Vegas Baby!

I thought I would share some of the highlights of our recent Vegas trip!!!

Las Vegas Blvd. also referred to as The Strip.

New York New York was fabulous!!!  I love that GI-Normous wreath!!!  One advantage of going to Vegas during Christmas time is that everything is decorated to the max!!!  We ate at The Burger Bar here and I would say it was the best food we had in Vegas.  I really wanted to eat at some swanky place, but it just didn't happen.  Everything we ate was so so and over priced, but The Burger Bar in New York New York was pretty tasty!!!

Moving along....Hoover Dam!!!

If you have been to Vegas and not made it to Hoover Dam you have missed out.  We rented a car and drove out to it for the afternoon.  This place is phenomenal!!!  You must go and take the Dam tour!  I can't believe the massive-ness of this place and to think of all the labor that went into it all the years ago when technology was not what it is today.  I was in awe of it!!!  Our Dam tour guide told us there is enough cement in it to make a 4 foot wide sidewalk around the Earth's equator!!!  An amazing piece of American history folks!!!

Moving along to The Bellagio...

The floral display is quite a site.  You can smell the fresh cut flowers as soon as you walk in.  Each display is made out of mainly flowers....millions of them!!!!  I love this huge rocking horse and you can catch a glimpse of the train they had set up making its way around the horse.

The Bellagio offers a water/light show every 30 minutes.  I recommend going at night because it is beautiful and the view of Paris is too!!!

We had to take in Cowboy Christmas while we were there.

Cowboy Christmas has everything you need for life on the ranch.  I loved this vendor who had floral displays made from antlers, ropes, boots, or anything along those lines.  

AND the reason we went to Vegas.....

The National Finals Rodeo!!!  I have wanted to go for sooooo long, and now I have finally been!!! We went to 2 rounds and watched the best of the best compete.  We even got to see Charlie Daniels perform one night!!!!  My 5 year old son has it in his head he wants to ride bulls so he was excited that I video'd some of the bullriders!!!  We hope to take the kids our to the NFR someday, but I want them to be a little older before dragging them to Vegas....ummm yeah, it's Vegas remember. Ha!

We made it down to Fremont Street and got to see several impersonators.  That was fun!!!  The light show was awesome as well.  There were a couple of spray paint artist that we watched create some awesome pieces in a matter of minutes!

The guys went off to do their thing {dune buggies in the dessert} so the girls and I headed down the strip and ended up at The Venetian!!!  

The place is stunning and quite a work of art!  We at lunch at a little place along the water.  I will tell you they have the best Mojitos ever!!!!!!!

And while the men were doing there thing we did a little shopping!

Nope, I didn't snag a Louis Vuitton handbag, but I enjoyed looking.  There was a $330,00 watch in its own special case and guess what....they wouldn't let me take a picture of it...grrrr.  They did inform us they had a watch that was ONLY $130,000!!!  Umm, no thanks.....I don't even wear a watch.  This is the largest Louis Vuitton store in the United States BTW.

HOWEVER.....

Tiffany & Co. was up my alley and guess what....that there sack has a lovely gift wrapped Tiffany box in it for ME!!!  I bought it for myself and told them to do it up right and I will open it on Christmas!!!!  This is how I justified it (because I had to or I wouldn't buy it)....the guys went to ride those dune buggies which wasn't cheap.....and Tiffany & Co. isn't cheap..... Do you know that they have handbags too!!!!  What girls doesn't love Tiffany & Co.?!?!?

So there is a glimpse of our Vegas trip!  This was the first trip/vacation the hubs and I have taken since we have been married!!!  Okay, so it was the second....we went to Estes Park with the kids last year.  I think we need to take more trips!!!!!!!!!!

{{{HUGS}}}

My Thoughts......

My heart aches for those beautiful children and the brave staff at Newtown Connecticut.  As a parent I

cannot imagine getting that phone call.  The entire situation is horrible and has brought tears to my eyes. As I hugged my kids I thought of the parents that would not get that opportunity any more.  It really makes you cherish every moment and not take it for granted.

 

source

Here at The Farmer's Wife I try not to get political.  I don't want to debate politics here.  I am not saying I don't have my strong opinions, but I choose to keep them to myself....WHY.....because that is how I want it here.  Humorous and fun is what I like.

HOWEVER, the shooting at Sandy Hook has had me thinking a lot.  Yes, all the what ifs.  Again, this is my opinion, but I want to express it.  I believe in the right to bear arms.  I come from a long line of family that is all about guns and hunting.  Now, my family uses them to hunt wildlife and shoot at targets, but that is the extent of it.  We don't have AK-47's (or whatever else is along those lines).  Guns bring enjoyment to people who like to hunt to put food on the table.  I would hate to see that right taken away.

I believe that if the right to bear arms is taken away it will not stop the psychotic individuals {like the one who took all those precious lives yesterday including his own mother} from obtaining a weapon.  They will find a way because they are just not right in the head.

What I would be more than fine with is...... teachers, staff, or a school officer trained to use a gun.  I wouldn't want this forced on a staff member if they were not comfortable with it, but I would like to see it as an option for our schools {maybe it is in some places already}.  They had nothing to defend themselves with yesterday.  Remember, guns did not kill those precious lives yesterday....that sick individual did!!!!

PRAYING FOR NEWTOWN!!!!

Sorry if this offends anyone, just wanted to share my opinion. 

{{{HUGS}}}

Double Brownies

Are you gearing up for all your Christmas baking?  Do you take your neighbors a plate full of Christmas goodies?  Maybe you just need a new twist on an old recipe.  If so, give these double brownies a try!

I love all things chocolate, especially brownies.  These brownies combine a blonde brownie along with a chocolate brownie and are not overly sweet, but the caramel icing will make up for it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Bottom layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Middle Layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Caramel Icing:
6 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 to 6 Tbsp milk
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture.  Stir in nuts.  Spread into a greased 9x13 baking pan.  

For the middle layer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs.  Combine the flour, cocoa, and salt.  Stir into creamed mixture.  Add nuts.  Spread over the bottom layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely.  

For the icing, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar and milk; bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat.  Cool just until warm; beat in confectioners' sugar until the icing achieves spreading consistency. Spread over brownies.  Let stand until set.  Cut into bars.  Enjoy!

I shared this recipe at Her View From Home.

{{{HUGS}}}