Vacation is sadly over and I'm back to reality! We had an awesome time! I will give a
quick lengthy recap of our time away.
We started our vacation in Mesa, Arizona. My husband's work flew us there for a "leadership convention" for employees and spouses. So all expenses paid! It was great. We stayed at a golf resort which was a bit run down but still very nice. Not really much down time as there was lots of activities planned and of course meetings for Dean to attend. I did spend part of a day by the pool and it was lovely. So nice to feel the warm sun on my face and body. There was lots of the wives that I had met before at other functions in 2008 we were in Jamaica for a work retreat, then in 2009 in Lake Louise, AB and the occasional party). Of course they hadn't seen me since I had lost weight. I received many glowing comments on how great I looked. It was overwhelming but felt so good! The first night there we had a reception. Then the next day listened to a speaker, then some of us ladies went shopping. That evening we all went to a NHL hockey game. We had a buffet dinner and drinks. It was lots of fun!
The next day I got up early and walked to the Target store. It was about a half hour walk each way. I love Target!! Looked around, didn't buy much but enjoyed shopping. In the back of my mind I kept thinking, you are going to Vegas don't buy too much! So I didn't. I did get some OPI nail polish in "Quarter of a Cent-Cherry". I thought it would go great with my black dress. Then as a group we went to a go-cart racing place for a day of racing and lunch. It was a warm day and I decided after talking to some of the people that had gone before that I would opt out. It just didn't sound like something I would like. So I sat and watched in the sun, it was glorious! Fun day.
Dean ready to race!
That night we went to a catered dinner at the owner's home. It was beautiful! I wore a yellow (and I never wear yellow!) shirt that I bought the day before with my black Gap leggings. I also bought some dangly earrings with yellow and black in them. No picture. I seem to have a problem with getting pictures of myself. Anyway, I thought I looked pretty good. lol
Monday we had another speaker in the morning then it was a choice of either a MLB baseball spring training game or shopping! Guess what I chose? So off to the mall I went. It was a very high end mall with stores like Jimmy Choo, etc.
Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall I didn't buy much again! I did get a nice pair of Sketcher's wedge sandals and a few things at Sephora. That night was the banquet. I wore my black Calvin Klein dress. No picture! One of the wives and I became friends though (her name is Kim too) and she is a part time photographer. I asked her to take a picture of Dean and I that night. When she sends me the pictures I will post them. We had a great time. Sat at a table with the owner's 2 sons and their wives. Very nice people.
Tuesday we packed up and hopped a Southwest airline flight to Las Vegas! We stayed at the Aria. Beautiful hotel. Bathroom so luxurious and even equipped with a digital scale!! OMG! A scale on my vacation, how dare they!! I did not get on right away.
bathroom with scale
Long story short (hahaha) we had a great time in Las Vegas. We went to a few shows. We checked out the strip and all the gorgeous hotels and casinos. We spent an evening cruising Freemont Street (old Vegas strip). And we also went to a NASCAR race. To my surprise I really enjoyed the race. We also did a TON of shopping! Dean loves to shop too. We had to buy an extra suitcase to bring home all our treasures. I got 2 pairs of jeans, 4 pairs of shoes, a lot of tops, a ring, some earrings, a jean jacket, 2 pairs of capris. I think that is it!! I did end up getting on the scale on our second day there. Funny thing was that no one had ever used it. I had to turn it over and take out the plastic battery protector! To my horror it said 168 lbs!! I thought I had been making good choices up till then, and I had gotten in some exercise (hotel gym in Mesa and some walking). Dean and I went to the gym in Vegas one day. We had planned on going more but it just did not happen. It was a beautiful facility. Tons of cardio machines all equipped with TV screens and ipod docks, lots of weights, etc. It had it all.
not a great pic but you can see how nice it was.....all treadmills looked out over pool area
I tried not to let it bother me too much but it was weird I could just tell that I was gaining weight. My stomach felt fat. I did not feel right. Even though I tried to make good choices sometimes it did not happen. I was on vacation. When we got home my scale at home said 170 lbs. I was very upset. I am happy to report though that I was able to get things in control and I am thinking a lot of that weight was sodium and water perhaps because when I weighed in at WW on Saturday I was 165.8. Still in goal range!! Phew! So I am now back at the gym, back eating what I normally eat, and back feeling in control. My Mom always says the pounds you lose at the end have been there the longest, that is why they take so long to lose. I guess she was right and those 5 that I gained on my vacation were not there very long so they went away fast too!!
Caesars Palace
Supposed to be Celine Dion night but she cancelled due to illness....off to see KA instead
Viva Elvis show
NASCAR
One more thing....on Friday I had a NSV (non scale victory). I have been working at the Vet College for 7 years and the students put on a Iams fun run every year. I always thought it would be cool to go in it. I think most do not run it mostly walk with dogs. It is a 5 K. I have had excuses not to do it before but this year I thought why not! I got an email that Friday was the last day so I went to sign up. The girl asked me what year I was in first of all! Hahaha! I said no I was staff, not a student. Then you get a shirt for participating so she says what size, as I was looking the samples over she says you better get the medium, the large will be big on you!! I walked away feeling pretty darn good about that. So on April 13 I am going to do a 5 K. I am not going to run it because I am planning on taking my dog Kayla. But it is a start. And it feels good :-)
