May 2016 Vegas Surprise!!

This post is 2 years old, but too good to not share! Since I am just getting to post hilights from 2016, this one has to make the list! Back in April 2016, my brothers girlfriend, Shelby called me and said she had an idea for Josh's birthday. She wanted to fly me out to Vegas and surprise Josh for his birthday! I was all down for that. Julian was almost 2, so I would have to wean him off nursing I guess. I had to get my Mother in Law, and my parents to help watch Jayna and Julian while Andrew was working so that I could go. But they all came together for me so I could! I was SO excited to go away by myself since I had only gotten away in Feb to visit my best friend Heather in Vancouver once. Alone time trips was a great rarity!! And to have one on one time in Vegas with my brother, heck yes! I was so excited, to see my brother, and it was really hard to not accidentily tell him when we talked on the phone! The only crappy thing about the flights were they were super early!! I had to be at the airport around 5 am or something which meant I woke up like 3:30am. So I saw the sun rising up in the sky! Here is the taking off in Victoria, and then landing in Vegas!

So Shelby picked my up at the airport, and she told Josh she would meet him for a birthday lunch. On our way we discussed how we would surprise him. I had the idea to hide in her trunk, and she would open it saying his present was in the trunk and I would jump out! We thought that sounded pretty awesome, so we went with that. Since it was Vegas, I couldn't be in there that long, so I sat with the hood up, and when she saw him truck driving down, she shut the trunk. He was taking a while when he got to the parking lot because he was changing his socks and shoes etc. So she said something to make him hurry up haha, and he came over with no shoes on. She opened the trunk and I jumped out and ran and jumped onto my brother! haha He almost swore he was SO shocked!! It was one of the best surprises of our lives!! Epic. It was epic. The food is pretty awesome in the States, and it's definitely bigger... We went for lunch together...

After that, Josh had to go back to work, so I went with Shelby and she showed me where she lived with her Nana, and she also had to teach a dance class for little kids so I went with her. I was soooo tired tho and was falling asleep on the chair! I asked her if it was cool if I could go sleep in her car! She understood, so I went there and actually fell asleep twisted in the back seat...oh my long legs make it hard for situations like that, lol. I felt a lot better after a little nap! I got to see my brother at his mauy tai gym. Took me back a little to the days of him and I in karate.

Josh and I went to explore the Red Rock Canyons outside of Vegas. It was SO cool! Something I have never experienced before. We got a few energy drinks, I have only had one or two my whole life, and honestly it didn't give me any energy haha. Josh and Andrew drink them all the time, so I had to take some photos for my hunny back home;) We just walked down stairs to the red rock and climbed wherever. I was a bit scared at some point cause I don't like heights at all. But I started to get the hang of it. I love it so much. We had some good convo and we got pretty hot out there! What a fun experience, and such a different kind of beauty compared to what we are used to.

We went out to the Strip one night, of course we had to, we were in Vegas! The strip is so crazy. It's another world there for sure! We ate at a cool little pizza joint, literally a hole in the wall. Shelby didn't quite know where it was so we were searching for it and finally found it, cause it was like a little hallway and that was in in those huge hotels..it's a miracle we actually found it haha.

We went to the M&M store, and I left with a little bag. We went and tried all the flavours of Coca-Cola. Some were plain nasty!! Some were super good. Our stomachs were way to full of pop after! And then of course, you have to see Elvis outside...

We got to go the LDS Temple one day, and that was really cool. Super nice to be there with my Brother. We hadn't had a chance to go together for quite some time. Our first experience was together at the Seattle Temple for our missions, so it was special. We had a ton of pics together outside, but I can only find this one from my trip.

On the last day, Josh and I drove to California!! We left early and got home super late, and then I had to catch another early flight. It was fun to take a little road trip with my bro. We were having a hard time staying awake on the way back tho, I tell ya! When we got to the beach, we jogged down it and it was so fun. I couldn't believe we were jogging down the beach in California! haha So random!

I had a little time to just close my eyes and relax on the beach while my bro went to the washroom and watched a volleyball tourney going on. I was so grateful to feel the warm sun on my face. I loved how I could just lay there and relax, no kids to tend to. This was a rarity. I took in the sunshine and the sand, and the stillness of my body. I felt gratitude. I tried to get it through my head I was in Cali, cause as soon as I got there, just as soon I would be gone! It's crazy how you can be in one place one day and then a completely different place the next. Travel is a remarkable thing.

We went to Ruby's Diner at the end of the Pier at Huntington Beach. I had been there with Andrew on one of our Cali trips and was looking forward to going back. Super good shakes, burgers and fries. One of my favourite things to eat! We walked the beach at night, and cruised some shops. Check out the underwear...so random.

It was hard to leave. It was really neat to see a piece of my brother's life and have him show me around. It was special to have some one on one time since it's a rarity now how life is. I miss those days growing up together. Siblings are a very special relationship. No one understands in the ways they do. It was nice to just be me, Ashley for 5 days. I was also happy to go home and see my two little babes and Andrew. Julian saw me, and ran up into my arms when I got home, and said "Hi Mama." Then he said: " Milk?" hahahaha