peace out, vegas

as we were packing up to leave vegas on sunday morning, i spotted this on the nightstand:

she pretends like she doesn't love cheer...but i know she secretly does.

the hub had a couple of casino vouchers to cash in before we left - one that we redeemed in a machine on the way out of the orleans, and the other we had to make a pitstop at the park MGM to redeem.  he told us to cash it out and then go into eataly one more time to pick up some meat and cheese to snack on as we drove home, and we were happy to oblige.

except that most of the kiosks didn't actually open until 11 and it was only 10:30.  so we decided to shop in the market area, scooping up everything that caught our eye.  the bean made a beeline for one of the few kiosks that was open for business - of course, the nutella cafe.

but i'd forgotten how convoluted the system is here.  you can't actually order your items here - you have to go to the next one over to place and pay for your order...and the line was really long.  gah.  not to mention, the staffers in both spots were moving at a glacial pace.  it was frustrating, but we waited it out to satisfy the bean's craving for a nutella crepe.

oh well.  it gave me time to scurry around the rest of the place looking for more snacks, and when i came across a display of these chips i knew i needed to at least try them.  a full-size bag was $18, but for the low low price of $3.90 you could pick up an individual serving:

and let me save you $4.  they weren't all that.  just a bag of chips.  heh.

once we finally made it back to the car, i went about trying to create little charcuterie plates for everyone.  i knew they had little plates from prior visits, but we couldn't find any and had to settle for paper bowls instead.  and the plastic knife i'd grabbed on the way out wasn't sufficient for slicing up the whiskey maple salami we'd bought:

luckily, the hub found a camping knife in the glove box.  i cleaned it off as best as i could and went to work.  he was pretty pleased with the bowl i handed him a few minutes later:

not too bad for having to improvise, right?  and it was really delicious.  the bean was happily devouring her crepe in the back seat, and saved me a piece.  those crepes aren't particularly pretty, so this is the only photo i took:

the charcuterie plates kept us happy long enough for the hub to get us to baker, where we made another stop at the old lady's request here:

along with our delicious gyros, she was super excited for one of their fresh strawberry shakes.

the hub finished before the rest of us and disappeared for a few minutes, coming back as we were cleaning up.  when we got back in the car, there was something new in the car, placed right between the old lady and me:

after all...it was mother's day.  and still the old lady's birthday weekend.  cheers!

we made one final stop before we got home...at eddie world again, so that the old lady and her special friend could check it out.

and as i went in for a potty break, i noticed for the first time the rather hilarious signage at the restrooms.  look at their little faces!  and the potty dance!

back in the car, everyone settled in for the rest of the drive home.

the hub made good time despite the traffic, pulling up at the house around 3 or so.  and then i remembered one last present for the old lady that i'd forgotten to bring - i'd ordered her these memory bracelets from an animal rescue organization that i'd found online.  every purchase of the little black bracelet on the bottom generates funds that are used to help pay for transportation of shelter animals who are in danger of being euthanized to areas where adoptable animals are in higher demand. 

i chose the one next to it in honor of our molly.  it provides a meal for seven shelter dogs in her honor.  there's a heart-shaped bead and a pawprint one, and the colored beads represent the rainbow bridge that she crossed when she passed from this life to the next.  i cried when i gave it to her, and it's even hard for me to type it out without tearing up. 

anyway, the one on top is for stevie.  it also provides meals for seven shelter dogs and i thought she would like to wear them all together.  she loved all of them, and has been wearing them every day since i gave them to her.

sorry if i bummed you out.  heh.