We decided to check out The Shed in Scott. It's a blues/BBQ joint. We really enjoyed ourselves. The BBQ was very flavorful--smoked to perfection. Plus, we were treated to the sounds of The Pedestrians, a Blues/Southern Rock band. We sat back, had a few beers and just enjoyed some "us" time listening to music. It was a very relaxing evening! Thanks Gigi for letting us have a date night!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Date Night
Gigi said, "You guys go out on a date and the kids will sleep at Gigi's house." OK!!!We decided to check out The Shed in Scott. It's a blues/BBQ joint. We really enjoyed ourselves. The BBQ was very flavorful--smoked to perfection. Plus, we were treated to the sounds of The Pedestrians, a Blues/Southern Rock band. We sat back, had a few beers and just enjoyed some "us" time listening to music. It was a very relaxing evening! Thanks Gigi for letting us have a date night!
We decided to check out The Shed in Scott. It's a blues/BBQ joint. We really enjoyed ourselves. The BBQ was very flavorful--smoked to perfection. Plus, we were treated to the sounds of The Pedestrians, a Blues/Southern Rock band. We sat back, had a few beers and just enjoyed some "us" time listening to music. It was a very relaxing evening! Thanks Gigi for letting us have a date night!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Gift That Keeps on Giving
It's a beautiful thing when you hear your kid reading for the first time. I would say that it is an equally beautiful thing to see your kid reading to another one of your kids. Thank you Beedle for being a big brother to James. 
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Beignesiana
Gus was fascinated with the beignet Mom put on his plate because he said it looks like Louisiana. You be the judge.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Day Five--The Home Stretch
Our flight isn't leaving until 1:15am on Monday (Yikes!), and with no more convention to attend, we decided to make the most of our last day in Vegas. And we did it by spending most of the day not in Vegas.
We finished our tour, hopped back in the car and had a wild idea....."Let's go to the Grand Canyon! It's only a couple of hours from here and we've got nothing but time to kill!" We decided this as we were heading in the opposite direction of where we finally got our GPS to tell us where to go. Going in the same direction to Hoover Dam, and eventually, the Grand Canyon, was over five miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic. There wasn't even a place for us to turn around. We took that as a sign that God did not want us to see the Grand Canyon, at least not yet. Who knows, we might be the two idiots that would actually fall into it.
I started the day by waking up early and catching a shuttle to the airport to rent a car for the day. The price of the rental was fairly cheap. However the 43% airport tax really shot down the apparent deal we were getting. I drove back to the Flamingo to pick up Cindy and check us out. We made it to 8:00am mass at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer. "Shrine" and "Las Vegas" are generally two words that aren't associated. But we were treated to a wonderful mass--a great way to get our day of freedom going.
We decided to make a trip out to Hoover Dam for the day. It was only about a 45-minute trip from Las Vegas. On the way there we saw more beautiful desertous mountain scenes--things you never see in South Louisiana.
We passed over the dam to park. The vista from the bridge is unbelievable. 
Again, things you never see in South Louisiana! We parked on the other side of the dam and realized we had to cross into Arizona to park.
By doing this we broke one of the rental car company covenants "Thou Shall Not Drive the Car Outside of the State of Nevada". I wonder if 100 feet into Arizona, literally, constitutes taking the car outside the state of Nevada? Well, I won't tell if you won't tell.
Again, things you never see in South Louisiana! We parked on the other side of the dam and realized we had to cross into Arizona to park.By doing this we broke one of the rental car company covenants "Thou Shall Not Drive the Car Outside of the State of Nevada". I wonder if 100 feet into Arizona, literally, constitutes taking the car outside the state of Nevada? Well, I won't tell if you won't tell. We decided to take the "dam" tour. This was a common tongue-in-cheek saying by all of the tour guides. Cindy and I, of course, made light of it as well. On the tour, we learned many fascinating things like....there's enough concrete in Hoover Dam to wrap a 4 foot sidewalk around the equator......and......the dam was completed two years quicker than anticipated.....and.....the electricity generated by the dam sends power all the way up to Canada.
Then we got a view of it from top to bottom...
By the way, I don't know if you can tell from the pictures but it's REALLY HOT at Hoover Dam. Especially with that 100-degree heat (at 10:30am) radiat2ing off one of the largest concrete structures in the world. Advice: Wear a hat and bring LOTS OF WATER!
We finished our tour, hopped back in the car and had a wild idea....."Let's go to the Grand Canyon! It's only a couple of hours from here and we've got nothing but time to kill!" We decided this as we were heading in the opposite direction of where we finally got our GPS to tell us where to go. Going in the same direction to Hoover Dam, and eventually, the Grand Canyon, was over five miles of bumper-to-bumper traffic. There wasn't even a place for us to turn around. We took that as a sign that God did not want us to see the Grand Canyon, at least not yet. Who knows, we might be the two idiots that would actually fall into it.So how else could we be spontaneous? Well, we decided to look for a place for lunch. We have been on a massive real-pit BBQ kick lately, so we agreed to look for a local joint. We GPS'd it and found several BBQ restaurants in Henderson, about 15 miles outside of Las Vegas. We looked for one--couldn't find it. Looked for another--couldn't find that one. I guess God was looking out for us because we ended up at Lucille's Smokehouse. Nothing like good BBQ when you're really hungry. It had a nice swanky decor. My favorite sign was a picture of an old man playing a guitar and it read "My Blues Got Better Since I Gave Up Hope!" Classic! Our waitress was excellent--she made us feel right at home. She kept bringing us refills of this peach tea--it was awesome. Then when we were done, we sat in a little sitting room in the restaurant to relax and let our food settle. We could have taken a nap; we had nothing else to do. What an unusual feeling! But, you know those days when you don't have your kids and any other immediate responsibilities and you think, "Gosh, what can we do? We've got to do something! We can't let an opportunity like this pass us by."
Bowling it is! Spontaneous bowling! With the help of our GPS, we located a bowling alley in Henderson. Attached to a casino, of course. We bowled a couple of games. We laughed. We cut up. We felt like teenagers. Our scores weren't great, but who cares? We celebrated our freedom!
What next? Starbucks! And boy do they have some Starbucks in southern Nevada! On the GPS there was one every 50 feet! We spent some time at Target, at bookstores, at bakeries. Just talking. Appreciating our day of independence. But, as always, our thoughts drift back home to how much we miss the kids. We love them and we can't wait to see them.
So with those yearns to return to our family we made our way back here to McCarran International Airport, to await our red-eye flight back home. And as I type now, watching my lovely wife lie asleep on the thinly-carpeted, but acceptably clean floor of the waiting area near gate D36, using her purse as a pillow and my long-sleeve red shirt as a blanket, I think about how blessed Cindy and I are. I love my wife and I love my life. I don't like Vegas that much, though. It was fun, but it's just not us. Home is where we need to be. See you soon, kids.
Oh, and thank you Grandma Dee, GiGi and Nanny Wanda for watching our kids!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Day Four--Birthday in Vegas
No better place to spend your birthday than in Vegas, right? Well, for Cindy, just getting to sleep late was the best way for her to spend her birthday.
My morning was spent with The Beaver, Jerry Mathers. He was the guest speaker at the Kiwanis Fellowship Breakfast. 
After breakfast he graciously agreed to sign autographs. It was nice to shake hands with a TV star--he was a really personable guy.
After breakfast he graciously agreed to sign autographs. It was nice to shake hands with a TV star--he was a really personable guy. The rest of the morning and mid-afternoon was spent in wrap-up sessions. I made it back to the hotel and Cindy was still out and about. When she got back, we took a stroll to the Mirage and pick up our tickets for Cindy's birthday present--Cirque Du Soliel's "Love"--a performance of the Beatles music. 
We'd been planning this for a while so it was hard to contain our excitement while we were in the gift shop outside the theater. It was best that we get out before we explode with excitement.
We'd been planning this for a while so it was hard to contain our excitement while we were in the gift shop outside the theater. It was best that we get out before we explode with excitement.We walked to the Venetian and eyed the beauty of the Italian-themed resort. 
The paintings on the ceiling--words could barely describe. 
It was quite a sight.
The paintings on the ceiling--words could barely describe. It was quite a sight. We hustled back to our room, got ready and headed to the Mirage. 
Wow, what a show! It was everything we could have asked for and more! The sound was incredible and the soundtrack was beautifully arranged. And the acrobats--it was such a great combination of strength, power, and gracefulness. Wow!
Wow, what a show! It was everything we could have asked for and more! The sound was incredible and the soundtrack was beautifully arranged. And the acrobats--it was such a great combination of strength, power, and gracefulness. Wow! Unfortunately, the performance and just the hustle and bustle of the week left me less than patient as we waited for supper. I was a bear and Cindy didn't get the ideal birthday dinner she was hoping for. But at least we were able to enjoy the fountains at the Belagio in the evening for just one more time.
An almost perfect evening! Happy 34th Birthday, Cindy!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Vegas, Day Three
The highlight of Day Three was overwhelmingly the news that our godchild, Joshua, was born and that Erin was in good health. To celebrate, I was able to meet Cindy at lunchtime at a nearby church (ironically right on the Strip) for mass. Glory to God!
Cindy did some sight-seeing and shopping during the rest of the day, while I, along with Chris and Kevin from our club, attended workshops at the convention.
The Kiwanis International Legislative Session was held in the afternoon. This is where they elect the future leaders of the organization and vote on amendments to the by-laws.
It was a little tedious--people love to debate. But it finally ended just after 5:30pm, an hour past schedule.
The evening led us to a night out with Chris and Gina at Caesar's Palace. We had a few restaurants we were interested in, but really wanted to try Tyler Florence's restaurant, Napa. We were going to "do it up" for one night. The wait was over two and a half hours--that's a little too long for me. We settled on an Italian restaurant and were pretty pleased. The highlight for Cindy and I was when the pepper boy came to our table and asked, "Fresh-a peppa?" Cindy and I struggled to keep from laughing. It reminded us of that Saturday Night Live skit "Pepper Boy" with Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey. It kept smiles on our faces for the rest of the evening.
The rest of the night was spent trying to hunt down the ultimate dessert. It didn't happen. Oh well, still a great day in Vegas. Looking forward to tomorrow, especially because it's Cindy's birthday!
Cindy did some sight-seeing and shopping during the rest of the day, while I, along with Chris and Kevin from our club, attended workshops at the convention.
The Kiwanis International Legislative Session was held in the afternoon. This is where they elect the future leaders of the organization and vote on amendments to the by-laws.It was a little tedious--people love to debate. But it finally ended just after 5:30pm, an hour past schedule.The evening led us to a night out with Chris and Gina at Caesar's Palace. We had a few restaurants we were interested in, but really wanted to try Tyler Florence's restaurant, Napa. We were going to "do it up" for one night. The wait was over two and a half hours--that's a little too long for me. We settled on an Italian restaurant and were pretty pleased. The highlight for Cindy and I was when the pepper boy came to our table and asked, "Fresh-a peppa?" Cindy and I struggled to keep from laughing. It reminded us of that Saturday Night Live skit "Pepper Boy" with Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey. It kept smiles on our faces for the rest of the evening.
The rest of the night was spent trying to hunt down the ultimate dessert. It didn't happen. Oh well, still a great day in Vegas. Looking forward to tomorrow, especially because it's Cindy's birthday!
Vegas, Day Two
I started the day with a nice jog down the Las Vegas strip. It's only in its serenity (actually the only time it's quiet--7am), that you can truly appreciate how beautiful and ornate it all is. And everywhere is surprisingly clean.
Today was the first convention day so Cindy and I spent most of the day apart. She did some sight-seeing, checking out the resorts and eating a good lunch. I spent the day touring the convention site, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and then catching the opening session. 
The opening session speaker was Colin Powell. The former Secretary of State delivered a great speech. We also heard from the actress Tea Leoni, the national spokesperson for UNICEF, as Kiwanis International has teamed up with UNICEF for its worldwide service project--putting an end to maternal & neo-natal tetanus in third world countries. It was a very exciting opening session.
The opening session speaker was Colin Powell. The former Secretary of State delivered a great speech. We also heard from the actress Tea Leoni, the national spokesperson for UNICEF, as Kiwanis International has teamed up with UNICEF for its worldwide service project--putting an end to maternal & neo-natal tetanus in third world countries. It was a very exciting opening session. After a late afternoon nap, Cindy and I decided to go poolside in the lagoon pool area. It's something we never really get a chance to do, so we enjoyed it.
We toured a couple of more resorts and eventually found ourselves at New York, New York at 10pm and we had not even eaten supper yet. We grabbed ourselves a couple of slices of New York-style pizza and sat outside of a karaoke bar. We just sat back, relaxed and people-watched. Day Two was fun.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Vegas, Day One
Cindy and I arrived safely in Las Vegas for the Kiwanis International Convention. This is my first time in Vegas and Cindy's second. The view on the way in was breathtaking. Clear blue skies, mountains everywhere, and this metropolis of glitz in the valley. Cindy said it's pretty amazing when you land at night, but landing in the day was just fine with me. Walking into the airport, it's very obvious that this town likes to gamble. The terminals are lined with slot machines. Pretty amazing. We took a cab to our hotel, The Flamingo, and got settled in. 
We opened the window blinds and had the most spectacular view. We are directly across from Caeser's Palace 
and catercorner to The Belagio. 
Beyond the mammoth resorts in the backdrop are gigantic mountains. It's a wonderful sight.
We went out to dinner this evening with Chris, a fellow Kiwanian, and his wife, Gina. We hiked down the strip to the Mirage to have dinner at Wolf Gang Puck's restaurant. The food and fellowship was great. We are looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow.
We opened the window blinds and had the most spectacular view. We are directly across from Caeser's Palace and catercorner to The Belagio. Beyond the mammoth resorts in the backdrop are gigantic mountains. It's a wonderful sight.We went downstairs to the pool/gardens area of the resort. It's lined with a lagoon setting, and of course, it houses a flock of flamingos and other tropical animals.
The pool area is vast and looks like a lot of fun--can't wait to try it. There were a couple of weddings going on, too. They have several "chapel" areas and apparently they have weddings there just about every day.
The pool area is vast and looks like a lot of fun--can't wait to try it. There were a couple of weddings going on, too. They have several "chapel" areas and apparently they have weddings there just about every day. We walked to Caeser's Palace to take a look. The architecture and attention to detail is amazing. 
We went out to dinner this evening with Chris, a fellow Kiwanian, and his wife, Gina. We hiked down the strip to the Mirage to have dinner at Wolf Gang Puck's restaurant. The food and fellowship was great. We are looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow.
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