prepare yourselves for a picture and over sharing overload.

we began our drive out to las vegas early thursday morning. we stopped for breakfast, then a trip to the bank and then another to target. we were like kids in a candy store in target because we didn’t have either child freaking out. it was bliss. we made it out of target and then headed straight to vegas but it wouldn’t have been right if we didn’t stop in baker for a potty break. shortly after noon we arrived, registered, and headed straight to our room at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. we quickly put on our swim wear and met janelle and nelson down by the pool. we didn’t waste more than ten minutes before we had a cocktail in hand. we hung out by the pool for a few hours and then had a quick happy hour before napping. blissdom, yet again. after nappy time we got dressed and met my sister, brother-in-law, janelle and nelson down in the lobby and took cabs to grand lux and then an ankle breaking walk to go see absinthe. if you have a vegas trip planned anytime soon you need to book tickets for absinthe. the most raunchy, laugh-out-loud, cirque-esque type show i have ever seen. i am still laughing about the gazillionaire and penny. go see. after the show we walked across the street so i could play my first hand at black jack, let’s say i suck and yes, my first hand at thirty is pretty comical.

on my birthday, friday the twenty-second, we met my sister and brother-in-law for breakfast and then met nelson and janelle down by the pool. we quickly made our way to the lazy river, got bored, and bought inner tubes. it was relaxing but not relaxing enough until i had a 151 rum runner in hand. then let’s just say melissa got a tad bit, err, a lot tipsy. after four hours we were done with the pool and made a quick wardrobe change and headed to the mall with my sister so i could look for new sunglasses. it was a comical drive, trying to talk to our relator, making a call to spain all while drunk. the mall came and went (with new sunglasses of course) and then we picked up my brother-in-law on the corner, literally. we drove back and had happy hour of coagulated queso fundido, amazeballs guac and an outside quesadilla. another nap took place and then it was time to get dressed for dinner at red square. we had the most amazing dinner, like i could’ve just gone to bed right after it was so good. but that wouldn’t have been fun so we headed up to minus 5 where i put on a white fur and we took shots of patron and a sipped a margie from ice-carved glasses. another spot i highly reccommend in vegas for something non-traditional. we made our way up to MIX, which has the best view in vegas. go. you’ll thank me. after about seven shots, no joke, i was finally feeling good enough to dance. the music and enviornment at MIX is perfect, i am not a club girl, but put me in an ultra lounge and i will stay until closing, which we just about did until my filipino princess of a friend wanted french toast and then we lost her. we went to raffles, a must for us. apparently i was so drunk that i was yelling at a girl next to us and making fun of my hubby for ordering blueberry pancakes. by 4:30 am it was time to call it a night. best birthday ever.

the next morning we headed home to what i thought i was going to be a relaxing dinner with my parents and kids but no, my parents decided to throw me my first surprise party. first surprise ever that went over my nosy, know-it-all head. i was stunned and my mom said something to me that i will take with me forever. while i never think i am good enough and that i don’t deserve anything she stopped me and said, that i do deserve to feel special and important  because you only turn thirty once. i might take that statement with me throughout this next decade. this birthday goes down in the books as the most amazing birthday ever.