From Vegas Mode to Mom Mode

We’re baaack! Ryan and I arrived home on Friday after a whirlwind three days in Las Vegas!

(Skirt: Revolve / Boots: Jessica Simpson / Top: Talulah / Purse: Marc Jacobs but old / Heart tights: Amazon) 

From Vegas Mode to Mom Mode

We left right before Super Bowl madness descended on the city but it was really cool to be there ahead of the big game because we got to see a bit of the NFL takeover and lots of Chiefs and 49ers fans out and about. There’s an undeniable energy to Vegas and an undeniable energy to the Super Bowl and I can only imagine the craziness that ensued in Vegas over the weekend!

As I mentioned before, I joined Ryan in Las Vegas on an annual work trip to the city which meant we had some time together but I also had some solo time while he was busy working. We made the most of every second we had together with amazing meals and drinks (Milos in the Venetian was our favorite spot) and I squeezed in some shopping and a half-day spa day at the Canyon Ranch spa which felt like an unbelievable treat for me!

Ryan had a good laugh when he checked out my shopping haul and the only thing I bought for myself in Vegas was a pair of sweatpants. Ha!

In my defense they are the most amazingly luxurious jogger sweats I’ve ever owned (is that an oxymoron or what?) and I may now be a Vuori superfan. I’ve ordered Ryan Vuori apparel in the past and he’s obsessed. So I finally took the time to try on some of their stuff when I stumbled upon a storefront in the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace. Their DreamKnit fabric is aptly named, I’m telling you.

U2 Concert

The highlight of our trip and the main reason I flew out to Vegas was to see U2 in concert at the Sphere with Ryan.

The concert absolutely blew our minds and, thanks to the stunning imagery behind the band during the concert, felt like a concert and a show in one. It may have spoiled us for all future concerts because it was that incredible.

My parents are huge U2 fans and I grew up listening to their music and loved singing along to some of my favorite songs so much. It was nostalgic, energetic and entertaining and every member of the band is so unbelievably talented. There’s no denying Bono’s stage presence and he came across as incredibly genuine, confident but self-deprecating, funny and next-level charismatic. (I did a Bono deep-dive after the concert and read all about his life which only served to make me like him more.)

The concert had an undercurrent of loving others, doing the right thing, enjoying every single day and gratitude which I found moving. It was a phenomenal show and my favorite songs of the night included “She Moves in Mysterious Ways,” “With or Without You,” “All I Want is You,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” We also got a kick out of singing “Happy Birthday” to Chris Rock who was there to see the concert as well on his birthday!

We were dragging after few back-to-back late nights but thankfully had a smooth flight back to Charlotte on Friday morning. Our pilot was retiring and we were on the last flight of his career with American which was really cool because the airport firetrucks blasted our plane with fire hoses as a send off.

Back to Mom Mode

By the time we made it home late Friday afternoon we were so ready to see the boys! The way they flew into our arms after we pulled into the driveway melted me and immediately switched me back into mom mode. The boys had a wonderful time with my mom and knowing they were in the care of someone we love and trust so much was a huge blessing and helped us enjoy our time away without worry. Mae is a gift to all of us!

The Weekend

As for our weekend, it was pretty low key. On Saturday Ryan and I were admittedly still in Vegas recovery mode a bit which was just fine for the boys because they requested a “home day.” We hung out around the house most of the morning, eating homemade waffles and working on Valentines and little craft projects.

After lunch, we went on a family bike ride to a playground in our neighborhood and then biked to some local trails near the lake to do a little exploring.

To quote Ryder after he found a turtle shell on the beach, “Nature is amazing and interesting!”

Homeward Bound

After riding our bikes back to our house, Ryan got the boys bathed while I made a quick trip to the grocery store. Once we were all home and clean, we cuddled up on the couch and watched Homeward Bound. My friend Carrie’s kids are similar to our boys who are not the bravest when it comes to movies and when she told me Homeward Bound was a huge hit with her kids a week or so ago, I knew we had to give it a try.

I remembered loving it as a kid and I’m happy to report it holds up and our whole family loved it! We laughed out loud a bunch and there aren’t any really scary parts, making it a good fit for our younger boys, too. If any of you have kids who are similarly wary of movies with anything remotely scary and have some not-at-all-scary movie recommendations to send our way, we would love it!

Sunday was a dreary day but that didn’t stop the boys from plenty of outdoor playtime.

They were out flying around on their bikes and Nighthawks before 8 a.m. and tried using their bike ramp for their Nighthawks for the first time which absolutely thrilled them. They flew around outside for almost an hour until we told them it was time for church.

We made our way to the early church service before driving to Target for our annual Valentine’s Day mission!

Valentine’s Day Mission

Pre-kids Ryan and I would split up at the same time on Valentine’s Day and buy each other a little something special within a modest budget. We’ve loved continuing our “Valentine’s Day Mission” tradition with our boys and they have the best time thinking of each other and brainstorming fun gifts for their brothers.

This year, Rhett, Chase and Ryan were on a team while I was on a team with Ryder! I loved listening to Ryder’s thoughts behind the gifts he chose for his brothers and he absolutely nailed it because both Chase and Rhett loved his surprises. The boys talked us into letting them exchange their gifts when we got home rather than waiting until Valentine’s Day. For $20 (or less) per kid, they got each other a Zero Gravity remote control car that drives on walls and ceilings (for Chase), a helicopter Lego set + Nerf gun (for Ryder) and a Hot Wheels dragon transporter truck (for Rhett). Big hits all around!

White Chocolate Snack Mix

After playing with their gifts and eating lunch, Ryan took Chase back out for a birthday party while Rhett, Ryder and I finished their school valentines and made a white chocolate snack mix to divide up to include with some small gift baskets for their teachers.

I think I ate my bodyweight in that snack mix after it was all done and can confirm it’s delicious.

By the time Ryan and Chase were back home, we were ready for showers, pajamas and the big game! We dug into a very Super Bowl-ish dinner (chicken wings, chips and guacamole, a veggie tray and ice cream sundaes) and let the boys watch the beginning of the game before bedtime.

As for the week ahead, it’s a bit of an odd one schedule-wise for our crew. Chase is home from school today (teacher work day) and Rhett and Ryder are out of school on Thursday and Friday. And of course Valentine’s Day is Wednesday! I’m hoping to take advantage of some one-on-one time with Chase this morning and then this evening we have our annual Favorite Things Galentine’s Day dinner!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!