I think we may have found our new rental! After a tedious search that I may or may not have gone a little crazy over, we saw a little house last week we're both smitten on. We've put the application in and fingers crossed we'll hear back this week. Promise to cross yours too?

It's got a yard, a basement with a washer and dryer, and the sweetest little layout. It's not big, but the whole house will be ours! I can't tell you how grown up that makes me feel, how secure in knowing that our future is headed somewhere with a house in it. I have that same feeling I did last year, a feeling like we're on the cusp of so many wonderful things.

Of course my over active imagination is decorating, and redecorating each room in my mind I've got at least 50 things I want to buy, 20 I want to refurbish and loads I'm ready to kick to the curb in pursuit of something better. But hold on a minute, didn't I just say we don't even have the place yet?

I'm always getting ahead of myself on projects like these, when I should step back a minute and savor the little things first. Those tiny details that get overshadowed in all the excitement, like the ones I mentioned just two paragraphs before. I want to get caught up in the details and cherish them, not hurry the process along. Something I have to remind myself constantly.

You may ask what a fiddle fig has to do with all this? I was mulling over the subject of details in my living room and looked over at our little tree and thought how pretty it was. I got really close to the plant and noticed the marvelous veins on all the leaves. From afar they're pretty to look at but to see just how miraculous they truly are you have to get really really close. The details are what make them special, just like the details of life. - b.

So I'm going to brag for a minute, it was in the high 50s - low 60s the entire time I was in Vegas. Even at night. I can't tell you how nice it was to escape the snow and freezing temperatures for a minute. I was able to go out in my pleather jacket (no vegan leather for me) and sandals the entire time. You forget how much easier it is to get around when you're not under 100 layers. Now that I'm back to bundling up I can say that with levity. But, back to Las Vegas by moonlight.

My favorite thing to do after the sun went down was well, two things. First I love going into the different lobbies of the casinos and eyeing the amazing marble work, art, and architectural design that went on for miles. These places see a ton of traffic, so you know this has to be the real deal and not the faux crap we build our houses with. The second image of the post is the ceiling in the Bellagio lobby, I'm still speechless.

My second favorite thing to do under the moonlight was watch the water shows in the lake outside the Bellagio (can you tell I liked the Bellagio yet?). They were incredible! The fountains are programmed to perform a choreographed dance to songs from the likes of Celine Dion and Frank Sinatra. The best part is that they run every hour from like 5-11pm and they're free. It fulfilled some unknown hole in my 13 year old self's heart.

I tried to see the show at Treasure Island too, but unfortunately they were closed. I waited for 20 minutes and someone who worked there kindly filled me in. I guess I'l just have to go back. I think that's probably my takeaway from Las Vegas, I have to go back.

I don't gamble, don't drink a lot, and I kind of hate buffets. You'd think this was the last place on the planet I'd want to visit again, but there's so much more to it. In between the poker and prostitutes there's a vast world of things to see and do and a whole different culture to experience. There are art shows, street performers, locals with a million stories, and museums I haven't even begun to investigate. Next time I'm bringing Ryan though, that way I can stay out past 8pm and see that much more.  

Wonder what else I was up to in Vegas? Check out my instagram or feel free to ask me any questions you might have! - b.

Surprise, I went to Las Vegas last week! I had a conference to attend for work and spent the evenings exploring sin city. Not really the city you usually think of exploring on your own, but I had a blast just taking everything in. There are no words for Vegas; it's so much bigger, grander, and unbelievably decadent than I ever imagined. My cab driver from the airport said that because everything is so oversized your perception of how far and big things are gets skewed. He was so right.

Each casino could be its own island, or city, or country really. Everything you could possibly need to forget the rest of the world can all be found in one place, and in case of an apocalypse Las Vegas is where I'm headed. I'll also be honest and say I spent most of my time on "the Strip" during daylight hours. It was more amazing for me to see everything in its full glory, without the neon halo.

In true Bekuh fashion though, my absolute favorite casino had to be Paris. I mean they have a Eiffel Tower guys, how could I not fall in love? There's a little piece of my heart that will always seek something french in every place I go. Some places are just more obvious than others.

Even though I liked the sunlit streets a little better than the nightlife, it don't stop me from staying a little past dark to see the real Las Vegas come to life. Join me here tomorrow for Las Vegas in moonlight. - b.