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! ;)