Las Vegas

Y'all let me tell you about my experience in Vegas! I recruit physicians for a facility in Mesquite, NV which is about 90 minutes outside of Las Vegas. I love my job and love that I get to travel to so many places and when the opportunity presented itself to go to Vegas I jumped on it! I never had a desire to visit LV but since it is a "work expense", I was open to seeing the city of sin. Y'all I was in the city for 16 hours and what a time it was!

I flew Southwest for the first time and loved the experience! A non-stop flight is a glorious thing! Once landed, I picked up my rental car and headed to the Wynn resort. 

After I parked and made my way into the casino, the smoke hit me right away. The tables were somewhat busy and it felt dark in the casino. I see where you can lose all track of time! I finally made my way to the registersation desk and checked in. On my way to my room, I passed a few flower arrangements...

What seemed like a short hike I found the elevators and accidentally got on the wrong set. The resort divides up elevators based on floor numbers. I accidentally got on the wrong set of elevators. Realizing my mistake, I hit the lobby button and had to ride until everyone got to their specific floor. Well y'all this one girl got on and she had on a tiny black pleated skirt with marijuana leaves all over it. I thought to myself, you know I haven't see that in Limited, Belk's, or Dillard's fall collection! Feeling completely green (no pun intended) I exited and got on the correct set of elevators and made my way to my room.

The room was really really nice and can I just say it has made me think about our future home. I had to press one button and the curtains opened. I pressed one button and all the lights came on. In the bathroom I had a phone and a TV. I'm sure  Stamper will roll his eyes when I tell him these would be worthy expenses in a future home!

I called mom and Jace and told them I had arrived safely. Now I'm not going to lie I was a little overwhelmed by the size of the city--it's big. I was hesitant to go and explore the strip but I thought when am I going to be back here? I ate dinner in the casino and made my way to the strip. I wish I could had seen the dancing fountains but did see several iconic resorts like the palazzo, trump tower, the mirage, etc. 

Now no trip to Vegas is completing without a little gambling. I don't gamble a lot simply because I like to keep my money but I took a $20 and found a slot machine. I inserted the bill and really wanted some instructions to pop on the screen. There were no instructions. I sat down for 2 minutes and hoped I could strike it rich like Charlie in the chocolate factory!

For two minutes I kept hitting a button labeled 40 credits and then the screen lit up with this...

What do three Grandpa Joe's even mean??? I had absolutely no idea and thought I would just cash out. A ticket printed and it said 

Well I was so excited I had won something!! However I thought there would be some left over change from the $20 and honest to God hit the service button three times and no one came to tell me the machine took my money and I'm very naive to the whole gambling scene. Vegas was created for people like me! I cashed out and was ok with only losing $5.50. I called Stamp and told him of my winning and of course he quickly did the math and corrected me that in fact I didn't win. Little did he appreciate the confusion I had to deal with those two minutes!!

After gambling and seeing the lights of the strip, I headed to my room. My body was two hours ahead and I was ready to call it a night. I can assure you no one who has been to Vegas went to bed as early as I did last night. 

Since I went to bed early when in reality it was my normal bedtime, I got up early. Remember my excitement about the tv in the bathroom well at 5 am I was watching MTV music videos! MTV actually plays music videos at that hour of the day and I thoroughly enjoyed getting ready. The bathroom had a magnifying mirror and ladies lets be honest that thing is a dangerous tool. You think you look fine and then BAM! you find hairs you didn't know existed! Well I took care of all that maintenance this morning with MTV on in the background!

The drive to Mesquite was rather flat. It truly looks like a desert and the largest things are the telephone poles. It also looks like Keith Morrison from Dateline could appear at any minute and tell you a story of how a spouse killed the other spouse for insurance money and disposed of the body in this region. 

The hospital visit went really well and it helps me when talking with the doctors after I have seen the community. I'm happy to have had the experience to see Las  Vegas but I'm a southerner at heart and to me there is no comparison to the south! I'm ready to get home, manually open my own blinds, and the only betting I plan on doing is with Stamper on who will be eliminated on Dancing with the Stars!

The Nae Nae--Stamper Style

Jace Stamper--God Bless him! I love that kid to death and this weekend, I left him shaking his head but oh the grin on his face was as wide as the ocean! Saturday night his work family had a get-together and we truly love his co-workers. It is rare to really like your co-workers, enough so that you want to see them on Saturday night but the people Jace works with are really nice and FUN! To truly understand our Saturday night, I must go back and tell you about my cousin Sam's wedding.

Sam got married in July and he was the last Whiteker grandchild to get married. Now the wedding was beautiful and Lauren was a stunning bride but you know the ceremony is just a build up to the reception. The Whiteker clan has gotten pretty good at wedding receptions over the years and you know we threw down and left everything on the dance floor.

Friday night before Sam's wedding, Jace and I left for Lex. after work and it was late when we rolled into Lexington. However, we turned the ol' Honda Accord into a dance party for the entire length of the BG and went through old rap CDs from our high school days. You know, just a little prep work/ warm-up in case the wedding DJ wasn't any good. Sam and Lauren had a ton of "kids" at their wedding and by "kids" I mean 26 year olds. Now, Jace and I can't let the kids out-do us on the dance floor and we like to think of ourselves as masters who teach the "children" that we still got "it". Honey, we moved so much on the dance floor and requested the best songs. I sweated so much my dress had to go to dry cleaners the next week--a sign of a great reception. (We also wore out the Aspercream the days that followed massaging our sore muscles--a true sign that Jace and I are getting older!)

Jace and I were so proud of our dance moves and loved when the "kids" would come up to us and tell us how fun we were! The only point in the night where we both felt old is when the kids starting waving their hands and rocking side-to-side. I loved the song and it had a great beat, it made you want to move. All the "kids" knew it and Jace and I were completely puzzled as to why we had NEVER heard of this song. Were we becoming "old"? Did we not know what the "kids" were listening to any more? Panic set in until my cousin's wife told me it was the "Nae Nae" and proceeded to show me how to whip it and nae-nae. I tried to follow suit but you know the confidence just wasn't all there. The "kids" had one up me however, they didn't hold a candle to my "Don't stop believing" solo. The next day, Teak said she had never heard me so loud and that is really saying something!

I say all of this to tell you about this past Friday and Saturday night. Last week, Stamp had a hard week at work and by Friday night we were both needing a break. We have this tradition on Friday night to do a simple dinner and listen to music while we cook together. Our play list usually begins with Bob Seger, ventures into 80s Pop, might transition to today's hits, jumps over to 2000 rap songs, moves over to country; so basically we let the mood and the conversation dictate what we listen to. By Friday night we had solved the worlds problems over tacos and kept the conversation going on our patio. Now to fully appreciate what I am about to say, you have to understand that our patio is small and we look out at I-24. It was getting later in the evening and both Jace and I were feeling relaxed at this point and somewhere in conversation the "Nae Nae" was mentioned. Well next thing you know, we were watching "how to" videos of the Nae Nae...you know to keep up with kids these days.

After a couple of You tube instructions, we started to Nae Nae and trying to perfect our moves. The Stampers broke it down into three "country" steps: 1) drive with your right hand, 2) drive with your left hand, and 3) wave to everybody! We proceeded to Nae Nae to everyone travelling on I-24 that night! Thank goodness that we worked on our Nae Nae moves on Friday night because you know I whipped them out at the party on Saturday night.

Now listen, Jace's coworkers are CPAs and attorneys and know everything there is to know about taxes but honey they know how to have a good time and I just get in there and hang with the best of them. Saturday night was no exception! This was my second time to attend this get-together and I had a little more confidence going into the party because I knew almost everyone. The food, the atmosphere, the company--everything was so nice! At these parties, I try not to embarrass Jace but you know I just start telling stories on him and he just shakes his head but secretly loves it!

Well after a glass or two of wine, the stories really started to fly and I proceeded to tell them that we learned how to Nae Nae Friday night. Well this just cracked everyone up because suit-and-tie Jace learned how to whip it and Nae Nae. Next thing you know the song was coming through the speakers! You best believe I called Stamp out and we did the Nae Nae. Now, Jace's efforts weren't the greatest but he did move those knees. I on the other hand, did the full dance. Why not? I had to show them that I practiced and came prepared just in case the opportunity presented itself. Then the head guy over national tax for the entire COUNTRY, the HEAD GUY, jumped in there with me. Little Katie Stamper was doing the Nae Nae with the head of EY's national tax and honey I loved every minute of it. This guy is so nice and the "country" instructions really stuck with him; drive left-handed, now right, and wave. I don't know if Jace was embarrassed or if he was just like that is my wife! I think it was more of the latter but either way he was smiling ear-to-ear.

The Stamper's are a good time and honey we will just about Nae Nae any where! Next time, you have a corporate get-together just call us and we will bring the dance moves and aspercream! Without a doubt, the "kids" don't have anything on us baby!

Feeling like Oprah and singing like Brittany Spears...at the grocery!

I have a love/hate relationship with the grocery store, do any of ya'll? I HATE menu planning. I feel like I fix the same stuff every other week and I try to include Jace and ask if anything sounds good to him just so I can get some ideas. His typical response is, "I don't care" and I proceed to tell him that they don't sell "I don't care" at the grocery. I typically make out the weekly menu on Wednesday night and then go shopping on Thursday. On Wednesday night I have pinterest pulled up on my phone, the pantry door wide open, and my cookbooks out. By the time I am finished making out the menu, I am exhausted and none of the dinners sound good.

My Teak once said that grocery shopping is exhausting because you have to pick up the item, put it in your cart, take it out of cart, put it on the conveyor belt, put the bag into your car, take the bag out of the car, take the items out of the bags, and put them away into the frig/pantry. If that isn't the truth! There is so much effort that goes into grocery shopping but there really isn't anything like fixing a meal for your family. The dinner table is one my favorite places in a home and I have so many fond memories that come from sitting at Mom and Teak's dinner tables.

After I menu plan, I act like an old lady and go through my coupons. Ya'll I am not a "coupon extreme" lady but I love seeing the total drop when I hand over my coupons and Kroger card. I have e-coupons on my Kroger card and even fill out the survey on the bottom of my receipt just to get an extra 50 fuel points. Every penny adds up!

When Thursday rolls around, I shop. I like going on Thursdays because it isn't crowded and I have a better chance of avoiding screaming babies and the decision makers--you know those people who can't make a decision and take up the whole aisle. Well last night I went to the grocery and had to get several things from the deli and I have coupons for $1 off if you buy a pound of deli meat. Stamper only requires 1/2 pound of deli meat for his lunches so I knew I couldn't use the coupons. As I am waiting, the guy next to me orders a pound of meat. Now I know I looked a little crazy but I handed him my coupon and said I'm not going to use this but you can. Well he was tickled pink and had just moved to Smyrna. I hope he thinks Smyrna is a nice little area after our interaction at the Kroger deli. Then I turned around and there was another guy and he ordered a pound of meat. I had another coupon and by this time I really did look like the crazy coupon lady and handled him a coupon. He was so appreciative, both of them were! Y'all as I left the deli with my meat and cheese I felt like Oprah, "YOU get a coupon and YOU get a coupon!"

The rest of the shopping trip was fine but do you know what the highlight of the night was? The grocery store played Brittany Spears, "Hit Me Baby One More Time". Ya'll I just about turned the Lipton tea box into a microphone. I was singing along and having a grand time. Then I saw a young boy and I thought to myself he doesn't even know who Brittany Spears is. Then I felt really old and I thought well this is depressing because I now think the grocery store has great music! Next thing you know I will tell Jace I am going to go sweat to the oldies in the grocery store because why not? Great music and do you know what turning that cart can do for your arms? I truly feel like pushing and turning a grocery cart full of groceries can be considered exercise. Sometimes I have to take those turns WIDE and it takes everything in me to turn that hoss.

I love the shopping aspect but then the hate comes back and with full vengeance with the unloading. Now Jace is really great about helping me unload the car but mind you there are 39 steps, up three flights of stairs, to our apartment. It is like a game of how many bags we can carry at one time. We turn into heavy weight lifters at this point and just grind all the way up with bag handles tearing into our forearms. Now this sounds like an Olympic sport and quite frankly after three trips up the steps it feels like one. Whenever we leave our little apartment I will probably be in the best shape of my life just from grocery shopping and bringing them up the stairs!

I can only hope that next Thursday night Kroger will have some classic hits from my childhood and two lucky folks will get my remaining $1 off a pound of deli meat coupons. I'm just trying to spread the love, one pound at a time.Y'all let me know if you have an Oprah moment at your local deli or if you turn your grocery into your own personal karaoke stage!

Have a great weekend y'all!

Crying over Colleagues...

This morning Stamp rolled out of bed at an unGodly hour and I thought why is he up? Then I remembered what today is and everything made sense. Jace is leaving work early today to visit a dear friend and former colleague, Barb, at her surprise retirement party! Barb has been in the legal field for almost 40 years and Jace got to work with Barb for 7 years! Barb  proving a listening ear, encouraging voice, and guiding hand for Jace during his time at Hargrove and Foster. Barb, Jace and another sweet lady, Teresa, worked in the real estate department and those three new what was happening in Graves Co. at all times. They were their own little family and Jace gained two extra mommas with those two ladies!

I loved that Jace worked so closely with two women and did so before we got married. Honey, he knew more about menopause and pregnancy than I did because of Barb and Teresa. Those ladies supported Jace while he was at Murray and checked in with him while he was at MC Law. He tried to stop in while he was home on breaks and I often would go with him. The way Jace would say in his deep voice, "Barbara" and the grin she would give him followed by a long hug would melt anyone. They truly loved one another and their relationship is like mother-son. Barb always says that Jace has a "shitty grin" on his face and you know what that grin comes out (as well as his dimples) when he is around her.

Barb has no idea that he is going home to surprise her and I only wish I could be a fly on the wall to see her reaction when he walks through that door. Hargrove and Foster allowed Jace to discover his love for law but he also discovered some really good people there too!

I was thinking about all of this this morning before work and then Jennifer texted me pictures of Abby and Riley on their first day of school, pre-K and 5th grade. Now I have a momma's heart even though I am not a momma right now but seeing those kids in new clothes, backpacks on and ready, huge smiles, and faces lit up in excitement made me a little teary. I can remember when Jennifer was pregnant with Abby trying to choke down a peanut butter sandwich in my office when she was deathly morning sick. How can Abby be a pre-K kiddo now? (Jennifer if you are reading this I'm sorry I made you cry, time to go get a coke).

All of this wasn't lost on me this morning with Barb and Jennifer. Sometimes God lets you work with people who turn out to be really good friends--like family--and over time they become staples in your life and very influential. You become attached to their families and next thing you know you are going to their retirement parties and crying over how great their kids look on the first day of school. My prayer is that I can be like Barb and Jennifer and love on my colleagues and invest in their lives because you just never know the impact you can have on someone.

It's been awhile...

Hello, it's me. I haven't blogged in over a year and it saddens me that I was gone for so long. The truth is I have missed blogging and documenting our life. This past year has flown by and we are finally settled into life here in Nashville and honey we are loving every minute of it.

I truly hope I can keep the blog going but I'm not going to put any pressure on myself. Most nights I get home and after dinner and dishes are finished, I just want to crash. I don't know when I am going to blog but right now the words are flowing while I scarf down a Lean Cuisine during my lunch hour.

There are so many things that I need to go back and blog about: Ross is going to be a DAD (baby boy!), my high school reunion, the Shania Twain concert, our second year anniversary and then there are the funny things that happen in every day life that need to be remembered.

Something that I remember but would love to forget is school traffic. Listen, its a successful morning when I can get Jace and myself out the door in the morning with coffee and lunch in-hand. I by no means have any idea what it is like to dress someone, feed another mouth, and get out the door by 7 AM. God Bless mothers! And while I am blessing, let's bless the teachers that are taking on another school year. Your patience amazes me and your stories make me bend over in laughter. Y'all all say you are going to write a book with your stories and you should begin with Day 1--you know it would be a best seller!

On my way to work, I pass through 4 school zones and I am trying to get up earlier to avoid school traffic. I am also trying to avoid when the kiddos walk to school because I can't have vehicular manslaughter on my conscious or record. Another reason why I am getting up earlier is because I am trying to exercise. Jace has watched, listened, and encouraged me for several months while I sweat it out in our living room to the words, "you think you are going to die!" yelled by Jillian Michaels. Yes, Jillian, yes I do think I am going to die! And when I say Jace encourages me, he says "Good Job!" when I am finished while he eats his cereal and is checking early morning emails. Oh what I would give to eat his cereal instead of jumping lunges, crunches, and traveling push-ups. In case you are wondering, yes our neighbor below us must love us. Thank goodness she hasn't said anything about the banging upstairs in the mornings! So by the time I finish working out, catch my breath, and go through school traffic I am more than ready for my coffee and need a small devotional minute.

If you started school today, go get 'em tiger. If you have a few more days left of summer break, go to the pool for me! As for me, I'll be dying a slow and painful death at the hands of Jillian Michaels and praying that I don't get stuck in school traffic!

Happy to be back y'all!