Vegas, Baby!

We spent the week in Vegas for SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade show), so we were out there for "work".  If you call writing a blog "work" ;)

However, it wasn't all nose to the grindstone.  Once we finished up with the show, we had some free time before we came home, so we played a little bit.  Friday morning, we headed out to the Shark Reef to hang out with some cool critters.

There was a school group there, so you might want to turn the volume for the videos OFF unless you want to listen to a bunch of noisy kids.

Jay got to pet the stingray

Jay has decided that since no humans live under the water that that's where the aliens live, which prompted him to wonder if jellyfish are just alien sperm.  Yep, that's the way my hubby's mind works.  I'm a lucky girl, no?

Friday night, we all went to see Zumanity.  I was pleasantly surprised at the price.  When I looked up ticket prices online, the cheapest I could find was $165/ticket, yet when we went to the ticket counter, we found that we could get tickets for $74 each, so we snatched up the tickets.

Oh my word, Zumanity was so much fun!  I knew it was for adults, but I didn't expect the humor aspect.  I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. 

Saturday was our day to leave, but our flight wasn't until the evening, so we wasted time by driving around not-the-Strip Vegas.  The first stop was Gold and Silver Pawn shop, better known for their TV show Pawn Stars.  Although calling it a "stop" would be a lie.  We saw the lines to get in and opted for a drive-by instead.

5,000 people a day visit.  I bet not all 5,000 are there to pawn stuff.

Our next stop was Count's Kustoms, of Counting Cars fame. They are kind of tucked back off the main drag and a little more difficult to find, so there wasn't a line.  I'm a big fan of the show and am forever amazed at what Danny's crew can do.

After leaving Count's Kustoms, we were just driving around when suddenly both Jay and Mez spotted the most fun store of all ... The Zombie Apocalypse Store.  We had to stop.  What a fun store!  I could have bought everything in it.  Their stock was a combination of fun and useful.  Lots of just campy fun zombie-themed t-shirts and stickers along with ammo, freeze dried food, and non-firearm weapons.

By this time, our stomachs were starting to tell us it was time to find food, so off to In and Out Burger.  The boys really like it, but I'm kind of ho-hum about it.  I like their philosophy, but am not in love with their food.  Since it will be at least a year before they get to eat it again, I didn't raise any objections.  See what a good wife I am?

Even with all of the time we managed to waste during the day, we still got to the airport with plenty of time for me to sit down and read my new book almost cover-to-cover.

Read. this. book.

I'm not kidding.  If you read nothing else this year, you must read this book.  It's a real-life, love conquers all kind of book.  I spent the last few pages in tears, but not the bad kind.  You must read this book.

One More Blog

For anyone who is interested, I've started yet another blog.  SMH, I don't know why, it just seemed like the right thing to do.  As Funder says, "It seemed like a good idea at the time".

The new one is located on my author's page on Goodreads and will be primarily directed toward my books.  When I started this blog almost six years ago, it was not for shameless self-promotion, it was to write about "things" in my life.  Now, with the books, I don't want this blog to turn into, "Oh God, she's talking about her books again", thus the new blog.  Today's post (cross posted at Tales from the Trail) is about how you never know who you're going to meet in a day (which has actually given me a great idea for a post here, but I don't have time to write it today).

So, if you're interested in seeing what goes on in my very little writer's brain, click on over and check it out.

soulmates

I'm very blessed in the friend department.  This blanket-turned-tapestry was a gift and I loved it so much I couldn't bear to use it as a blanket, so it's helping to insulate the brick wall.  With the cold weather moving in, I'm sure it will be helpful, as this is the largest exposed brick wall in the apartment.

I just have to say, my next horse has some big shoes to fill.

I Have a New Favorite T.V. Show

I'm not replacing The Walking Dead as my all-time favorite show, let's not get crazy.

I'm going to go ahead and blame Mom and Bill for this new T.V. show even though I bet they've never seen it.  I was in high school when they got married and that was the beginning of their mental decline. They moved us into an old farmhouse rich with history built in 1879.  The kitchen floor was completely rotten through, when you walked on it, you could feel it squish beneath your feet.  That was the first time I questioned their sanity, though we know is is far from the last time.

But I *loved* that house.  Loved it.  It was the beginning of my love affair with old houses.  I love the history, and the "quirks" that each old house has. When they bought the Lodge, they bought a "new" house, as the lodge was built in 1933 and we all know how beautiful the Lodge is.

I never had the opportunity to buy an old house, but I want one so bad I can almost taste it.  Currently, Jay and I live in an apartment in what used to be an old hotel, built in 1903.  I love our exposed brick and heat from big radiators in each room.  Yes, it can get cold.  When we had our really cold snap in November, we had a hard time getting the apartment over 64*F, but we just put on more layers and grumbled a little bit.

Love of old houses rubbed off on Nebalee, too.  Her house was built in 1890 and is small, but full of character.

I had to tell you all of that so I could tell you that my new favorite T.V. show is Rehab Addict with Nicole Curtis.  She takes old homes and uses reclaimed materials to bring them back to their former glory.

When we win the PowerBall, we're sooooo buying an old, run-down home and re-doing it.

I Have *Zero* Complaints From 2013

All in all, 2013 was a pretty darn good year.  I can't complain at all.

I actually learned new stuff this year.  I shouldn't say "actually" like I'm surprised, should I? I love to learn new stuff.

Jay, Mez, and I went to SHOT Show in Las Vegas, where I met a lot of great people, saw a lot of new products, and got to shoot my first fully automatic rifle.

Daniel Defense .300 Blackout

I got to play with my friend's cattle on branding day.

I placed an ear tag

Helped with the squeeze chute and back poured the meds

I even vaccinated her beautiful mare

I took a carbine rifle class in April and managed to hold my own against a bunch of guys who were much younger and in much better shape.  The best part of the class?  It counts as "research" for my books, which makes me giggle.

Also in April, my Para got a facelift and is beautiful now.

Unfortunately, we spent Jay's birthday in Logan, Utah for his grandma's funeral.  We did stop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on the way (even though it's not really on the way) and it was beautiful.

We saw squirrels...

...and bears!

Jay and I had a great "staycation" in May.  We took a trip to Southern Colorado and visited the Great Sand Dunes and Zapata Falls.

July brought me a lot of heartbreak, when I lost Estes.  Two weeks later, I headed down to Southern Colorado to work on the Horse Master with Julie Goodnight crew and I always learn so much during the week we're shooting.

RIP Sweet girl

The crew at the wrap party

Julie's ranch is beautiful

There's a lot of this when filming

Our cameraman and producer will do anything to get a good shot

My Robs had her triplets in the beginning of August, the same day Asset busted her arm.  The triplets were much more welcome than Asset's broken arm.

Baby A

Baby B

Sweet little Baby C, the bonus baby

Asset pre-surgery

In the fall, I got a wild hair up my ass to learn to can.  Since I didn't have a pressure cooker, we were limited to things we could can using a water bath.  Our first attempt was green chile base, essentially our own version of 505 green chili.  With the success of our first batch, I bought more roasted chiles and we made a second batch, thinking it would hold us through the winter.  I was wrong, we only have a couple of pints left.  I also made Jay make up bunches of his soup and we froze several quarts.  It is awesome!  Mom gave me my great-grandma's pressure cooker a few weeks ago, so we'll be able to can shelf-stable soup.

I published both of my books.  What a learning curve that was!  Ugh, learning to format and convert about made my head explode, but it was worth it.  Jay got his children's book published and is working on his second one, which I can't wait for.

Published August 31

Published December 1

Published November 2

Oh man, so much happened in 2013 and my family is truly blessed.  Digger started school, Ashinator got a "grown-up" job, and Monster moved to Kentucky.  I can't wait to see what 2014 holds for us.

Baking Weekend

I'm a little late posting this, as Baking Weekend is always the second weekend in December and here it is, just two days before December ends.  Yikes.  I always have grand plans for getting my blogging done and then it just doesn't happen. I've been off from work for a week now and I'm just now feeling like turning on the computer.  I guess it just goes to show how badly I needed a "brain break".

Before we could head up to the Lodge to start baking, we had to celebrate Ashinator's 21st birthday (how did that happen?!) at the Rio so she could have her first (legal) marg.  Rumor has it that the Rio margs are the most potent in town.  I'm not certain about it, but they do have a 3 marg limit, so maybe.

Happy Birthday, Ashinator!

Staci is still on her boat with her family, so we missed her again this year.  It did work out, though, that she was some place with WiFi and we could FaceTime with her.  It was so good to see her and the kids and have them join us for a bit, even if it was via computer.  Robs was even kind enough to sample all of the cookie dough for her.

Sue and Robs with Staci

It's actually kind of hard to bake and hold a phone at the same time.

While I didn't have any big new recipes planned for the day, Robs did.  It's a chocolate cookie sandwich with a peppermint filling, rolled in crushed candy canes.  It's essentially a diabetic coma in cookie form.

Spreading the peppermint filling

Don't they look amazing?

But, seriously, check your blood sugar after eating one.

My girls.  Don't know what I'd do without them.

Some of the fruits of our labor.

Mom's "pretty" Christmas tree

Nebalee's family went Christmas tree hunting in the morning, so they were a little late getting up to join us.  Mrs. Junior and her son also joined us later in the day. That way, we can work in "shifts" in the kitchen.

The Lodge is so beautiful in the winter.

Robs and me

Jay and me.  He's such a goober :)

We had planned on having the triplets with us, but Robs let them stay home with her wife, which freed us up to do more baking.  Let's be honest, if we'd had the babies with us, there wouldn't have been much baking going on.  The "aunties" would be too busy playing with the girls.

It seemed like we really scaled back on what we baked, but we still ended up with a ton and a half of cookies.  Our final cookie count for the weekend was:

Magic Window Cookies: 106
Gingerbread Cookies (Mom's recipe): 47
Peanut butter Cookies: 37
Aztec Cookies: 180
Oatmeal-mint chip Cookies: 130
Chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies: 38
M&M Cookies: 90
Peanut Butter Kisses cookies: 50
Mini-gingerbread cookies (mix): 50
Medium gingerbread cookies (mix): 12
Butterballs: 152
Chocolate-dipped Coffee Cup Cookies: 40
Fudge: 10#
Magic cookie bars: 72
Plus some toffee and a couple hundred pretzel/kisses/M&M thingies.

Ashinator did the math, it's something like 1004 cookies (okay, maybe it's only half a ton).  Since we still have some left, I'm guessing we over-did it a tad (we didn't mail as many out this year - mailing has gotten expensive!).  But, as usual, it was a blast and I can't wait to do it again next year.