Viva Las Vegas!

Last week I had the pleasure of hopping on three planes and flying west to Las Vegas. It was the first time in 5 years that I had several days and nights to be responsible for only myself. On the plane rides I was able to read a WHOLE book, a WHOLE magazine and take a nap. Ah-maz-ing, right?

Initially I was nervous. Nervous how the kids would do because the truth is, I probably coddle them quite a lot. And Daddy? He doesn't. I worried they wouldn't be able to sleep or would whine incessantly. Guess what? They had no problems sleeping and they kept the whining to a minimum. Daddy is fun! Daddy does things that Mommy doesn't! Daddy will always be way cooler than Mommy! That isn't to say they didn't miss me, because they did. As a matter of fact, when I got up the day after I returned to hit the gym my dearest little boy says "You just got back, why do you have to leave again?" I didn't think he would notice or care...but he does. And it warms my heart to know that the day to day I do with them, gets noticed. I know the Husband gets it but with the kids it is harder to tell.

I know many of you might be thinking I went to Vegas and a bunch of debauchery ensued but you would be sadly mistaken. Not one cent made it into a slot machine or onto a casino table. I like my money to either get me something (shopping) or to stay in my wallet for a rainy day. Instead I had the pleasure of meeting with a nearest and dearest friend and reliving our youth by attending a NKOTB concert. New Kids on the Block for those of you not in the know. Yes...they are still making music and doing concerts. The last time I had seen them was 7 months pregnant in 2008. This show was even better! It is quite fun to be in a arena and see grown women either dressed like they are 12 again or dressed like they are going to dance on a pole after the show...

Jordan!

Here I am with my favorite member...and this is about as close as I got to him all weekend.

Michelle and I.

Blue light=weird picture, but that's my friend and I waiting for the show to start!

Whatchu know about Mr. Donnie Wahlberg?

The concerts were great and in between I had time to just be me without also being mommy. I slept, I shopped, I ate a hot meal. I played on the iPad. I had lots of adult conversation. It was fantastic and yet tiring all at the same time. I came back exhausted and so not ready to jump back into mom life. Thank goodness my family allowed me to pass out and get 12+ hours of sleep.

Would I do it again? Yes! Even without an actually event, I am ready to take time off and go away. I know the kids will always be in good hands with their Daddy. My issue was never that...the issue was me and the anxiety that lives in me. But now that I've seen I can do it, you can bet that I will. Anyone want to join me?

Muchas Gracias

For those of you that never took Spanish in school or have forgotten, the title of this post means Thank you very much. I have been thinking about doing this post for a week now and just didn't know where to start or how...so I'm just going to wing it and hope it comes out right.

Many times when you tell people about your online friends, they just don't get it. Especially if they only dabble with things like Facebook, Twitter, Web Boards, and Blogging. I know at first it seemed weird but the more I "talked" with these new friends, the more invested I became. For me it began with a simple show and a web board about said show. (Roswell, anyone remember that show?)

It happens quickly and I am always amazed by the amount of compassion and goodwill you can find from people you may never meet. People that can be spread out around the globe, cheering you on, cheering you up, lamenting with you over a bad day. Wishing you luck, sending you good vibes, giving advice.

So imagine my surprise when a relatively new friend offered me the brand new stroller she had just won! And not just any stroller, but a creme de la creme type stroller!

It all began with this post from Fadra. She won the cool stroller but didn't need it and her son was already getting too big. Talk about luck, there she was just doing a good thing by buying a raffle ticket and she actually won. The stroller is beautiful and while try as I might to talk the husband into getting one for the arrival of our little girl...I knew it was so not happening. I put it out of my mind and began researching what to about having a newborn and 2 year old. Double stroller? Sit and stand? Use the old one?

I'm going to admit it, I hate researching baby products. There is so much stuff out there that it can make your head spin. And I am of the school that higher cost in most cases does mean a superior and quality product. I mean think about all the items that have been recalled in recent months...not many high end products. That speaks volumes to me.

Okay, so back to my story. I was in N.C. and looking forward to a day in Raleigh and meeting Fadra. We exchanged a few messages in the morning and then she hits me with one that says she wants to give me the stroller. I sat looking at the message in shock and then began to cry. This was such a nice thing to do. I mean really nice.

What shocked me the most? That she was willing to do this and she hadn't met me. Not that meeting me would have changed her mind. :) I think for me I am such a wary person. I've learned the hard way that many times people don't do things for free or out of the kindness of their heart. But it seems just the opposite is true online. While everyone loves recognition, much of what they do is because they want to. Because they feel connected to you. Because you have put yourself out there and so have they and it creates a bond.

After we met Fadra, (who is awesome, but I'm saving that for another post) Hubbs and I talked about how good people, who do good things, get good karma in return. See if it had been us? We probably would have sold the stroller. Which then made me think about what kind of message does that send out? And what kinda of karma am I accumulating? Fadra has won quite a few things lately and I have to think it's because she is collecting the right kind of karma. And that in turn makes me want to re-think how I go about my day to day and become a better person.

So thank you, my friend. Thank you for the beautiful stroller. Thank you for proving that online friends rock. Thank you for teaching me to think about the person I am and how I can be better.

And for those of you that didn't click the link...here is what baby girl's new stroller looks like:
Awesome, right? Don't underestimate the connections you make online be it via Twitter, Facebook, Web Forums, or Blogging. You never know when someone will do something that makes your day and you didn't even have to ask.