The Quick and Dirty Version...

Holy Moly...y'all are gonna flip out when you see how many pictures are in this post. It's kind of out of control, but I have two weeks worth of stuff to catch y'all up on. I figure I'll hit the high points and we'll consider ourselves "up to speed". No sense dragging my last 2 weeks out into multiple posts because let's face it, you don't really care!

So without further ado...

The highlight of my blog hiatus was my trip to LA. I attended a conference for work in downtown LA and the following photos tell the majority of the story....

My in-flight-cocktail courtesy of my co-worker...

We arrived at our hotel on Saturday and quickly changed clothes for the Dodger's game. We decided to have dinner at the restaurant in our hotel and boy was it a good idea! Our hotel was right next to the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre in LA Live. As we walked in to be seated I saw Emmy's...I had to get my head straight because I knew we were a week early for the Emmy's (I was there last weekend) but then realized they were doing the non-televised Emmy's. This table won for Dancing With the Stars.

These were taken with my phone, so notice 2 things: 1...the photo quality is terrible, but 2...how close they were to me (because there is no zoom on my phone). Literally right behind me. Proximity is an important detail because I'm busy taking pictures of these nobodies with Emmy's (I say that, but they have an emmy, I don't)...

...When OH-MY-MAD-MEN...in walks Don Draper. Be still my beating heart...

I kid you not this is what he looked like...

He was wearing a black suit just like this and he was smokin' hot just like this...Now scroll back up 2 pictures to the guy sitting in a chair with his back to me and the Emmy on the table. Jon Hamm was standing in between ME and that man! Literally I could have touched him by simply extending my hand, and my co-worker told me that at least 3 times. This is where I had total LA FAIL. I was sitting down in a booth with my co-workers. I was dressed in jeans for the Dodger's game. He was standing with people in evening gowns holding Emmy's. I felt very, very weird getting out of my booth and walking over to him with just my iPhone and asking for a picture. I don't have much shame in my game, but at that point I had fear of being "that girl". He walked outside with a group to smoke (ew, but if you saw how cute he was you'd be over it too) and I thought that this was my chance. He walked back in and I had my phone all up and in his face, no shame, he totally smiled at me, and my phone literally took the picture a second too late! I got his arm and the back of his head. #FAIL. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

On to the Dodger's game...Old stadium, gorgeous view, fun night...

On Sunday I had conference stuff all day. Sunday night there were parties put on by suppliers and they were all wonderful! I really enjoyed the rooftop party on top of my hotel. It was complete with fabulous desserts including this red velvet cupcake...

And the views of the city were stunning! I'm fairly proud of this picture I took from the rooftop!

Monday brought on more meetings, education sessions and general conference fun, but Monday night I ventured down to Hollywood Blvd. Next comes LA Fail #2...I left my zoom lens in the hotel room because I figured I wouldn't need it. I had barely stepped off the metro and limos were passing me. I look to my right (by the Chinese Theatre) and I see red carpet, people everywhere, and people stepping out of the limo that just passed me...

It was the Going the Distance Premier...Drew Barrymore and cute Justin Long...

The conference ended on Tuesday and Tuesday evening they threw a big bash. Cyndi Lauper was performing a private party for us at California Plaza so we got there early for the show. This is when my meeting planning heart started beating wildly. Y'all, this event was so fabulous and made me long for a budget like this! I could put on a heck of a party for my conference attendees! I digress...We had the best seats in the house and it was so fun!

Cirque Du Soleil was the opening act. It's pretty unreal how their bodies move...kind of freaks me out...

Then came Cyndi...y'all, she.was.awesome! I have acted like every other goofy girl and rushed to the dance floor a million times in my day to jump around to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, but I've never really though Cyndi Lauper was a really great singer. Sure, I drove around in my Maxima at 16 and played my TAPE of True Colors and Time After Time. So I was looking forward to 3 songs, but she sang a lot of her new blues stuff and it was SO good! Go download it on iTunes! You'll love it!

That about sums up LA! It was fun!

In the last couple of weeks I've also tried a few new recipes worth noting...Dave loved both of them and so did I! Both were pretty quick, very easy, and will definitely make a second appearance on our dinner menu.

First, are these mini meatball sandwiches from Pioneer Woman. Photo and recipe by the Pioneer Woman.

This Lemon Basil Pasta was so good! If you're cooking for 2, like me, it made enough for 2 full meals for us! And Dave has a very healthy appetite! Once again, Photo and recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman.

Last but not least, did you see the Emmy's last night? Jimmy Fallon was so funny and some of the dresses were gorgeous!! My two favorites were Lea Michele and Claire Danes. Seriously, Claire Danes was stunning!

Source: Jason Merritt/WireImage- © 2010- Getty Images

Source: FayesVision/WENN.com- © 2010- WENN.com

Phew! That about sums it up, except for the very fun news that Blythe made her grand entrance! Lynch did awesome and mom and baby are both doing well, but I'm going to wait on pics until Lynch has done all of her good news spreading! I can't wait to show y'all how gorgeous she is! Hope you've had a great few weeks. I'm getting caught up on all of YOUR blogs now! Happy Monday....I can't believe it's almost September!

Long Time No Blog...

Dear blog,

How I've missed you. I've neglected you and for that, I'm sorry. I've focused my time and energy on things like life, my friends and my family. I've spent my evening hours conversing with my husband, trying new recipes, watching mindless television and cheering for the Rangers. I've had a bit of writers block and haven't wanted to bore you with...well, with my boring life.

But lucky you, dear blog, because I'm back. I'm back from 5 days in LA. I'm back from my week long blogging hiatus. And I'm full of hot air. So the good news is that my hiatus hasn't changed me. :)

I have so much to gab about...like Jon Hamm, the Dodgers, rooftop parties and Cyndi Lauper. I have come to the conclusion that girls really do just wanna have fun. And let's not forget that Lynch is gonna pop any day now and I'm going to be an Auntie again. She claims Blythe waited until I got home. I'm so glad because that would have put a damper on "True Colors" if I knew everyone else was holding Blythe while I was reliving 6th grade....

PS...did y'all know Cyndi Lauper is 57?? Kind of makes you wonder what's going through her head as she jumps around the stage in spandex singing Girls Just Wanna Have Fu-un...

Brothers...

Dave's cousins are the cutest. I'm serious...they're the cutest little boys you've ever seen and they are so sweet. They are best friends and their little personalities are so different but they compliment each other so well.

The boys went to visit Dave's parents (Uncle Mark and Aunt Claudia) so we drove down for the day and let Dave be the human jungle gym, all-time pitcher, all-time quarterback and virtual entertainment. It worked out well, the boys had fun and Dave slept like a rock the 2 days following...7 year old boys are exhausting!

While we were there, the men were firing up the grill and the women were standing in the kitchen gabbing when I looked out in the backyard and realized the deer had congregated for the evening. My in-laws have a gorgeous backyard that isn't fenced in and they have deer that show up multiple times a day. They came by once or twice while the boys were playing baseball but they didn't want any part of that. Now that things had calmed down they were coming in for dinner...

That's when I realized the boys saw them and "snuck down" as far as they could go in the yard. They were watching every move those deer were making. It was precious! I was able to get 2 pictures before the deer realized they had spectators and bolted.

I don't have photoshop, but I played with them a bit in Picasa. I can't decide which are my favorite? Horizontal? Vertical? Crisp and colorful or "warmified"? I could just eat these boys up they're so cute!

How many rounds of queso can you have in 24 hours?

One of the joys of living in Austin is having our good friends so close. You guys hear about my Austin girl friends all the time, but we're also lucky to have Dave's good friends just an hour Southbound 35. It's nice to have his buddies that he has known since gradeschool so close for golf outings, dinner club, and quick weekend trips to hang out and enjoy each other's company. This weekend was one of those weekends...

We all met up at Barton Creek Resort, here in Austin, for a good time together. The guys golfed, the girls hung out by the pool and took advantage of the spa and we ate at every restaurant on property! I am so blessed by this group because not only are the guys great friends, but the girls are great friends too, so we always enjoy our time together. A few things I learned this weekend...

Clifton can eat an insane amount of food. This isn't a new finding, I have known him for 7 years. I'm not sure why it still surprises me that he can eat chips and queso and pulled pork nachos BEFORE a 4 course meal, and then must rush to the bar (straight from the 4 course dinner) to order another round of queso before the kitchen closes at 11 because he's still hungry. He's an impressive individual and HEB is glad to have him as a customer!

There is humor in irony. What are the odds that the one couple with kids (3 to be precise) would be the only couple to get stuck with double beds on their "adults only" weekend getaway? And unfortunately for them, the resort was sold out and there was nowhere to move them. I'm sure that full-size bed was very comfy though.

I would say the one thing Barton Creek did well was the queso. Registration was quite a bear, the valet guys were a little unorganized, and leaving our clothes sitting on the "front porch" for an hour and calling it "baggage check" was a bit of a fail, but that queso...that was a shining point.
We had a great time! You guys are fabulous "staycation" partners. Now I just need a few days to rest and recover...I don't do shuffleboard until 2:00am like I used to.

Dave and I before dinner

Our waiter making Alice and Jeff's Bananas Foster

Our chocolate cheesecake...it was SO good! Although I could have done without the citrus glaze.

The whole gang

Jeff and I during a very dramatic game of shuffleboard

Our scorekeeper...

Red was quite dominant until the boys decided to make their big comeback...

What are the odds that these would land in exactly the same spot? Clifton got a straw to "measure" who had actually won. Blue had the slight edge...so they say.

Chips and queso (with guac) round 2...

Jeff showing off his mad pool skills...

The guys: Dave, Clifton, Wes and Jeff

And last but not least...these boots were in the gift shop...
TO.DIE.FOR.

Hope y'all had a great weekend and are looking forward to a great week! I've got a run on the treadmill that I am notsomuch looking forward to, and the past 2 weeks of SYTYCD calling my name on the DVR... I lead a life of fascination and excitement. :)