foods Market! Sound exciting?? LOL.....we'll visit all the FUN places and tell you about them once we figure out the important ones first!

Hope you all are doing well! Please write and let us know whats been happening in your neck-of-the-woods!

*HUGS*
Crystal