what happens in vegas...

...ends up getting blogged about. After a wonderful week at Lake Powell with Drew, the two of us left for Las Vegas for the weekend. We arrived Friday afternoon but were too tired to do much  and ended up going to bed around 9 P.M. We made up for a boring evening with a jam-packed Saturday. Both of us have only ever driven through Vegas, so we wanted to do as much touristy business as possible. Since the Strip is obviously more exciting at night, we researched things to do and ventured to The Mob Museum during the day, a museum devoted to organized crime and law enforcement in America. I found this museum so interesting and very informative. I learned a lot more than I probably wanted to know about mobsters in the early 20th century and their rise to power in the biggest cities in the country. Afterward, Drew and I expressed our need to watch some classic mafia movies that neither of us have seen. So sometime in the near future we're having a Mob Date Night: gangster movies and pasta.

convicts

phat staxx

Our main reason for hitting up Vegas was for the wedding of Mr. & Mrs. Nilsen on August 23rd, 2014 in the Las Vegas Temple. I am lucky enough to know both of these sweet people and I was so happy that Drew and I could make it to their reception! Bradley served in my mission back home in Lancaster and actually spent Christmas Day with my family one year. I met Karli through Desireé last summer when all three of them were sports camp counselors together (which is when Karli and Bradley first met each other too). I hung out with them quite a bit at the beginning of fall semester when they first started dating and it was so fun to be able to see them on their wedding day one year later! They make such a cute couple and Karli was a vision. I remember wedding dress shopping with her and Karli describing exactly what she wanted in a dress. She didn't find it that day, but the dress she did find was EXACTLY what she had in mind and it was gorgeous. Congrats and best wishes to the Nilsens! 

08.23.2014

#bradandkar

To end our Vegas weekend we hit up the Strip after the reception and walked around feelin' fat and sassy in our wedding digs. I kinda felt like Harry on his first Diagon Alley trip where he wished he had eight more eyes to be able to take in all the sights and flashy signs. The Bellagio Water Show was beautiful and the second time we watched it (it goes on every 15 minutes) "Proud To Be An American" played and for some reason we found that hilarious. However, both of us came to the conclusion that Vegas is a little too crazy for us and if it wasn't for a show to attend there, we would not care to return again. I am glad I could experience the glamour of Vegas at night, but I am content with it being a one time thing. 

"Con te Partiro" played during the first Bellagio Water Show and it was majestic 

my girl CELINE <3

Bellagio lobby umbrellas and/or psychedelic mushrooms

my dapper wedding date <3 <3 <3

I had such a happy and exhausting past week with Drew and it was perfect after being apart for the majority of the summer. We survived a roadtrip together too so I guess that means we're doing something right. I came back to Provo with so much craziness awaiting me. I am in the process of moving into a super cute house with new roommates which will be a nice change. And then fall semester starts a week from today! How the eff did that happen? RIP summer 2k14. But this new semester should be a fun one and I can't wait to share it with all of you!

powell pals

For those of you who didn't know, I recently finished summer classes and it was pretty miserable. I took two classes in Chemistry which happen to be my worst subject. I was also back to working part-time meaning no more phat staxx. On top of all of this, Drew was in London for a study abroad for the duration of summer semester. I missed him lots and finding time to talk and Skype was difficult due to our busy schedules and the seven hour time difference. Basically the majority of my summer was pretty sucky. This past week certainly made up for all of that. Two days after taking my final, I left for Lake Powell with Drew and his family and it was a dream. I have never been to Lake Powell before and I can honestly say now that it is one of the prettiest places I have ever seen in person. We stayed on their houseboat in Padre Bay and the week was a blast filled with tubing, wakeboarding, exploring on jet-skis, Cards Against Humanity rounds, crazy storms, and sleeping under the stars. Spending the week with Drew and the rest of the Tekulve's was such a treat and my first ever Powell experience was a success! 

 fifty shades of blue

Harvey! Drew's nephew and the baby with the longest lashes known to man

photocred: Drew on his IPHONE. Not kidding.

Chinese lanterns (cue songs from Tangled)

guys I got up on the wakeboard on my first try ever!!!

#neature

pocahontas + john smith vibes

These pictures do not even do this place justice. I totally get what all the hype about Lake Powell is now and I would love to visit again! After our week on the lake, Drew and I roadtripped to Las Vegas for the remainder of the weekend for a friend's wedding and some touristy business. But to avoid writing a novel, expect a separate post about it with even more pictures! Thanks for reading and stay tuned!