get up and shake the glitter off your clothes, now...

..."cuz that's what you get for waking up in Vegas" (Katy Perry)

Last week, I reached a milestone birthday.  And it's served me pretty well, so far, I must say.  Even though there are perks that I'm never going to participate in, no matter how long I live after 21, there are some that I do get to relish as an old lady at 21. 

These include, but aren't limited to:

• being able to get faster seating at restaurants since you can be seated at the bar
• walking around a 21 and over section of any place and not having to worry about being carded
• in some concert venues better seating since they have a 21 and over area (probably what I'm most excited about)
• buying cooking wine (which I'm not allowed to do at BYU, however)
• and what I feel is full adult freedom (besides stupid 25 limit on rental cars)

I had a good birthday.  I always try to make my birthdays great, even if no one is in on it with me.  But don't worry, I remind people WAYY in advance so they can start saving for my presents and parties and such ;)
This year, my FHE family had a combined birthday party for us and they found a Mexican Winnie the Pooh pinata. Pret-ty awesome.

{the birthday kids with Mexican Winnie the Pooh}

On my actual real birthday, I had a little work party with ice cream cookie sandwiches.  Then class and some homework (blah) and an impromptu screamfest in Brigham Square with Amber ("21!!" "Wooo!" "21!!"  "Wooo!!"  "21!!" "Yeahhh!").  I didn't feel like attending my evening class, so I watched some movies and got pizza with Ali, Annie, Kelly and Seth.  THEN my lovely and wonderful neighbor Laura threw me a cake and ice cream party.  She's so fabulous for doing that for me.  That really made my day.  I polished off my celebratory day of birth with a dance party.  Nothin' better than that.

{besties}

{Laura, Kelly, me, Ali}

Well. A couple of months ago, I was having a phone convo with mi madre (typical) and she mentioned my 21st birthday was coming up this year.  She informed me that this was a monumental birthday and that it should be celebrated accordingly.  I was like, ok, so like a new iPod or something and she was like nooooo a trip to Las Vegas, dummy and I was like oh, ok, that's a better idea. 
THURSDAY
Drove up with Annie and Anna to make it by dinner time with momma and grandma Rosie.  We ate at the Monte Carlo (which is where we stayed for the weekend) and chatted.  Since it was dark by then, we walked along the strip.  I still can't get over how cool the buildings are.  My London love Anna Hayes is from Las Vegas and she suggested her most favorite gelato place in literally the world at the Bellagio, and since I'm a huge fan of that gelato stuff, I followed her advice first thing.  That was probably my favorite thing from the trip: eating amazing gelato and watching the Bellagio fountains for like an hour. 

{I just couldn't get over how cool the buildings were}

FRIDAY
Annie, Anna and I walked around the different hotels to check them out since they have different themes (like Excalibur is medieval, Luxor is Egyptian, etc). Then once the walking around was makingus sweat, we practically ran our white little bodies to that large pool at the Monte Carlo.  It's amazing what a little sun can do for you, tan-wise and happiness-wise. 
We walked around Sigfried and Roy's secret gardens at the Mirage where they keep their lions and tigers from their shows. The gardens also had dolphins, so that was funnn. 

{I guess I have this thing with having to sit on fake animals. maybe it's because I want to sit on the real ones but this the best I can get}

{white lions...who knew?}

We got all spruced up and went to the Luxor to watch Kris Angel's Mind Freak Cirque du Soleil.  My fam and I saw the Cirque when it came last summer, so momma and I figured that an illusion show would let us get the full Cirque experience.  But it was the same ole same ole illusions, nothing too impressive.  But it all still boggles my mind.

SATURDAY
My mom and I have always been big rollercoaster fans.  She grew up next door to Six Flags in Valencia, CA (she even worked there as a teenager) and so, naturally, we grew up with Six Flags, too, for whenever we would visit Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Roger.  So it would make sense to go on one of the Vegas coasters, right?  Our choice was New York New York, and boy was it fun.  My brother and I have this thing where we like to sit in the very front and scream prematurely so that the people who can't see as well as us kind of freak out.  I continued that tradition, brudda.
Then LOTS more pool time.  The Monte Carlo is where the Jabbawockeez have their performances and so they gave us a surprise performance poolside.  They're SO COOL!!  They also opened the other big pool for the first time that year after wintertime that day and so they had a DJ and everything.  Perfect timing for us!

We ate at the hotel again by a big screen TV so that we could watch the BYU vs. SDSU game.  We lost AND we were surrosunded by a bunch of drunk SDSU fans.  Just peachy.  The show for Saturday night was "Phantom" at the Venetian.  Always such a great musical.  Perpetual goosebumps.

{walking around the Venetian}

Pretty awesome break from life in Provo, UT, I must say!!