Viva.

Hello, it's been awhile, I know. I'm working on it, I am so sorry.

 Can I just start off by saying my parents are the sweetest people in the world? They decided since I had been 21 for a few months and Alex turned 21 in May, that they wanted to take us for our first time in Vegas as legal adults! The sweetest. We stayed for three days at Planet Hollywood just living it up in the sun, sipping some delicious virgin piña coladas by the pool, stuffing our faces, shopping, lots and lots of walking, and attempting to gamble. Everyone came back ahead, and my mom and I had a seriously hilarious bonding moment.

My mom loves to gamble, but she gets so sad about loosing. The first few minutes we had been in the hotel she wanted to play her favorite game, Wheel of Fortune. Off we went to find the machine, and she played for a few minutes. She lost the 20$ she had put in and wanted to walk around. As we walked around I saw the weirdest game that had ducks all over it. It looked easy so I sat down and put in five dollars. I hit the button once and BAM. I want 11$. A few hours later when Alex sat down at his first machine he won 40$! We beginners were on a roll, and my mom was having no luck at all. On our second day we took a trip over to the Rio to see the World Series of Poker, obviously the boys choice.  My mom and I went to look at the machines and left the boys to hang out.  My mom played a machine, and lost. She played another machine, and lost. Then I sat down at Hangover themed machine, put in five dollars, and won 15. My mom seeing that the game was actually interactive and fun wanted to play, however the machine would not take her twenty. After a coupe attempts I told my mom that if she tried one more time and it didn't go in, then the gambling gods did not want her to play that machine. She put it in and out it came so we moved on. She saw a penny machine called The Blazing Sevens and decided to sit down. She put in a twenty and started playing. The machine made no sense at all. She would get the most random compinations that would give her bonuses, but then the bonus wouldn't pay. I expected her to loose it all again to be honest, so I started texting my dad and Alex to see where they were. All of the sudden my mom said my name in a voice that made her sound like she was very scared. I looked up at her and she was just staring at the machine with her mouth open. She very calmly said, "I think I just won 400 dollars." I did not believe her and I was trying to tell her that she must have been confused. I looked at the total and sure enough she had won just about 40,000 pennies; 400 dollars.  I was in shock. All of the sudden we both started crying, and she cashed out. When we walked over to get her cash she seriously almost fainted. It was the cutest thing ever watching her get so excited that she'd finally won, and that much money!

My favorite part of the trip? The Mandalay Bay Aquarium. Seriously. It is a must. For those of you that do not know I have a serious love for aquatic animals; sharks are my absolute favorite. When I was in Jr. High my parents let me and my older brother dive with sharks in a cage. I died, I was so happy! So, naturally I needed to see the sharks. It was the cutest thing ever. I took way too many pictures and I'm sure I looked like the biggest freak ever. I was honestly more excited than some of the little children. My parents and Alex were dying over how excited I was. If they had let me swim in the tank I probably would have. Next time I am going to have to! 

It was such a much needed mini vacation and I loved every second of it. I just want to go back right now! I'm so thankful for such amazing and hilarious parents that are so willing to do random fun things with me. Seriously, so grateful for Gary and Maria!