You better watch out, and you better not pout....

 I got the awesome opportunity to sit on Santa's lap a few weekends ago..... 

it was a magical experience, 

one that doesn't happen every year, in fact, I think I sat on ole' St. Nick's lap about 15 years ago,

 but, 

this one was just a little extra special to me....

CUZ, THIS CUTE OLE' ST. NICK JUST HAPPENED TO BE... 

MY DAD!!!

(one is never to old to sit on Santa's lap.)

He's since clean shaven again, dang-it!

Memories!!!

I was once a streetwalker....

Or rather, 

I would walk up and down the sidewalk of our street to the corner and back!

(see the black telephone poll on the left, that was the corner)

I had this beautiful white slip, it was soft and had a little frill on the bottom,

it made me feel pretty, and so did those shoes! 

Ohh, the shoes.... they were the best!!!

They were my great-grandma Sardoni's shoes,

they had an open back, and a little opening in the top of the toe,

they were too big of course,

but 

I loved them because they made a clicking sound on the pavement with each step!!!

As you can see, my mother was like really pregnant with my little sister,

I think Liz was born a few days later,

I always thought my mother looked so cute pregnant with her 5th child,

(although I'm sure she didn't feel so cute!)

 so, she would sit and watch me walk up and down our street,

I would just walk-n-talk to myself the whole way...

this is one of my earliest memories of childhood.

This is my great-grandma Elizabeth Lindsey Thomas Sardoni,

two of my daughters are named after her,

(I even wanted to name one of my sons' Thomas)

and

 I bet... my grandmother was wearing those fabulous shoes in this picture!?!

it was my blessing day at church.

We lived in Davenport Iowa for 3 years while my dad was going to Palmer Chiropractic School

this is a picture of him when he graduated!

and he's still a chiropractor to this day, he's amazing like that!

*we are standing in almost the same spot!!!

I grew out of my "streetwalkering" days

 but, it was fun while it lasted!

Reno 9-1-1...

We left around 3 am Friday morning,

Kurt had a "hot shot" to do and asked me it I wanted to go,

I jumped at the chance,

sometimes those spontaneous adventures of mixing business with pleasure are the best,

and that is exactly how it has turned out...

driving the "hot shot" down wasn't bad at all,

It felt like driving a truck, (not a big 18 wheeler)

I slept most of the time in the big back seat while Kurt drove through the night.

we arrived at our hotel....

it doesn't have a indoor pool or hot tub and no continental breakfast,

which was strange, 

I thought that was just a givin' for every hotel and was really looking forward to swimming

BUT

we're here and it's just been fun to get out of town,

it's warmer here than in SLC, imagine that!!!

we are getting ready right now to hit the big city strip of Reno,

and we're already ahead of the game I might add....

I won $2 dollars last night when we hit our first slot machine!!!!!

we went out to dinner at a FABULOUS buffet,

that our nice hotel concierge recommended

and he was right,

I think we would say it was one of the best we've ever been too,

I will NOT peel shrimp, but I actually can say that I peeled one right after another,

 they were THAT good!

then, I saw a ring that I felt I really needed in my heart,

(the detail is so pretty, kind-of hard to see in the picture.)

Kurt didn't even bat an eye!!!!

we walked around and saw all the sights and enjoyed the city lights coming to light after dark,

it's lighter at night than during the day!

Kurt played a slot machine, hit it once and ka-bomb, paid for our dinner!

it's nice cuz we know when to walk away, instead of getting greedy and losing it all!

needless to say, it's been a great weekend from start to finish.

we came back to our hotel to relax, we will actually sleep a full night without a little pee-tail dog having to do a potty break in the middle of the night, and get this:

we will get to sleep in, actually sleep until we wake up on our own!

oh, the things we take for granted as parents,

and the rat-race we call life sometimes...

it's been so nice to get away,

why don't we do this for ourselves more often,

we deserve it to ourselves to put each other first instead of last....

it's been one of my best days in a LONG time...

(Candice put a little damper on my mood today 

when I found out she was gone all day,

thank goodness that Caitlyn stepped up to the plate

 and played mom for the day,

she will be well rewarded, 
I appreciate her.)

and very much needed I might add...

Thanks Kurt!