Some days come wrapped in setbacks. Others surprise you with unlikely detours that turn out to be the highlight reel. Day 5 started with a limp and ended with lights, laughter, and a couple of unforgettable performances—each one wildly different, both perfectly Vegas. Whether you’re strolling or struggling, the city knows how to show up for you when you lean into the unexpected.
Midday found us hungry and headed somewhere unexpected—a diner-meets-pizzeria with a dash of showbiz flair. What started as a pit stop became a pivot: less hustle, more healing, and just enough spectacle to keep our spirits lit.
After a few days of comfort and calm, we traded poolside views for something a little more rugged. With the Vegas Strip still on the horizon, we took a scenic detour that turned out to be one of the most visually striking chapters of the trip. Think ancient formations, desert drama, and a few unexpected encounters that made us pause, laugh, and maybe sweat a little more than planned. Let’s just say—this day had layers. And not just in the rocks.
The last two weeks in July were pure summer scramble—baseball dreams, taco diplomacy, and smash burgers gone rogue. But tucked between the grease clouds and fangirl squeals were ice cream breaks, health check wins, and the kind of selfie moments that remind me why “LyLy” matters. Buckle up.
Day three in Henderson didn’t come with a checklist or sightseeing agenda—and that was kind of perfect. After a slow start at the hotel, I wandered through antique and thrift shops, soaking in the local charm. One vendor’s sprawling camera collection made me pause and linger—it was the kind of simple delight that sneaks up on you. With the afternoon heat pressing in, we made our way to the pool area to visit and take in the view—mountains in the distance, stories all around. If you missed the first post from this trip>>>Boulder City, NV (Vegas Trip Day 2) Our…
Day 2 of our Vegas trip led me to Boulder City, where a quiet personal connection added depth to an already charming afternoon. Between burgers, browsing, and camera-clicking strolls, I found plenty worth remembering—and even more worth sharing. If you missed the first post from this trip>>>Henderson, NV Day 0 & 1 Day 2 On day 2, I took the afternoon to drive over to Boulder City. A few weeks before going on this trip, I was looking at FindAGrave.com because I find it so interesting. I was going through linking some of my way back family members to each…
A couple months back, Rob had a conference scheduled in Henderson—just outside Vegas—and I happily tagged along to turn it into a fun little getaway. From delayed flights and airport vibes to hummingbird photo ops and desert walks, our first two days kicked off the trip in the best way—calm, curious, and full of local flavor. While Rob dove into conference mode, I explored, thrifted, and soaked up the sunshine. It was the kind of beginning that eases you right into vacation mode. Day 0 After church on Sunday, Rob and I packed up and headed to the airport. Some…
From fro-yo runs to a 50th birthday bash, here’s what life looked like lately around our corner of Auburn. July 5 LA turned 5 months…I mean how is it going by so fast?!?! My in laws throw a 4th of July party every other year. This year the party was actually on the 5th. You can read about it here>>>Celebrating Independence Day 2025 July 6 We went to visit our friend Marc at his church about 30 minutes away. We got to hear his sermon and then went to the parsonage to visit with him and his family. July 10…
LIFE Happenings Here’s my weekly posts to catch you up. Week 23 & 24 Week 25 & 26 Loving that I have gotten back into meal planning. Happy when she’s around… Excited to celebrate Rob’s 50th birthday next week. Reminiscing We’ve been talking about what we’re doing for 4th of July next year since its a big one for our country. 250 years!! Its made me think about our 4th of July during Drew’s high school graduation trip in the Pacific Northwest. That day in 2016 we explored Mount St. Helen’s as well as Lava Canyon and the Ape Caves.…
Snapshots from the Past Two Weeks From granddaughter giggles to wedding vows, birthday candles to eye charts — these past couple of weeks have been full of sweet moments. I’ve gathered a few favorite photos, each with a little story to go with it. Thanks for joining me on this small stroll through recent memories. June 18 Time for another eye check. Gave bifocal contacts another shot, but the difference just wasn’t worth it—so it’s back to my usual lenses, plus readers when needed. Getting old is a bummer. June 22 Sunday sweetness. My girl came to Sunday lunch with…
Over the past couple of months, I’ve dipped into everything from emotional docuseries and twisty dramas to podcasts that made me laugh, cry, and question what’s real. Whether I was winding down with a cozy show, diving into a mind-bending story, or just letting a podcast play while I cleaned the kitchen, here’s what’s been on my screen (and in my ears) lately. Some hits, some surprises—definitely a few I can’t stop thinking about. Jump to: Movies | TV Shows | YouTube | Podcasts | Music Movies/Docuseries Nonna’s (Netflix) A Deadly American Marriage (Netflix) Sherri Panini: Caught in a…
Another two weeks down. There was a lot that went on in the last 2 weeks from conference ending that Rob was in charge of to the determination of what trip was going to be taken. Of course, some LA time. If you missed the last weekly post, you can find it here. June 2 Snapped this on my afternoon walk through of the building. This is from the added on Mell building that was built on to the front of the library looking out at the original facade front of the library. June 4 This day was the last…
Time to sum up another month. Here we are for May already! LIFE Happenings Here’s my weekly posts to catch you up. Week 19 & 20 Week 21 & 22 Loving the weather lately. It hasn’t been super hot here and I’m loving it! Happy So happy my Cologuard came back negative. No colonoscopy for me!! PTL!! Excited to hopefully get the ball rolling on more projects in the backyard. Reminiscing This from 2003 when Drew was in Kindergarten, with his best friend at the time Austin. They are both Daddy’s now with kids just a few month apart. Crazy!…
If you missed the last weekly post, you can find it here. May 23 I’m never alone… May 24 Memorial Day Weekend was different this year. We made the decision not to camp at the lake, but instead just go up on Saturday. It’s always a good time at the lake. It was LA’s first time. Kayleigh even enjoyed getting in the water Such a great day! I love getting to see ‘firsts’ of LA’s. May 23 A few days later we decided to check out Waldo’s Chicken and Beer. Pretty good My boss has an unhealthy fear of Big…
If you missed the last weekly post, you can find it here. It’s a good one!! May 5 LA turned 3 months today and her mom went back to work after 12 weeks off. That evening Rob and I went to Montgomery to see 2 of our preachers get ordained as deacons. The 2nd and 4th guy from the left. This is our clergy team from our church. These guys are awesome! May 6 Alex has been telling us for a while that the restaurant he worked at was going to be closing it’s doors soon. We wanted to go…
Jump to: Movies | TV Shows | YouTube | Podcasts | Music Movies/Documentaries Quiet on Set (Max) A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read (Max) Untold: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer (Netflix) Quiet on Set is an Investigation Discovery documentary that takes a look at accounts of a problematic working environment at Nickelodeon including the heartbreaking story of Drake Bell. I had started watching this several month ago, but was so bothered by it, I quit watching. Then Drew told me I should watch it because it did include the interview with Drake Bell. My boys…
Here we are for another biweekly post. This was a busy couple weeks, so buckle up for a long post. 🙂 I just can’t seem to get in a groove of writing this bi-weekly life update posts. Maybe I need to go back to weekly…I dunno… April 21 Rob’s cousin and her fiance were in town for the week. She wanted home made Covatels (pasta) while she was in town, so we had those at our house on Monday night. Here’s everyone except me and Rob and his mom and step Dad. We sat at the breakfast table. April 24…
March has come to an end so here we are for another Monthly Digest… LIFE Happenings Here’s my weekly posts to catch you up. Week 13 & 14 Week 15 & 16 Week 17 & 18 Loving being home with no company to just chill and get back to normal life. Happy any chance I get to spend with this little one. Her little arm wrapped around mine just killed me when I saw this picture. So sweet. Excited We got to go Vegas in April. I’ll hopefully be sharing about that in the next few weeks. Reminiscing I’ve been…
Time for another bi-weekly rundown. April 7 The week of the April 6-12th we were in Vegas. I’ll write more about this later. For now here a picture of the resort we stayed in for the first part of the week in Henderson while Rob was at his conference. If you follow me on instagram, you may have seen I shared some photos during that week. It’s also on a highlight now if you’re interested. April 13 When we got home from Vegas, Rob was pretty sure he had COVID and he was right. Luckily, he was only down a…
Time for another BiWeekly Update… March 25 The fog one morning this morning was so beautiful March 25 Caitlyn and I saw Mama Mia! at the Gogue. So good! Such a cute story. Basically a young woman who is getting married reads her single mom’s diary to find out who her mom dated around the time she would have been conceived. She invites those guys to her wedding without her mom knowing. Again really cute. Highly recommend! March 27 The other day I noticed this dispersion (light [wavelengths] bend at slightly different angles) on the wall in our entryway. So…