We (T. and I) have been in Las Vegas this week. We flew on Monday (after waiting in the airport for a good two hours–T. likes to get there early).

Tuesday morning, T. went to a seminar at the World of Concrete Convention (also known as the reason we’re here). He had a good time, and I slept late-ish. Or at least, it was late at home. There’s no coffee maker in the rooms at the Las Vegas Hilton….just a casino, several restaurants, some gift shops, a couple of clubs, a salon. But no in-room coffee makers. So, the first actual day we were here, I ventured out and paid too much for breakfast. Because you pay too much for everything here. At least, that what it seems like to a girl from Kansas.

Tuesday evening, we took the monorail (the “fastest way to get to the Strip”) from our hotel so we could eat dinner and see the live show “The Lion King”. The monorail may actually be the fastest, sometimes cheapest, way to get to the Strip, but on a map, everything on the Strip in deceptively close together.

This picture was taken during what seemed like a never-ending walk from the monorail station at the MGM Grand hotel, through the hotel, past two or three other enormous hotels, and to Mandalay Bay. I’ve only been to Vegas twice (and the second trip is the one we’re on now), but I found out the first time that the hotels not only take FOREVER to walk THROUGH, but it also takes FOREVER to walk BETWEEN them. I’m probably lucky that I didn’t go into labor with all the walking. Just kidding. Sort of.

Anyway, we finally made it to Mandalay Bay and ate dinner at the House of Blues. Which was yummy, and crowded. The Lion King, though? Pretty amazing. The singing, and the costumes. Really cool. 

We took a cab back to our hotel.

And you know how I’m a 7 1/2 months pregnant girl from KS? Well, we didn’t get back from the show until about 10:30 Vegas time. That’s 12:30 girl-from-KS time. Enough said? Good. That’s how it’s been all week. That’s why we went to dinner and came back to our hotel room at 7:30 Vegas time. Because we have to go to the airport tomorrow morning. More on that later.

So, Wednesday (yesterday) we both went to the WOC at the conference center. It was pretty boring for me until we discovered how many booths (and there were HUNDREDS of booths) were giving away reusable bags. After that, it became fun. This is what we made off with….

Sixteen bags, 18 pens, two pairs of leather gloves, and much, much more.

Wednesday night, we decided to go to a movie. Because you know, we go to movies once every two months or so, and we’re on “vacation”. But first, we went to the Rainforest Cafe for dinner. I had T. take my picture in front of two different elephants, just so I could feel small for a second. I’m 30 weeks pregnant. I NEVER feel small, except when I’m in front of an elephant.

Do you know how much MONEY they spend on the hotel/casinos here? I don’t either, but it’s A LOT. I mean, look at these places!

Today is our last full day here. We have to get on the plane home tomorrow at 11ish am. And we have an hour-long layover at LAX, before we (hopefully) get off the plane at KCI around 6ish. Did you hear me? I said AN HOUR-LONG LAYOVER AT LAX. That’s LOS ANGELES, CA. And we have ONE HOUR to get off one plane and get on another. Can you tell I’m freaking out a little??

So anyway, since today was our last day and there’s not too much to do here during the day, we really didn’t do anything. All day. We did have breakfast at the Buffet restaurant here in the hotel. And then I did spend a little time in the hotel salon getting a pedicure and stuff. But then we had about 4 hours to do nothing. Well, T. did make some terrible tv show choices, and I took a short nap and read a book. I READ A BOOK. Yay for vacation!

And then, because I wanted to go to a fancy restaurant and also got a really cheap restaurant.com gift certificate for a steakhouse about a block away, we went there for dinner. It was the kind of place that either makes you feel fancier for being there, or VERY un-fancy. I think, for me, it was a little of both. It was really good, though, and a good way to end the trip.