Vegas vacation

I just pulled the trigger and booked our family vacation. To Vegas. No, not exactly the destination one would think when planning a trip with a four year old, but Clean Fresh Hubby's sister is getting married there in July and while we debated leaving the child with my parents, it felt strange to think that all of his family would be at the wedding (kids too) and our daughter would be the only one missing. So, off to Vegas we will all go.

Clean Fresh Hubby and I used to go to Vegas every summer back in our early "pre-kid" days. Of course, it's been about eight years since we were last there, and this time we have our little traveling companion, so it really will be like seeing the city for the first time. I'm sure our daughter will get a kick out of seeing all the themed hotels.






And this will be her first ride on an airplane, so that ought to be fun (or a nightmare, not sure how that's going to play out!).

I know the city has changed a lot over the years, encompassing more family-friendly activities, so my goal over the next two months is to come up with an itinerary that we will all enjoy. Of course, the hotel pool will likely be where we spend the majority of our time, but given we're going in July and the temperature will be about 100 degrees, I figure we'd better have some other options!

I'm sure we'll log some time here:



And what's that I see next door? Margaritas by the foot? Well what kind of tourists would we be if we didn't check that out as well?

If you have any suggestions on planning a kid-friendly Vegas vacation, I'd love to hear 'em!

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Herbs and Pepe

I wrote last Wednesday about the nasty cold I was battling. Adding insult to injury, our entire household came down with the stomach flu last week as well. So needless to say, there wasn't a whole lot to write about that would've been fit to read without a super strong stomach.

But, we're all on the mend and I had an opportunity to get out in the yard this weekend and plant my pots of herbs.



Last year I bought a pre-planted herb mix and we found that the basil couldn't grow fast enough for us... we were going through leaves like crazy! So this year, I made my own pots, planting four basils and two dill weeds, which seem to be the herbs we use the most. I also planted a humble little jalapeno plant (affectionately named "Pepe") in hopes of having some fresh jalapenos for salsa this summer. The marigolds are included in the mix in hopes of warding off nibblers.

I would love to have a larger garden and grow things like cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes and carrots, but for now, with our schedule, a few simple herbs is about all we can handle!

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What I'm Lovin' Wednesday: Cold edition

Bouncing back from my annual spring cold, so thought I'd share a few things that are helping me make it through.

Mucinex DM



This stuff knocks out a cough like nobody's business. It is also great for loosening up all the heavy, thick snot that can clog up your chest. Thankfully, this cold hasn't gotten to that point (which for me, then turns to bronchitis), but I am suffering from an annoying cough that keeps me up at night. This stuff quiets the cough better than any Robitussin or Vicks product I've tried.

Halls Sugar Free Cough Drops - Kiwi Apple



I am not a fan of cough drops, but when I have a cold, I usually need one as I go to bed to get past the dry air and give the Mucinex time to kick in. I stumbled across this Kiwi Apple flavor at Walgreens a year or so ago and now am never without them. They're harder to find than your average cough drop, so when I do spot them, I typically by a few bags just to keep them in stock.

Kiehl's Lip Balm - Coconut



One of the side effects of blowing your nose constantly and breathing out of your mouth at night is extremely chapped lips. We have several tubes of Chapstick floating around the house, and while it provides momentary relief, it doesn't do much to alleviate the problem. Within minutes of applying Kiehl's lip balm, my lips feel soft and smooth again. This stuff is a miracle in a tube and the coconut flavor is like a little vacation for your lips. (It comes in a variety of other flavors if you're not a tropical fan.)

Hopefully all in our household will be happy and healthy again in the next few days and I can share with you some more exciting things instead of cold products!

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