To Las Vegas, over to Phoenix, and back

Still thirstily savoring our trip. Saw Las Vegas through new eyes. Journeyed over to Arizona for a great visit with friends*. Had some excellent family time.

Tapas with Mom & Tom

Fancy new water feature, b/c water is a renewable resource in the desert

My eyes are swollen here. I had allergies. But doesn't Ryan look cute?

Yes, this is a restaurant. Ryan says it looks like a smoking device.
I could do without the bunnies.

And here we have an ice sculpture

See that horizontal strip of glass in the sky? Its the hotel lobby.

My pretty Mom & me

View from fancy bar

Leaning yellow towers

Mom, Tom, the Strip

The Chandelier

We knew this was coming

More pretty ma

Here I'm sporting dorky clip-on sunglasses and
allowing the sun to burn the part in my hair

Go Giants (in both San Francisco and NY)!

Homeward bound

*If you must know, we visited Jess & Scott. Jess was my maid of honor and we were born 12 days apart. They used to live in Portland right next door (that was intentional and not how we initially met). Now they have two adorable kiddos in Arizona. Ryan is 12 days apart from Zack, one of Jess's cousins. Zack and Ryan watch football together. Then there's Hilary, Zack's sister. We like her, too, and spent Christmas Eve at her house. Plus there's Hilary's parents Randy & Sue; we've visited them in San Fransisco and I once worked for Sue. The connections go on but I stop with this tidbit: Ryan's brother Kenna originally met Jess at a wedding in California when Ryan and I were still in Boston ten or so long years ago. It was meant to be.