The Bellagio

I think this is going to be the last photo dump of Las Vegas pictures.  One of the highlights was seeing the fountains in front of the Bellagio.  It was pretty impressive during the day, but even better at night.  The fountains are actually choreographed to music so if you stick around for more than one performance you'll get to hear/see other versions.  Enjoy!

Guess what time it is again...

This is a sad house right now.  We're moving.  We don't want to move.  Matt's job is moving so that means we go right along with it.  I feel like a jerk complaining because I'll be 20 minutes from the beach.  But this house had so much potential and we're not giving it the time to realize it.  We planted so many bulbs in the backyard last fall and were able to see them for only one spring.  We'll never eat the blackberries and raspberries off the bushes Matt planted this spring.  The dining room and laundry rooms will be the only rooms I paint.  The basement won't be finished.  The built-in grill won't be refinished.  I think it's safe to say that everyone thought we'd be bringing home babies from the hospital in this house.  Obviously we didn't need all this room for just the two of us.  They'll come home to another home.

There isn't one thing I hate about this house.  I remember the first time we came to see it.  It was last September and the leaves were starting to change.  As soon as you pulled into the neighborhood you could see all the colors in the mountains.  Then when we pulled into the driveway there was a willow tree.  Just ask Matt, I've always wanted a willow tree.  We walked into the house and it was perfect.  Seriously.  I would've signed the papers that day.  Matt and our realtor weren't completely sold on it.  I'm not entirely sure why.  It was a foreclosure so there was plenty of yard work to do and some maintenance - I think that's how they were viewing it.  The next week I had us look at it again.  This time when we pulled into the driveway I knew this would be the house we'd be buying.  Sam and Matt came around to it.  They saw the potential - maybe the yard people came and the outside looked better - who knows?  We put the offer on, the bank rejected it and countered with only $500 less than the asking price.  It wasn't do-able.  We went ahead and made an offer on another house a couple weeks later.  The exact same day the bank came back and said they'd accept our offer.  Sold.

Our first night here was Christmas Eve.  I wanted to wake up in our new house for Christmas.  Matt made it happen.  Our stuff was everywhere.  There weren't any Christmas decorations.  Nigel jumped up on the kitchen table and ate the un-baked rolls I was rising.  It was a good Christmas.

Since then we've had friends, family, co-workers, dogs fill this house with us.  I know we'll find another house.  I know we'll be happy wherever we are.  But for now, I'm sad.  Thank you, house.  We love you.