Top 30 Pictures:
1. Airport shot, leaving Tulsa
1. Airport shot, leaving Tulsa
2. First day at the Bellagio - classic horsebrothers pic
3. Group shot eating our "Secret Pizza" lunch
4. M&M World Cuteness
5. Love this one!
6. Coca-Cola World - I love that my friends are willing to humor me for pics like this!
7. $550k chandelier at the Chihuly Art Gallery
8. Watching the fountains from the guys' room (when you turn to channel 22, it plays the music)
9. Road trip to Valley of Fire (JEM turned around as he was driving for this shot!) :)
10. Victory shot - I love that Jeff is facing the sun! lol
11. JEM's new profile pic, courtesy of Chettles :)
12. Hilarious.
13. Well, I tried something new on the last day of my 20's - yay, me!
14. In n' Out Burger for our post-hike lunch -- yum!!
15. Ready to win big at the casino! ;)
16. JEM making my day with a Glamour Shots pose! lol
17. Last day of my 20's picture with all the 20-somethings on the trip!
(Chet, Karli, and Kelly - 25; Kyle - 27; me- 29)
18: Eating our cookie sundae at Serendipity!
19. I love that a 3-year-old's bday card is still pretty appropriate for me at age 30! lol
20. Awesome breakfast at Mon Ami Gabi!
21. Last Fountain show: Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli
22. 'Laying out' in our winter clothes by the pool. lol
23. Birthday "group hug" at the Tulsa airport when we got back!
24. Fun pic with the minion! :)
25. Dessert after Zarkana = strawberry sorbet and a chocolate covered strawberry from Jean Philippe Patisserie! :)
26. The guys being patriotic with Whitney's Star-Spangled Banner playing for the midnight fountain show!
27. Tall Kyle escorting Laura and I to dinner and the show! :)
*No, Laura did not wear those shoes around Vegas.
28. Just a fun hiking pic!
29. Text pic from Georgia of Sam n' Ella wishing me a happy 30th! lol Presh!
30. Me on my 30th birthday with the 30-somethings!
(Me - 30, JEM - 33, Laura - 34)
VEGAS QUOTABLES:
Me: Maybe we should call Jeff and see if he wants us to shut his trunk.
Laura: Yeah, I'm thinking that'd be a yes!
(After we told him that story...)
Jeff: Wow. Thank you, Laura, for deductive reasoning! :)
JEM: Guys, we're boarding.
Me: Are "we" boarding or are your First Class friends boarding?
JEM: I don't know - it'd just be sad to miss our flight because we were sitting here talking about Almond Butter!
JEM: I felt like a mama bear with these two in Europe.
Chet: Wouldn't it be papa bear?
JEM: Whatever. Just... a bear!
(Taking the Mensa quiz on the plane)
Kelly: I am intelligent... and I'm gonna prove it!
(Singing 22 to comfort me during take-off)
Laura: I will only sing T-Swift when vomit is on the line!
(Couple we talked to on the plane were headed to Hawaii)
Kelly: Oh, I'm jealous. ( -- quickly turning to me --) Not that I'm not excited for Vegas, because I totally am! :)
(Walking backwards in front of us, tour guide style:)
JEM: Guys, this A-14 section of the airport we're heading to is super trendy. Everything is local. Dallas people didn't grow up with chains like Panera.
(Kelly disagrees...)
JEM: Well, I guess people of my generation didn't. :)
(Approaching the above-mentioned 'trendy' section)
Laura: I keep expecting to see homeless hipsters sipping their soy lattes and silently or not-so-silently judging us for our various environmental transgressions!
JEM: I'm gonna go into dad mode when I'm driving that van.
(After I dropped half of my Einstein bros breakfast sandwich)
Kelly: I really think you're good!
Me: Yeah, I'm not eating anything off the airport floor!! I won't even eat food off the floor in my own kitchen!
JEM: (taking a poll as he picked up the sandwich to finish it) Who else here would eat this?
Laura: Oh, I'm glad to know some people have lower standards than me!
(Walking the forever-long twisty jetway at the Dallas airport)
Me: Longest walkway ever!
Tall Kyle: It's just preparing you for the hike!
(Discussing the odds in Roulette)
Laura: So why would anyone play that game!?
JEM (with dramatic flair): It's all about the drama, baby!
(At the Coca-Cola store)
Chettles: This is not about ___. We've talked about him too much at this store!
(Still discussing t-shirts at Coca-Cola World)
Chet: That's the wrong color red.
JEM: Well, I like this one!
Chet: Oh, I didn't realize this was the Jeff show. lol
(When I couldn't find Kyle in the group)
Kyle: You left me like you left your M&M's sack!
Chettles: We'll have faux-mosas on Monday - it's just orange juice in a champagne glass! :)
Chet: Ladies... (Pressing handicap button to open door for us)
Laura: That's what you call lazy chivalry, but I'll take it!
Laura: A $16 burger!??
Chet: Laura, you're in Vegas! ...You remind me of me on my first time in Vegas.
(Eating oysters at Todd English Pub)
JEM: That horseradish is a kicker! ...It's actually very healthy; it has a lot of zinc. And you can taste the sea! :)
(After watching a water show from our room)
Chet: Bellagio is just the best hotel!
Me: Have you ever stayed anywhere else?
Chet: No! And I don't need to.
(Talking up 30)
Laura: 20's was a lot of aimless wandering and bad decisions!
(Our dressed-up dinner conversation)
Laura: I asked Lindsey earlier where all the prostitution happens.
Karli: I think they come to you.
Jeff: Oh, Kyle knows!
(After we recovered from laughing, he explained that the guys had talked about Fremont Street earlier. lol)
(Discussing the upcoming hike)
Me: So how long is it exactly?
JEM: Well, will we be walking like we're trying to get to the fountains??
(That's the only time I hurry in Vegas.)
(After the clown at Zarkana kept shaking Kelly's hand over and over)
Me: I'm really glad that happened to you and not me... in the nicest way.
(After the mean clown yelled at him and the clowns were coming back out for more audience participation:)
TK: Don't make eye contact! lol
(Immediately after the acrobatic Cirque show ended...)
I need to go work on my core when I get back! -JEM
(On our way to fulfill Chet's casino buffet bucket list dream)
Me: Vegas - a place where dreams come true!
(Five minutes later after finding out it was $37/person for the breakfast buffet...)
Me: Vegas - a place where dreams get crushed.
(I tended to stop for pictures while everyone else kept moving...)
JEM: Okaaay, somebody needs to put a bell on Mockey so we know where she is at all times!! :)
Laura: What happens in room 2-3-0-3-8 stays in room 2-3-0-3-8!
(Opening our door for us in a snap after all four of us had tried for several minutes to get it open...)
Bellhop: Are you girls sure you're sober!?
(Talking about the hike)
Karli: Jeff should've just told you it was a nature walk.
Laura: Except take out the word nature... and maybe change 'walk' to 'gentle saunter!'
(Selling it after I text him about possibly canceling the hike)
JEM: We can cancel it if you want because it's your birthday... but honestly, Lindsey, if you're looking for memories, I think this is the way to go! There are great photo ops and so many pretty things to see! lol
(Talking about the above quote on our way to the hike)
JEM: I know what tugs on your heart strings. I haven't been able to keep a sales job for 10 years without --
(both at the same time)
Laura: -- a little finesse.
JEM: -- a little canivery!
(Posing for picture #12)
Chet: What faces are we making?
JEM: Sexy!
Chettles: We had six pillows on our bed. Two for me, two for Jeff, and two in between us! lol
(Discussing Kyle being perfect)
Chet: Kyle's snoring was like violins. I mean, he farts cologne. He just doesn't do anything wrong.
(Belting out incorrect lyrics again)
JEM: Come on, baby, lets get away. I wanna take u on an ice capade!
Laura: Did you say ice capade? .....Also known as escapade.
JEM: Whatever... an adventure!
(It started off very serious...)
JEM: Lindsey, I have a challenge for you. I want you to try 30 new things throughout your 30th year. And I want you to keep an open mind about bacon. lol
(Thinking of one last tourist factoid on our way to Valley of Fire:)
JEM: Can I say one more thing abt Vegas, and then I'll stop taking abt Vegas?
Chettles: Okay, the VCGO is dead! What are we??
Me: We could be the Vegas 7.
Chet: Or the Lucky 7 of Greater Oklahoma.
Me: Ooo, I like Lucky 7.
JEM: Or we could be Daddy's family! :)
(Driving over tiny little hills JEM had used as a sales pitch for the road trip)
Sarcastic Chettles: Wow, Jeff, you were not exaggerating at alllll.
(While driving over the tiny hills...)
All of us using Jeff's voice: WhoOOOOooooa!
(Finally seeing Valley of Fire from the car)
JEM: It looks like Mars - now do you see what I'm talking about?
Chet: Well, the last time I was on Mars, this is exactly what it looked like!
(On the 'warm-up' portion of the hike)
Chettles: Don't push me!! Don't touch me! Okay, this is not hiking; this is rock climbing! One false move and I could roll down this mountain, broken! :)
(Before the photo:)
Chet: Let's make sure nothing is outlined.
Chet to me, then me to Jeff (he left out the last word, while I said it:)
#noelevationmy@$$
JEM: It'd be so great to have one of those in my front yard (referring to the Bellagio fountains). lol
Laura: Would it go nicely with the herd of buffalo? :)
Laura: So the difference between me and you is that you see the Bellagio fountains and want to get engaged there, while I see the fountains and want to make out with a perfect stranger! lol
(Roadtrip question game)
JEM: This question is for Lindsey: If I were suspended over a pit of snakes and cockroaches hanging from a rope, would you come and rescue me?
Awkward pause...
(With the stipulation that I'm immortal, I finally said yes. lol)
(Literally the first thing we heard after touching down in Vegas)
Pilot answering the stewardess about whether he enjoys Vegas: I try to stay away from it. There's just so much corruption in this city!
(After Whitney's Star-Spangled Banner played outside at midnight at the fountains)
Laura: Church!!
(You're Beautiful on the radio.)
Laura: Ugh, what a wretched song!
(JEM obliviously singing it in the front seat)
Me: Aww, what if Jeff sang it to you?
Laura: ...I'd just have so many questions about what was going on I wouldn't even know where to start. lol
(Getting into the Palazzo parking garage)
JEM: All right, let's see if Daddy can work some magic!
Hostess at Serendipity: Table for 7 for Shet.
(Discussing the Forbidden Broadway Sundae)
JEM: Isn't that the one you got, Chet?
Chet: Oh, I got it, and it fought back!
(Talking about watching youtube videos in their room)
JEM: We were like three pigs in a blanket.
(Guys discussing their weight at Serendipity)
JEM: Kyle, will you weigh for us when we get back?
Awkward pause...
Kyle (laughing): Yes, Jeff, I will weigh for you.
(Admiring the view from our room)
Laura: Guys, I just noticed there's no apostrophe in Caesars Palace... that's gonna bother me; we may have to close the window!
(Random announcement about the guys' room)
Chet: We had pillow talk last night. It was fun. :)
(Best moment of our hike)
Mom to her son: Chet!
Chet Lee: What!? Who said that?? ...That's MY name! Oh my gosh, this is awesome! We have to get a picture!! ...Do a thumbs up. :)
JEM: I'd like to try the lee-mone, please.
Worker: What!??
JEM: ....Umm, I'll have lemon. lol
(Thoughts on Vegas)
Karli: This place is like a weird hybrid of Disney world.
Laura (to her roommates): Greetings from the glitzy, glamorous, and totally immoral city of Vegas! We're living it up in high style - as high style as I can manage as I'm always wearing tennis shoes.
(Beginning the hike)
Me: What a strange hobby. Why do people do this!?
(Talking about FB posts on your birthday)
JEM: Don't birthdays just make you feel special and much more popular than you deserve!?
(The guys talking about their weigh-in)
JEM: Before we announce that, let's have everyone try to guess our weights.
Laura: I'm still trying to get my mind out of girl mode where this would be the WORST GAME EVER!
(After I guessed within a pound on the guys' weights...)
JEM: If court reporting doesn't work out, Lindsey, you should work at a carnival guessing weights! lol
(Talking about whipped cream at Mon Ami Gabi)
Chet: Man, that'd be the best job ever, just making the whipped cream all day long.
(Sidetrip to McDonalds)
Lauralai: These are my people... (pause) the homeless and the crazy.
Chet: The longer we sat there, I was thinking, yeah, these are not my people.
(On hiking)
Laura: It's Bower genetics; my people sweat a lot.
(Fun cab driver trying to guess our state for the prize of a piece of Bellagio chocolate)
JEM: We have a lot of wind. It's very vossatile.
Laura: That's not even a word!
Lindsey: There's a musical named after us.
Cab driver: Chicago!?
(No.)
Can you hum the tune?
{All of us humming Oklahoma! So funny.}
...He finally got it with the "Kevin Durant" clue. :)
(JEM was carrying my suitcase when we got separated into different security lines)
Laura: Let's hope Lindsey doesn't have any illegal contraband in there since you're the one holding it.
JEM: Wouldn't it be funny if she had a whip!?
(At the airport... after visiting The Sugar Factory that morning)
JEM: I feel naked without any carry-ons. I usually have my candy thong with me... lol
(Talking at the Vegas airport:)
JEM: One thing I've learned about Mockey is...
Me: That she doesn't give up on her friends easily?
JEM: Well, yes. But I was gonna say that you have to be very specific! :)
(Discussing his theory on cell phones causing brain cancer)
JEM: I'm serious, though. I really think that in about 30 years, we're all going to die from brain cancer. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you! lol
(After our final airport pic)
Me: I love that you all have been so willing to pose for my cheesy pictures!
Laura: Let's be honest, if the trip had been one more day, I think we were all about to collectively snap! :)
(Back in Tulsa, going to our cars in the airport garage)
Me: Nice! This is so much faster than the way we came in.
JEM: Well, Mockey, this is not my first rodeo!
Other Memories:
Aside from the pictures and quotes, I'll remember watching the fountains (it started with Elvis' Viva Las Vegas and ended with Andrea Bocelli's Time to Say Goodbye! - how perfect - videos below!)... Laura cashing in her $1 winnings at the casino... "laying out" in our winter clothes and putting my feet in the Bellagio pool... taking a bath after midnight on our last night there... Laura and her Sleepmaker rain app on her headphones through the night... relaxing mid-day breaks with the girls (it worked out well that we are all introverts)... discussing antidisestablishmentarianism and nephalometers on the road trip back to Vegas (me, L, and Kelly, are all former spelling bee champs! lol)... grabbing the minion's arm to pull him to the side for a picture (he didn't speak English)... feeding the birds at In N' Out Burger... me leaving my stuff behind everywhere, and the kind people of Vegas (or Chet) returning it... JEM getting off the elevator to the parking garage while the rest of us didn't quite make it (really funny)... Tall Kyle hanging back and helping me through the hike... singing Britney Spears' Crazy with JEM on the walkway through the Dallas airport... the guys taking turns buying my meals and carrying my luggage for me :)... Chet's birthday toast to me at breakfast... JEM generously buying our Cirque tickets and renting the Suburban to help make the trip extra-memorable and fun for everyone!! We all went back to the girls' room and watched the midnight fountains (which started early), then rang in my birthday with a countdown to midnight, them singing Happy Birthday to me, and an individual and group hug from the guys. It was pretty perfect. And the next day, while watching the fountains, I found myself smiling and feeling so thankful for my parents' generosity (paying for us all to stay at the Bellagio), for the wonderful friends surrounding me, and for this trip! All in all, a very fun vacation and a great way to ring in my 30's!!
Viva Las Vegas, baby! ;-)
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